,,cathedral ,,cities ,,of ,,spain ,,uniform ,,with ,,this ,,volume ,,cathedral ,,cities ,,of ,,england4 ,by ,,george ,,gilbert4 ,with #fj reproductions from water-colours by ,w4,w4 ,,collins1 ,r4,i4 ,demy #hvo1 #afs4 net4 ,,cathedral ,,cities ,,of ,,france4 ,by ,,herbert and ,,hester ,,marshall4 ,with #fj reproductions from water-colours by ,,herbert ,,marshall1 ,r4,w4,s4 ,demy #hvo1 #afs4 net4 ,also large paper edition1 #b #bs4 net4 ,,books ,,illustrated ,,by ,,joseph ,,pennell ,,italian ,,hours4 ,by ,,henry ,,james4 ,with #cb plates in colour and numerous illustrations in black and white by ,,joseph ,,pennell4 ,large crown #dto4 ,price #bjs4 net4 ,a ,,little ,,tour ,,in ,,france4 ,by ,,henry ,,james4 ,with #id illustrations by ,,joseph ,,pennell4 ,pott #dto4 ,price #ajs4 net4 ,,english ,,hours4 ,by ,,henry ,,james4 ,with #id illustrations by ,,joseph ,,pennell4 ,pott #dto4 ,price #ajs4 net4 ,,italian ,,journeys4 ,by ,w4,d4 ,,howells4 ,with #ajc illustrations by ,,joseph ,,pennell4 ,pott #dto4 ,price #ajs4 net4 ,,castilian ,,days4 ,by the ,hon4 ,,john ,,hay4 ,with #aaa illustrations by ,,joseph ,,pennell4 ,pott #dto4 ,price #ajs4 net4 ,london3 ,,william ,,heinemann #ba ,bedford ,street1 ,w4,c4 ,illustration ,illustration3 ,,burgos4 ,,the ,,cathedral ,,cathedral ,,cities ,,of ,,spain ,,written ,,and ,,illustrated ,,by ,w4 ,w4 ,,collins1 ,r4,i4 ,illustration3 colophon ,,london3 ,,william ,,heinemann ,,new ,,york3 ,,dodd1 ,,mead ,,and ,,company #aiji ,all rights reserved ,copyright1 ,london1 #aiji1 by ,william ,heinemann and ,washington1 ,u4,s4,a41 by ,dodd1 ,mead ,co ,,preface ,spain1 the country of contrasts1 of races differing from one another in habits1 customs1 and language1 has one great thing that welds it into a homogeneous nation1 and this is its ,religion4 ,wherever one's footsteps wander1 be it in the progressive provinces of the north1 the medivalism of the ,great ,plain1 or in that still eastern portion of the south1 ,andalusia1 this one thing is ever omnipresent and stamps itself on the memory as the great living force throughout the ,peninsula4 ,in her ,cathedrals and ,churches1 her ruined ,monasteries and ,convents1 there is more than abundant evidence of the vitality of her ,faith2 and we can see how1 after the expulsion of the ,moor1 the wealth of the nation poured into the coffers of the ,church and there centralised the life of the nation4 ,in the mountain fastnesses of ,asturias the churches of ,santa ,maria de ,naranco and ,san ,miguel de ,lino1 dating from the ninth century and contemporary with ,san ,pablo and ,santa ,cristina1 in ,barcelona1 are the earliest ,christian buildings in ,spain4 ,as the ,moor was pushed further south1 a new style followed his retreating steps2 and the ,romanesque1 introduced from over the ,pyrenees1 became the adopted form of architecture in the more or less settled parts of the country4 ,creeping south through ,leon1 where ,san ,isidoro is well worth mention1 we find the finest examples of the period in the eleventh and twelfth centuries1 at ,segovia1 ,avila1 and the grand ,catedral ,vieja of ,salamanca4 ,spain sought help from ,france to expel the ,moor1 and it is but natural that the more advanced nation should leave her mark somewhere and in some way in the country she pacifically invaded4 ,before the spread of this influence became general1 we find at least one great monument of native genius rise up at ,tarragona4 ,the ,transition ,cathedral there can lay claim to be entirely ,spanish4 ,it is the epitome and outcome of a yearning for the display of ,spain's own talent1 and is one of the most interesting and beautiful in the whole country4 ,toledo1 ,leon1 and ,burgos are the three ,cathedrals known as the ,french ,cathedrals of ,spain4 ,they are ,gothic and the first named is the finest of all4 ,spanish ,gothic is best exemplified in the ,cathedral of ,barcelona4 ,for late-,gothic1 we must go to the huge structures of ,salamanca1 ,segovia1 and the ,cathedral at ,seville which almost overwhelms in the grandeur of its scale4 ,after the close of the fifteenth century ,italian or ,renaissance influence began to be felt1 and the decoration of the ,plateresque style became the vogue4 ,san ,marcos at ,leon1 the ,university of ,salamanca1 and the ,casa de ,ayuntamiento at ,seville are among the best examples of this4 ,the influence of ,churriguera1 who evolved the ,churrigueresque style1 is to be met with in almost every ,cathedral in the country4 ,he it is who was responsible for those great gilded altars with their enormous twisted pillars so familiar to travellers in ,spain2 and which1 though no doubt a tribute to the glory of ,god1 one feels are more a vulgar display of wealth than a tasteful or artistic addition to her architecture4 ,the finest of the ,renaissance ,cathedrals is that of ,granada1 and the most obtrusive piece of ,churrigueresque is the ,cartuja in the same city4 ,taking the ,cathedrals as a whole the two most unfamiliar and notable features are the ,coros or ,choirs1 and the ,retablos4 ,these latter--gorgeous backings to the ,high ,altar1 generally ill-lit1 with a superabundance of carving sometimes coloured and gilded1 sometimes of plain stone--are of ,low-country or ,flemish origin4 ,the former1 with one exception at ,oviedo1 are placed in the nave west of the crossing1 and enclose1 as a rule1 two or more bays in this direction4 ,every ,cathedral is a museum of art1 and these two features are the most worth study4 ,,note4--,since the revolution in ,catalonia of ,july-,august #aiji1 the ,king has decreed that no one can secure exemption from military service by the payment of a sum of money4 ,,contents ,,page ,,cadiz #a ,,seville #g ,,cordova #bc ,,granada #ca ,,malaga #eg ,,valencia #fe ,,tortosa #gg ,,tarragona #hc ,,barcelona #ia ,,gerona #aja ,,toledo #ajg ,,salamanca #aba ,,avila #acg ,,segovia #ade ,,saragossa #aei ,,santiago #agd ,,tuy #ahc ,,orense #ahg ,,astorga #aic ,,zamora #aii ,,leon #bje ,,oviedo #bag ,,valladolid #bbe ,,burgos #bcc ,,index #bdi ,,illustrations ,to face page ,burgos4 ,the ,cathedral ,frontispiece ,cadiz4 ,the ,cathedral #b ,cadiz4 ,the ,market ,place #d ,seville4 ,in the ,cathedral #h ,seville4 ,the ,giralda ,tower #ab ,seville4 ,in the ,alczar1 the ,patio de las ,doncellas #ad ,seville4 ,view over the ,town #ah ,cordova4 ,interior of the ,mesquita #bd ,cordova4 ,the ,campanario ,tower #bf ,cordova4 ,the ,bridge #bh ,cordova4 ,fountain in the ,court of ,oranges #cj ,granada4 ,carrera de ,darro #cb ,granada4 ,exterior of the ,cathedral #ch ,granada4 ,the ,alhambra #df ,granada4 ,the ,alhambra1 ,court of ,lions #ej ,granada4 ,generalife #ed ,malaga4 ,view from the ,harbour #eh ,malaga4 ,the ,market #fb ,valencia4 ,san ,pablo #ff ,valencia4 ,door of the ,cathedral #fh ,valencia4 ,religious ,procession #gb ,tortosa #hj ,tarragona #hd ,tarragona4 ,the ,archbishop's ,tower #hf ,tarragona4 ,the ,cloisters #hh ,barcelona4 ,the ,cathedral #ib ,barcelona4 ,the ,rambla #if ,gerona4 ,the ,cattle ,market #ajb ,gerona4 ,the ,cathedral #ajd ,toledo4 ,the ,cathedral #ajh ,toledo4 ,the ,south ,transept #aaj ,toledo4 ,the ,zcodover #aad ,toledo4 ,the ,alcntara ,bridge #aaf ,salamanca #abb ,salamanca4 ,the ,old ,cathedral #abd ,salamanca4 ,an ,old ,street #abh ,avila #ach ,avila4 ,puerta de ,san ,vicente #adb ,segovia at ,sunset #adf ,segovia4 ,the ,aqueduct #adh ,segovia4 ,plaza ,mayor #aeb ,saragossa4 ,la ,seo #afj ,saragossa4 ,in the ,old ,cathedral #afd ,saragossa4 ,easter ,procession #aff ,santiago4 ,the ,cathedral #agb ,santiago4 ,south ,door of the ,cathedral #agd ,santiago4 ,interior of the ,cathedral #agh ,tuy #ahd ,orense4 ,in the ,cathedral #ahh ,astorga #aid ,zamora4 ,the ,cathedral #bjb ,leon4 ,the ,cathedral #bjh ,leon4 ,the ,west ,porch of the ,cathedral #baj ,leon4 ,san ,marcos #bad ,oviedo4 ,in the ,cathedral #bah ,oviedo4 ,the ,cloisters #bbb ,valladolid4,santa ,maria la ,antigua #bbf ,valladolid4,san ,pablo #bbh ,burgos4 ,the ,capilla ,mayor #bcf ,burgos4 ,arch of ,santa ,maria #bdb ,,cadiz ,at one time the greatest port in the world--,where are thy glories now1 oh1 ,cadiz8 ,she is still a ,white ,city lying embosomed on a sea of emerald and topaz4 ,her streets are still full of the colour of the ,east1 but alas6 ,seville has robbed her of her trade1 and in the hustle of modern life she is too far from the busy centre1 too much on the outskirts of everything1 to be anything more than a port of call for ,american tourists and a point from whence the emigrant leaves his native country4 ,this isolation is one of her great charms1 and the recollections ,i have carried away of her quiet clean streets1 her white or pink washed houses with their flat roofs and miradores1 her brilliant sun and blue sea1 can never be effaced by ,time's subtle hand4 ,landing from a coasting-boat from ,gibraltar1 ,i began my travels through ,spain at ,cadiz2 and it was with intense regret1 so pleasant was the change from the grey skies and cold winds of ,england1 that ,i took my final stroll along the broad ,alameda bordered with palms of all sorts1 and lined with other exotic growth--that ,i bid good-bye to the ,parque de ,genoves where many a pleasant hour had been spent in the grateful shade of its trees4 ,i shall probably never again lean idly over the sea-washed walls and watch the graceful barques with their cargoes of salt1 spread their sails to the breeze and glide away on the long voyage to ,south ,america4 ,looking out eastwards over the marshes ,i was at first much puzzled to know what were the white pyramids that stood in rows like the tents of an invading host4 ,then ,i was told4 ,shallow pans are dug out in the marsh and the sea let in4 ,after evaporation this is repeated again and again1 until the saline deposit is thick enough to be scraped and by degrees grows into a pyramid4 ,every pan is named after a saint from whom good luck is implored4 ,no1 ,i doubt if ever my eyes will wander again over the blue waters to the marsh lands of ,san ,fernando4 ,illustration3 ,,cadiz4 ,,the ,,cathedral ,life is short and ,i can hardly hope that ,fate will carry me back to those sea walls and once more permit me as the sun goes down to speculate on the catch of the fishing-fleet as each boat makes for its haven in the short twilight of a southern clime4 ,i cannot but regret that all this is of the past1 but ,i shall never regret that at ,cadiz1 the most enchanting of ,spain's seaports1 began my acquaintance with her many glorious cities4 ,in ancient times ,cadiz was the chief mart for the tin of the ,cassiterides and the amber of the ,baltic4 ,founded by the ,tyrians as far back as #aajj ,b4,c41 it was the ,gadir 7fortress7 of the ,phoenicians4 ,later on ,hamilcar and ,hannibal equipped their armies and built their fleets here4 ,the ,romans named the city ,gades1 and it became second only to ,padua and ,rome4 ,after the discovery of ,america1 ,cadiz became once more a busy port1 the great silver fleets discharged their precious cargoes in its harbour and from the estuary sailed many a man whose descendants have created the great ,spain over the water4 ,the loss of the ,spanish colonies ruined ,cadiz and it has never regained the place in the world it once held4 ,huge quays are about to be constructed and the present ,king has just laid the first stone of these1 in the hopes that trade may once more be brought to a city that sleeps4 ,there are two ,cathedrals in ,cadiz4 ,the ,catedral ,nueva is a modern structure commenced in #agbb and finished in #ahch by the bishop whose statue faces the rather imposing west faade4 ,built of limestone and ,jrez sandstone1 it is white--dazzling white1 and rich ochre brown4 ,there is very little of interest in the interior4 ,the silleria del coro 7choir stalls7 were given by ,queen ,isabel1 and came originally from a suppressed ,carthusian ,convent near ,seville4 ,the exterior can claim a certain grandeur1 especially when seen from the sea4 ,the drum of the cimborio with the great yellow dome above1 and the towers of the west faade give it from a distance somewhat the appearance of a mosque4 ,the ,catedral ,vieja1 built in the thirteenth century1 was originally ,gothic1 but being almost entirely destroyed during ,lord ,essex's siege in #aeif1 was rebuilt in its present unpretentious ,renaissance form4 ,cadiz possesses an ,acadmia de ,bellas ,artes where ,zurbaran1 ,murillo and ,alfonso ,cano are represented by second-rate paintings4 ,to the suppressed convent of ,san ,francisco is attached the melancholy interest of ,murillo's fatal fall from the scaffolding while at work on the ,marriage of ,st4 ,catherine4 ,the picture was finished by his apt pupil ,meneses ,osorio4 ,another work by the master1 a ,san ,francisco1 quite in his best style also hangs here4 ,illustration3 ,,cadiz4 ,,the ,,market ,,place ,the churches of ,cadiz contain nothing to attract one1 indeed if it were not for the fine setting of the city surrounded by water1 and the semi-eastern atmosphere that pervades the place1 there is but little to hold the ordinary tourist4 ,the ,mercado1 or market-place1 is a busy scene and full of colour2 the ,fish ,market1 too1 abounds in varieties of finny inhabitants of the deep and compares favourably in this respect with that of ,bergen in far away ,norway4 ,the sole attraction in this ,city of the ,past--in fact1 ,i might say in the ,past of ,spain as far as it concerns ,cadiz--lies on the stretch of water into which the rivers ,guadalete and ,san ,pedro empty themselves4 ,from the very earliest days down to the time when ,columbus sailed on his voyage which altered the face of the then known globe1 and so on to our own day1 it is in the ,bahia de ,cadiz that her history has been written4 ,,seville ,seville1 the ,sephela of the ,phoenicians1 ,hispalis of the ,romans1 and ,ishbilyah of the ,moors1 is by far the largest and most interesting city of ,southern ,spain4 ,in ,visigothic times ,seville was the capital of the ,silingi until ,leovigild moved his court to ,toledo4 ,it was captured by ,julius ,csar in #de ,b4,c41 but during the ,roman occupation was overshadowed by ,italica1 the birthplace of the ,emperors ,trajan1 ,adrian1 and ,theodosius1 and the greatest of ,rome's cities in ,hispania4 ,this once magnificent place is now a desolate ruin1 plundered of its glories and the haunt of gipsies4 ,under the ,moors1 who ruled it for five hundred and thirty-six years1 ,seville was second only to ,cordova1 to which city it became subject when ,abdurrhaman established the ,western ,kalifate there in the year #gef4 ,san ,ferdinand1 ,king of ,leon and ,castile1 pushed his conquests far south and ,seville succumbed to the force of his arms in #abdh4 ,seville is the most fascinating city in ,spain4 ,it is still ,moorish in a way4 ,its houses are built on the ,eastern plan with patios1 their roofs are flat and many have that charming accessory1 the miradore4 ,its streets are narrow and winding1 pushed out from a common centre with no particular plan4 ,it is ,andalusian and behind the times4 ,triana1 the gipsy suburb1 is full of interest4 ,the ,cathedral1 though of late and therefore not particularly good ,gothic1 is1 on account of its great size1 the most impressive in the whole country4 ,the ,alczar1 once more a royal residence1 vies with ,granada's ,alhambra in beauty2 and as a mercantile port1 sixty miles from the estuary1 ,seville ranks second to none in ,southern ,spain4 ,the ,cathedral stands third in point of size if the ground space is alone considered1 after ,st4 ,peter's at ,rome and the ,mesquita at ,cordova4 ,the proportions of the lofty nave1 one hundred feet in height1 are so good that it appears really much higher4 ,the columns of the double aisles break up the two hundred and sixty feet of its width and add much to the solemn dignity of the vast interior1 enhanced greatly by the height of the vaulting above the spectator4 ,standing anywhere in the ,cathedral ,i felt that there was a roof above my head1 but it seemed lost in space4 ,and this is the great characteristic of ,seville's ,cathedral1 i4e41 space4 ,illustration3 ,,seville4 ,,in ,,the ,,cathedral ,the coro is railed off from the crossing by a simple iron-gilt reja4 ,the silleria1 by ,sanchez1 ,dancart1 and ,guillier are very fine and took seventy years to execute4 ,between the coro and ,capilla ,mayor1 in ,holy ,week the great bronze candlestick1 twenty-five feet high1 a fine specimen of sixteenth-century work1 is placed alight4 ,when the ,misere is chanted during service1 twelve of its thirteen candles are put out1 one by one1 indicating the desertion of ,christ by his apostles4 ,the thirteenth left burning symbolises the ,virgin1 faithful to the end4 ,from this single light all the other candles in the ,cathedral are lit4 ,the reja of the ,capilla ,mayor is a grand example of an iron-gilt screen1 and with those to the north and south1 is due to the talent of the ,dominican1 ,francisco de ,salamanca4 ,the fine ,gothic retablo of the ,high ,altar surpasses all others in ,spain in size and elaboration of detail4 ,it was designed by ,dancart and many artists were employed in its execution4 ,when the sun finds his way through the magnificent coloured glass of the windows between noon and three o'clock1 and glints across it1 few interior subjects surpass the beautiful effect on this fine piece of work4 ,in front of the ,high ,altar at the feast of ,corpus ,christi and on three other occasions1 the ,seises's dance takes place4 ,this strange ceremony is performed by chorister boys who dance a sort of minuet with castanets4 ,their costume is of the time of ,philip ,,iii41 i4e41 #afcj1 and they wear plumed hats4 ,of the numerous chapels the most interesting is the ,capilla ,real4 ,it possesses a staff of clergy all to itself4 ,begun in #aead by ,martin de ,gainza1 it was finished fifty years later4 ,over the ,high ,altar is the almost life-size figure of the ,virgin de los ,reyes1 given by ,st4 ,louis of ,france to ,san ,ferdinand4 ,its hair is of spun gold and its numerous vestments are marvellous examples of early embroidery4 ,the throne on which the ,virgin is seated is a thirteenth-century piece of silver work1 with the arms of ,castile and ,leon1 ,san ,ferdinand's two kingdoms4 ,before it lies the ,king himself in a silver shrine4 ,three times a year1 in ,may1 ,august and ,november1 a great military ,mass takes place before this royal shrine1 when the garrison of ,seville marches through the chapel and colours are lowered in front of the altar4 ,in the vault beneath are the coffins of ,pedro the ,cruel and ,maria ,padilla his mistress1 the only living being who was humanly treated by this scourge of ,spain4 ,their three sons rest close to them4 ,on the north and south sides of this remarkable chapel1 within arched recesses1 are the sarcophagi of ,beatrice of ,swabia and ,alfonso the ,learned4 ,they are covered with cloth of gold emblazoned with coats-of-arms4 ,a crown and sceptre rest on the cushion which lies on each tomb4 ,in the dim light1 high above and beyond mortal reach rest these two--it is very impressive4 ,each of the remaining twenty-nine chapels contains something of interest4 ,in the ,capilla de ,santiago is a beautiful painted window of the conversion of ,st4 ,paul4 ,the retablo in the ,capilla de ,san ,pedro contains pictures by ,zurbaran4 ,in the north transept in a small chapel is a good ,virgin and ,child by ,alonso ,cano2 in the south is the ,altar de la ,gamba1 over which hangs the celebrated ,la ,generacion of ,louis de ,vargas1 known as ,la ,gamba from the well-drawn leg of ,adam4 ,on the other side of this transept is the ,altar de la ,santa ,cruz and between these two altars is the monument to ,christopher ,columbus4 ,erected in ,havana it was brought to ,spain after the late war and put up here4 ,murillo's work outshines all other's in the ,cathedral4 ,the grand ,san ,antonio de ,padua1 in the second chapel west of the north aisle1 is difficult to see4 ,the window which lights it is covered by a curtain1 which1 however1 the silver key will pull aside4 ,over the ,altar of ,nuestra ,seora del ,consuelo is a beautiful ,guardian ,angel from the same brush4 ,close by is another1 ,santa ,dorotea1 a very choice little picture4 ,in the ,sacristy are two more1 ,s4,s4 ,isidore and ,leander4 ,in the ,sala ,capitular a ,conception and a ,mater ,dolorosa in the small sacristy attached to the ,capilla ,real complete the list4 ,besides these fine pictures there are others which one can include in the same category by ,cano1 ,zurbaran1 ,morales1 ,vargas1 ,pedro ,campaa and the ,flemish painter ,sturm1 a veritable gallery6 ,and when ,i went into the ,treasury and saw the priceless relics which belong to ,seville's ,cathedral1 priceless in value and interest1 and priceless from my own art point of view1 ,surely1 thought ,i1 not only is it a picture gallery1 it is a museum as well4 ,the original mosque of ,abu ,yusuf ,yakub was used as a ,cathedral until #adja1 when it was pulled down1 the present building1 which took its place1 being finished in #aejf4 ,the dome of this collapsed five years later and was re-erected by ,juan ,gil de ,hontaon4 ,earthquake shocks and jerry-building were responsible for a second collapse in the ,august of #ahhh4 ,the restoration has since been completed in a most satisfactory manner--let us hope it will last4 ,illustration3 ,,seville4 ,,the ,,giralda ,,tower ,the exterior of the ,cathedral is a very irregular mass of towers1 domes1 pinnacles and flying buttresses1 which give no clue to the almost over-powering solemnity within the walls4 ,three doorways occupy the west faade1 which is of modern construction1 and there are three also on the north side of the ,cathedral1 one of which opens into the ,segrario1 another into the ,patio de los ,naranjos and the third into the arcade of the same patio4 ,this last retains the horse-shoe arch of the old mosque4 ,in the porch hangs the stuffed crocodile which was sent by the ,sultan of ,egypt to ,alfonso el ,sabio with a request for the hand of his daughter4 ,on the south is one huge door seldom opened4 ,on the east there are two more1 that of ,la ,puerta de los ,palos being under the shadow of the great ,giralda ,tower4 ,this magnificent relic of the ,moslem's rule rears its height far above everything else in ,seville4 ,erected at the close of the twelfth century by order of ,abu ,yusuf ,yakub1 it belongs to the second and best period of ,moorish architecture4 ,on its summit at the four corners rested four brazen balls of enormous size overthrown by one of the numerous earthquakes which have shaken ,seville in days gone by4 ,the belfry above the ,moorish portion of the tower1 which ends where the solid walls stop1 was put up in #aefh1 and has a second rectangular stage of smaller dimensions above4 ,both these are in keeping with the ,moorish work below and in no way detract from its beauty4 ,on top of the small cupola which caps the whole is the world-famed figure of ,faith4 ,cast in bronze1 with the banner of ,constantine spread out to the winds of heaven1 this1 the ,giraldilla1 or weather-cock1 moves to the slightest breeze4 ,it is thirteen feet high1 and weighs one and a quarter tons4 ,over three hundred feet above the ground1 the wonder is--how did it get there8 and how has it preserved its equipoise these last three hundred years8 ,it is difficult to find a point from which one can see the ,giralda ,tower1 in fact the only street from which it is visible from base to summit is the one in which ,i made my sketch4 ,even this view does not really convey its marvellous elegance and beauty4 ,next to the ,cathedral the ,alczar is the most famous building in ,seville4 ,it is now a royal residence in the early part of the year1 and when the ,king and ,queen are there1 no stranger under any pretext whatever is admitted4 ,its courtyards and gardens are its glory4 ,the scent of orange blossom perfumes the air1 the fountains splash and play1 all is still within these fascinating courts save the tinkle of the water and cooing of doves4 ,of its orange trees1 one was pointed out to me which ,pedro the ,cruel planted6 and many others are known to be over two hundred years old4 ,illustration3 ,,seville4 ,,in ,,the ,,alc,,zar1 ,,the ,,patio ,,de ,,las ,,doncellas ,of all its courts1 the ,patio de las ,doncellas is the most perfect4 ,fifty-two marble columns support the closed gallery and rooms above1 and the walls of the arcade are rich with glazed tiles4 ,of all its chambers1 the ,hall of ,ambassadors is the finest and is certainly the architectural gem of the ,alczar4 ,its dome is a marvel of ,media ,naranja form1 and the frieze of window-shaped niches but adds to its beauty4 ,very little remains of the first ,alczar1 which1 by the way1 is a derivation of ,al-,kasr or house of ,csar1 and the present building as it now stands was due to ,pedro the ,cruel1 ,henry ,,ii41 ,charles ,v4 and ,philip ,v4 ,the first named employed ,moorish workmen from ,granada1 who emulated1 under his directions1 the newly finished ,palace of the ,alhambra4 ,many a treacherous deed has taken place within these walls1 and none more loathsome than those credited to ,pedro the ,cruel4 ,however1 one thing can be put to his credit and that is this fairy ,palace1 this flower from the ,east1 by the possession of which ,seville is the gainer4 ,to the east of the ,alczar is the old ,jewish quarter1 the most puzzling in plan1 if plan it has1 and the oldest part of ,seville4 ,the balconies of the houses opposite one another almost touch2 there certainly1 in some cases1 would be no difficulty in getting across the street by using them as steps1 and if a laden donkey essayed the passage below ,i doubt if he could get through4 ,poking about in these narrow alley-ways one day1 ,i fell into conversation with a guardia municipal who entertained me greatly with his own version of ,seville's history1 which ended1 as he melodramatically pointed down the lane in which we were standing--,and here1 seor1 one man with a sword could keep an army at bay1 and--this in confidence1 whispered--,i should not like to be the first man of the army6 ,in almost every quarter of the city fine old houses are to be found amidst most squalid and dirty surroundings4 ,you may wander down some mean calle1 where children in dozens are playing on the uneven pavement1 their mothers sit about in the doorways shouting to one another across the street4 ,suddenly a wall1 windowless save for a row of small openings under the roof1 is met4 ,a huge portal1 above which