To the Rev.A.Brandram (ENDORSED:recd.May 5,1836)MADRID,NO.3,CALLE DE LA ZARZA,20APRIL 1836REVD.AND DEAR SIR,-I have received your letter of the 6th inst.,in which you request me to write to you a little more frequently,on the ground that my letters are not destitute of interest;your request,however,is not the principal reason which incites me to take up the pen at the present moment.Though I hope that I shall be able to communicate matter which will afford yourself and our friends at home subject for some congratulation,my more immediate object is to inform you of my situation,of which I am sure you have not the slightest conception.
For the last three weeks I have been without money,literally without a farthing.About a month ago I received fifteen pounds from Mr.Wilby,and returned him an order for twenty,he having,when I left Lisbon,lent me five pounds,on account,above what Idrew for,as he was apprehensive of my being short of money before I reached Madrid.12pounds,5s.of this I instantly expended for a suit of clothes,my own being so worn,that it was impossible to appear longer in public with them.At the time of sending him the receipt I informed him that I was in need of money,and begged that he would send the remaining 30pounds by return of post.I have never heard from him from that moment,though I have written twice.
Perhaps he never received my letters,or I may not have received his,the post of Estremadura having been three times robbed;I can imagine no other reason.The money may still come,but I have given up all hopes of it,and am compelled to write home,though what I am to do till I can receive your answer I am at a loss to conceive.But God is above all,and I am far from complaining;but you would oblige me,upon receiving this,to procure me instantly a letter of credit on some house in Madrid.I believe Messrs.
Hammersley of London have correspondents here.Whatever I undergo,I shall tell nobody my situation:it might hurt the Society and our projects here.I know enough of the world to be aware that it is considered as the worst of crimes to be without money.Above all,let me intreat you never to hint of this affair in any communication to Mr.Wilby;he is a most invaluable man,and he might take offence.
A week ago,after having spent much time in drawing up a petition,I presented it to the Ecclesiastical Committee of Censors.It was strongly backed by the Civil Governor of Madrid,within whose department the Censorship is.In this petition,after a preamble on the religious state of Spain,I requested permission to print the New Testament without note or comment,according to the version of Father Scio,and in the same form and size as the small edition of Paris,in order that the book might be 'AL ALCANCE ASI DE LOSPOBRES COMO DE LOS RICOS'(within the reach of the poor as well as of the wealthy).The Ecclesiastical Board are at present consulting about it,as I was informed to-day,upon my repairing to their house for the purpose of knowing how matters were going on.
