handsomely of your labour.
Such a public testimonial is a good puff, and I hope will
attract purchasers.--Sincerely yours,

R. F.

This speech of Peel's in the House of Commons, in which in reply to a
very trivial question by Dr. Bowring, then M.P. for Bolton, upon the
subject of the correspondence of the British Government with Turkey, the
great statesman urged:

It might have been said to Mr. Borrow, with respect to Spain,
that it would be impossible to distribute the Bible in that
country in consequence of the danger of offending the
prejudices which prevail there; yet he, a private individual,
by showing some zeal in what he believed to be right, succeeded
in triumphing over many obstacles.[166]

Borrow was elated with the compliment, and asked Mr. Murray two months
later if he could not advertise the eulogium with one of his books.

In June 1844, while the _Handbook for Travellers in Spain_ was going to
press, Ford went on a visit to Borrow at Oulton, and describes the pair
as 'two rum coves in a queer country'; and further gives one of the best
descriptions of the place:

His house hangs over a lonely lake covered with wild fowl, and
is girt with dark firs through which the wind sighs sadly.

When the _Handbook for Travellers in Spain_ was published in 1845 it was
agreed that Borrow should write the review for _The Quarterly_. Instead
of writing a review Borrow, possessed by that tactlessness which so
frequently overcame him, wrote an article on 'Spain and the Spaniards,'
very largely of abuse, an absolutely useless production from the point
of view of Ford the author, and of Lockhart, his editor friend. Borrow
never forgave Lockhart for returning this manuscript, but that it had no
effect on Ford's friendship is shown by the following letter, dated 1846
(p. 258), written long after the unfortunate episode, and another in Dr.
Knapp's _Life_, dated 1851:

To Mrs. Borrow, Oulton Hall, Lowestoft.

_Oct. 6, 1844_, CHELTENHAM.

MY DEAR MADAM,--I trouble you with a line to say that I have
received a letter from Don Jorge, from Constantinople. He
evidently is now anxious to be quietly back again on the banks
of your peaceful lake; he speaks favourably of his health,
which has been braced up by change of air, scenery, and
occupations, so I hope he will get through next winter without
any bro