is a sculptured coat-of-arms1 with some old knight's helmet betokening a noble owner1 is let into this1 look inside1 as you pass by--behind the iron grille is a deliciously cool patio1 full of palms and shrubs4 ,a ,moorish arcade runs round supporting the glazed galleries of the first floor4 ,a man in livery sits in a rocking chair dosing with the eternal cigarette between his lips4 ,beyond the first patio you can see another1 a bigger one1 which the sun is lighting up4 ,the life in this house is as different to the life of its next door neighbours as ,park ,lane is to ,shoreditch4 ,one of these great houses--owned by the ,duke of ,medinaceli--the ,casa del ,pilatos1 has a large ,moorish court1 very similar to those of the ,alczar4 ,they will tell you in ,seville1 that ,pilate was a ,spaniard1 a lawyer1 and failing to win the case for ,christ1 left the ,holy ,land1 where he had a good practice1 and returned to ,spain to assist ,ferdinand to drive out the ,moors4 ,yes1 seor1 he settled here and built this fine house about five hundred years ago4 ,as a rule1 in the better-class houses a porch opens into the street4 ,on the inner side of this there is always a strong iron gate with a grille around to prevent any entry4 ,these gates served a purpose in the days of the ,inquisition1 when none knew if the ,holy ,office might not suddenly descend upon and raid the house4 ,seville suffered terribly from the horrors of those dark times2 even now--when a ring at the bell calls forth3 ,who is there8 from the servant in the balcony above1 before she pulls the handle which connects with the catch that releases the lock of the gate--the answer often is3 ,people of ,peace4 ,some houses have interior walls six feet thick and more1 which being hollow contain hiding-places with access from the roof by a rope4 ,in the heat of summer--and ,seville is called the frying-pan of ,europe--when the temperature in the shade of the streets rises to over #aae ,fahr4 family life is spent below in the cool patio4 ,a real house moving takes place as the heat comes on4 ,the upper rooms1 which are always inhabited in the winter1 the kitchen1 servants' rooms and all are deserted1 every one migrates with the furniture to the lower floors4 ,the upper windows are closed1 shutters put up and a great awning drawn across the top of the courtyard4 ,despite the great heat1 summer is a perfectly healthy period4 ,no one dreams of going out in the daytime1 and all ,seville begins life towards five o'clock in the afternoon2 #b ,a4,m4 to #d ,a4,m4 being the time to retire for the night6 ,seville can be very gay1 and ,sevillanos worship the ,torrero or bull-fighter 7,toreador is a word unknown to the ,spaniard74 ,if a favourite ,torrero1 who has done well in the ring during the afternoon1 enters the dining-room of a hotel or goes into a caf it is not unusual for every one at table to rise and salute him4 ,illustration3 ,,seville4 ,,view ,,over ,,the ,,town ,there is another life in ,seville1 the life of the roofs4 ,in early spring before the great heat comes1 and in autumn before the cold winds arrive1 the life of the roofs fascinated me4 ,up on the roofs in the dry atmosphere1 ,seville's washing hangs out to air1 and up on the roofs1 in the warm sun1 with the hum of the streets far below1 you will hear the quaint song--so ,arabian in character--of the lavandera1 as she pegs out the damp linen in rows4 ,in the evening the click-a-click-click of the castanets and the sound of the guitar1 broken by merry laughter1 tells one that perhaps the ,sevillano has fathomed the mystery of knowing how best to live4 ,and as sundown approaches what lovely colour effects creep o'er this city in the air6 ,the light below fades from housetop and miradore1 pinnacle and dome1 until the last rays of the departing majesty touch the vane of the ,giralda1 that superb symbol of ,faith1--and all is steely grey4 ,over the ,guadalquiver lies ,triana1 and as ,i crossed the bridge for the first time the remains of an old tower were pointed out to me on the river bank4 ,the subterranean passage through which the victims of the ,inquisition found their exit to another world in the dark waters below is exposed to view1 the walls having fallen away4 ,it was therefore with something akin to relief ,i reached the gipsy quarter in this quaint1 dirty suburb and feasted my eyes on the colours worn by its dark-skinned people4 ,the potteries of ,triana are world-renowned1 and still bear traces in their output of ,moorish tradition and design4 ,seville's quays are the busiest part of the city1 and the constant dredging of the river permits of vessels of four thousand tons making this a port of call4 ,next to the ,prado in ,madrid1 the ,museum of ,seville is more full of interest than any other4 ,it is here that ,murillo is seen at his best4 ,the building was at one time the ,convento de la ,mercede founded by ,san ,ferdinand4 ,the exhibits in the archological portion nearly all come from that ruin1 the wonderful city of ,italica4 ,among the best of ,murillo's work are ,st4 ,thomas de ,villa ,nueva ,distributing ,alms1 ,saint ,felix of ,cantalicio and a ,saint ,anthony of ,padua4 ,a large collection of ,zurbaran's works also hangs in the gallery1 but his big composition of the ,apotheosis of ,saint ,anthony1 is not so good as his single-figure subjects1 and none of these approach in quality the fine ,monk in the possession of the ,bankes family at ,kingston ,lacy in ,dorset4 ,seville is the home of bull-fights4 ,the first ever recorded took place in #adje1 in the ,plaza del ,triunfo1 in honour of the birth of a son to ,henry ,,ii4 of ,castile4 ,the world of ,fashion takes the air every evening in the beautiful ,paseo de las ,delicias4 ,the humbler members of society throng the walks watching their wealthier sisters drive down its fine avenues--this daily drive being the only exercise the ladies of ,seville permit themselves to take4 ,it is a pretty sight to watch the carriages coming home as twilight begins1 and the last rays of the sun light up the ,torre del ,oro4 ,built by the ,almohades this ,moorish octagon stood at the river extremity of ,moslem ,seville4 ,the golden yellow of the stone no doubt gave it the name of ,borju-d-dahab1 the tower of gold1 which has stuck to it under ,christian rule4 ,but how are the mighty fallen1 and one of the glories of the ,moor debased4 ,it is now an office used by clerks of the ,port1 and1 instead of the dignified tread of the sentinel1 resounds to the scribble of pens4 ,,cordova ,it is hard to realise that the ,cordova of to-day was1 under the rule of the ,moor1 a city famous all the world over and second only to the great ,damascus4 ,long before the ,moor's beneficent advent1 in the far-off days of ,carthage1 ,cordova was known as the gem of the south4 ,its position on the mighty ,guadalquiver1 backed by mountains on the north1 always seems to have attracted the best of those who conquered4 ,in the time of the ,romans1 ,marcellus peopled it with poor ,patricians from ,rome1 and ,cordova became ,colonia ,patricia1 the capital of ,hispania ,ulterior4 ,but it was left to the ,infidel to make it what is now so difficult to realise--the first city in ,western ,europe4 ,the zenith of its fame was reached during the tenth century1 when the mighty ,abderrhaman ,,iii41 ruler of the ,omayyades reigned1 and did not begin to decrease until the death of ,almanzor at the beginning of the next century4 ,if we are to believe the historian ,almakkari1 ,cordova contained at one time a million inhabitants1 for whose worship were provided three hundred ,mosques1 and for whose ablutions nine hundred baths were no more than was necessary4 7,the arch-destroyer of all things ,infidel1 ,philip ,,ii41 demolished these47 ,it was the centre of art and literature1 students from all parts flocked hither1 its wealth increased and its fame spread1 riches and their concomitant luxury made it the most famous place in ,western ,europe4 ,nothing could exceed the grace and elegance of its life1 the courtly manners of its people1 nor the magnificence of its buildings4 ,from the years #gaa to #abie1 when ,ferdinand drove him out1 the cultivated ,moslem reigned in this his second ,mecca4 ,and now8--under ,christian rule it has dwindled down to what one finds it to-day--a quiet1 partly ruinous town4 ,of all its great buildings nothing remains to remind one of the past but the ruins of the ,alczar--now a prison1 a portion of its walls1 and the much mutilated ,mesquita--the ,cathedral4 ,illustration3 ,,cordova4 ,,interior ,,of ,,the ,,mesquita ,i could not at first entry grasp the size of this the second largest church of any in existence4 ,coming suddenly into the cool shade of its many pillared avenues1 ,i felt as if transplanted into the silent depths of a great forest4 ,in every direction ,i looked the trunks of huge trees apparently rose upwards in ordered array4 ,the light here and there filtered through gaps on to the red-tiled floor1 which only made the deception greater by its resemblance to the needles of a pine-wood or the dead leaves of autumn4 ,then the organ boomed out a note and the deep bass of a priest in the coro shattered the illusion4 ,the first ,mosque built on the site of ,leovigild's ,visigothic ,cathedral1 occupied one-fifth of the present ,mesquita4 ,it was ,ceca or ,house of ,purification1 and a pilgrimage to it was equivalent to a visit to ,mecca4 ,it contained ten rows of columns1 and is that portion which occupies the north-west corner ending at the south-east extremity where the present coro begins4 ,this space soon became insufficient for the population1 and the ,mosque was extended as far as the present ,capilla de ,nuestra ,seora de ,villavicosia4 ,subsequent additions were made by different rulers4 ,the ,caliph ,al-,hakim ,,ii41 who followed ,abderrhaman ,,iii41 expanded its size by building southwards as far as the inclination of the sloping ground would allow4 ,to him is due the third ,mihrb1 or ,holy of ,holies1 the pavement of which is worn by the knees of the devout who went thus round the ,mihrb seven times4 ,this ,mihrb is the most beautiful chamber ,i came across in all ,spain4 ,the ,byzantine ,mosaics which adorn it are among the most superb that exist1 the domed ceiling of the recess is hewn out of a solid block of marble1 and its walls1 which ,leo the ,emperor of ,constantinople sent a ,greek artist and skilled workmen to put up1 are chiselled in marble arabesques and moulded in stucco4 ,the entrance archway to this gem of the ,east1 an intricate and well-proportioned feature1 rests on two green and two dark coloured columns4 ,close by is the private door of the ,sultan which led from the ,alczar to the ,mesquita4 ,the last addition of all nearly doubled the size of the ,mosque4 ,building to the south was impracticable on account of the fall in the land towards the river4 ,eastwards was the only way out of the difficulty unless the beautiful ,court of the ,oranges was to be enclosed4 ,eastwards1 therefore1 did ,almanzor extend his building1 and the whole space in this direction from the transepts or ,crucero of the present church1 in a line north and south1 was due to his initiative4 ,illustration3 ,,cordova4 ,,the ,,campanario ,,tower ,the ,mesquita at one time contained twelve hundred and ninety columns4 ,sixty eight were removed to make room for the ,coro1 ,crucero and ,capilla ,major1 which is the portion reserved for service now4 ,in the coro1 the extremely fine silleria1 are some of the best in ,spain4 ,the ,lectern is very good ,flemish work in brass of the sixteenth century4 ,the choir books are beautifully illuminated missals1 especially those of the ,crucifixion and the ,calling of the ,apostles4 ,all this does not1 however1 compensate for the partial destruction of the ,mosque4 ,so thought the people of ,cordova1 who petitioned ,charles ,v4 in vain against the alterations which have destroyed the harmony of the wonderful building4 ,when passing through the city at a later date and viewing the mischief that had been done1 the ,king rebuked the chapter thus3 ,you have built here what you1 or any one1 might have built anywhere else2 but you have destroyed what was unique in the world4 ,eight hundred and fifty columns now remain out of the above number4 ,the odd four hundred and forty occupied the place where now stand the rows of orange trees in the courtyard1 one time covered in1 which is known as the ,patio de los ,naranjos1 or ,court of the ,oranges4 ,the fountain used for the ablutions of the ,holy still runs with a crystal stream of pure water1 and is to-day the meeting place of all the gossips in ,cordova4 ,of the five gates to this enchanting court1 that of the ,puerta del ,perdon1 over which rises the great ,tower1 el ,campanario1 is the most important4 ,it is only opened on state occasions4 ,erected in #acgg by ,henry ,,ii4 it is an imitation of ,moorish design4 ,the immense doors are plated with copper arabesques4 ,the exterior of the ,mesquita is still ,moorish despite the great church which has been thrust through the centre and rises high above the flat roof of the remainder of the ,mosque4 ,a massive terraced wall with flame-shaped battlements encircles the whole1 the view of which from the bridge over the river is more ,eastern than anything else ,i saw in ,spain4 ,this fine bridge1 erected by the ,infidel on ,roman foundations1 is approached at the city end by a ,doric gateway1 built by ,herrera in the reign of ,philip ,,ii41 that ,philip who married ,mary of ,england4 ,it consists of sixteen arches and is guarded at its southern extremity by the ,calahorra or ,moorish ,tower1 round which the road passes instead of through a gateway1 thus giving additional security to the defence4 ,the mills of the ,moslem's day still work1 both above and below bridge1 and the patient angler sits in the sun with his bamboo rod1 while the wheels of these relics groan and hum as they did in days gone by4 ,more cunning is ,isaac ,walton's disciple who fishes from the bridge itself4 ,a dozen rods with heavily weighted lines1 for the ,guadalquiver runs swift beneath the arches1 and a small bell attached to the end of each rod is his armament4 ,and when the unwary fish impales himself on the hook and the bell gives warning of a bite1 the excitement is great4 ,greater still when a peal begins as three or four rods bend6 ,illustration3 ,,cordova4 ,,the ,,bridge ,the beggars of ,cordova were the most importunate that fate sent across my path in the whole of ,spain4 ,i found it impossible to sit in the streets where ,i would gladly have planted my easel1 and it was only by standing with my back to the wall that ,i was able to make my sketch of the ,campanario4 ,these streets are tortuous and narrow1 and the houses1 built on the ,moorish plan with a beautiful patio inside1 are low4 ,at many a corner ,i came across marble columns1 some with ,roman inscriptions1 probably from ,italica1 placed against the house to prevent undue wear and tear4 ,in the narrowest ways ,i noticed how the load borne by the patient ass had scooped out a regular track on either wall about three or four feet from the ground4 ,wherever ,i went1 to the oldest quarters of the town in the south-east corner or the modern in the north-west1 ,i could never rid myself of the feeling that ,cordova was a city of the past4 ,her life is more ,eastern than that of ,seville1 and her people bear more traces of the ,moor4 ,decay and ruin are apparent at every turn1 but how picturesque it all is6--the rags1 the squalor1 and the ruin4 ,how ,i anathematised those beggars with no legs1 or minus arms1 when ,i tried to begin a street sketch6 ,the patience of ,job would not have helped me1 it was the loathsomeness of these cripples that drove me away4 ,begging is prohibited in ,seville and ,madrid and in one or two other towns1 would that it were so in ,cordova4 ,away up in the southern slopes of the ,sierra de ,cordoba stands the ,convento de ,san ,jernimo1 now a lunatic asylum4 ,built out of the ruins of the once magnificent ,mednat-az-zahr1 the ,palace that ,abderrhaman ,,iii4 erected1 its situation is perfect4 ,in the old days this palace surpassed all others in the wonders of its art and luxury4 ,the plough still turns up ornaments of rare workmanship1 but like so many things in ,spain its glories have departed4 ,yes1 ,cordova has seen its grandest days1 the birthplace of ,seneca1 ,lucan1 ,averroes1 ,juan de ,mena--the ,spanish ,chaucer--,morales1 and many another who became famous1 can now boast at best with regard to human celebrities as being the ,government establishment for breaking in horses for the cavalry4 ,certainly the men employed in this are fine dashing specimens of humanity1 and they wear a very picturesque dress4 ,but ,cordova like her world-famed sons1 sleeps--and who can say that it would be better now if her sleep were broken8 ,illustration3 ,,cordova4 ,,fountain ,,in ,,the ,,court ,,of ,,oranges ,,granada ,spread out on the edge of a fertile plain at the base of the ,sierra ,nevada1 ,granada basks in the sun2 and though the wind blows cold with an icy nip from the snows of the highest peaks in ,spain1 ,i cannot but think that this1 the last stronghold of the ,moors1 is the most ideal situation of any place ,i have been in4 ,the city is divided into three distinct districts1 each with its own peculiar characteristics4 ,the ,albaicin1 ,antequeruela1 and ,alhambra4 ,the first named covers the low ground and the hills on the bank of the ,darro1 a gold-bearing stream which rushes below the ,alhambra hill on the north4 ,the second occupies the lower portion of the city which slopes on to the plain1 and the ,alhambra rises above both1 a well-nigh demolished citadel1 brooding over past glories of the civilised ,moor1 the most fascinating spot in all ,spain4 ,the ,albaicin district is practically the rebuilt ,moorish town1 where the aristocrats of ,seville and ,cordova settled when driven out of those cities by ,st4 ,ferdinand in the thirteenth century4 ,many traces remain to remind one of their occupation in the tortuous streets which wind up the steep hill sides1 and the wall which they built for greater security is still the boundary of the city on the north4 ,the ,albaicin is a grand place to wander in and lose oneself hunting for relics and little bits of architecture4 ,at every turn of the intricate maze ,i came across something of interest1 either ,moorish or ,medival4 ,a mean looking house with a fine coat-of-arms over the door had evidently been built by a knight with the collector's craze4 ,he had specialised in millstones2 a round dozen or more were utilised in the lower portions of the wall and looked strange with stones set in the plaster between them4 ,a delicious patio1 now given over to pigs and fowls1 with a broken-down fountain in the centre of its ruined arcaded court1 recalled the luxuries of the ,infidel4 ,the terraced gardens standing behind and above many a blank wall carried me back to those days of old when the opulence of the ,east pervaded every dwelling in this ,mayfair of ,granada4 ,of all these the ,casa del ,chapiz1 though degraded into a low-class dwelling1 is with its beautiful garden the most perfect remnant of the exotic ,moor4 ,illustration3 ,,granada4 ,,carrera ,,de ,,darro ,in the ,carrera de ,darro1 just opposite the spot where once a handsome ,moorish arch spanned the stream1 stands a house wherein is a ,moorish bath surrounded by horseshoe arcades4 ,the bath is #ah ft4 square1 and in the vaulted recess beyond is one of smaller dimensions commanding more privacy for the cleanly ,eastern whose day was never complete without many ablutions4 ,not far away up the hillside1 in cave-dwellings amidst an almost impenetrable thicket of prickly pears1 live the gitanos4 ,i fear they now exist on the charity of the tourist1 and make a peseta or two by fortune-telling or in the exercise of a more reprehensible cleverness1 a light-fingered dexterity which is generally only discovered by those who must go to the gipsy quarter on their return to the hotel4 ,these gipsies no longer wander in the summer months and lie up for the winter as they did of yore4 ,they are not the ,romanies of old times1 and a nomadic life holds no charm for them now4 ,they make enough out of the tourist to eke out a lazy existence throughout the year1 and are fast losing all the character of a wandering tribe and the lively splendour of their race4 ,higher up1 the banks of the ,darro are lined with more cave-dwellings1 a great many of which1 to judge by their present inaccessibility1 are undoubtedly of prehistoric origin4 ,those that ,i took to be of later date have a sort of level platform in front of the entrance1 from which the approach of a stranger could be seen and due warning taken by those inside of any hostile intent4 ,the ,antequeruela quarter1 called thus from the remnant of ,moorish refugees who driven from ,antequera found here a home1 extends from the base of ,monte ,mauro to some distance below the confluence of the ,darro and ,genil1 ,granada's other river4 ,it is the most modern quarter and busiest part of the city4 ,the life of an ordinary ,spanish town passes in front of me as ,i sit in the sun sharing a seat with an old man wrapped closely in a capa4 ,it is ,april4 ,we are in the ,alameda1 a broad promenade which leads to the gardens of the ,paseo de ,saln and de la ,bomba4 ,on either side are many coloured houses with green shutters4 ,they are very ,french1 and to this day ,i try to recall the town in ,france where ,i had seen them before4 ,how often this happens when we travel abroad6--a face1 a scent1 a sound4 ,memory racks the tortuous channels of half-forgotten things stored away somewhere in the brain1 and for days with an irritating restlessness we wander fruitlessly amid the paths of long ago4 ,i turned to my companion on the seat1 he looked chilled despite the warmth of an ,april sun4 ,tell me1 sir1 to whom does all the fine country of the ,vega belong8 ,absent landlords1 seor2 they take their rents and they live in ,madrid1 and the poor man has no one to care for him4 ,but surely he begs and does not wish to work or to be cared for4 ,the beggars in ,granada are more numerous than in any place ,i know4 ,that is true1 seor1 and with a shake he relapsed into silence1 drawing his capa closer around him4 ,the turn the conversation had taken was not worth pursuing4 ,new buildings are superseding the old in ,antequeruela1 and poverty and squalor pushed further out of the sight of ,el ,caballero1 his ,highness the tourist4 sthetically we appreciate the picturesque side of poverty1 the tumble-down houses1 the rags1 the graceful attitudes of the patient poor for ever shifting in the patches of sunlight as the great life-giver moves round4 ,dinner will be ready for us at #g o'clock in the hotel1 there would be no call to leave home if every town we came to was clean and its people prosperous4 ,but what about ,los ,pobres1 the beggars8 you ask4 ,are they really deserving of charity1 or only lazy scoundrels8 ,i cannot answer you4 ,i can only tell you that ,i have never seen such terrible emaciated bundles of rags as those ,i saw in ,granada4 ,in ,seville1 though it is forbidden to beg1 it was the one-eyed that predominated2 in ,cordova he of no legs1 who having marked down his prey1 displayed great agility as he scuttled across the street with the help of little wooden hand-rests2 but here not only were both combined1 but various horrors of crippled and disfigured humanity with open sores and loathsome disease thrust themselves before me wherever ,i went4 ,it was disgusting--but oh6 how picturesque6 ,if only1 my good ,pobres1 you would not come so close to me6 ,they say ,spain is the one unspoilt country in ,europe4 ,personally ,i think she is the one country that wants regenerating4 ,her girls are women at sixteen1 old at thirty1 and aged ten years later4 ,her men take life as it comes with very little initiative to better themselves4 ,very few display any energy4 ,their chief thoughts are woman1 and how to pass the day at ease4 ,luckily for the country1 at the age when good food and clean living helps to make men1 her youth is invigorated by army service4 ,true it is not popular4 ,in the late war they died like flies through fever and ill-feeding1 and many were the sad tales ,i heard of ,jos and ,pedro returning from the front with health ruined for life4 ,it was a sad blow to ,spain1 that war4 ,her navy demolished and her colonies lost4 ,it may be the regeneration of the nation1 her well-wishers hope so1 but it is a difficult thing to change the leopard's spots4 ,the beggar being hungry begs1 and well-nigh starves1 his children follow his example and probably his great grandchildren will be in the same line of business a hundred years hence--,quien sabe8 who knows8 ,i still sit in the sun rolling cigarettes2 it is extraordinary how soon the custom becomes a habit1 and think of all this4 ,a string of donkeys passes with baskets stuffed tight with half a dozen large long-funnelled water cans4 ,they have come in with fresh drinking water from the spring up the ,darro under the ,alhambra hill1 and a little later the water-sellers will be offering glasses of the refreshingly cool contents of their cans4 ,granada is a city running with water1 but the pollution from the drains and the never-ending ranks of women on their knees wrinsing clothes in its two streams1 into which1 by the way1 all dead refuse is thrown1 makes that which is fit to drink a purchasable quantity only4 ,i watch the peasants from the ,vega1 who come in with empty panniers slung across their donkeys1 scraping up the dirt of the streets which they take away to fertilise their cottage gardens4 ,herds of goats go by muzzled until milking is over4 ,they make for that bit of blank wall opposite1 and stand licking the saline moisture which oozes from the plaster in the shade4 ,the goats of ,granada are reckoned the finest in ,spain1 and1 as is the custom throughout ,andalusia1 graze in the early spring on the tender shoots of the young corn4 ,this not only keeps them in food1 but improves the quality of that part of the crop which reaches maturity4 ,i could sit all day here if only the sun stood still4 ,my companion removed himself half an hour ago and it is getting chilly in the shade1 so up and on to the ,cathedral4 ,what a huge ,renaissance pile it is4 ,built on the ,gothic plans of ,diego de ,siloe it is undoubtedly the most imposing