But I Could Not Command Myself When I Heard My Own
Glorious Land Traduced In This Unmerited Manner.
By whom?
A
Portuguese! A native of a country which has been twice liberated
from horrid and detestable thraldom by the hands of Englishmen.
But for Wellington and his heroes, Portugal would have been French
at this day; but for Napier and his mariners, Miguel would now be
lording it in Lisbon. To return, however, to the officer; every
one laughed at him, and he presently went away.
The next day I became acquainted with a respectable tradesman of
the name of Almeida, a man of talent, though rather rough in his
manners. He expressed great abhorrence of the papal system, which
had so long spread a darkness like that of death over his
unfortunate country, and I had no sooner informed him that I had
brought with me a certain quantity of Testaments, which it was my
intention to leave for sale at Elvas, than he expressed a great
desire to undertake the charge, and said that he would do the
utmost in his power to procure a sale for them amongst his numerous
customers. Upon showing him a copy, I remarked, your name is upon
the title page; the Portuguese version of the Holy Scriptures,
circulated by the Bible Society, having been executed by a
Protestant of the name of Almeida, and first published in the year
1712; whereupon he smiled, and observed that he esteemed it an
honour to be connected in name at least with such a man. He
scoffed at the idea of receiving any remuneration, and assured me
that the feeling of being permitted to co-operate in so holy and
useful a cause as the circulation of the Scriptures was quite a
sufficient reward.
After having accomplished this matter, I proceeded to survey the
environs of the place, and strolled up the hill to the fort on the
north side of the town. The lower part of the hill is planted with
azinheiras, which give it a picturesque appearance, and at the
bottom is a small brook, which I crossed by means of stepping
stones. Arrived at the gate of the fort, I was stopped by the
sentry, who, however, civilly told me, that if I sent in my name to
the commanding officer he would make no objection to my visiting
the interior. I accordingly sent in my card by a soldier who was
lounging about, and, sitting down on a stone, waited his return.
He presently appeared, and inquired whether I was an Englishman; to
which, having replied in the affirmative, he said, "In that case,
sir, you cannot enter; indeed, it is not the custom to permit any
foreigners to visit the fort." I answered that it was perfectly
indifferent to me whether I visited it or not; and, having taken a
survey of Badajoz from the eastern side of the hill, descended by
the way I came.
This is one of the beneficial results of protecting a nation and
squandering blood and treasure in its defence.
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