and handbills replete
with the lowest abuse of the Spanish clergy and Government, and
containing his own private opinions concerning religion. However, not
contented with this, he had the cruelty--I will not call it baseness--to
speak of _myself_, with, whom he asserted that he was co-operating in
every point, and that all he was doing was under the sanction of the
Bible Society.

Intelligence of these proceedings was of course sent to Madrid, with one
of the handbills, which I have not seen, but of which Mr. Southern, a
literary and accomplished gentleman, has said that its abusive virulence
is only to be equalled by its stupidity and folly. Sir George Villiers,
though very unwell, was deeply engaged in my affair, and exchanging
official notes with the Government. He had just informed Count Ofalia
that unless full and summary satisfaction were afforded me, he should
demand his passports, and write to the commanders of all the English
ships of war engaged in furnishing assistance to Spain, commanding them
to suspend operations forthwith. Suddenly Count Ofalia arrived at the
Embassy, and flinging down on the table one of Graydon's handbills,
exclaimed: 'Peruse that, and then tell me, as a Cavalier and a gentleman,
and the Envoy of a powerful and enlightened nation, whether you can any
longer uphold the cause of your friend in prison, and persist in saying
that he has been cruelly and unjustly treated. You see that he is in the
closest connexion with an individual whose conduct every civilised man
must reprobate, it being a most flagrant breach of common decency and
order.'

This unexpected incident occurring at such a critical moment almost
stunned Sir George; but, recovering himself, he denied in the most
positive manner that I had any connexion with Graydon, and asserted that
he did not believe the latter was an Agent of the Bible Society, and that
at all events he was quite sure that he had acted in this case without
its knowledge and concurrence, and that it would be willing to declare so
in the clearest and most satisfactory manner.

Count Ofalia, finding Sir George so positive, said that since I had such
a voucher he could not reasonably doubt my innocence; and that with
respect to the Society he supposed that it too well understood its own
interest to trust its affairs to a person whose conduct was calculated to
bring odium and misfortune on the fairest and most promising cause. But
Sir George has subseq