edifice of this style in ,spain4 ,fergusson considers its plan makes it one of the finest churches in ,europe4 ,the western faade was erected by ,alonso ,cano and ,jos ,granados1 and does not follow ,siloe's original design4 ,the name of the sculptor-painter is writ in big letters throughout the building4 ,to him are due the colossal heads of ,adam and ,eve1 let into recesses above the ,high ,altar1 and the seven pictures of the ,annunciation1 ,conception1 ,presentation in the ,temple1 ,visitation1 ,purification and ,assumption in the ,capilla ,mayor4 ,the two very fine colossal figures1 bronze gilt1 which stand above the over-elaborated pulpits2 a couple of beautiful miniatures on copper in the ,capilla de la ,trinidad2 a fine ,christ bearing the ,cross and a head of ,s4 ,pedro over the altar of ,jesus ,nazareno1 are also by ,cano4 ,many other examples from his carving tools and brush are to be found in the ,cathedral1 of which he was made a ,racione or minor ,canon1 after fleeing from ,valladolid when accused of the murder of his wife4 ,the little room he used as a workshop in the ,great ,tower may still be visited and his remains lie tranquilly beneath the floor of the coro4 ,illustration3 ,,granada4 ,,exterior ,,of ,,the ,,cathedral ,in the ,capilla de la ,antigua there is that curious little image which1 found in a cave1 served ,ferdinand as a battle banner2 and also contemporary 787 portraits of the ,king and his ,queen4 ,to me the thing of surpassing interest1 which ought to be the most revered building in all ,spain1 was the ,capilla ,real and its contents4 ,the reja1 which separates the choir from the rest of the chapel1 is a magnificent piece of work1 coloured and gilded1 by ,bartolom4 ,as the verger unlocked the great gate he drew my attention to the box containing the lock with its three beautifully wrought little iron figures and intricate pattern4 ,we passed in1 the gate swung to with a click1 the lock was as good as if it had but recently been placed there4 ,these rejas throughout the country are all in splendid condition4 ,a dry climate no doubt preserves them as it has preserved everything else1 and ,i very seldom detected rust on any iron work4 ,the humidity of the winter atmosphere is insufficient1 ,i suppose1 to set up much decay in metal1 and certainly the only decay in ,spain is where inferior material has been used in construction1 or the negligence of man has left things to rot4 ,with the gate locked behind me ,i stood in front of the two marble monuments1 the one of the recumbent figures of ,ferdinand and ,isabella1 the other of ,philip and ,juana la ,loca--crazy ,jane4 ,beyond rose the steps up to the ,high ,altar1 close at my side those--a short flight--that led to the crypt where the coffins of these four rest4 ,i felt surrounded by the ,great of this ,earth1 and certainly a feeling of awe took hold of me as their deeds passed through my mind and ,i realised that here lay the remains of those who had turned out the ,moor1 bidden ,god-speed to ,columbus1 and instituted the ,inquisition4 ,they are wonderful tombs these two4 ,ferdinand wears the order of ,st4 ,george1 the ribbon of the ,garter1 ,isabella that of the ,cross of ,santiago1 ,philip and his wife the ,insignia of the order of the ,golden ,fleece4 ,four doctors of the church occupy the corners of the first tomb1 with the twelve ,apostles at the sides4 ,the other has figures of ,,ss4 ,michael1 ,andrew1 and ,john the ,baptist1 and the ,evangelist4 ,both tombs are elaborately carved1 the medallions in alto-relievo being of very delicate work4 ,next to that magnificent tomb in the ,cartuja de ,miraflores at ,burgos1 these are the finest monuments in all ,spain4 ,above the ,high ,altar is a florid ,retablo with not much artistic merit4 ,my interest was entirely centred in the two portrait figures of ,ferdinand and ,isabella4 ,they each kneel at a ,prie-,dieu facing one another on either side of the altar--the ,king to the north1 the ,queen to the south4 ,below them in double sections are four wooden panels in bas-relief1 to which ,i turned after a long examination of these authentic and contemporary portraits4 ,these panels are unsurpassed as records of the costume of the day and a faithful representation of their subject4 ,on the left is the mournful figure of ,boabdil giving up the key of the ,alhambra to ,cardinal ,mendoza1 who seated on his mule between the ,king and ,queen1 alone wears gloves4 ,surrounding them are knights1 courtiers and the victorious soldiery4 ,in the background are the towers of the ,alhambra4 ,to the right is seen the wholesale conversion by ,baptism of the ,infidel1 the principal figures being monks who are very busy over their work1 inducing the reluctant ,moor to enter an alien ,faith4 ,there is something very impressive about these panels1 they render so well and in such a nave manner the history they record4 ,the surrender of the ,moor after #gej years' rule1 the end of his dreams1 the final triumph of the ,king and ,queen1 who devoted the first portion of their reign to driving him out of the country1 and the great church receiving the token of submission at the end of last act1 they are all here4--,the verger touched my arm1 my reverie of those stirring times was broken1 he had other things to show and noon was fast approaching4 ,pointing to three iron plates let into the floor of the chapel1 he inquired if ,i would like to see the spot where rest the coffins of these great makers of history4 ,certainly2 ,i could not leave the ,cathedral without a silent homage to those who placed ,spain first among the nations4 ,he lifted the plates1 and lighting a small taper which he thrust into the end of a long pole1 disappeared down the steps1 with a warning to mind my head for the entry was very low4 ,i followed1 stooping4 ,at the bottom of the steps was a small opening heavily barred4 ,the verger pushed his lighted taper and pole through the bars1 and beckoned to me to look4 ,i peered into the dark chamber1 there resting on a marble slab were the rough iron-bound coffins of the ,catholic ,kings4 ,the taper flickered and cast long shadows in the gloom1 discovering the coffins of ,philip and ,juana4 ,it was all very eerie1 a fitting climax in its simplicity to the magnificent monuments above and to the history writ on the walls of the ,capilla ,real4 ,i shall never forget it4 ,in the sacristy ,i was shown the identical banner which floated from the ,torre de la ,vela when the ,alhambra had surrendered4 ,isabella herself had worked this for the very object to which it was put4 ,next to it hangs ,ferdinand's sword1 with a remarkably small handle4 ,i had thought1 from the kneeling effigy in the ,capilla ,real1 that both he and ,isabella must have been small-made and this verified my guess4 ,many other personal relics of the two were shown me4 ,the ,queen's own missal1 a beautiful embroidered chasuble from her industrious fingers1 an exquisitely enamelled viril1 c4 ,time was short1 my verger wanted his dinner1 and ,i had seen enough for one morning4 ,he let me out through the closed door into the ,placeta de la ,lonja and in a sort of dream ,i carried away all ,i had seen4 ,the next morning ,i returned to the ,placeta and stood in the doorway of the old ,royal ,palace1 now used as a drapery warehouse1 and commenced the drawing figured in the illustration4 ,the rich late ,gothic ornament of the exterior of the ,capilla ,real is well balanced by the ,lonja which backs on to the sacristy4 ,here ,pradas's work has been much mutilated and the lower stage of the arcading built up4 ,the twisted columns of the gallery and its original wooden roof remain to tell us what this fine faade once was4 ,there is a great deal of interest in this huge ,cathedral1 which to the tourist is quite overshadowed by the ,alhambra4 ,in the north-west corner of the ,segrario which adjoins the building on the south1 is the ,capilla de ,pulgar4 ,herman ,perez del ,pulgar was a knight serving under ,ferdinand's banner4 ,filled with holy zeal1 he entered ,granada one stormy night in ,december #adij by the ,darro conduit1 and making his way to the ,mosque which then stood where the ,segrario now is1 pinned a scroll bearing the words ,ave ,maria to its principal door with his dagger4 ,this daring deed was not discovered until the next morning1 by which time the intrepid knight was safe back in camp4 ,his courage was rewarded by a seat in the coro of the ,cathedral1 and at his death his body was interred in the chapel which bears his name4 ,nearly all the churches of ,granada occupy the sites of ,mosques4 ,santa ,anna1 like ,san ,nicols1 has a most beautiful wooden roof4 ,san ,juan de los ,reyes contains portraits of ,ferdinand and ,isabella2 its tower is the minaret of what was once a ,mosque4 ,the ,cathedral itself is so crowded in by other buildings1 that no comprehensive view of the fabric is possible4 ,unfortunately this is the case1 with one or two notable exceptions1 throughout the country4 ,its fine proportions are thus lost1 and it is only the interior with its great length and breath1 its lofty arches and fine ,corinthian pilasters that serve to dignify this ,house of ,god4 ,taking a morning off1 ,i walked out to the ,cartuja ,convent4 ,the ,gran ,capitan1 ,gonzalo de ,cordoba1 at one time granted an estate to the ,carthusians and on it they erected the convent to which ,i turned my steps4 ,the ,order about this time was immensely wealthy and they spent money with reckless lavishness on the interior of their church4 ,mother-of-pearl1 tortoiseshell1 ebony and cedar-wood entered largely into their decorations1 as well as ivory and silver4 ,but perhaps the marbles in the church are the most remarkable part of their scheme4 ,these were chosen for the wonderful patterns of the sections1 and with a little stretch of the imagination ,i could trace well-composed landscapes1 human and animal forms in a great many of the slabs4 ,the overdone chirrugueresque work1 to which add these fantastic wall decorations1 makes this interior positively scream4 ,it is nothing more nor less than a vulgar display of wealth4 ,the cloisters of the convent also attest the bad taste of the ,carthusians1 they contain a series of pictures which represent the most repugnant and bloodthirsty scenes of persecutions and martyrdoms of the ,order4 ,in another convent1 ,san ,gernimo1 was buried the ,gran ,capitan4 ,a slab marks the spot1 but his poor bones were exhumed and carried off to ,madrid in #ahfh to form the nucleus of a ,spanish ,pantheon4 ,needless to say1 like so many other great ideas in ,spain1 nothing further was done1 and ,gonzalo's remains still await a last resting-place4 ,one more fact before ,i reach the ,alhambra4 ,in the church of ,san ,juan de ,dios you may see the cage in which the founder1 ,juan de ,robles1 was shut up as a lunatic4 ,what do you think his lunacy was8 ,having the infirm and the poor always before him1 this tender-hearted man went about preaching the necessity of hospitals to alleviate their distress4 ,aye1 he was a hundred years and more before his time1 so they shut him up in a cage and there let him rot and die4 ,those that came after in more enlightened days valued the good man's crusade at its proper price1 and he was eventually canonised1 and his supposed remains now rest in an urna4 ,up a toilsome approach1 splashing through the mud1 ,i drove on the night ,i reached ,granada4 ,as the horses slowed up1 ,i put my head out of the carriage window1 we were passing under an archway and ,i knew that at last one of the dreams of my life was realised4 ,i was in the ,alhambra4 ,i became conscious of rows and rows of tall trees swaying in the wind4 ,i smelt the delicious scent of damp earth1 and could just distinguish1 as the carriage crawled up the steep ascent1 in the lulls of the storm1 the sound of running water4 ,it was fairyland1 it was peace4 ,after that long1 tedious journey and the glare of the electric lit streets ,i had just passed through1 ,i sank back on the cushions and felt my reward had come4 ,illustration3 ,,granada4 ,,the ,,alhambra ,how is it possible to describe the ,alhambra8 ,it has been done so often and so well4 ,every one has read ,washington ,irving1 and most of us know ,victor ,hugo's eulogy4 ,i had better begin at the beginning1 which is the gateway erected by ,charles ,v4 under which ,i passed with such a happy consciousness4 ,further up the hill1 through which only pedestrians can go1 is the ,gate of ,judgment1 the first gateway into the ,moorish fortress4 ,above it is the ,torre de ,justicia erected by ,yusuf ,i4 in #acdh4 ,on the external keystone is cut a hand1 on the inner a key4 ,much controversy rages round these two signs and ,i leave it to others to find a solution4 ,in old days the ,kadi sat in this gateway dispensing justice4 ,the massive doors still turn on their vertical pivots1 the spear rests of the ,moorish guard are still attached to the wall1 and you must enter1 as the ,moors did1 by the three turns in the dark passage beyond the gate4 ,a narrow lane leads to the ,plaza de las ,algibes1 under the level of which are the old ,moorish cisterns4 ,to the right is the ,torre del ,vino1 and on the left the ,acazaba4 ,come with me up the short flight of steps into the little strip of garden4 ,let us lean over the wall and look out on to the ,vega4 ,is there anywhere so grand and varied an outline of plain and mountain8 ,do you wonder at the tears that suffused the eyes of ,boabdil as he turned for a last look at this incomparable spot8 ,the brown roofs of ,granada lie at our feet4 ,far away through the levels of the green plain1 the ,vega1 ,i can see the winding of many silver streams4 ,beyond those rugged peaks to the south lies the ,alpujarras district1 the last abiding place of the conquered ,moor4 ,further on the mass of the ,sierra ,aburijara bounds the horizon1 west of it is the town of ,loja1 thirty miles away1 buried in the dip towards ,antequerra4 ,to the north is ,mount ,parapanda1 the barometer of the ,vega1 always covered with mist when rain is at hand4 ,nearer in is the ,sierra de ,elvira1 spread out below which are the dark woods of the ,duke of ,wellington's property--he is known in ,spain as ,duque de ,ciudad ,rodriguez4 ,it is clear enough for us to see the blue haze of the mountains round ,jaen1 and the rocky defile of ,mochin4 ,the ,torre de la ,vela shuts out the rest of the view4 ,there is a bell hanging in this tower which can be heard as far away as ,loja4 ,now turn and look behind4 ,right up into the blue sky rise the snow peaks of the ,sierra ,nevada4 ,mulhacen1 the highest point in all ,spain1 is not visible1 but we can see ,veleta which is but a few feet lower4 ,the whole range glistens in the afternoon sun1 but it is the evening hour that brings such wonderful changes of colour over these great snowfields1 and1 after the sun is down1 such a pale mother-of-pearl grey silhouetted against the purple sky4 ,the entrance into what we call the ,alhambra is hidden away behind the unfinished ,palace of ,charles ,v4 ,the low door admits us directly in the ,patio de los ,arrayanes1 or court of the ,myrtles4 ,running north and south it gets more sun than any other court of the ,alhambra4 ,what a revelation it is6 ,in the centre is an oblong tank full of golden carp4 ,the neatly kept myrtle hedges encircle this1 reflected in the clear water they add refreshing charm to a first impression of the ,moorish ,palace4 ,on the north rises the ,torre de ,comares1 the approach to which is through a beautifully proportioned chamber1 the roof of which was unfortunately destroyed by fire in #ahij4 ,the whole of the ground-floor of this tower is known as the ,hall of the ,ambassadors4 ,the monarch's throne occupied a space opposite the entrance and it was here that the last meeting to consider the surrender was held by ,boabdil4 ,the elaborate domed roof of this magnificent chamber is of larch wood1 but the semi-darkness prevents one realising to the full extent its beauties4 ,from the windows1 which almost form small rooms1 so thick are the walls of the ,tower of ,comares1 fine views over the roofs of the city and the ,albaicin hill are obtained4 ,the ,court of the ,lions1 so called from the central fountain upheld by marble representations of the kingly beast1 is surrounded by a beautiful arcade4 ,at either end this is thrown out1 forming a couple of extremely elegant pavilions4 ,fairy columns support a massive roof1 the woodwork of which is carved with the pomegranate of ,granada4 ,intricate fret-work is arranged to break the monotony of strong sunlight on a flat surface4 ,arabesques and inscriptions1 stamped with an iron mould on the wet clay1 repeat themselves all round the frieze4 ,orange trees at one time adorned the court and cast gracious shade on its surface4 ,the fountain threw up jets of splashing water1 the musical sound harmonising with the wonderful arrangement of light and shade4 ,i tried to picture all this as ,i sat making my sketch1 but even in ,april1 though hot in the sun1 ,i required an overcoat in the shadow1 and ,i must own that the ever-present tourist with his kodak sadly disturbed all mental attempts at the reconstruction of ,moorish life4 ,illustration3 ,,granada4 ,,the ,,alhambra1 ,,court ,,of ,,lions ,on the south side of the court is the hall of the ,abencerrages1 named after that noble family4 ,the massive wooden doors1 which shut it off from the arcade1 are of most beautiful design4 ,the hall is rectangular and has a fine star-shaped stalactite dome4 ,the azulejos1 or tiles1 are the oldest that remain in the ,alhambra4 ,a passage leads to what was once the ,royal ,sepulchral ,chamber4 ,on the east side is the so-called ,sala de la ,justicia divided into several recesses and running the whole length of this portion of the court4 ,the central recess was used by ,ferdinand and ,isabella when they held the first ,mass after the surrender of the ,moors4 ,the chief interest of the ,sala ,i found to be in a study of the paintings on the semicircular domed roofs4 ,they portray the ,moor of the period4 ,the middle one1 that in the chapel-recess1 no doubt contains portraits of ,granada's rulers in council4 ,the other two represent hunting scenes and deeds of chivalry4 ,it is supposed that the ,koran forbids the delineation of any living thing4 ,the ,moor got over this difficulty by portraying animal life in as grotesque a manner as possible1 or by employing foreign captives to do this for him4 ,one theory of the origin of the ,lion ,fountain is that a captive ,christian carved the lions and gave his best--or his worst--as the price of his liberation4 ,personally ,i think they are of ,phoenician origin4 ,animals and birds in decoration reached the ,moor from ,persia1 where from unknown ages they had always been employed in this way2 and the ,msil style of hammered metal work is replete with this feature4 ,on the north side of the court lies the ,room of the ,two ,sisters1 with others opening out from it1 which seems to point to the probability that this was the suite occupied by the ,sultana herself4 ,moorish art has here reached its highest phase4 ,the honeycomb roof contains nearly five thousand cells1 all are different1 yet all combine to form a marvellously symmetrical whole4 ,fancy ran free with the architect who piled one tiny cell upon another and on these supported a third4 ,pendant pyramids cluster everywhere and hang suspended apparently from nothing4 ,in the fertility of his imagination the designer surpassed anything of the kind that went before or has since been attempted4 ,truly the verses of a poem copied on to the azulejos are well set4 ,look well at my elegance1 and reap the benefit of a commentary on decoration4 ,here are columns ornamented with every perfection1 the beauty of which has become proverbial4 ,beyond this entrancing suite of rooms is the ,miradoro de ,daraxa with three tall windows overlooking that little gem of a garden the ,patio de ,daraxa4 ,it was here that ,washington ,irving lodged when dreaming away those delicious days in the ,alhambra4 ,the old ,council ,chamber of the ,moors1 the ,meshwr1 is reached through the ,patio de ,mexuar4 ,charles ,v4 turned this chamber into a chapel1 and the hideous decorations he put up are still extant4 ,an underground passage1 which leads to the baths1 ran from the patio and gave access to the battlements and galleries of the fortress as well as forming a connecting link between each tower4 ,the baths are most interesting1 but to me were pervaded by a deadly chill4 ,i felt sorry for the guardian who spends his days down in such damp1 icy quarters4 ,a remark ,i made to him inquiring how long his duty kept him in so cold a spot1 called forth so terrible a fit of coughing that ,i got no reply4 ,i was told afterwards that he was only placed there as he was too ill for other duty1 and it was expected he would not live much longer6 ,there are two baths of full size and one for children4 ,the azulejos in them are very beautiful1 as they also are in the disrobing room and chamber for rest4 ,an open corridor leads from the ,hall of the ,ambassadors to the ,torre del ,peinador which ,yusuf ,i4 built4 ,the small ,tocador de la ,reina1 or ,queen's dressing-room1 with its quaint frescoes1 was modernised by ,charles ,v4 ,let into the floor is a marble slab drilled with holes1 through which perfumes found their way from a room below while the ,queen was dressing4 ,the glamour of the ,east clings to every corner of the ,alhambra1 and the wonder of it all increased as ,i began to grow familiar with its courtyards and halls1 the slender columns of its arcades1 with their tracery and oft-repeated verses forming ornament and decoration1 and the well thought-out balance of light and shade4 ,what must it all have been like when the sedate ,moor glided noiselessly through the cool corridors1 or the clang of arms resounded through the now silent halls6 ,it is difficult to imagine4 ,the inner chambers were then lined with matchless carpets and rugs and the walls were covered with subtly coloured azulejos4 ,many are the changes since those days of the ,infidel who cultivated the art of living as it has never been cultivated since4 ,restoration is judiciously but slowly going on1 and every courtesy is shown to the visitor4 ,a small charge might be levied1 however1 to assist the ,government1 even in a slight degree1 with restoration1 and ,i am sure no one would grudge paying for the privilege of sauntering through the most interesting remains of the ,moorish days of ,spain4 ,the unfinished ,palace of ,charles ,v4 occupies a large space1 to clear which a great deal of the ,moorish ,palace was demolished4 ,the interior is extremely graceful4 ,the double arcades1 the lower of which is ,doric and the upper ,ionic1 run round a circular court which for good proportion it would be hard to beat4 ,illustration3 ,,granada4 ,,generalife ,on the ,corre de ,sol1 a little way out of the ,alhambra and situated above it1 is the ,generalife4 ,it belongs to the ,pallavicini family of ,genoa1 but on the death of the present representative becomes the property of the ,spanish ,government4 ,a stately cypress avenue leads to the entrance doorway1 through which one enters an oblong court full of exotic growth and even in ,april a blaze of colour4 ,through a tank down the centre runs a delicious stream of clear water4 ,at the further end of this captivating court are a series of rooms1 one of which contains badly painted portraits of the ,spanish ,sovereigns since the days of ,ferdinand and ,isabella4 ,up some steps is another garden court with another tank1 shaded by more cypress trees4 ,one huge patriarch is over six hundred years old1 and it is supposed that under it ,boabdil's wife clandestinely met ,hamet the ,abencerrage4 ,space will not permit me to tell of the many entrancing excursions ,i made to the foot-hills of the ,sierra ,nevada and up the two rivers4 ,i can only add that the valleys disclosed to the pedestrian are a wealth of rare botanical specimens1 and if time permits will well repay a lengthened sojourn in the last stronghold of the ,moors in ,spain4 ,,malaga ,malaga disputes with ,cadiz the honour of being the oldest seaport in the country4 ,in early days the ,phoenicians had a settlement here1 and in after times both the ,carthagenians and ,romans utilised ,malacca as their principal port on the ,mediterranean littoral of ,spain4 ,in #ega the ,goths under their redoubtable ,king1 ,leovigild1 wrested the town from the ,byzantines4 ,once more it was captured1 by ,tarik1 in the year #gaj and remained a ,moorish stronghold until ,ferdinand took it after a long siege in #adhg4 ,it is said that gunpowder was first used in ,spain at this siege1 when the seven sisters of ,ximenes1 guns planted in the ,gibralfaro1 belched forth fire and smoke4 ,in the year #gji the ,berber ,tarif entered into an alliance with ,julian1 ,governor of ,ceuta1 who held that place for ,witiza the ,gothic ,king of ,spain4 ,with four ships and five hundred men he crossed the narrow and dangerous straits to reconnoitre the ,european coast1 having secretly in view an independent kingdom for himself on the ,iberian peninsula4 ,he landed at ,cape ,tarifa4 ,this expedition was so far successful that in two years' time another ,berber1 of a name almost similar1 ,tark to wit1 was sent over with twelve thousand men and landed near the rock which received the name of ,jabal-,tark1 or mountain of ,tark1 the present ,gibraltar4 ,witiza in the meantime died and was succeeded by ,roderic1 who1 hearing of the invasion of this ,moorish host1 hastened south from ,toledo and met his death in the first decisive battle between ,christian and ,infidel on the banks of the ,guadalete near ,cadiz4 ,tark then commenced his victorious march1 which ended in less than three years with the subjugation of the whole country as far as the foot of the ,pyrenees--,pelayo1 in his cave at ,covadonga near ,oviedo1 alone holding out with a mere remnant against the all-conquering ,moor4 ,illustration3 ,,malaga4 ,,view ,,from ,,the ,,harbour ,if you ask me1 ,what is ,malaga to-day8 ,i can reply with truth1 ,the noisiest town in ,spain4 ,like all places in the south it is a babel of street-cries1 only a little more so than any of the others4 ,the seranos1 or night-watchmen1 disturb one's rest as they call out the hour of the night1 or whistle at the street corners to their comrades4 ,a breeze makes hideous the hours of darkness by