r our readers.'

[Illustration: A SHEKEL

given to Borrow by Hasfeld, his Danish friend, as a talisman when they
parted at St. Petersburg. In _The Bible in Spain_ Borrow relates that he
showed this shekel at Gibraltar to a Jew, who exclaimed, 'Brothers,
witness, these are the letters of Solomon. This silver is blessed. We
must kiss this money.']

The publication of _The Bible in Spain_ made Borrow famous for a time.
Hitherto he had been known only to a small religious community, the
coterie that ran the Bible Society. Even the large mass of people who
subscribed to that Society knew its agent in Spain only by meagre
allusions in the Annual Reports. Now the world was to talk about him,
and he enjoyed being talked about. Borrow declared--in 1842--that the
five years he passed in Spain were the most happy years of his
existence. But then he had not had a happy life during the previous
years, as we have seen, and in Russia he had a toilsome task with an
added element of uncertainty as to the permanence of his position. The
five years in Spain had plentiful adventure, and they closed in a
pleasant manner. Yet the year that followed, even though it found him
almost a country squire, was not a happy one. Once again the world did
not want him and his books--not the _Gypsies of Spain_ for example.
Seven weeks after publication it had sold only to the extent of some
three hundred copies.[161] But the happiest year of Borrow's life was
undoubtedly the one that followed the publication of _The Bible in
Spain_. Up to that time he had been a mere adventurer; now he was that
most joyous of beings--a successful author; and here, from among his
Papers, is a carefully preserved relic of his social triumph:

To George Borrow, Esq., at Mr. Murray's, Bookseller, Albemarle Street.

4 CARLTON TERRACE, _Tuesday, 30th May._

The Prussian Minister and Madam Bunsen would be very happy to
see Mr. Borrow to-morrow, Wednesday evening, about half past
nine o'clock or later, when some German national songs will be
performed at their house, which may possibly suit Mr. Borrow's
taste. They hoped to have met him last night at the Bishop of
Norwich's, but arrived there too late. They had already
commissioned Lady Hall (sister to Madam Bunsen) to express to
Mr. Borrow their wish for his acquaintance.

In a letter to his wife, of which a few lines are printed in Dr. Knapp's
book, he also writ