s with Ofalia on
the subject, and in these he has expressed to him his sense of the
injustice and tyranny which have been practised in this instance towards
his countryman, as he does me the honour of calling me. Ofalia has been
much moved by these remonstrances, and on several occasions has promised
to do all in his power to oblige Sir George; but then the Bishops, and
particularly his confessor, whom he consults every night, again beset
him, and playing upon his religious fears, prevent him from acting a
just, honest, and honourable part.

At the desire of Sir George Villiers, I drew up, a little time since, a
brief account of the Bible Society and an exposition of its views,
especially in respect to Spain, which he himself presented with his own
hand to the Count. Of this memorial I send you a translation, and I
think that you will do me the justice to say that, if I have not
flattered and cajoled, I have expressed myself honestly and frankly, as a
Christian ought. Ofalia on reading it, said, 'What a pity that this is a
mixed society, and that all its members are not Catholics.' A few days
subsequently, to my great astonishment, he sent a message to me by a
friend, requesting that I would send him a copy of my Gypsy Gospel. I
may as well here state that the fame of this work, although unpublished,
has spread like wildfire through Madrid, and every person is passionately
eager to possess a copy; indeed, several grandees of Spain have sent
messages with similar requests, all of which I have, however, denied. I
instantly resolved to take advantage of this overture on the part of
Count Ofalia, and to call on him myself. I therefore caused a copy of
the Gospel to be handsomely bound, and proceeding to the palace, was
instantly admitted to him. He is a dusky, diminutive person, between
fifty and sixty years of age, with false hair and teeth, but exceedingly
gentlemanly manners. He received me with great affability, and thanked
me for my present; but on my proceeding to speak of the New Testament, he
told me that the subject was surrounded with difficulties, and that the
whole body of the clergy had taken up the matter against me; but he
conjured me to be patient and peaceable, and he would endeavour to devise
some plan to satisfy me. Amongst other things, he said that the Bishops
hated a sectarian more than an atheist; whereupon I replied, that, like
the Pharisees of old, they cared more for the gold of the Temple