the banging to and fro of unsecured shutters4 ,the early arrival of herds of goats with tinkling bells heralds the dawn1 which is soon followed by the discordant clatter of all those1 cracked and otherwise1 which hang in the church belfries4 ,the noisiest town ,i visited1 most certainly1 but for all that a very enchanting place4 ,in a way not unlike ,naples1 for the ,malagueno is the ,spanish prototype of the ,neapolitan4 ,lazy1 lighthearted1 good-natured1 but quick to take affront1 he gets through the day doing nothing in a manner that won my sincere admiration4 ,why work1 seor1 when you have the sun8 ,i do not know why the ,english travellers are always in such a hurry4 ,and the ,north ,american1 he is far worse4 ,i earned two pesetas yesterday4 ,to-day ,i have no wants1 ,i do not work4 ,to-morrow8 ,yes1 perhaps to-morrow ,i work1 but to-day ,i sit here in the sun1 ,i smoke my cigarette1 ,i am content to watch others1 that is life6--and who can say that the ,malagueno is far wrong8 ,not ,i4 ,malaga's ,cathedral1 an imposing building of a very mixed ,corinthian character1 occupies the site of a ,moorish mosque which was converted into a church4 ,of this early church of the ,incarnation1 the ,gothic portal of the ,segragrio is the only portion remaining4 ,the present edifice was begun in #aech from the plans of that great architect ,diego de ,siloe1 but being partially destroyed by an earthquake in #afhj1 was not completed until #agai4 ,it cannot be called complete even now1 and the long period over which its construction has been spread accounts for the very many inconsistencies in a building which is full of architectural defects4 ,the west faade is flanked by two ,towers1 only one of which has been finished2 this is drawn out in three stages like the tower of ,la ,seo at ,saragossa1 and has a dome with lantern above4 ,the doors of the north and south ,transepts are also flanked by towers1 but they do not rise beyond the cornice line4 ,the interior1 reminding one of ,granada's ,cathedral1 is seemingly immense4 ,the proportions are massive and decidedly good4 ,it was in his proportions that ,siloe excelled4 ,the length of this is three hundred and seventy-five feet1 the width two hundred and forty1 and the height one hundred and thirty feet4 ,the columns which support the heavy roof consist of two rows of pillars one above the other4 ,the vaulting is of round arches4 ,a picture by ,alonso ,cano in the chapel of ,our ,lady of the ,rosary1 and one of a ,virgin and ,child1 in that of ,san ,francisco1 by ,morales1 were the only two objects that ,i could say interested me1 besides the magnificently carved silleria del coro1 the work of many hands1 but chiefly those of ,pedro de ,mena1 a pupil of ,cano4 ,with all its architectural incongruities it is an impressive fabric1 and rises high above the surrounding roofs1 like a great ,liner with a crowd of smaller boats lying around her4 ,so it struck me as ,i sat on the quayside of the ,malagueta making my sketch1 sadly interfered with by an unpleasant throng of idling loafers4 ,beyond ,malagueta lies ,caleta1 and on the hill above them is the ,castilla de ,gibralfaro1 from which when the sky is clear the ,african mountains near ,ceuta can be seen4 ,below the ,gibralfaro and between it and the ,cathedral1 lies the most ancient part of the city1 the ,alcazba1 the glorious castle and town of ,moorish days4 ,and now8--like so many of ,spain's departed glories1 it is not much more than a ruined conglomeration of huts and houses of a low and very insanitary order4 ,at the other end of ,malaga is the ,mercado1 and close by is the old ,moorish sea gateway1 the ,puerta del ,mar1 washed by the waters of the blue ,mediterranean in their day1 but at the present time well away from the sea and surrounded by houses4 ,the everyday market is held in the dry bed of the treacherous ,guadelmedina1 a stream which rose in the fatal ,october of #aijg and swept away all the bridges1 swamping the lower quarters of the city4 ,many lives were lost in this disastrous flood and many bodies picked up by fishing-boats far out at sea4 ,however1 when ,i made my sketch there was no chance of such a visitation1 and ,i found the market folk more polite than the loafers on the quay4 ,the country lying at the back of the city and at the base of the sun-baked and scarred mountains by which it is surrounded1 produces almost everything that grows4 ,from this--the ,vega--come grapes1 raisins1 figs1 oranges1 lemons1 water and sweet melons1 quinces1 pomegranates1 medlars1 plantains1 custard-apples1 guava1 olives and sugar-cane--a veritable paradise for the fruit grower4 ,up the hill slopes1 where the olive luxuriates1 fine woods of sweet acorn and cork trees are passed1 and any day you may see large herds of swine feeding on the acorns that have fallen1 and routing out other delicacies that their sensitive noses tell them lie hidden beneath the surface4 ,the pork of ,estremadura is reckoned the best in ,spain1 and that from these oak woods a good second4 ,the pig in ,spain is a clean feeder1 and you can eat him with perfect safety anywhere4 ,such a thing as the offensive pig-sty1 the disgrace of rural ,england1 is absolutely unknown here4 ,illustration3 ,,malaga4 ,,the ,,market ,malaga's climate is delightful1 despite the fierce winds and the dust they raise4 ,though rain seldom falls the cool sea breezes in summer bring a refreshing tonic to the dweller up country2 and many ,spaniards at this season come here for bathing1 and obtain a maximum of sunshine without the intense heat of the interior4 ,,valencia ,valencia del ,cid is inseparably connected with the hero of ,spanish romance1 ,rodrigo ,diaz of ,bivar1 to give him his real name1 ,cid being a corruption of the ,moorish ,seyyid1 and first appearing in historical documents of the year #ajfd4 ,rising to great power1 ,alfonso of ,leon appointed him to the command of his army1 but through jealousy banished him in #ajha4 ,from that date the ,cid became a true knight-errant4 ,barred from the kingdom of ,leon1 he was ever ready to sell his services to the highest bidder2 and after many wanderings found himself with a goodly following of knights1 only too eager in those days1 when might was right1 to be in the train of so redoubtable a champion1 en route to ,saragossa4 ,the ,moorish ruler of that city being at logger-heads with the ,count of ,barcelona accepted the ,cid's proffered services1 and the result was a battle in which the ,catalans were badly beaten4 ,with no prospects of further service in ,aragon1 the ,cid turned his face south and marched on ,valencia1 whose ,moorish ,king ,yahya was only too pleased to request his protection in advance1 instead of succumbing to his conquering arm4 ,thus began ,rodrigo's connection with the city1 which with one or two intervals ended only at his death4 ,it was from the top of the ,miguelete ,tower1 which is pictured in my illustration of the ,cathedral1 that he showed his wife ,ximena and their daughters the fair land he had conquered4 ,this was in #ajie1 when after having rejoined ,alfonso and left him again1 he had returned and recaptured the city after a siege of twenty months4 ,four years later died the man whose name was a terror to the ,infidel1 and his widow ,ximena1 following the traditions of her warrior husband1 held ,valencia against overwhelming hordes of ,moors4 ,the story of the bitter end1 how she placed his body on his favourite war-horse and drove it through the ranks of the enemy1 has always been a theme for the balladmonger of ,spain4 ,it was in #adj ,b4,c4 that ,junius ,brutus founded a small ,roman colony on the banks of the river ,turia4 ,pompey destroyed this settlement and rebuilt it4 ,in #dac the ,goths took possession4 ,the ,emir of ,cordova captured it in #gad and ,valencia remained a vassal state until the fall of the ,omayeh dynasty4 ,like other provinces1 it became merged under the single banner that floated over the greater part of the ,peninsula at the union of ,aragon and ,castile4 ,being a coast town and savouring of the south1 it was not until the time of the bigoted ,philip ,,iii4 that the industrious and unfortunate ,moriscoe was finally expelled from the shelter of ,valencia's walls4 ,illustration3 ,,valencia4 ,,san ,,pablo ,souchet sacked the place in the ,napoleonic wars and received the title of ,duke of ,albufera from his master4 ,rather an empty honour1 ,albufera being the large and malarious tract of marshland along the coast a few miles to the south of ,el ,grao1 and worth but very little4 ,el ,grao is ,valencia's ,port1 and is three miles distant from the city4 ,the road which connects the two is about the busiest high road ,i saw in ,spain4 ,from sunrise till long after sunset two streams of vehicles pass to and fro4 ,strings of laden donkeys1 waggonettes crammed with good-humoured laughing fisher and country folk pass along1 an electric tram carries those who can afford the extra centimos1 and the carriages of ,valencia's well-to-do citizens take them to the harbour for a breath of sea air out on the breakwaters4 ,everything seems alive1 and though there is that balmy feeling in the air which one gets in ,andalusia1 there is none of the indolence and seductive dolce far niente of that enchanting province4 ,no6 quite the other way in ,valencia4 ,the peasants are extremely industrious4 ,the soil of the ,huerta bears them three crops during the year4 ,the system of irrigation1 the old ,moorish system by-the-way1 is perfect1 and though the product of a soil which is forced to bear more than it naturally can1 is reinforced at sowing time1 in the case of corn1 by ,russian grain1 it cannot be said that ,valencia depends on any outside help for her prosperity4 ,the swamps bordering the coast grow the finest rice in the world4 ,the wines of the province are good and cheap1 held in much esteem by ,french merchants to fortify the lighter produce of their own country4 ,so cheap are they in fact1 that in some parts of the province it costs more to get a drink of water than a glass of wine4 ,yet drunkenness is unknown4 ,if a ,valencian took a drop too much1 he would be promptly boycotted by his neighbours1 and for ever after looked upon as a disgusting and outlandish boor1 a disgrace to his village and a man to be shunned4 ,the peasant is very illiterate and scrupulously honest--the one follows the other4 ,like the ,andalusian1 he is absolutely trustworthy in all his dealings1 which are conducted by word of mouth4 ,in buying and selling no signatures to documents pass between the contracting parties4 ,if any paper is ever signed1 it is confirmed by certain scratches or marks known to belong to so and so--the signee4 ,his word is his bond1 it is generally all he can give1 but it is enough and is worth more than signatures sometimes are4 ,further north1 where modern ways of life are more in vogue1 and where all is more advanced1 there are ten lawyers to the one in ,valencia and the south4 ,illustration3 ,,valencia4 ,,door ,,of ,,the ,,cathedral ,the ,cathedral was originally a ,gothic structure1 but one fashion following another1 has been at different times so altered and robbed of all architectural beauty that there remains but little of interest in the building4 ,it was founded in #abfb and finished two hundred years later4 ,el ,miguelete1 the celebrated ,bell ,tower1 is so named because the bells were first hung on ,st4 ,michael's ,day4 ,like the ,torre de ,vela of the ,alhambra1 a bell is here struck which regulates the irrigation of the ,huerta4 ,in this connection1 and as an exemplification of the peasant's trustworthiness1 once a month1 on a ,thursday1 the ,tribunal de ,aguas sits in the ,plaza de la ,seo outside the ,puerto de los ,apstoles or north door of the ,cathedral4 ,its presiding members are chosen by their fellow peasants for their integrity and general standing in the community4 ,they exercise absolute control over the seven different irrigation districts4 ,the ,government has once or twice interfered with this1 but unsuccessfully4 ,plaintiffs and defendants appear before this primitive tribunal seated in a public square4 ,the case is stated1 pros and cons weighed1 and judgment given fairly on its merits4 ,any one passing can stop and hear the arguments of both sides4 ,as a proof of the shrewdness the peasants possess and the confidence they have in their dealings with one another1 no appeal is ever made from the judgment of their elders4 ,this north door has good sculptured figures in the jambs and archivolt4 ,above is a fine rose window4 ,these are among the remains of the first building4 ,another relic of the early structure is the octagonal cimborio erected about the same time as the doorway1 i4e41 #acej4 ,the lancet windows over the ,puerta del ,palu1 which is surmounted by a round arch with carvings in the jambs1 are all of the same period4 ,the third doorway1 the ,puerta del ,miguelete1 is florid and overdone1 and dates from the eighteenth century4 ,its bronze doors however are extremely fine4 ,the best features of the much-spoilt interior are the octagon and the very beautiful ,corinthian silleria del coro4 ,the original retablo over the ,high ,altar was set on fire by the lighted cotton attached to a pigeon let loose at a religious ceremony in #adfi4 ,the side panels alone were saved from the results of the terrified bird's erratic flight4 ,close by on a pillar is hung the armour of ,james ,i4 of ,aragon4 ,over the sacristy door is a good painting by ,ribalta of ,christ ,bearing the ,cross1 and in the ante-room an ,adoration by ,ribera1 besides five good examples of ,juanes' brush4 ,among the treasures of the ,cathedral is an extraordinary piece of goldsmith's work1 a ,calix1 showing four different periods of this art1 i4e41 ,roman1 ,i,xth1 ,x,vth and ,x,v,ith centuries4 ,it figures in the picture of the ,last ,supper by ,juanes1 which is now in the ,prado at ,madrid4 ,an interesting trophy also belongs to the ,cathedral in the shape of the chain which at one time closed the old ,port of ,marseilles4 ,the many different varieties of marble used in the decoration of the building form a very pleasing series1 and go some way towards compensating the disappointment one experiences with the much-altered style of what ought to be a grand interior4 ,i saw a good procession one evening wending its way through the crowds which lined the narrow street near the church of ,santa ,catalina4 ,the balconies were filled with occupants who showered rose leaves down as the effigy of ,st4 ,john passed by4 ,the light from the torches carried by some boys flickered upwards and caught the faces of those peering over from their vantage posts above4 ,the crowd knelt as the saint passed1 and once more the vitality of the ,church1 which ,i could not but feel wherever ,i went in ,spain is the thing that lives1 was again in evidence4 ,over the door of the church of ,san ,martin is a good equestrian group in bronze4 ,san ,domingo has some very beautiful cloisters of late ,gothic date1 and ,san ,salvador possesses ,valencia's miraculous image4 ,nicodemus is reputed to have made this1 the ,christ of ,beyrout4 ,the marvellous relic navigated itself from ,syria across the waters of the ,mediterranean and reached ,valencia against the river's stream4 ,a monument on the bank marks the spot where the wonderful voyage ended by the safe landing of the ,christ4 ,it is much visited by the devout4 ,in the chapel attached to the ,colegio del ,patriarca hangs ,ribalta's fine ,last ,supper4 ,every ,friday morning at ten o'clock the ,miserere is celebrated here4 ,the impressive ceremony commences with the slow lowering of this picture from its place above the ,high ,altar4 ,the void is filled by a dark cloth1 which1 as the service proceeds1 is gently drawn aside disclosing a second cloth1 this is again repeated1 followed by another1 and when this1 the fourth cloth1 is parted asunder a fine painting of ,christ ,crucified is revealed4 ,meanwhile chants appropriate to the solemn service have been filling the church and increasing the tension of the congregation4 ,the whole ceremony is a very good piece of stage management and certainly most thrilling and inspiring4 ,the black mantilla for ladies is de rigeur4 ,illustration3 ,,valencia4 ,,religious ,,procession ,valencia's walls1 erected in #acef1 were demolished in #ahga to give work to the unemployed1 and the spacious ,paseo made in their stead4 ,the trees planted along this carriage drive have added materially to the health of the city4 ,of the two remaining gates1 the ,torres de ,serranos is much the better4 ,built in the second half of the fourteenth century on ,roman foundations1 its massive construction and great height are very grand4 ,it is one of the best gates ,i know4 ,the archway itself is rather low4 ,the double floors above have fine ,gothic vaulting and are approached by a flight of steps4 ,the gallery is supported on heavy corbels1 and the cornice has deep machicolations4 ,the whole rises in isolated grandeur and may perhaps gain1 from the painter's point of view1 by the absence of flanking walls4 ,the ,torre de ,cuarto is another enormous gateway with two huge round towers on either side4 ,it still bears the marks of ,souchet's artillery--whose round shot did apparently no damage whatever4 ,not far from this gate lies the ,mercado situated in the middle of the old quarters of the city4 ,valencia is quite a modern town1 it is rapidly losing everything of any age1 and changing its narrow insanitary streets for spacious well-built thoroughfares4 ,the ,mercado is by far the largest and most attractive market in ,spain4 ,fruit and vegetables1 wicker goods of all sorts1 baskets1 chairs1 toys1 leather-work and harness1 brightly coloured mule trappings1 every description of wood and metal-work1 the usual assortment of old iron1 lamps antique and modern1 oleographs and chromos1 saints and virgins jostling the latest cheap reproduction of a famous ,torrero or ,bailarina1 furniture1 worn-out field implements and new cutlery1 lace1 everything1 in fact1 including smells1 the variety of which ,i found unequalled anywhere4 ,strong garlic assaulted my nostrils--in three more steps ,i was in the midst of roses and carnations1 half a dozen more and a horribly rank cheese made the air vibrate2 and so it continued from one end to the other of this most fascinating kaleidoscopic throng1 to study which ,i returned every day of my sojourn in ,valencia4 ,on one side of this wonderful market-place stands the ,lonja de la ,seda4 ,it dates from #adhb and occupies the site of the ,moorish ,alczar4 ,perhaps of all the examples of ,gothic civil architecture in ,europe1 the ,lonja de la ,seda can claim the first place4 ,the west faade1 facing the ,mercado1 has a double row of square-topped ,gothic windows1 above which is a traceried gallery running round the entire building with gargoyles and a frieze of heads below the embattled parapet4 ,in the centre is a ,tower with a couple of ,gothic windows4 ,there are two separate buildings in this ,silk ,exchange1 one of which has a beautiful court4 ,the whole of the other is occupied by the ,exchange ,hall4 ,the rich star vaulting of the interior is borne by two rows of spiral columns without capitals2 they branch out to the roof like the leaves of a palm tree and it is very evident that this beautiful treatment was suggested by the growth of the tree4 ,valencia has always been celebrated for a certain style or school of painting1 and in the ,museum1 which occupies the buildings of the old ,convento del ,carmen1 ,ribalta1 ,espinosa and ,juanes are seen at their best4 ,the school is noted for the peculiar deep red undertone of the shadows1 which is very markedly apparent in the works hanging on these walls4 ,there are also some beautiful examples of native faience and pottery1 for ,valencia is still the home of ,spanish lustre ware4 ,the ,valencians are great bird fanciers1 and very keen pigeon shots4 ,numerous lofts built on the roofs for these birds cut the sky-line in the old quarters of the city4 ,sunday sees the dry bed of the ,turia full of competitors in shooting matches1 when toll is taken of the feathered inhabitants of these airy dwellings4 ,if it were not for the rather bad drinking water and the malarious marshes1 the breeding-ground of a most particularly venomous mosquito1 ,valencia would be as pleasant and lively a spot for residence as any in ,spain4 ,the climate is good and it is near the sea4 ,it stands on the edge of a veritable fruit garden1 and its people are pleasant and friendly4 ,,tortosa ,journeying to ,valencia from the north one is carried along a grand bit of coast with glimpses of the blue ,mediterranean rolling in on stretches of yellow sand1 and breaking into spray on the rocks above which the train runs4 ,the rapido stops for lunch at ,tortosa1 and ,i got out intending to stay if there was anything in the famous old city or its ,cathedral which might bear illustrating in this book4 ,i reached the best fonda in the place1 and was heartily welcomed by its lively little landlord1 who immediately handed me one of his cards1 whereon was set out1 amongst many superlatives1 the news that an interpreter was attached to the house4 ,gone away for the day1 seor1 was the reply when ,i asked for an interview4 ,he was always away ,i fear2 however1 ,i did not need his services and my host and ,i became fast friends4 ,so friendly indeed that ,i only just avoided an embrace at parting on the day ,i left4 ,he took great interest in my doings1 and on his side gave me much information4 ,he explained to me how the mighty ,ebro1 on which ,tortosa is situated1 and to which it owes its existence1 had risen in flood during the disastrous ,october of #aijg4 ,right up to here1 seor--this while ,i was having lunch--and he pointed to a spot a couple of inches off the floor of the comedor1 which was on the first floor of the house--,a terrible flood that8--,yes1 seor1 the streets were for weeks full of mud and all sorts of things4 ,hundreds of poor people lost everything and many were swept out to sea4 ,another day ,i remarked on the gas that lit the fonda and asked my host why he had not put in electric light4 ,it is too expensive1 seor2 some people have it1 and the ,market ,hall is lit by it2 but you must understand that ,tortosa long ago did away with oil lamps and was one of the first places in ,spain to use gas4 ,and now8--well it is enough for us1 and the electric light is too expensive4 ,elsewhere in ,spain ,i have been told with pride that the country is still in the foremost rank of civilisation--whatever the ,progressive ,press says--and the almost universal use of electricity has been pointed out to verify the boast4 ,but ,tortosa1 which led the van when gas was a novelty1 is the only place of any importance that ,i know which is still lit by this means4 ,local tradition has it1 that the city dates back to the time of ,st4 ,paul who1 ,i was told1 settled here and built himself a nice little house4 ,whatever the saint did it is on record that before his day the town was an important ,iberian port of the ,ilercaones tribe1 and in later years under the ,romans1 possessed a mint of its own1 being then known as ,julia ,augusta ,dertosa4 ,strategically the key of the great river1 ,tortosa was subject to repeated attempts at capture by those not in occupation4 ,during the time when it was held by the ,moors1 ,charlemagne's son ,louis1 after an unsuccessful attempt1 gained possession1 only to be driven out in the year #haj4 ,it was not until #aadh that the ,infidel's reign was finally terminated by ,ramon ,bereuguer1 ,count of ,barcelona4 ,in the following year a desperate attempt was made by the ,moors to retake their stronghold1 and the inhabitants1 reduced to the last stage of despair1 contemplated the sacrifice of their women and children1 and then a final sortie to end their own lives4 ,the women1 however1 showed a true militant spirit1 they courted death1 but not in this mean manner4 ,mounting the hardly defensible walls with every and any weapon they could lay hands on1 the men were directed to sally forth4 ,the gates were opened1 and cheered on by their wives and daughters1 the sterner sex rushed out4 ,so determined was the onslaught that the ,moorish host was beaten back and fled leaving all the plunder in his camp behind4 ,ramon1 to show his appreciation of the heroism displayed by the fair ones1 invested them with the ,order of the ,axe 7,la ,hacha7 and decorated them with the red military scarf4 ,also decreeing that at their marriage they should precede mankind1 and to this added the privilege of duty-free dress materials4 ,what more could woman want8 ,the ,cathedral occupies the site of a mosque erected in #iad by ,abderrhaman4 ,a ,cufic inscription in the wall at the back of the sacristy relates this with the date4 ,bishop ,lanfredo dedicated the building to the ,virgin in #aaeh1 but the present structure dates from #acdg4 ,it is extremely good ,gothic1 with a heavy baroque west faade1 ugly and ill-proportioned4 ,of the exterior but little is visible1 and my sketch simply includes the upper part of the faade1 visible over the roofs of the quaint old town1 with the river flowing in front4 ,the interior is very simple and dignified4 ,the slender columns of the nave rise to a great height2 the light that filters through the few clerestory windows that are not blocked subdues the garishness of a bad trascoro1 and finds its way amongst the tracery of the arches of the double apse4 ,in ,avila ,cathedral this same feature prevails4 ,a double aisled apse with open-work tracery between the arches and below the vaulting of the aisles4 ,illustration3 ,,tortosa ,the silleria of the coro were carved by ,cristbal de ,salamanca in #aehh1 and are really beautiful4 ,the two pulpits are covered with interesting iron bas-reliefs1 and the ,high ,altar encased in a mass of plateresque silver work4 ,the retablo is a good specimen of early ,gothic work1 and ,i could not help thinking how much better such an one is than the many overdone chirrugueresque atrocities met with in more famous places4 ,tortosa is the centre of a district the mountains of which yield many different kinds of marble1 and the ,cathedral is especially rich in these4 ,perhaps the chapel of ,cinta contains the best2 the most used is the broccatello di spagna a purple colour with tiny marine molluscs embedded in the hard clay4 ,the ,cathedral is adorned at certain festivals with a