George Borrow

“ By the by, what do you call Bible in your tongue, or, indeed, book of any kind? as Bible merely means a book.'
'What do I call the Bible in my language, dear?'
'Yes, the language of those who bring you things.'
'The language of those who did, dear; they bring them now no longer. They call me fool, as you did, dear, just now; they call kissing the Bible, which means taking a false oath, smacking calf-skin.'
'That's metaphor,' said I; 'English, but metaphorical; what an odd language! ”

“ So you would like to have a Bible,—shall I buy you one?'
'I am poor, dear—no money since I left off the other trade.'
'Well, then, I'll buy you one.'
'No, dear, no; you are poor, and may soon want the money; but if you can take me one conveniently on the sly, you know—I think you may, for, as it is a good book, I suppose there can be no harm in taking it.'
'That will never do,' said I, 'more especially as I should be sure to be caught, not having made taking of things my trade; but I'll tell you what I'll do—try and exchange this book of yours for a Bible ”

“ But for her literature she might in all probability have lived respectably and honestly, like her mother, and might eventually have died in peace, which at present she could scarcely hope to do. Education had failed to produce any good in this poor woman ”