Page:Letter to Joseph Black.pdf/2

 Madrid March 8th 1789

Dear Sir,

After a tedious journey of six months through France I arrived here, and presented your letters to Dr. L- to whom you recommended me in such warm terms: he has done me every injury in his power, and even has the effrontery publickly to declare your letter contained nothing to my credit. You recollect I read this letter before you sealed it. His family are an obscure poor people in a starving condition at Bilbao throught which town I past in my way to Madrid. While I was at Bilbao his family and a certain friar of that town brought the Inquisition into my lodgings to terrifie me out of the thing down: it seems he was appired of my coming, and took his measures accordingly. This friar, who is a british subject, told me in a menacing tone, that I should be capeized (so he termed it) for heresy. However I escaped martyrdom. Dr. L- is not Professor of Chemistry, nor of any thing else, nor indeed is he capable: he stands in need of friends & favours more than I do: he was sent to steal home the arts and practical chemistry: but to his credit, I speak it, in this simple instance hath he behaved with the strictest honesty. He made an attempt to translate Dr. Cullen's first lines into Spanish; but has failed; which is a fortunate Event for the venerable Professor.

I thought it incumbent on me to take this opportunity of thanking you for the friendly manner in which you have always trusted me aframing you that I think you recommendation of greater weight than that of any man alive and that the greater honour I can boast is to have been your Pupil and that you esteemed me.

I am my dear Sir with the greatest respect & Gratitude

your sincere Friend

Thomas Fulhame