series of splendid tapestries1 and amongst many relics overlooked and left by the ,french is a fine ,moorish casket of ivory4 ,pope ,adrian ,,iv41 the ,englishman1 was at one time ,bishop of ,tortosa1 a fact which added interest to this beautiful little ,cathedral4 ,the cloisters are early pointed ,gothic1 now much dilapidated and uncared for4 ,on the encircling walls are many highly interesting mural tablets1 a few of which have recumbent figures cut in low relief with their backs to the wall1 as is the case in the earliest ,gothic effigies of this sort4 ,,tarragona ,my recollections of ,tarragona can be summed up in three words--blue sea1 sunshine1 and peace4 ,some fifteen or twenty years ago the quays of its fine harbour were full of life and bustle1 ships entered the port and ships went out4 ,the trade with ,france in light wines was good1 and with ,england and ,america in those of heavier quality1 better still4 ,nowadays it is cheaper to send wines by rail4 ,reus1 a railway centre a few miles inland1 has captured a great deal of ,tarragona's trade1 and modern history repeats itself once more4 ,cheap and quick delivery are the watchwords4 ,hurry and hustle are leaving the old trading towns behind4 ,barcelona is not far away4 ,centralisation is everything1 and thus it happened that ,i found very few places in ,spain so reposeful as ,tarragona4 ,and ,i might add so beautifully situated as this old city which climbs and crowns a hill that rises from the very edge of the blue ,mediterranean4 ,very few cities in ,spain can boast of prehistoric walls still extant4 ,tarragona can do so4 ,the huge uneven blocks of granite1 which may be seen in my sketch of the ,archbishop's ,tower1 occupy the lower portion of the old ,roman walls4 ,on the north side of the city they are even more visible than in the sketch4 ,some of the blocks measure thirteen by seven by five feet4 ,three of the ancient portals1 the stone of which is faced inside1 still exist1 but apparently no records do1 to tell us who placed these ,cyclopean defences where they stand to-day4 ,many remains of ,roman days may be seen built into the houses of the old and higher town1 tablets1 mural inscriptions1 bits of columns1 c4 ,the ,cathedral possesses numerous plinths and pillars of marble from the quarries at ,tortosa1 built into its walls1 and the ,font in the ,baptistery is an old ,roman basin4 ,what a glorious city it must have been when the ,emperor ,augustus made it his capital6 and the overland trade met the sea-going in the harbour below4 ,twenty miles away at ,gay the ,romans tapped a continuous supply of fresh water1 and their aqueduct1 a good deal of which remains1 ranks next to that of ,segovia in size1 and stands as an example of how the ,romans built4 ,roman villas with incomparable views out to sea1 dotted the hillsides2 temples to every god and goddess rose in the city1 which contained a million inhabitants4 ,it possessed a mint of its own1 and1 favoured by nature and art1 became known as ,colonia victrix togata turrita4 ,illustration3 ,,tarragona ,the ,moslem sacked ,tarragona1 and for four centuries one of the glories of ,colonial ,rome lay a heap of ruins4 ,in #ajhi1 at the commencement of the building of the ,cathedral1 the see1 much to the disgust of ,toledo1 was raised to metropolitan dignity4 ,thenceforth1 between the two cities1 endless disputes have arisen as to the ,primacy of ,spain4 ,though begun at the above date1 most of the ,cathedral is of twelfth and early thirteenth-century work4 ,it is not known who designed this magnificent church1 the finest example of ,transition in ,spain4 ,the interior is very simple and very dignified4 ,the roof is borne by grand piers1 thirty-five feet in circumference4 ,their bases are broken by four seats1 one in each corner1 placed thus to enhance the line of the composition1 and break the otherwise too great severity of the foundations4 ,there is no triforium2 but an early pointed clerestory of large bays1 and a superb rose window in the west1 of date #aaca1 admit a flood of light4 ,nothing could well be simpler than the pairs of massive columns which carry the centre arches of the vaulting1 nor finer than the delicate single attendant at their sides from which spring the transverse sections4 ,all these are capped with square ,romanesque capitals4 ,the chancel is pure ,romanesque and very beautiful4 ,the semicircular end of the ,capilla ,mayor and the two small apses are the oldest part of this noble building4 ,the retablo of the ,high ,altar is alabaster1 and carved with reliefs of the martyrdom of ,santa ,tecla1 ,tarragona's patroness4 ,the delicate tapering finials and the figures under canopies below1 are carved in wood4 ,behind the ,high ,altar is a very interesting urn which contains the ashes of ,cyprian1 a ,gothic archbishop4 ,the fine cimborio which rises above the crossing has eight windows of three and four lights alternately1 which contain fragments of very brilliant coloured glass4 ,in the transepts are two magnificent wheel windows full of good glass1 indeed ,i know of no better scheme of colour than that which adorns this window on the south side4 ,the silleria del coro are the work of ,francisco ,gomar and date from #adgh4 ,the body of ,james ,i4 of ,aragon lies in a tomb at the west end of the trascoro1 having been brought here from the ruined ,monastery of ,poblet--the ,escorial of ,aragon4 ,a ruin where still lie under their much despoiled and mutilated tombs some of the rulers of that kingdom4 ,illustration3 ,,tarragona4 ,,the ,,archbishop',s ,,tower ,this grand ,cathedral is not dependent on gloom or subdued light for its great impressiveness4 ,on the contrary it is the best lit of any of ,spain's ,cathedrals1 and it is on its excellent proportions and scale alone that its reputation for solemnity will always rest1 and its majesty be ever remembered4 ,the west faade1 commenced in #abdh1 is constructed of a light-coloured stone1 which time has improved into a very beautiful sienna brown4 ,the upper portion is unfinished4 ,in the centre is a fine and deeply recessed ,gothic portal1 flanked by two massive buttresses4 ,under ,gothic canopies stand statues of the ,apostles and ,prophets1 the lintel of the doorway is supported by a ,virgin and ,child1 above which is the ,saviour1 and a row of figures rising out of their tombs on the ,judgment ,day4 ,above all is the already-mentioned rose window4 ,so well does the mass of the building rise above the adjacent roofs that this window is visible from the breakwater of the harbour4 ,the two doorways on either side of the faade are pure ,romanesque4 ,each is surmounted by a small wheel window4 ,the iron work which covers the doors is of a very intricate design2 and the huge iron knockers with grotesque heads1 the hinges of the doors1 and the copper work as well1 gave me many pleasant moments in marvelling at the skill of the smiths of days gone by4 ,it was in the cloisters however that ,i found the greatest charm of the whole ,cathedral4 ,the court is a veritable garden1 where date palms1 fig trees and oleanders crowd one another in the neatly arranged beds behind box hedges4 ,i spent many pleasant hours in this delightful spot1 my solitude broken by occasional visits from the ,sacristan1 who1 in his faded and patched purple cassock1 came in at odd times for a chat4 ,very proud of his ,cathedral was this quiet custodian1 and ,i shall never forget his soft voice and winning smile1 nor the great interest he evinced in my sketch4 ,the swifts rushed screaming past1 the bees hummed from flower to flower1 the scent of the plants was delicious1 the warm sun and the splash of the fountain--turned on for my benefit--all went to help the welcome repose and forgetfulness of the outer world that overcame me as long as ,i was at work in this little ,paradise4 ,the double doorway in the north transept through which one enters the cloisters from the ,cathedral1 is the finest of all4 ,the capitals of its detached shafts are wonderfully carved4 ,they represent the ,awaking of the ,three ,kings by an ,angel1 the ,nativity and the ,journey of the ,magi4 ,the arcading of the cloisters consists of six bays on all four sides1 these bays are subdivided into three round arches1 with a couple of circular openings above and enclosed within the arch4 ,some of these openings contain very beautifully carved tracery4 ,illustration3 ,,tarragona4 ,,the ,,cloisters ,the capitals of the columns are a museum of quaint fancy and good carving4 ,in one set1 all the incidents of a sea voyage are cut1 in another1 mice are seen carrying a cat to his grave1 who1 shamming death1 turns and devours some of them before his obsequies are complete4 ,there is a ,descent from the ,cross1 where one of the ,faithful wields a pair of pincers much longer than his own arms1 so determined is he to pull out the nails that cruelly wound ,christ's hands4 ,many fragments of ,roman sculpture are let into the walls2 and a lovely little ,moorish arch1 with a ,cufic inscription and date #ifj1 reminds one of the ,infidel's rule over the city4 ,to reach times nearer our own1 there are two inscriptions telling of the occupation by ,british troops1 which run--#eth ,company and further on #fth ,company--obviously pointing to the fact that these lovely cloisters sheltered some of our own troops during the ,peninsular ,war4 ,like many other ,cathedrals1 ,tarragona's possesses a grand series of tapestries1 which are hung round the columns and walls during certain festivals4 ,they are mostly ,flemish and not in any way ecclesiastical4 ,one indeed that ,i saw was anything but this4 ,cupid was leading a lady1 who was in dshabille1 into her chamber1 wherein1 by a four-post bed1 stood a gentleman with a lighted taper in his hand6 ,it was pleasant in the evening to stroll down to the harbour and out along the mole1 to watch the deep-sea fishing fleet race home with the long sweeps out in every boat as the wind dropped and the sea became an oily calm4 ,i must own it was with great regret ,i left this now peaceful spot--a city that once boasted of a million inhabitants1 and prior to that was a great ,phoenician port6 ,of all the ,cathedral ,cities of ,spain ,i would rather return to ,tarragona than any other1 hold converse with my friend the ,sacristan1 who knows and loves his ,cathedral so well1 and end the day as the sun goes down watching the boats return from long hours of toil4 ,,barcelona ,barcelona the ,progressive1 the finest port of ,spain1 with its large harbour1 its wide boulevards1 splendid suburbs1 good hotels1 huge factories and modern prosperity has well earned the title of first city of the ,new ,spain4 ,amilcar ,barca in #bbe ,b4,c4 founded the ,carthagenian city which occupied the ,taber hill on which the ,cathedral now stands1 and twenty years later it became a colony of ,rome4 ,remnants of the old walls can still be traced in the narrow streets which centre round the ,holy ,fabric4 ,under the ,goths1 ,barcino1 as it was then called1 rose to some importance1 money coined here bears the legend ,barcinona4 ,the ,moors were in possession of the sea-washed fortress for about one hundred years1 and then the reign of the ,counts of ,barcelona1 independent sovereigns1 began4 ,count ,ramon ,berenguer ,i41 who ruled from #ajbe to #ajgg1 instituted the famous ,cdego de los ,usatjes de ,catalua1 an admirable code of laws1 to which was added in the thirteenth century the ,consulado del mar de ,barcelona4 ,this latter code obtained in the commercial world of ,europe the same authority as the old ,leges ,rhodi of the ancients4 ,when at the height of its prosperity1 ,barcelona1 the centre of commerce1 received a severe blow by the union of ,catalua with ,aragon1 on the occasion of the marriage of ,count ,ramon ,berenguer ,,iv4 to ,petronila daughter of ,ramiro ,,ii4 ,king of ,aragon4 ,when ,aragon and ,castile were united ,barcelona became subject to the ,catholic ,kings1 and ever since1 in language1 in habits and enterprise has shown her dislike for and her struggle against the ways of ,castile4 ,to-day ,barcelona is far in advance of any other city of ,spain4 ,i felt ,i was once more in ,europe when the comfortable hotel 'bus rattled along through the well-lit streets4 ,perhaps ,i was getting tired of life in the ,middle ,ages1 and was obsessed with ,medival ,cities6 ,at any rate1 a clean bed in a modern hotel was a luxury ,i thoroughly appreciated1 and ,i started the next morning to explore1 with a mind at ease and a consciousness that there would be no irritating little pin-pricks1 no maana for a couple of weeks at least4 ,illustration3 ,,barcelona4 ,,in ,,the ,,cathedral ,the ,cathedral stands on the site of a ,pagan ,church converted by the ,moors into a ,mosque4 ,the present edifice replaced the ,christian ,church which superseded this ,mosque1 and was begun in #abih4 ,the crypt was finished in #acci and the cloisters in #achh4 ,the west faade was covered with scaffolding while ,i was there1 and so may perhaps be completed in another thirty years4 ,the interior of this splendid ,gothic church is very dark4 ,the pointed windows are all filled with magnificent fifteenth-century glass4 ,at the sunset hour1 when the rays of light strike low and filter through the many colours of these windows1 the effect in the gloom of this solemn building is most beautiful4 ,as the orb of day sinks lower and lower the light lingers on column after column right up the lofty nave to the ,high ,altar until he suddenly disappears1 and all within is wrapt in deep twilight4 ,the nave is very narrow and very high4 ,the clustered columns seem to disappear into space1 and the vaulting is almost lost in the darkness4 ,there are deep galleries over the side chapels in the aisles1 which have a rather curious arrangement of vaulting4 ,from the roof of the aisles at each bay depend massive circular lamps which catch the light and heighten the effect of mystery which is omnipresent throughout the ,cathedral4 ,a flight of steps in front of the ,high ,altar--an almost unique feature--leads down to the crypt1 where rests the body of ,santa ,eulalia1 ,barcelona's patron saint4 ,her alabaster shrine is adorned with reliefs of different incidents in her life4 ,the retablo of the ,high ,altar is richly ornate with tapering ,gothic finials of the fifteenth century2 below it is a sarcophagus containing the remains of ,st4 ,severus4 ,above the ,gothic silleria del coro hang the coats-of-arms of the ,knights of the ,golden ,fleece4 ,among them are those of ,henry ,,viii4 of ,england4 ,the only installation of the ,order was held here by ,charles ,v4 ,the side chapels contain very little of interest1 but the cloisters are otherwise4 ,entered either from the street or the south door of the ,cathedral their beauty is very striking4 ,in the centre palms and orange trees rear their heads1 and the splash of the fountains1 in one of which the sacred geese are kept1 is refreshingly cool after the bustle of streets outside4 ,san ,pablo del ,campo1 now a barrack1 is the most interesting of ,barcelona's ecclesiastical remains4 ,this church1 built by ,wilfred ,,ii4 in #iac1 is more like the ancient churches of ,galicia than those of ,catalonia4 ,very small and cruciform1 a solid dome rises from the centre4 ,its cloisters are perfect1 the arcading is composed of double shafts with well-cut figures on the capitals4 ,the peculiarity of ,catalonia's churches is well illustrated in the aisleless ,santa ,maria del ,mar1 ,san ,just1 and ,santa ,maria del ,pi4 ,the first named has some magnificent glass and four good pictures by ,viladomt1 and in the crypt beneath the ,high ,altar a curious wooden figure of ,san ,alajo4 ,san ,just has the belfry common to the churches of ,catalonia1 an open iron-work screen1 from which depend the bells1 and ,santa ,maria del ,pi contains a fine wheel window and more magnificent glass4 ,a relic of ,loyola1 the sword that he offered on the ,altar of the ,virgin at ,montserrat1 is still preserved in the old ,jesuit ,church of ,nuestra ,seora de ,belen4 ,among the many notable buildings in ,barcelona is the ,casa ,consistorial1 or ,town ,hall4 ,it was built in #acgh1 and has a very original ,gothic front4 ,a beautiful patio with slender arches and twisted columns adds to the interest of the interior4 ,the ,casa de la ,diputacion opposite contains the picture on which ,fortuny was at work when he died4 ,the patio here is perhaps better than that in the ,casa ,consistorial4 ,it is in three stages1 from the topmost of which huge gargoyles of all sorts of devils and monsters rear their ugly heads4 ,in the old quarters of the city1 where the five-and six-storied houses almost touch1 the streets are very tortuous and not considered safe at night4 ,in this respect1 however1 ,barcelona does not stand alone4 ,any one who ventures into the low parts of a ,mediterranean seaport after dusk generally does so at his own risk4 ,very few brawls commence among the hot-blooded lower orders of the south without the finale of the knife4 ,by far the most interesting suburb of the city is ,barceloneta4 ,this self-contained town is entirely given up to the fisherfolk and seafaring portion of ,barcelona's inhabitants4 ,philip ,v41 when planning his citadel1 now demolished1 turned out the people who dwelt where he afterwards erected it4 ,to compensate them for loss of home and property1 he built this well-planned and well-paved suburb out along the coast to the north-east4 ,with the breeze coming in every afternoon off the sea my favourite walk was through the park to ,barceloneta4 ,of all the seaports ,i know1 ,naples not excepted1 though the ,sta4 ,lucia of five-and-twenty years ago might have beaten it1 the harbour front of ,barceloneta is without an equal4 ,here one may watch the boat-builders at work under the oddest roofs imaginable1 carpenters busy with the shaping of masts and oars1 and ship's painters putting the finishing touches to boat accessories4 ,i used to stand awhile admiring the inventive turn displayed on the exterior embellishments of the marine-dealers' stores4 ,wonderful pictures1 of ships that could never float1 from brushes wielded by very local talent in glaring vermilion and green4 ,i watched the holiday-makers sitting in ramshackle booths1 rapidly putting away all sorts of curiosities of the shell-fish order1 and ,i wondered if they would survive the day4 ,perhaps the copious draughts of wine they took was an antidote1 at any rate their laughter and good humour gave point to my unspoken thought--let us eat and drink1 for to-morrow we die4 ,illustration3 ,,barcelona4 ,,the ,,rambla ,going on1 ,i often spent some time comparing the drill of artillery recruits1 whose instructors marched them up and down on a quiet bit of the roadway1 with those at home1 and ,i generally finished my walk and sat me down on the glorious stretch of sand that runs away north as far as eye can follow4 ,the evening would then draw in1 and the twinkling lights on the ships in the harbour warn me it was time to return4 ,while twilight lasted ,i retraced my steps homewards along the quay-side1 invigorated by an afternoon of sea breeze and salt spray4 ,the focus of ,barcelona's life is the celebrated ,rambla4 ,the derivation of this word is ,arabic--,raml-sand--a river bed1 for a small stream at one time meandered down to the sea where now is the liveliest street in the north of ,spain4 ,on either side of the central promenade1 under the shade of stately plane trees1 are the carriage drives4 ,the broad walk itself is thronged1 especially in the morning when marketing is done1 with an ever-changing crowd4 ,boys distribute hand-bills1 dog-fanciers stroll about bargaining with dealers1 itinerant merchants cry their wares4 ,a family of father1 mother1 and children cross the stream of promenaders1 followed by a pet lamb4 ,acquaintances meet and gossip away a good ten minutes4 ,at the top end of the ,rambla are situated the stalls of the bird-sellers1 who also deal in mice1 a great place this for mama and her small daughters4 ,lower down1 the flower-sellers congregate under their red-striped umbrellas4 ,it was here that ,i made my sketch1 in which luckily1 for a bit of colour1 ,i was able to include the blue-bloused porters in their red caps who wait about for a job with the rope of their calling slung over their shoulders4 ,here too all the odd job men stand awaiting hire4 ,house painters in white blouses with insignia of their trade--a whitewash brush on the end of a pole--held high1 and others--an endless variety4 ,barcelona1 being a business town1 is democratic to the core1 it is also to the core1 ,catalan4 ,the names of streets are displayed in ,catalan as well as ,spanish4 ,the animals in the ,zoological ,gardens also are known by their ,catalan1 and ,castilian as well as ,latin names6 ,barcelona will have no dealings with ,castile1 its people speak their own language and address the foreigner in ,french4 ,barcelona is go-ahead4 ,in the houses of the new suburbs l'art nouveau screams at one1 and everything is up-to-date6 ,the ,spaniard is well-known to be lazy1 not so the ,catalan4 ,i have never seen a ,spaniard running1 but ,i have seen a ,catalan walking fast6 ,,gerona ,the siege of ,gerona is as celebrated in the ,spanish history of the ,napoleonic wars as that of ,saragossa4 ,both exemplify the bravery and tenacity of the ,spaniard of the north4 ,in the first siege in #ahjh1 three hundred men of the ,ulster ,regiment1 under their gallant leader ,o',daly1 helped to garrison the place against two ferocious attacks by ,duchesne and his ,french soldiery4 ,the first failed and the second ended in the utter rout of the besiegers with the loss of all the artillery and baggage train4 ,in the following year three ,french generals with an army of thirty thousand men invested the city4 ,alvarez1 the ,spanish ,governor1 was almost without any means of defence1 and the women of ,gerona enrolled themselves under the banner of ,santa ,barbara1 the patron saint of ,spain's artillery1 and took their places on the ramparts side by side with their husbands and sweethearts4 ,alvarez1 ably seconded by a few ,english under ,marshall1 held out until he was struck down by disease and death4 ,the city then1 without a leader1 its inhabitants starving1 at length surrendered4 ,so ancient is ,gerona that its early history is lost in the mist of ages4 ,charlemagne drove the ,moors out when they were in possession1 but it soon passed back into their hands again4 ,the ,counts of ,barcelona ruled over the place until the union of ,catalonia and ,aragon1 an event which gave birth to the ,crown ,prince's title of ,principe de ,gerona4 ,hence we know that in the twelfth century it was a city of great importance4 ,in consequence of its adhesion1 at the end of the ,war of ,succession1 to the house of ,hapsburg1 ,gerona was deprived of its privileges and university1 since which time it has steadily gone down hill4 ,down hill it may have proceeded1 but ,i found it a very pleasant1 quaint old-world city set in the midst of verdant hills and running waters4 ,shady walks are taking the place of now useless fortifications2 and have not ,i sat in one of the most delightful rose gardens you could wish to rest in1 and heard the note of the nightingale trilling on the perfumed air8 ,most of ,spain has gone down hill1 and most of ,spain is nothing but enchanting4 ,illustration3 ,,gerona4 ,,the ,,cattle ,,market ,gerona is bisected by the river ,oar1 and from its waters which wash them1 the houses rise tier above tier up the hill side4 ,in the summer when the river is running low1 and if it happens to be a ,saturday1 you will see one of the most remarkable sights that ,spain can boast of4 ,under and around the arches of the old bridge are congregated hundreds of brown and fawn-coloured cattle4 ,the background of ancient houses1 yellow1 grey1 white1 brown--every tone1 rises up above this throng4 ,coloured garments1 the week's washing1 flutter in the breeze1 green shutters and blinds hang from the creeper-clad balconies4 ,it is market day4 ,the lowing of oxen1 mingled with the hum of bargaining humanity in red caps and ,prussian-blue blouses1 surges up like the sound of breakers on a distant shore4 ,you who enter ,spain by the east route1 go to ,gerona at the end of the week--you will never regret its ,saturday market4 ,the ,cathedral stands well4 ,the west faade1 a ,renaissance addition1 is approached from the ,plaza below by a grand flight of ninety steps in three tiers4 ,in the unfinished jambs of the south door are a series of interesting terra-cotta figures dating from #adeh4 ,there is nothing else in the exterior worthy of note1 but directly ,i entered ,i stopped in amazement at the daring of an architect who could build so enormous a span as that under which ,i found myself4 ,this span is seventy-three feet1 the clear width of the nave1 and unsupported by any pillars4 ,no flying buttresses outside give additional strength to the thrust of the roof4 ,the stonework is perfect and the vaulting inside simple4 ,so bold and hazardous were the plans of ,guillermo ,boffy that the chapter at first refused to sanction them4 ,being in doubts as to his sanity1 they sought the opinion of twelve other architects1 who were examined separately4 ,as they all approved and passed ,boffy's plans1 the construction of this marvel was commenced1 and the first stone laid in #adaf4 ,the apsidal chancel had been begun a century earlier and finished in #acdf1 pretty much on the same lines as this part of ,barcelona's ,cathedral4 ,unfortunately--how often does one have to acknowledge this6--the coro1 with its hideous respaldos1 painted to imitate ,gothic arches in perspective1 almost ruins this splendid and solemn interior4 ,among the seats of the silleria del coro there are still preserved some that date from the fourteenth century4 ,early carved work of the same period is found in the elaborate retablo over the ,high ,altar1 which is surmounted by three fine processional crosses4 ,the baldaquino1 also of wood1 is covered like the retablo with plates of silver4 ,it is a mass of precious metal1 enamelled coats-of-arms and gems1 and is an extremely interesting relic of that century4 ,illustration3 ,,gerona4 ,,the ,,cathedral ,over the sacristy door are the tombs of ,count ,ramon ,berenguer ,,ii4 and his wife ,ermensendis1 who died in #ajeh1 predeceasing her husband by twenty-four years4 ,the sacristy itself contains a remarkable piece of twelfth-century crewel work1 said to be the earliest known specimen in existence4 ,it is covered with figures of a type similar to those of contemporary ,,mss4 ,the ,romanesque cloisters form an irregular trapezium4 ,the columns are doubled and about a foot apart1 not unlike those of ,tarragona4 ,the finest ,romanesque example that ,gerona possesses is the church of ,san ,pedro de los ,galligans4 ,the apse1 little damaged during the siege1 forms a tower in the town wall4 ,there is no doubt of the great antiquity of this building1 which dates probably from the early part of the tenth century4 ,the east end is mostly constructed of black volcanic scori4 ,the nave and aisles1 the bays of which are very simply built1 are almost prehistoric in their roughness4 ,in the cloisters attached to the church is the ,museo ,provincial4 ,many relics of ,gerona's heroic defence can here be seen1 as well as some early ,christian and ,hebrew remains4 ,,toledo ,standing high above the yellow ,tagus1 which1 confined in a deep gorge1 rushes and swirls far below between precipitous granite cliffs1 ,toledo was always an ideal position for a fortress before modern firearms rendered ,nature's defences of little avail4 ,its name is associated with the great ,cardinals of the ,rodrigo1 ,tenorio1 and ,foncesca families1 as well as scions of the houses of ,ximenes1 ,mendoza1 ,tavera1 and ,lorenzana4 ,the wealth of these ,prelates was immense1 and their power1 ,ecclesiastical and ,temporal1 proportionate4 ,they practically had no rivals1 they certainly feared none1 they ruled kings as well as countries1 and their allegiance to ,rome was purely nominal4 ,they made wars and fought in them4 ,for their patronage of art and literature future generations have had good cause to be grateful4 ,they built schools and improved the means of communication throughout the land4 ,under their influence the ,church was omnipotent1 and they have written their names deep in the pages of ,spanish history4 ,in fact1 so great was the power of ,toledo's clergy that it grew to be the cause of the foundation of the ,capital at ,madrid4 ,philip ,,ii41 who removed the ,court from ,valladolid to ,toledo1 found it better1 after a short residence here1 to take himself and his ,court to a town where he no longer encountered the arrogance of ,ecclesiastical rule4 ,under the ,romans1 who captured it in #aic ,b4,c41 ,toletum became the capital of ,hispania4 ,leovigild removed hither from ,seville1 and his successor1 ,reccared1 who embraced the orthodox form of ,christianity1 made it the ecclesiastical as well as political capital of his dominions4 ,for nearly four centuries1 from #gab1 when the ,moors took ,toledo1 it was under their rule2 but divided counsels and the treachery of the down-trodden ,hebrew enabled ,alfonso ,,vi4 to enter in triumph with the ,cid4 ,the ,king then styled himself ,emperor1 and promoted the ,archbishop to the ,primacy of ,spain4 ,under ,alfonso's rule the city grew rapidly in every way4 ,churches and convents were built1 defences strengthened1 and ,toledo knew no rival4 ,with far-seeing wisdom1 ,moor and ,christian were allowed to intermarry1 and lived together in peace for wellnigh one hundred and fifty years4 ,the advent in #abbg of that ecclesiastical firebrand1 ,st4 ,ferdinand1 however1 altered this4 ,one of his first acts was to pull down the ,mosque1 wherein the ,moors of the city1 by ,alfonso's royal prerogative1 had been allowed to worship1 and commence the building on its site of the great ,cathedral4 ,illustration3 ,,toledo4 ,,the ,,cathedral ,for two hundred years and more did the architects who followed ,pedro ,perez add bit by bit1 leaving their mark on its stones4 ,partly constructed of granite it is immensely strong4 ,a softer stone has been used with great discretion in the decorative portions of the building4 ,no comprehensive view of the ,cathedral is obtainable1 so closely do the houses surround it on the south and east1 and creep up the hill on which it is built1 on the north4 ,the west front is best seen from the ,plaza ,ayuntamiento1 a pleasant little garden which the ,town ,hall bounds on one side4 ,i managed a sketch from the narrow street below this garden4 ,only one of the two towers of the west faade is finished as originally intended4 ,the other is capped by a dome1 designed by ,el ,greco1 that painter of the weird1 and under which is the chapel wherein the ,mozrabic ritual is celebrated daily at #i ,a4,m4 ,the great west door1 ,la ,puerta del ,perdon1 is enriched with embossed bronze work4 ,flanking on it either side are the doors of ,las ,palmas1 and de los ,escribanos4 ,the arches of all three have figures in the jambs1 which are continued round each arch in the very best ,gothic of the fifteenth century4 ,above the doors the faade is adorned with a sculptured ,last ,supper and colossal figures in niches4 ,in the centre is a splendid rose window twenty-eight feet in diameter4 ,the north transept is entered from the steep ,calle de la ,chapineria by ,la ,puerta del ,reloj1 the oldest doorway of the ,cathedral4 ,its bronze doors1 of later date than the doorway1 were cast to match those of ,la ,puerta de los ,leones in the south transept4 ,this doorway's name is derived from the ,lions1 which holding shields1 occupy positions on its pillars4 ,another entrance is through ,la ,puerta de la ,presentacion which opens on the cloisters4 ,the effect produced by the magnificent interior is much enhanced by the beauty of the glass which fills most of the windows4 ,the earliest are on the north side of the nave1 and form a series which was commenced in #adah and finished one hundred and fifty years later4 ,the glass in the rose window over the west door is superb1 and the same may be said for that in the north transept and the wheel window over ,la ,puerta de los ,leones4 ,there is no triforium1 and the transepts do not project beyond the nave4 ,the arches of the very beautiful chancel serve as niches for figures4 ,here in each bay is a rose window forming a clerestory1 and the colours in the glass of these shine like jewels in a crown4 ,illustration3 ,,toledo4 ,,the ,,south ,,transept ,there are in all twenty chapels1 every one of which contains something worth study4 ,the lofty retablo in the ,capilla ,mayor is of the richest ,gothic4 ,above is a colossal ,calvary of later workmanship4 ,cardinal ,ximenes built this chapel1 among the many monuments of which are the tombs of ,spain's earliest kings4 ,separating it from the crucero is a magnificent ,plateresque reja1 on either side of which stands a gilded pulpit4 ,behind the retablo is the transparente1 much admired by ,toledans1 but the one jarring note in the finest of ,spain's ,cathedrals4 ,this theatrical mass of marble figures1 in the midst of which the ,archangel ,rafael kicks his feet high in the air and squeezes a gold fish in one hand6 is lit from a window let into the roof of the apse4 ,the ,capilla de ,reyes ,nuevos contains the tombs of the kings descended from ,henry ,,ii4 ,his tomb and that of his wife1 as well as the spouse of ,henry ,,iii41 a daughter of ,john of ,gaunt ,duke of ,lancaster1 are among the many that crowd the walls4 ,the ,capilla de ,san ,ildefonso is an extremely beautiful example of early ,gothic work4 ,the much-mutilated tomb in the centre of ,cardinal ,albornoz is a masterpiece of the same style4 ,many other great ,ecclesiastics rest in this elegant octagon1 notably ,inigo de ,mendoza1 ,viceroy of ,sardinia1 who was killed at the siege of ,granada4 ,the ,capilla de ,santiago was erected in #adce by ,alvaro de ,luna1 the man who saved ,spain for ,juan ,,ii4 by repressing the turbulent nobles1 and who for his fidelity was rewarded by disgrace and execution in the ,plaza ,mayor at ,valladolid4 ,the scallop shells which decorate the walls represent de ,luna's office of ,grand ,master of the ,order of ,santiago4 ,cardinal ,ximenes re-established the ,mozrabic ,ritual1 which is celebrated in the ,capilla ,mozrabe1 as a reminder to the ,pope that ,spain did not owe implicit allegiance to ,rome4 ,the small detached ,capilla de la ,descension de ,nuestra ,seora stands against the second pier in the north aisle4 ,it marks the spot where the ,virgin came down and presented ,san ,ildefonso with the casulla or chausable4 ,the ,salle ,capitular is a grand example of early sixteenth-century work1 with a ,plateresque frieze and gilt artesonado ceiling by ,francisco de ,lara4 ,it contains a series of portraits of the ,cardinal ,archbishops of ,toledo1 and frescoes by ,juan de ,borgoa4 ,the work of this painter is to be met with throughout the ,cathedral4 ,the coro occupies two bays of the nave and is a veritable museum of carving and sculpture4 ,its silleria are in two rows4 ,the lower is of walnut and enriched with scenes representing the campaigns of ,ferdinand and ,isabella4 ,the upper of the same wood is a perfect classical contrast and is inlaid not carved4 ,berruguete1 whose work may be best studied in ,valladolid1 executed the seats on the south side1 and ,vigarney those on the north4 ,a small figure of the ,virgin in blackened stone looks really ancient4 ,it stands in the middle of the coro on a pedestal4 ,nicolas de ,vergara was responsible for the two reading desks1 which are masterpieces of gilded metal work4 ,the ,gothic cloisters enclose a delightful garden1 and have an upper cloister reached by a door in the ,archbishop's ,palace4 ,from this pleasant claustro alto a very good idea of the size of the ,cathedral is obtained4 ,space does not permit me to enlarge on the manifold works of art which this noble building contains4 ,the pictures1 the iron work--though ,i must just mention a beautifully fanciful knocker of two nude nymphs hanging downwards from the head of a satyr whose hands clasped together form the handle1 which adorns ,la ,puerta de la ,presentacion--the sculpture1 notably that on the respaldo1 or outer wall of the coro1 and the many relics in the ,treasury1 would all occupy more than ,i can afford4 ,suffice it to say that nowhere in ,spain is there a ,gothic building of such well-proportioned dimensions1 such simplicity in its leading features1 such a fine idea in the interior of the spacing out of light and shade1 as in this magnificent ,cathedral--the grandest of the three due to ,french influence4 ,and ,toledo's churches8 ,there are nearly sixty still remaining1 every street seems to contain one6 ,and ,toledo's convents8 ,there are almost as many4 ,of the former1 ,san ,juan de los ,reyes1 on the high ground above the bridge of ,saint ,martin1 the last remnant left of a once wealthy ,franciscan convent1 was built by ,cardinal ,ximenes in commemoration of the ,catholic ,kings victory of ,toro4 ,on its outer walls still hang the manacles and chains of the captive ,christians who were set free at the conquest of ,granada1 and the interior is embellished with the arms of ,ferdinand and ,isabella1 and covered with sculptured heraldry4 ,illustration3 ,,toledo4 ,,the ,z,,codover ,santa ,maria la ,blanca1 originally a ,jewish synagogue1 is in the ,mudjar style1 and has some charming arabesques1 with a fine cedar ceiling said to be of wood from the trees at ,lebanon4 ,almost opposite--we are in the ,juderia1 or ,jews' quarter1 to the south-east of ,san ,juan de los ,reyes--is another synagogue1 el ,transito4 ,built in #acff by ,samuel ,levi1 ,pedro the ,cruel's treasurer1 in the ,moorish style1 it is almost a better piece of architecture than ,santa ,maria la ,blanca4 ,levi lived next door1 in the house known now as ,la ,casa del ,greco1 that painter having occupied it during his residence in ,toledo4 ,the house and synagogue are connected by a secret passage from the vaults of the former4 ,these are of immense size and strength1 and in ,levi's day held an enormous amount of treasure--too much for the poor man's good4 ,his royal master1 when sufficient was accumulated1 put him to death and appropriated all he could find4 ,el ,cristo de la ,luz1 one of the most interesting churches in ,toledo1 was originally a tiny mosque4 ,it is divided into nine different compartments by four columns1 from the capitals of which spring sixteen arches4 ,it was here that ,alfonso ,,vi4 attended the first ,mass after the city was captured4 ,close by is the ,convent of ,san ,domingo el ,real1 where a glimpse may be had of picturesque nuns while at their devotions during early service4 ,as the station 'bus rattled up the steep winding ascent to the ,despacho ,central we dashed through the ,zocodovr1 the square celebrated for numerous auto de fs and other executions4 ,all day long it is crowded with sauntering folk1 who walk up and down1 quietly enough now1 on the scene of much former cruelty1 bloodshed1 and many bull-fights4 ,on its eastern side a fine ,moorish arch leads down the hill by a footpath to the ,bridge of ,alcntara4 ,immediately the arch is passed on the left lies the old ,hospital de ,santa ,cruz4 ,it is one of the best examples of the ,transition to ,renaissance in ,spain4 ,the portal is deeply undercut and elaborately carved in soft white rose stone and marble4 ,the inner gate is plateresque and only surpassed by ,san ,marcos at ,leon and the gateway of the university at ,salamanca4 ,cardinal ,mendoza's arms adorn the beautiful patio1 which has a double arcade of great elegance1 and the stone work on the balustrade of the staircase leading out of this is very fine4 ,opposite1 on the other side of this steep descent1 are the ,military ,governor's quarters which are dominated by the huge ,alczar1 now the ,military ,academy for ,infantry ,cadets4 ,destroyed by fire in #ahhf1 the present edifice1 rebuilt soon after1 is seen in the illustration of the ,alcntara ,bridge rising a great square mass on the top of the hill4 ,it was the fortress and palace of ,moorish days4 ,alvaro de ,luna had a share in its alteration and ,herrera completed it to the present size by additions executed for ,philip ,,ii4 ,many a time has it been sacked by the conquerors of ,toledo and many a prisoner of note passed his last hours within its gloomy walls1 before being led out to death in the ,zocodovr4 ,illustration3 ,,toledo4 ,,the ,,alc,,ntara ,,bridge ,both ,toledo's bridges are magnificent4 ,the ,alcntara1 crossed on the way from the station1 has but a couple of arches which span the mighty river at a great height4 ,it is defended by a gateway at either end1 that on the inner side being the ,moorish ,tower in my sketch4 ,the ,bridge of ,saint ,martin has one arch of enormous span with four smaller1 which carry it over the rushing ,tagus4 ,between these two bridges from the opposite bank of the river one gets the best idea of ,toledo's strength4 ,nothing in ,spain surpasses the grim majesty of the city1 which rises above the sun-baked and wind-blistered crags that form the gorge below through which the river has cut its way4 ,no spot could have been better chosen for defence than the hill enclosed in this horseshoe of mad waters4 ,small wonder that within its encircling walls grew up a race of ,prelates whose rule spread far beyond the borders of ,castile1 and whose powerful hand was felt in countries of an alien tongue4 ,of the eight city gates the most interesting is the ,puerta del ,sol1 a ,moorish structure with two towers on either side of a horseshoe arch4 ,it is close to the little church of el ,cristo de la ,luz1 and from either of the towers a very good idea is obtained of ,toledo's defences4 ,near the ,puerta del ,cambon1 another of the gates1 is the site of the old palace of the last of the ,spanish ,goths1 ,roderic1 who lost his life on the banks of the ,guadalete near ,cadiz when giving battle to ,tarik and his ,berbers4 ,my whole impression of ,toledo was that of a city of gloom4 ,its larger houses were forbidding in the extreme4 ,in these a huge portal1 with armorial bearings and massive pillars1 defended by a stout iron-bound door1 opens into a dark porch1 from which one enters the patio through an equally strong entrance4 ,the windows that look on to the street are heavily barred and none are within reach of the pedestrian4 ,its streets1 too narrow and steep for vehicular traffic1 are as silent as the grave 7most ,spaniards wear shoes made of esparto grass or soft leather71 save when a young cadet from the ,alczar passes along rattling his sword1 and attracts the attention of the seoritas who sit high up in those inaccessible balconies4 ,built on the ,moorish plan1 these tortuous thoroughfares twist and turn like a maze1 and it seemed to me that the sun never entered them4 ,houses and streets1 walls and towers1 still remain as they were in the great ,cardinal's days1 and stand1 even now1 as symbols of the iron rule of the ,church4 ,the ,cardinal's hat is to be found graved in stone over many a door1 and the ,sheaf of ,arrows1 the arms of the ,catholic ,kings1 is still to be seen over the entrance of what was once the palace of ,pedro the ,cruel4 ,toledo blades are still made and proved in the ugly factory a mile outside the city4 ,toledo ware 7made in ,germany7 is sold by most of the shops4 ,the growing trade in liquorice is a modern industry1 but if it were not for another recent innovation1 the ,military ,academy1 it would take no stretch of the imagination to carry one back again into the ,middle ,ages and to sink one's individuality and become a human atom under the rule of the great ,church4 ,,salamanca ,before ,i ever thought that ,fate would take me to ,spain1 ,i had formed in my mind1 as one is apt to do1 a ,spain of my own1 a ,spain of glorious romance4 ,i had been in many cities throughout the country1 but it was not until ,i reached ,salamanca that1 ,surely1 thought ,i1 the ,spain of my imagination is now realised4 ,here in the middle of the plain1 with which one's thoughts are somehow familiar1 rises the great ,cathedral1 its towers are landmarks for miles round4 ,here is a beautiful river winding through valleys deep cut in the ochre-coloured soil1 its banks are clad with verdure and it is spanned by an ancient bridge4 ,away over the plain1 just visible in the haze1 are the blue mountains of the south4 ,in the midst of all1 the dull mud and yellow walls of the city1 the many-hued roofs of red and brown1 with deep shadows under their eaves1 rise tier above tier to the ,cathedral above4 ,and this1 the prototype of ,spain's greatness1 her ,church1 the ever-present reminder that in days gone by its princes led her armies to victory and placed her in the van of nations4 ,i am standing on the noble bridge1 half of which is even now as it was in the days of the ,roman occupation4 ,those massive walls up there of monasteries and convents always formed part of the picture of my imagination4 ,they bake under a ,september sun1 just as all ,spain ought to do4 ,a long string of heavily laden mules trots past1 their bells jingling merrily1 their drivers shouting and cracking their whips4 ,a well set-up peasant with his head in a handkerchief and broad-brimmed hat1 cut-away tunic1 red sash and tight knee breeches1 canters by seated on a high peaked saddle4 ,his well-bred horse shows a good deal of the ,arab strain1 across its quarters are a couple of rugs and its rider carries an umbrella4 ,a beggar stops before me1 and prays that1 for the love of the ,holy ,mary1 ,i will give him a perro chico4 ,two wizened old cronies go by chattering about ,manuelo's wife4 ,one carries a couple of fowls tied together by their legs1 the poor birds are doing their best to hold their heads in a natural position4 ,some little urchins are throwing stones at the washerwomen by the riverside below4 ,an old man seated on a donkey's rump ambles past4 ,yes1 this is what ,i imagined ,spain to be4 ,i turn my steps towards the city4 ,i wander by the ,cathedral and reach the great university of the middle ages4 ,what would ,salamanca have been without its university6 ,i pass many fine houses1 with coats-of-arms emblazoned over their portals4 ,i gaze at their high walls and windows barred to keep the intruder from the fair sex4 ,most of them seem falling into decay1 but this only adds to the romance4 ,at length ,i reach an arcaded square4 ,the columns of the arcades are wooden1 they are at all sorts of angles1 but the houses above still stand4 ,the sun blazes down on scores of picturesque market folk1 who sell almost everything from peaches and fowls to little tinsel images and double-pronged hoes4 ,dogs are sniffing about picking up stray scraps4 ,children run in and out1 fall down and get up laughing4 ,every one is busy4 ,the animation of this little square1 as ,i suddenly come upon it out of a deeply shaded and aristocratic street1 is just the ,spain ,i had always thought of--a ,spain of contrasts4 ,brilliant sun and grateful shade4 ,seclusion behind high walls1 and a strange medley of noisy folk1 for ever bargaining1 buying and selling4 ,certainly in ,salamanca it is all here4 ,i hear the click of the castanets and the sound of the guitar in the evening1 ,i see the ardent lover standing at those iron bars whispering soft raptures to his mistress1 and the picture is complete4 ,illustration3 ,,salamanca ,salamanca is a sleepy old city which the world seems to have left behind4 ,in the summer it is a veritable furnace1 in the winter it is swept by icy blasts4 ,before the ,christian era it was known as ,salmantica4 ,hannibal came and captured it in ,b4,c4 #bdg and under the ,romans it was the ninth military station on the great road which they built connecting ,cadiz and ,merida with ,astorga and ,gijn4 ,alfonso ,,ix4 of ,leon founded the university1 which reached its zenith as a seat of learning during the sixteenth century4 ,philip ,,ii41 having transferred his ,court from ,valladolid to ,toledo1 made ,salamanca's bishop suffragan to that city's1 since when it seems to have been left out in the cold and slowly but surely proceeded down hill4 ,this is the reason1 ,i think1 why it attracted me so much4 ,it is essentially a city with a ,past and of the ,past4 ,the ,french under ,thibaut pulled it to pieces and used the material from its demolished buildings to fortify the place4 ,this was in #ahaa4 ,the following year saw ,marmont's troops utterly routed by ,wellington1 three miles south of the fortifications4 ,it was this victory that gained him his ,marquisate and a grant from ,parliament of #ajj1jjj4 ,like ,saragossa1 ,salamanca possesses two ,cathedrals4 ,the older intensely interesting in every way1 the later1 a huge late ,gothic pile begun in #aeac and finished in #agcc4 ,this immense structure affords a good study of the changes of architectural taste spread over the years which intervened between these two dates4 ,illustration3 ,,salamanca4 ,,the ,,old ,,cathedral ,the west faade is a marvel of intricate sculpture in the richly-coloured soft stone that has been used as if it were plaster or wax4 ,late ,gothic predominates amidst a deal of ,plateresque and ,barroque ornament4 ,despite its incongruities it is extremely fine1 but would look even better if some of the numerous niches had not lost their statues1 and if little boys did not find a pastime in lodging stones amongst those that are left1 greatly ,i fear to their detriment4 ,over the double doorway are high reliefs of the ,nativity and ,adoration of the ,magi1 a negro prince being an especially good figure in the latter subject4 ,above is a ,crucifixion4 ,the north porch is also very fine and gains in effect1 as indeed does the whole of this side of the ,cathedral1 by the raised piazza on which it is built4 ,the approach is up some dozen steps1 the whole of the piazza being surrounded by pillars as at ,leon and ,seville4 ,juan ,gil de ,hontaon1 who designed this and the sister ,cathedral at ,segovia1 surpassed himself with the ,great ,tower and its finely-proportioned dome1 the top of which is #cfj feet high4 ,the crocketed pinnacles1 the flying buttresses1 the dome over the crossing1 and the wonderful deep yellow of this huge church1 whatever may be one's opinion about the architecture1 make it one of the most impressive of ,spain's ,cathedrals4 ,i was disappointed with the interior on first acquaintance1 but it has only to be known to be appreciated4 ,the imposing proportions1 it is #cdj feet long1 #aeh feet wide and close on #ajj feet high1 gradually asserted themselves1 and before ,i left ,salamanca ,i was much in love with ,hontaon's masterpiece4 ,a pierced balustrade takes the place of a triforium1 flamboyant ,renaissance in the aisles and classical in nave4 ,it runs round the whole church and in the transepts and choir these two occur together4 ,medallions in the spandrils of the arches add to the rich effect4 ,many details in this interior ,i found to be worth a second and third visit4 ,the ,chapel of ,dorado1 a veritable museum1 contains the tomb of the builder1 ,fransico de ,palenzuela4 ,its walls are covered with a profusion of coloured saints on gilt pedestals4 ,there is a very curious old organ1 standing at the back of an also curious old minstrel's gallery4 ,a sad-looking skeleton1 with ,memento ,mori cut on a slab at his feet1 occupies a dark hole in one of the walls4 ,fine azulejos decorate the chapel1 and many other antiquities too1 which ,i cannot enumerate4 ,in the ,capilla del ,carmen rest the remains of ,germino1 the ,cid's bishop and confessor4 ,an ancient wooden crucifix stands over the altar1 it is the identical one carried by the bishop in the wars of the ,cid4 ,another relic of the great ,campeador is to be seen in the ,relicario4 ,a small ,byzantine bronze1 el ,crucifijo de las ,batallas1 studded with chequer work--a fine specimen of early ,limoges enamel4 ,all this interested me muchly1 but the ,catedral ,vieja1 a grand example of late ,romanesque style1 interested me more4 ,fortis ,salmantica1 as it was called1 on account of the thickness of its walls1 has not been used for service since its huge neighbour was erected4 ,i made a drawing of the only view which can be obtained of the exterior from the ,plazuela chica4 ,the central lantern is surmounted by the emblem of nobility1 a cock1 and is formed by an octagonal tower with a stone dome4 ,the tower is arcaded and has four domed turrets and dormers at the corners similar to those at ,zamora4 ,street considers that he has never seen any central lantern more thoroughly good and effective from every point of view than this is4 ,to reach the interior one has to retrace one's steps to the ,catedral ,nueva and from its south aisle pass through a doorway into the other building4 ,this was erected on a lower level than its big neighbour and with the attendant verger ,i descended ten steps and found myself in a very beautiful mellow-coloured church4 ,the arches of the nave and aisles are pointed1 but the windows and arcading are round4 ,the capitals of the columns are a museum of carved fantasies1 imps1 animals1 birds1 c4 ,on the wall of the north aisle1 which was partly demolished when the ,catedral ,nueva was built1 are some very curious frescoes2 the church has a clerestory of single lights but no triforium4 ,there is a wonderful retablo in the ,capilla ,mayor by an ,italian1 ,nicolas ,florentino4 ,it is still in perfect preservation1 and the fifty-five frescoes set in white and gold of which it is composed have a beautiful effect in the semi-gloom of the dark chapel4 ,the ,mozrabic ,ritual is celebrated six times a year in another chapel1 ,la ,capilla de ,talavera4 ,the groining of its roof is the only one of the sort ,i have seen1 it is composed of parallel ribs which cross one another4 ,in the ,capilla de ,san ,bartolom lies ,bishop ,diego de ,anaya4 ,his tomb is surrounded by one of the finest examples of wrought and hammered iron work in the whole of ,spain4 ,some other members of this family are also interred in the chapel1 which contains a medival organ covered by a screen of coloured ,moorish arabesques4 ,illustration3 ,,salamanca4 ,,an ,,old ,,street4 ,the cloisters were built in #aagj1 but have been partly modernised and totally disfigured by a coat of whitewash4 ,an uncared-for garden filled with rubbish occupies the centre4 ,surely some one might be found to tend this little secluded patch of quietness and make it a place for delightful repose instead of the disgrace it now is6 ,before the ,french occupation ,salamanca was a city of churches and monastic buildings4 ,to build their fortifications they destroyed thirteen convents and twenty colleges besides many churches4 ,the south-west corner of the city is still an empty desert full of rubble and stone strewn about everywhere1 the remains of the now dismantled fortress which overlooked the valley of the ,tormes4 ,among the churches left1 that attached to the now suppressed ,dominican ,convent of ,san ,estban is by far the finest4 ,it is a miniature ,cathedral in itself4 ,the ,gothic exterior is extremely good4 ,the great west faade is highly enriched with ,plateresque ornament4 ,an elliptical arch of great dimensions roofs the porch4 ,below it is a realistic group illustrating the martyrdom of ,st4 ,stephen1 with the date #afaj cut upon a stone which one of the figures is picking up to hurl at the saint4 ,the coro is over the west end1 and for once the whole of the interior is visible4 ,this is very lofty1 and the view up to the immense ,high ,altar1 executed by ,chirriguera himself1 superb4 ,there are two more altars in the church by the same hand1 and although his flamboyant style is not to my liking1 ,i could not help admiring the way in which he had evidently allowed himself all the licence he was capable of in their sumptuous design4 ,to the south of the little plaza in which ,san ,estban stands are the cloisters of the convent1 in the upper storey of which is ,salamanca's museum4 ,unfortunately it contains nothing of interest4 ,columbus was lodged by the ,dominicans in this convent1 and propounded those schemes to the monks1 which the learned members of the university had pronounced worthless and crack-brained4 ,he found in ,fray ,diego de ,deza and the other brothers warm supporters4 ,the once magnificent ,convent of las ,agustinas ,recoletas1 founded by the ,count of ,monterey1 has a beautiful church in the shape of a ,latin ,cross4 ,over the ,high ,altar is one of ,ribera's masterpieces--,the ,immaculate ,conception4 ,monterey was known as the good slow man and was ,viceroy of ,naples in ,philip ,,iv4's reign4 ,he accumulated great wealth during his ,viceroyalty and built himself the fine palace which stands close to the convent4 ,there is an anecdote current in ,salamanca that when a peasant woman craved an audience of the ,king1 which he granted1 she prayed ,god might make him also ,viceroy of ,naples4 ,the ,university which made ,salamanca famous was united with that of ,palencia by ,ferdinand1 and very soon took the foremost rank as a seat of learning in ,europe1 though at the ,council of ,constance in the year #adad1 ,oxford was given precedence1 a ruling which much disgusted the patriotic ,spaniard4 ,the building was entirely altered by the ,catholic ,kings1 who erected the marvellous west faade1 one of the best examples of ,plateresque work in the country4 ,like that of the ,cathedral and ,san ,estban1 it is a wonderful example of what can be done with soft stone1 and how well the most delicate modelling has survived in this dry climate4 ,some of the ,moorish ceilings of the interior have been restored4 ,the grand staircase leading to the upper floors and cloister is especially well carved with dancers and foliage4 ,over the door of each aula1 or lecture room1 is a tablet denoting the science taught within4 ,the fine library is rich in theological lore and early editions of ,aristotle1 c4 ,the little square on to which the west faade opens also leads through a good doorway into the ,grammar ,school1 with a delicious cloister and shady garden4 ,the four sides of the square and the walls of the ,cathedral are covered with numerous hieroglyphics and names in ,roman characters4 ,they are the initials1 signs1 and names of the numerous scholars who have distinguished themselves in different walks of life4 ,a custom now followed in all our own schools on boards of honour4 ,the ,collegio ,mayor de ,santiago ,apostol is a seminary for ,irish priests4 ,the number in training is generally about twenty4 ,this building1 originally founded in #aeib by ,philip ,,ii4 and dedicated to ,st4 ,patrick1 is a very good example of cinquecento architecture4 ,among the many fine houses still left after ,french depredations1 that of ,la ,casa de las ,conchas is the most celebrated4 ,it dates from #aeab1 and is so named on account of the scallop shells which decorate the exterior walls4 ,the window grilles are exceptionally fine4 ,the ,spanish proverb ,la mujer y el vidrio siempre estan en peligro--a woman and glass are always in danger1 evidently held good when these intricate and beautiful guards were let into the stone4 ,the house has a lovely patio and a very fine staircase4 ,la ,casa de ,sal is another house with a good court1 the gallery above being supported by life-size figures4 ,la ,casa de las ,duendes1 or ,ghosts1 built by ,archbishop ,fonseca1 was supposed to be haunted1 hence the name4 ,the ,torre del ,clavero is a good specimen of the ,castilian keep4 ,it was built in #adhh by a ,sotomayer who was ,clavero or ,key-bearer to the ,alcntara ,order1 and is still in the possession of this noble family4 ,throughout the churches1 in these houses1 and the convents which remain unsuppressed are many fine pictures1 and except for ,seville1 ,i found here more of interest than in any other city of ,spain4 ,in the convents of course mortal man is forbidden entrance1 and ,i could only look at their lofty walls and wish myself a nearer acquaintance with the artistic treasures which ,i was told lay buried behind them4 ,perhaps the best example of a square in the whole of the country is the ,plaza ,mayor4 ,a lofty colonnade runs around the four sides and every evening the beauties and others of ,salamanca make it their promenade4 ,the men stroll round in one direction and the women in the opposite4 ,the social life of a ,spanish town passed in view before me1 with all its fan and language of the eyes1 as ,i sat at one of the small tables of a caf and got this cheap and harmless entertainment for one real4 ,the square dates from #agbj2 the houses are four storeys high and on the north and south sides bear medallions of kings and celebrated men4 ,the ,ayuntamiento1 with its chirrigueresque faade1 occupies the centre of the north side and adds greatly to the appearance of this fine ,plaza where up to fifty years ago bull fights took place4 ,my work over1 ,i nearly always found myself wandering on to the desert created by the ,french at the south-west angle of the city1 and with my pipe spending half an hour or so meditating on the ,salamanca of the ,past and its contrast with the ,present4 ,the rock stands high here over the road and river below1 and there is a drop of #ajj feet or more down on to the former4 ,it is but a narrow lane hedged in by a high wall and this forbidding-looking rock4 ,when walking along this lane one day ,i noticed many crosses cut in the wall and chalked red4 ,on inquiry ,i was told that each cross represented a suicide4 ,from the height above1 those tired of life or disappointed in love hurl themselves down and it is the unwritten law or prerogative of him who finds the mutilated body to carve a little cross on the wall at the spot where the unhappy mortal has ended his days4 ,but it was not to prevent suicides that ,i wandered there and sat smoking my afternoon pipe4 ,no1 ,i fear it was something inglorious1 it was to get away from the stenches and filth of the town and breathe the fresh air of the plain4 ,i do not think that anywhere1 unless it be in ,tarragona1 were my olfactory nerves so insulted as in ,salamanca4 ,flies in thousands settled on my colour box and paper wherever ,i sat sketching4 ,i can now appreciate fully the torture of the ,egyptians during the plague4 ,add to the flies beggars innumerable1 with horrible sores1 offal and filth in the streets and some of the romance vanishes4 ,yet ,salamanca still remains the ,spain of my imagination1 for was not all this part and parcel of my dream8 ,,avila ,avila is one of the most perfectly preserved towns in ,spain4 ,it gave me the impression of having been dropped from the sky1--complete as it is--so desolate and barren is the boulder-strewn waste that surrounds it4 ,a sort of suburb pushes its mean houses straggling beyond the walls1 but ,avila itself lies snugly within them4 ,they are perfect--these walls that entirely encircle the old portion of the town4 ,forty feet high1 twelve thick1 with eighty-six defensive towers and bastions1 and ten gates1 they are constructed of slabs of granite set end upwards1 and were always a hard nut for invaders to crack4 ,the ,roman ,avela afterwards fell into the hands of the ,moors1 who for long held it as a fortress of the first class4 ,alfonso ,,vi41 the conqueror of ,toledo1 drove them out after a lengthy siege1 and ,avila was rebuilt by his son ,ramon of ,burgundy4 ,it was then that the present walls were built1 being erected under the supervision of two foreigners1 a ,frenchman and an ,italian1 ,florian de ,pituenga and ,cassandro4 ,since their day ,avila has played an important rle in the history of the country and witnessed many strange events4 ,in #adfe an extraordinary scene took place on the plain outside the city4 ,that unpopular king1 ,enrique ,,iv41 was reigning at the time1 and the hatred of the people towards him reached its height when his effigy was dragged from the city and set upon a throne which had been prepared for the ceremony of degradation4 ,the ,archbishop of ,toledo having recounted the people's grievances1 removed the crown from the effigy's head1 others high in the land insulted it and at length pushed it off the throne1 the people then kicked it about and a game of socker ensued4 ,prince ,alfonso1 a mere boy1 was raised to the unoccupied seat1 and hailed ,king by the ,archbishop1 nobles and people1 amidst a blare of trumpets and general rejoicing4 ,avila is an intensely cold place1 frosts often occur here in ,may1 but the summer months are delightful4 ,every street1 every house almost is of interest1 and in the old days of its importance there could have been few strongholds in the country so safe as this4 ,the ,cathedral is almost a fort in itself4 ,the east end forms part of the city walls1 the apse abutting in line with the next two towers on either side forms part of the defensive works4 ,illustration3 ,,avila ,commenced at the end of the eleventh century by ,alva ,garcia1 a native of ,navarre1 this early ,gothic building is still unfinished4 ,not much is1 however1 of this early date1 for the general style of the building is of the end of the next century1 and many alterations have followed this in later years4 ,the west front has but one tower1 the north--the other1 the south1 does not rise above the roof4 ,the favourite ball decoration of late ,gothic ,spain is in evidence1 and guarding the doorway are a couple of uncouth mace-bearers4 ,very terrible are these hairy granite men1 but not so dangerous looking as the two lions which stand on pedestals and are chained to the ,cathedral walls4 ,always on guard1 these four strange figures have no doubt many a time struck a holy terror into the hearts of would-be evil-doers as they entered the church1 and ,i daresay kept the thoughts of others in the straight line4 ,the north door is early pointed and carries figures in each jamb1 the tympanum is decorated with reliefs of the ,betrayal and ,last ,supper1 but all the figures are sadly mutilated4 ,the third entrance is at the south-east corner of the ,cathedral1 and is a later addition1 opening outside the walls of the city on to the ,calle de ,s4 ,segundo4 ,the interior of the ,cathedral is very simple and massive1 partaking more of strength than elegance4 ,it is a fitting inside to the severity of the fortress-like exterior4 ,the nave is narrow and lofty1 and so are the aisles4 ,the large clerestory windows have their tracery above blocked up1 and the lower lights have been treated in the same way1 thus giving a certain resemblance to a triforium1 a feature the church does not possess4 ,the aisles in the apse are double1 like those at ,tortosa1 and although the single columns in the centre are very beautiful1 these aisles have not the elegance of those in the other ,cathedral4 ,the apse is very dark1 the stone work at one time was painted red and the little that remains of this colour adds to the religious gloom of its double aisles4 ,the columns throughout the ,cathedral were built to bear great weight1 their capitals are simple and their bases the same4 ,the little light that glimmers through the windows adds greatly to the sombre strength of this fine building1 which1 more than any other of its size1 reflects the life of the ,spain of those days in which it was erected4 ,street thinks it less influenced by outside art than any other building in the country1 and instances the unique method of laying the stone of the root as supporting this opinion4 ,the transepts contain some good glass1 as also do the windows in the chancel4 ,there are many good early tombs throughout the ,cathedral4 ,judging from their style ,avila was left alone when ,chirriguera was erecting monstrosities elsewhere1 and to me it is the most homogeneous of ,spain's ,cathedrals4 ,the retablo over the ,high ,altar rises in three stages and contains pictures by ,berruguete1 ,santos ,cruz and ,juan de ,borgoa4 ,on this account my last remark might be criticised1 for the whole piece is a jumble of styles4 ,the chancel is1 however1 too narrow for a view of this medley from the body of the church1 and wherever one roams in the building nothing attracts the eye or disturbs the mind by being too flagrantly incongruous4 ,so dark is the apse that the ,renaissance trassegrario does not obtrude in the early ,gothic of its surroundings4 ,the very fine tomb of ,bishop ,alfonso de ,madrigal1 the ,solomon of his day1 is fortunately illumined by a little light1 and ,i could see the effigy of this wise ,prelate seated at his desk busily engaged with his pen and scroll1 while above him the ,magi and ,shepherds are adoring in a good relief4 ,there are some early paintings in most of the chapels1 the retablo in that of ,san ,pedro being perhaps the best4 ,the work of ,cornielis1 a ,flemish sculptor1 circa #aecg-dg1 is admirably displayed in the very beautiful carving of the silleria de coro1 and there is no better example of ,spanish metal work of the fifteenth century to be found than in the two iron-gilt pulpits4 ,the sacristy contains a splendid silver monstrance by ,arfe1 and an ,italian enamelled chalice of the fourteenth century by ,petrucci ,orto of ,siena4 ,the cloisters are disappointing1 having been much mutilated and the fourteenth-century tracery of the arches blocked up4 ,avila1 like its neighbour ,segovia1 contains some of the best examples of ,romanesque work1 and its many churches are archologically as interesting as the ,cathedral4 ,sheltering from the keen north wind under the arcade of ,san ,vicente ,i made a sketch of the gateway of that name4 ,the church was founded in #acjg and dedicated to three martyrs who were put to death on the rock which may still be seen in the crypt below4 ,the west faade has two incomplete towers1 between which is a most elaborately carved ,romanesque doorway1 standing in a deeply recessed arch4 ,illustration3 ,,avila4 ,,puerta ,,de ,,san ,,vicente ,the pure ,romanesque nave has both triforium and clerestory and the unusual feature of pointed vaulting4 ,the proportions of this noble church are very fine1 but the interest of the non-architectural visitor will be centred in the ,tomb of ,san ,vicente and his two sisters ,,ss4 ,sabina and ,cristeta4 ,a metal work canopy resting on twisted columns surmounts the tomb which is a sarcophagus of the thirteenth century4 ,the legend tells how1 after the martyrdom of these three1 the body of the first-named was cast out to the dogs1 and that a serpent came out of the hole in the rock 7still visible7 and watched over it4 ,a ,jew who mocked was smitten unto death by the reptile and lies buried in the south transept4 ,the transept choir and three semicircular apses are ,transitional1 and carry a barrel vaulting4 ,outside the city wall1 a little way down the hillside and beyond the dirty suburb that intervenes1 is the late ,gothic church of ,san ,toms4 ,it possesses a fine retablo of the patron ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas4 ,the ,high ,altar is placed in a gallery above a low elliptical arch1 this feature being repeated at the west end with the coro above4 ,at the crossing of the transepts is the beautiful but greatly mutilated tomb of ,prince ,juan1 the only son of ,ferdinand and ,isabella1 by whose untimely death the crown of ,spain passed to ,austria4 ,two other tombs of great interest are those of ,juan de ,avila and ,juana ,velasquez4 ,messer ,dominco1 the ,florentine1 executed them both4 ,san ,pedro1 standing at the east side of the ,mercado ,grande1 is another ,romanesque church of great beauty4 ,over the west door is a fine wheel window4 ,the interior is pure ,romanesque and rich in ornament1 and the north portal is replete with the same4 ,santa ,teresa was born of noble parents in ,avila4 ,in her early youth her heart hungered for saintly adventures in the broiling sun of ,africa and her mind was set upon martyrdom at the hands of the ,moors4 ,fate1 however1 decreed otherwise4 ,at twenty years of age she took the veil and within a few years had founded seventeen convents of bare-footed ,carmelite nuns4 ,a favourite saint of ,spain1 the date of her death1 ,august #bg1 is kept all over the ,peninsula and her festival celebrated with great honour in ,avila on ,october #ae4 ,,segovia ,dirty1 dilapidated and sleepy1 but the most enchanting town in ,spain4 ,what a treat it was to find myself once more in the ,middle ,ages after the bustle and noise of ,madrid6 ,the springs of a ,spanish 'bus are good4 ,i never entered one without great misgivings as to how long ,i was fated to remain in this world4 ,to drive into a town such as ,segovia is a grand test for the nerves4 ,crack goes the whip1 off start the sorry-looking horses with a jerk4 ,i am flung violently against my neighbour4 ,i hasten to apologise4 ,a disconcerting jolt knocks the hat over my eyes1 before it is adjusted ,i find myself in an attitude of prayer with my head buried in the lap of the stout lady who pants opposite1 another bump and she is embracing me1 we disentangle ourselves1 we apologise1 every one in the 'bus is doing the same4 ,the ,jehu on the box fears no obstacles1 a rock or a rut1 they are all the same to him1 he takes them all with utter disregard to everything in his way4 ,we fly along1 and somehow we land safely4 ,we always do4 ,yes1 the steel of those spiderlike springs must be good1 or the saints are watching our venture4 ,perhaps both4 ,the scenery on the journey from ,madrid is very fine after the train leaves the junction at ,villalba4 ,slowly we crawled up the incline winding round and doubling on our course4 ,merry little snow-fed streams eager to join with their fellows below sped along in a race to the sea4 ,the summer villas of the ,madrileos dot the hill slopes on the ground above the withy beds4 ,we went up and up until the highest point on the line was reached under the road along which1 marching north1 ,napoleon's troops toiled in the face of a fearful blizzard4 ,before entering the tunnel at the top of the pass a glorious panorama is spread out to the south4 ,away in the distance are the mountains of ,toledo and the spires of far-off ,madrid4 ,on leaving this point the descent became rapid1 and we whirled through a magnificent valley amidst true ,alpine scenery4 ,the rugged tops of the ,sierra rose above thick forests of pine1 brawling torrents dashed headlong down through green pastures1 grand cattle were browsing on every side1 it was indeed more ,swiss than ,spanish4 ,illustration3 ,,segovia ,,at ,,sunset ,one often hears the question asked--why are there no trees in ,spain8 ,a ,french writer answers1 that the ,moors are responsible for the lack of shade in a ,spanish landscape4 ,he tells us they cut down all the trees they found1 because trees harbour birds1 and birds destroy all fruit and grain6--a truly ingenious theory1 quite worthy of the fertile brains of the ,french1 but surely a most ridiculous solution4 ,the ,moor brought the orange and the lemon to ,europe2 he was a lover of shade1 he was also a great gardener4 ,no1 the reason why ,spain has apparently no trees1 is that very few have been planted for hundreds of years4 ,wood is necessary for fires in a country where there is practically no coal4 ,the peasant has always been poor1 he has always taken anything that came to hand4 ,he helped himself to the wood of the forests around him4 ,his betters did the same4 ,all the trees near ,madrid are known to have been ruthlessly cut down and sold to defray the expenses of ,philip ,,ii4's ,court2 and it is only of recent years that any replanting has been taken in hand4 ,when the present ,king was a boy of four years old1 a ceremony1 now repeated every year at the ,fiesta del ,arbol1 was inaugurated4 ,the ,queen ,mother took him to ,guindebra outside ,madrid1 where he planted several trees4 ,at every anniversary the day is devoted by school children all over the country to this same object4 ,as many as #aj1jjj saplings have been put into the ground in a single day1 thus laying by a store of wealth for future generations4 ,segovia is surrounded by trees4 ,hidden from the great plain in which the town lies1 they cover the banks of the two streams which join issue below the city1 thus forming the mass of rock on which it stands4 ,these valleys1 eaten out by the running water1 are among the great charms of this romantic place4 ,nothing can exceed the beauty of early spring4 ,fruit trees in full blossom1 tall poplars bending their graceful heads in the breeze and chestnuts bursting into leaf4 ,the air is filled with the twitterings of nesting birds1 the sloping banks covered with the tender green of young grass2 all nature is alive1 the sun is warm and the sound of rushing waters brings peace to the soul4 ,perched high up1 hanging apparently on mighty rocks1 the ,alczar broods grimly over the gorge below4 ,still further up and beyond1 rises the mass of the ,cathedral1 towers1 domes and pinnacles4 ,three hundred and thirty feet high1 the great tower rears itself like a sentinel1 a landmark for many miles4 ,round the base cluster the houses of the town like chickens seeking shelter under the wings of a mother hen4 ,no place in all ,spain appealed to me so much4 ,no town was so replete with subjects for my brush1 and nowhere else did ,i feel the romance of this marvellous country as in ,segovia4 ,illustration3 ,,segovia4 ,,the ,,aqueduct ,a town of ,iberian origin and name1 under the ,roman rule it was of some importance4 ,the great aqueduct1 which spans the valley that divides ,segovia in the ,plaza del ,azoqujo1 brought pure water from a mountain torrent1 the ,rio ,frio1 ten miles away4 ,it does the same to-day4 ,constructed of granite blocks1 laid ,cyclopean fashion without mortar or cement1 it commences near ,san ,gabriel4 ,to break the force of the rushing stream the conduit has many angles4 ,without doubt it is the most important ,roman remain in ,spain1 for this alone ,segovia would be famous4 ,once upon a time his ,satanic ,majesty fell desperately in love with a beautiful ,segovian4 ,to further his suit1 an offer was made to do anything she might require4 ,her home was on a hill2 her work1 to fetch water from the stream below4 ,finding the continual tramp down and up rather irksome1 this daughter of ,eve bethought herself of a request to mitigate her toil4 ,done1 said the ,evil ,one1 and the aqueduct was built in one night6 ,in terror she fled to the church1 and the church discovered that one stone had been left out1 also that the aqueduct was extremely useful4 ,the contract was declared void and the maiden freed from the rash promise she had playfully given his majesty4 ,the country folk still know it by the name of the ,puento del ,diabolo4 ,during the siege of ,segovia1 the ,moors destroyed thirty-five of the arches1 but these were cleverly rebuilt in #adic by ,juan ,escovedo1 a monk of ,el ,parral1 who received the scaffolding in payment for his work4 ,more recently1 extensive repairs in the same way have been successfully carried out4 ,the most imposing view is in the ,plaza del ,azoqujo1 from which it towers upwards in a double line of arches one above the other1 and its length is best grasped from ,el ,calvario1 a hill to the south of the town4 ,the ,cathedral is a late ,gothic pile1 built of a warm yellow stone1 and looks particularly impressive from the shady walk among the rocks on the left bank of the ,clamores1 the stream which cuts off ,segovia from the southern plateau4 ,it was begun in #aebe by the builder of ,salamanca's ,cathedral which it greatly resembles1 ,juan ,gil de ,hontaon1 and continued at his death by his son4 ,the weak point in the exterior1 which masses very grandly1 is the western faade4 ,the interior is very striking4 ,the wide span of the arches1 the richness of the admirable vaulting1 the splendid late ,gothic windows and the feeling of light and space are fine examples of the last stage of ,gothic work1 just before the influence of the oncoming ,renaissance took hold of the architects of that day4 ,the floor is beautifully laid with red1 blue and white diamond-shaped slabs of marble2 and the very necessary notice--,no escupir1 la religiosidad y higiene la prohibur--keeps it clean and decent4 ,in the coro1 which occupies nearly the whole of the centre of the nave1 there is a retablo by ,sabatini4 ,the silleria are very fine4 ,they were rescued from the old ,cathedral1 which was destroyed in ,charles ,v4's time by the ,comunros1 who started business by pulling down churches1 appropriating all they could lay hands on1 plundering the wealthy and generally behaving as a mob that has the upper hand always does4 ,the outer walls of the coro are stucco1 painted to represent different species of marble2 described1 by the way1 in a reputable guide book--beautifully coloured marbles6 ,most of the rejas which shut off the side chapels are good gilded iron work4 ,in that of la ,piedad there is a good retablo with life-sized figures by ,juan de ,juni1 #aega2 and in the chapel of the ,segragrio a wooden figure of ,christ by ,alonso ,cano4 ,through a fine ,gothic portal in the ,capilla del ,cristo del ,consuelo ,i entered the cloisters in company with a verger1 who took great pride in his ,cathedral4 ,these cloisters are surpassingly beautiful2 a very good example of flamboyant ,gothic4 ,in vain did ,i search for a corner from which to make a sketch4 ,the courtyard was overgrown with shrubs1 tall cypresses and vines climbing at random shut out everything4 ,the garden itself was a mass of rubbish and old timber4 ,the well in the centre1 overgrown with creepers and weeds2 while in the cloisters themselves preparations were afoot for the coming ,easter processions1 and all available space taken up by carpenters and painters at work on the ,pasos4 ,in the little dark chapel of ,santa ,catalina on the west side1 is the tiny tomb of the unfortunate ,infante ,pedro1 the three-year-old son of ,henry ,,ii4 ,the poor little child was dropped by his nurse from a window in the ,alcazar1 and ended his young life on the rocks below4 ',tis a pitiful object this pathetic tomb1 alone1 here in this damp spot where daylight only enters when the door is opened4 ,in the sacristy there is a ,custodia in the form of a temple1 six feet high1 silver and exquisitely chased4 ,the vestments possessed by the clergy are most rarely worked and of great value4 ,segovia was once rich in churches4 ,like the rest of the city1 a great many have alas6 fallen into decay1 and those not in this state are rapidly approaching it4 ,they are mostly small and retain the apse4 ,several are cloistered and every one of them is architecturally of great interest4 ,here again is another charm of this romantic old city1 evidence of past glories and ecclesiastical power1 the history of ,spain written in its stones4 ,illustration3 ,,segovia4 ,,plaza ,,mayor ,san ,millan1 a ,romanesque structure of the twelfth century1 is the best preserved church in ,segovia4 ,the exquisite arcades on the north and south sides have coupled columns with elaborately carved capitals4 ,like most of the buildings of this period solidity rather than grace was the effect aimed at by their architects4 ,it possesses a triple apse2 the piers supporting the roof are very massive1 the capitals to the columns are formed of semi-grotesque figures of man and beast4 ,the two doorways are good4 ,in the church of ,san ,martin there is a carved wooden ,passion4 ,four life-sized figures take the place of shafts in the great doorway1 and again a cloister forms the exterior of the south and west walls4 ,in the ,dominican convent of ,santa ,cruz1 founded by ,ferdinand and ,isabella1 is still to be seen a sepulchral urn of one of the original companions of ,st4 ,dominic4 ,tanto monta the motto of the ,king and ,queen is cut both inside and out on the walls4 ,over the west portal are good reliefs of the ,crucifixion and the ,piet4 ,la ,vera ,cruz1 a church built by the ,templars in #abjd1 is difficult of access4 ,i procured the key after much trouble1 and found the twelve-sided nave forming a sort of ambulatory round the central walled-in chamber4 ,it is an imitation of the ,holy ,sepulchre at ,jerusalem4 ,the ,templars were suppressed in #acab1 so this gem had but a short existence as their house of prayer4 ,nestling amidst a grove of acacia trees1 hidden away under the rock1 is the ,santuario de ,fuencisla4 ,built to commemorate the miraculous rescue of ,maria del ,salto1 a beautiful ,jewess1 this little sanctuary is much affected by pilgrims4 ,the rock which overshadows it is known as ,la ,pea ,grajera1 or ,crow's ,cliff1 taking this name from the multitude of carnivorous birds who always assembled here for a meal after a victim had been hurled down to expiate his crime in a death below4 ,maria1 accused of adultery1 was led to the top and pushed off the edge to find the fate of so many before her4 ,with great presence of mind she called loudly on the ,virgin1 who hearing1 came to her assistance2 and so retarded her downward flight that she alighted gently1 escaping unhurt4 ,here in days long gone by lived a hermit1 whose good life and deeds are still a much-reverenced legend among ,segovians4 ,the monastery of ,el ,parral1 once a wealthy and powerful house of the brotherhood of ,san ,gernimo1 contains a very good retablo by ,diego de ,urbina4 ,it was founded by a member of the great ,pacheco family1 who fought three antagonists one after another and came off successful4 ,he vowed to build a church on the spot where his skill and prowess gave him so splendid a victory1 and to endow it as well4 ,it is now a convent of ,franciscan nuns4 ,next in importance to the ,cathedral is the comparatively new building of the ,alczar4 ,standing high up on the crags1 below which the ,eresma and ,clamores meet1 it occupies an unrivalled position4 ,a fine view of this truly ,castilian fortress is obtained from the beautiful walk which encircles the city on the further bank of each stream4 ,above the tall poplars and thick scrub rise its turrets and spires4 ,the massive walls go sheer up from the rock on which their foundations rest4 ,the huge embattled tower and drawbridge assist the feeling of strength2 and it only requires the weathering of years1 adding broken colour to the somewhat new-looking exterior1 to make this a perfect specimen of medival architecture4 ,the building was originally ,moorish1 but the many vicissitudes of troublous times saw it in a bad state when ,henry ,,iv41 el ,impotente1 repaired and made it his residence4 ,within its walls ,isabella was proclaimed ,queen of ,castile in #adgd4 ,cabrera1 the husband of her greatest friend1 ,beatrice of ,boabdilla1 held the fortress and its treasure1 and it was mainly through his valour that ,isabella succeeded to the throne4 ,during the ,comunros insurrection the ,alczar held out for ,charles ,v4 ,at the quelling of the revolt ,charles did all in his power to thoroughly restore the building and furnish it with great splendour4 ,his son ,philip added much that the father's death had left unfinished4 ,our own ,king1 ,charles ,i41 was here entertained1 and ,gil ,blas confined a prisoner4 ,the great fire1 originated by some of the students of the military college1 almost entirely destroyed the whole castle in #ahfb4 ,the present edifice dates from shortly after that year and is now used as a storehouse for military archives and an academy for artillery officers4 ,a very good gateway spans the road that leads out past the ,santuario de ,fuencisla along the right bank of the ,eresma4 ,the river here is an ideal looking trout stream1 but alas6 fish are not as plentiful now as when ,charles ,i4 was entertained and fed on fatte troute in the ,alczar4 ,follow the path over the bridge to the left1 it soon narrows into a mere goat track as it skirts the rock2 a few steps farther on and the wonderful position of the fortress-castle bursts into view4 ,how fascinating it looked as ,i saw it one night in the moonlight with the silver beams glinting on its spires4 ,all was very still as ,i entered the wood of stunted pines beyond4 ,across the ravine rose the mighty ,cathedral silhouetted against a dark star-laden sky4 ,a light here and there shone from a window in the houses beneath4 ,i heard the distant cry of the watchman on his rounds4 ,a faint scent from the heavy dew rose to my nostrils1 a scent of mother earth4 ,it was with unwilling steps ,i crossed the stream and sought my bed that night4 ,such moments are rare4 ,on the left bank of the ,eresma1 almost hidden in the trees1 stands a building which once was the mint of ,spain4 ,up till the year #agcj all ,spain's money was coined here1 the proximity to the impregnable ,alczar1 which was used as the ,treasury1 affording security against untimely raids4 ,the old mint is now a flour mill1 but still bears the royal arms over its gateway4 ,at one time ,segovia was the great ,castilian mart for wool4 ,the church1 and monasteries of ,el ,parral1 ,el ,paular1 and the ,escorial owning immense flocks4 ,these were driven to the pure waters of the ,eresma1 to be cleansed before being shorn4 ,after the sheep-washing1 the animals were put into the sweating house1 and their legs tied together4 ,the shearer then commenced operations1 and as each sheep passed out of his hands it was branded2 the shepherds standing by made a selection of the older animals for the butcher1 the remainder being taken away to their mountain pastures4 ,even now there are many flocks in the country around1 particularly on the lower hills near ,la ,granja1 where ,i noticed a large number not at all unlike the ,kentish breed of ,romney ,marsh4 ,seven miles from ,segovia the summer ,royal ,palace of ,la ,granja lies in the midst of beautiful woods and clear streams4 ,at the foot of the ,sierra1 the highest peak of which1 ,la ,pealara1 raises its crest a few miles off1 this elysium is a beautiful spot for those who have earned a holiday from the cares of ,state4 ,the gardens are most charmingly arranged1 and the fountains with a never ending supply of water1 better than those at ,versailles4 ,built by ,philip ,v41 whose tastes and inclinations were thoroughly ,french1 ,la ,granja has been the scene of important events in the history of the country4 ,the treaty which handed ,spain over to ,france in #agif was here signed by ,godoy4 ,in #ahcb ,ferdinand ,,vii4 revoked the decree by which he had abolished the ,salic law1 and summoned ,don ,carlos to the palace as heir to the throne1 a call which plunged his unhappy country into civil war4 ,four years later the ,queen ,regent was compelled within its walls1 by the leader of the revolutionary soldiery1 to accept the constitution of ,cadiz4 ,every corner of ,spain holds history1 but none can compare with ,segovia and its surroundings in romance and old-world charm4 ,,saragossa ,saragossa lies midway on the railway between ,madrid and ,barcelona1 and1 having about it a touch of both these1 can qualify as one of ,spain's progressive cities4 ,the unsightly factory chimney is beginning to sprout up in the suburbs2 old and narrow streets are making way for broader and better2 and insanitary quarters giving place to modern hygiene4 ,aragon is the poorest portion of this fair land1 and ,saragossa is its capital4 ,in every age this little kingdom has been torn by war and has suffered heavily1 but its people have never wavered in their faith1 and are still among the most pious and superstitious of the many different races that people the ,iberian ,peninsula4 ,they possess that strong attachment for their sterile plains and barren mountains so common to those who wring from ,nature a bare existence4 ,the ,emperor ,augustus1 in the year #be ,b4,c41 vastly improved ,salduba1 and gave it the title of ,csarea ,augusta4 ,when in the occupation of ,rome it was a free city and had a coinage of its own4 ,the first place in ,spain to renounce ,paganism1 ,saragossa has always been a city of great holiness4 ,when besieged by the ,french under ,childebert in #edj1 the inhabitants carried the stole of ,san ,vicente round the walls--and the invader fled4 ,the ,infidel1 however1 proved less susceptible to a ,christian relic1 and the city fell to the weight of his arms in the eighth century4 ,being a ,berber ,infidel he recognised no ,kalif of ,cordova1 and between the two there soon began one of those internecine conflicts that in the end led to the termination of ,moorish rule4 ,it was in this connection that ,charlemagne was implored to assist the ,northern ,moor against the ,andalusian and crossed the ,pyrenees with an eye1 no doubt1 in the long run1 to the acquisition of new territory4 ,no sooner had he reached the plains of ,aragon than he was recalled to quell a rising in his own dominions4 ,his back turned1 and he being presumably in retreat1 the ungrateful people1 eager for plunder1 followed and inflicted on his rearguard a terrible defeat in the most famous ,pyrenean ,pass1 the ,pass of ,roncesvalles1 a disaster in which ,roland1 that hero of romance1 lost his life4 ,thence onward1 as the centuries went by1 ,saragossa was the scene of many a fight4 ,alfonso ,i4 in #aaah recovered it from the ,moor after a long siege1 and ,moslem rule was ended4 ,illustration3 ,,saragossa4 ,,la ,,seo ,saragossa is best known in the annals of its warfare for the heroic defence1 immortalised by ,byron1 in the war with ,france4 ,in the month of ,may #ahjh1 the invader was close at hand1 and the citizens organised themselves for defence4 ,a young aristocrat1 ,jos ,palafox1 was chosen as the nominal leader1 and had at his right hand the redoubtable peasant1 ,tio ,jorge ,ibort--,gaffer ,george4 ,his two lieutenants were ,mariano ,cerezo and ,tio ,marin1 while the courageous priest ,santiago ,sas assisted greatly1 through his influence with the populace1 to keep things together and prevent petty squabbles4 ,one hundred duros supplied the sinews of war6 ,sixteen cannon1 a few old muskets and two hundred and twenty fighting men were all that the leaders could count upon to repel the army of ,lefebvre4 ,the siege began in ,june and was abandoned in ,august1 in consequence of the disaster to ,dupont at ,bailn4 ,in the following ,december four ,marshals of ,france1 ,junot1 ,lannes1 ,mortier and ,moncey1 with eighteen thousand men1 invested the city1 but it was not until ,february of the next year that1 having driven the defenders out of the ,jesuit convent across the river1 the ,french were able to establish a foothold in the outskirts of the city itself4 ,every one knows how the ,maid of ,saragossa took the place of her dead artillery lover who was killed at his gun2 an episode that has since become a theme to instil the young with heroic ideals4 ,such was the spirit that gained for the city the proud title of siempre herica4 ,her citizens fought from house to house1 every street had barricades1 and it was only that when decimated by pestilence and famine1 with half the place a smoking ruin1 one of the most celebrated sieges of history came to end4 ,as in ,cadiz and ,salamanca1 there are two ,cathedrals in ,saragossa1 ,la ,seo and ,el ,pilar4 ,the former occupies the site of a church which stood here before the ,moors took possession of the place and turned it into a mosque4 ,a year after the advent of ,alfonso ,i41 ,bishop ,pedro de ,lebrana reconsecrated ,la ,seo1 and its walls have witnessed many historical events in the life of ,aragon before the kingdom became merged into one with ,castile4 ,it was before the ,high ,altar that her ,kings were crowned1 and at the font many a royal babe baptized4 ,la ,seo is constructed almost entirely of the dull brown brick with which the older part of the city is also built2 the interior piers and vaulting alone being of stone4 ,on the north-east wall1 which faces the gloomy palace of the archbishop1 there is still extant the most elaborate arrangement of brick work1 inlaid with coloured glazed tiles1 blue1 green1 red1 white and yellow1 forming a very harmonious and attractive scheme4 ,from the centre of the north-west faade1 which is extremely ugly1 rises a well-proportioned tower arranged in four stages1 with ,corinthian columns1 the top of which is surmounted by a red tiled cupola and spire4 ,the colour of this took my fancy1 it sang out so much against the blue of the sky--a contrast ,i thought worthy of an illustration4 ,entering the building by the door in the faade1 ,i was immediately nonplussed as to the orientation of the ,cathedral4 ,to add to the puzzle1 for the structure is almost square1 four rows of columns seemed mixed up in endless confusion1 and the dim light admitted from the few windows only accentuated the mystery4 ,very beautiful1 however1 is this ,gothic interior which runs north-east and south-west1 and ,i soon found a spot from whence to make a sketch4 ,the columns rise from marble bases of a rich crimson2 the vaulting above was lost in gloom1 the light coming in from the south-west window struck vividly on portions of the ,renaissance respaldos1 the niches of which are filled with saints and archbishops1 and the pattern of the marble floor served but to heighten the general effect4 ,in the picture may be seen a tabernacle with twisted black marble columns1 this marks the spot where the ,virgin suddenly appeared and held converse with ,cannigo ,fuenes4 ,besides the archbishop's throne1 the coro1 which is not particularly interesting1 contains a huge reading desk4 ,there is a great deal of alabaster throughout the ,cathedral1 notably the very fine ,gothic retablo of the ,high ,altar by ,dalman de ,mur1 around which are many tombs of the ,kings of ,aragon4 ,close by1 a black slab marks the place where rests the heart of ,don ,baltazar ,carlos1 the son of ,philip ,,iv41 who was immortalised by the brush of ,velasquez1 and who died in ,saragossa at the early age of seventeen4 ,among the chapels1 that used as the segrario1 or parish church1 has a magnificent ,moorish ceiling1 and the fine alabaster tomb of ,bernardo de ,aragon4 ,the ,cathedral is rich in splendid tapestries and ecclesiastical vestments4 ,among the former is certainly the best ,i have ever set eyes upon4 ,it is a very early piece and has a wonderful blue sky4 ,in it are woven the ,last ,supper1 ,christ bearing the ,cross1 the ,agony in the ,garden and the ,crucifixion1 while in the lower right-hand corner our ,saviour is assisting with a long pole to stir up devils who are roasting in ,hades4 ,among the vestments is an extremely beautiful chasuble brought here at the time of the ,reformation from ,old ,st4 ,paul's in ,london4 ,i wondered1 when ,i looked at it1 whether ,catherine of ,aragon1 ,henry ,,viii4's consort1 had been instrumental in its removal from ,england4 ,illustration3 ,,saragossa4 ,,in ,,the ,,old ,,cathedral ,the ,cathedral of ,el ,pilar is thus named as it possesses the identical pillar on which the ,virgin descended from ,heaven and appeared to ,st4 ,james4 ,at first a modest chapel1 it has grown by the addition of cloisters and subsidiary chapels to the present stupendous building4 ,the length is close on five hundred feet and the breadth two hundred4 ,the possession of this miraculous pillar has brought untold wealth to the ,cathedral4 ,votive offerings on the anniversary of the festival at the shrine often amount to many thousands of pounds4 ,jewelry1 gems and costly objects of every description are given2 these are now sold by auction1 the large sum of #bj1jjj being realised a few years ago4 ,to these sales we owe a fine rock crystal and gold medallion1 given to the ,virgin of ,el ,pilar by ,henry ,,iv4 of ,france1 and now in ,south ,kensington ,museum4 ,many examples of old ,spanish goldsmith's work have also been acquired for the same collection in this way4 ,the towers and pinnacles of ,el ,pilar pile up grandly1 and are best seen from the fine bridge which spans the yellow flood of the river ,ebro4 ,silhouetted against the evening sky1 with the smooth running waters below1 it seemed to me a worthy example in brick and stone of the church's magnificence4 ,the interior is an immense temple1 the frescoes of which are from the brush of that extraordinary genius1 ,goya1 who turned his talent to any job that was productive of the cash he spent so freely4 ,the retablo of the ,high ,altar is a fine piece of work from the alabaster quarries at ,escatron4 ,composed of three good ,gothic canopies with tapering finials1 it has seven smaller divisions below4 ,damian ,forment was the artist who designed and carried out this1 one of the most beautiful retablos in the country4 ,the reja which stands in front of coro is superb1 and considered to be ,juan ,celma's masterpiece4 ,behind the ,high ,altar is the celebrated chapel of the ,virgin4 ,the figure itself is of very old blackened wood1 evidently a specimen of early ,christian work4 ,on ,october #ab1 the anniversary of her descent1 thousands of pilgrims flock hither to kiss her foot through a hole in the wall at the back of the chapel4 ,the city is then full of visitors and it is next to impossible to find quarters or a room of any sort4 ,illustration3 ,,saragossa4 ,,easter ,,procession ,i happened to be in ,saragossa for ,semana ,santa4 and watched the processions of groups of heavy wooden figures1 illustrative of our ,lord's life-history1 proceed through crowded streets4 ,my sketch shows the last paso of the ,crucifixion1 with a figure of the ,virgin bringing up the rear1 as they passed the intensely devout throngs on ,good ,friday4 ,masked members of different religious brother and sisterhoods1 walk along keeping the route clear4 ,the whole procession was led by soldiery1 and ,romans1 men attired in the garb of ancient ,rome1 while an infantry band followed the ,virgin4 ,the pasos are deposited in the ,church of ,santiago built on the spot where ,st4 ,james passed a night4 ,in the belfry of this church is an old ,gothic bell of which the inhabitants are justly proud4 ,san ,pablo is a very interesting fabric1 dating from the year #abei4 ,the floor of the church is a dozen steps below the street4 ,the retablo is another fine example of ,damian ,forment's art4 ,the aisles are cut off from the nave by a flat wall with square pillars and ill-proportioned pointed arches4 ,the coro is at the west end1 from whence also issue the notes of a very beautifully toned organ4 ,the extraordinary octagonal brick steeple might pass as of ,russian or ,tartar origin4 ,of all the gateways to the city1 there remains but one1 the ,puerta del ,carmen4 ,it has been left as it stood after the ,french bombardment1 and retains many marks of shot and soft-nosed bullets4 ,the site of the historic ,puerta del ,portillo1 where the ,maid of ,saragossa won immortal fame1 is in the square of the same name4 ,outside it stands the ,castillo de la ,aljaferia1 the ,palace of the ,sheikhs of ,saragossa1 and the residence of the ,kings of ,aragon4 ,ferdinand gave it to the ,holy ,office1 and from out its portals issued many terrible orders for the suppression of the wretched heretic4 ,there still remains a small octagonal mosque1 and many of the rooms have their original artesonado ceilings4 ,in it also is the ,torreta1 the dungeon in ,il ,trovatore2 while from the tower can be seen the ,castillo de ,castlejar1 mentioned in the drama by ,garcia ,gaturrio1 from which the libretto of the opera was taken4 ,this one-time fine palace is now a barrack1 and ,i used to watch the recruits drilling and exercising outside4 ,when the recruiting season commences1 the numbers are drawn among those liable to serve--the lucky ones being those who are not compelled to take any part in the military service of their country4 ,there exist societies in ,spain to which a sum of #gej pesetas can be paid1 that undertake to pay another #gej pesetas to the ,state1 if the payee's name is drawn for service1 #aejj pesetas being the sum which enables any one to forego his military career4 ,if his number is not drawn1 he loses his deposit1 if it is1 the society pays the full sum4 ,in the old days the nobles of ,aragon safe-guarded their privileges by the ,furos de ,sobrarbe1 a code something like our ,magna ,charta1 which reduced the ,king's authority to almost vanishing point4 ,pedro ,,iv4 got rid of the ,furos by cutting to pieces the parchment incorporating the union or confederacy1 whose members1 if the ,king was thought to have exceeded his prerogative1 were absolved from allegiance4 ,they were a hard-headed race1 these ,aragonese1 and are still like those of the other northern provinces1 very independent and jealous of ,castile's rule4 ,among other things handed down from time immemorial is a national dance1 and the ,jota ,aragonesa1 the national air1 known beyond the limits of ,spain4 ,very few of these old airs still exist4 ,as a fact1 the old songs of ,spain and their music are better known in the ,jewish colony of ,salonika than in the country of their origin4 ,the upper classes of this colony still speak the pure ,castilian of ,cervantes' time1 and being the descendants of ,spanish refugees hounded out of the country by the ,inquisition1 still observe the customs1 songs and language of their immigrant forefathers4 ,the ,aragonese also have a national game1 ,tirando a la ,barra1 which consists in passing an iron bar from one hand to the other1 thereby gaining impetus for the final swing which sends it hurtling through the air towards a mark on the ground1 like a javelin4 ,one or two good old houses still remain in ,saragossa to testify to its former greatness1 notably that of the great ,luna family4 ,two gigantic uncouth figures with clubs stand on either side of the doorway which is the centre of a simple but good faade4 ,the cornice above is very heavy and the eaves project far out1 a feature that ,i noticed was very characteristic of the old quarters of the city4 ,it was in this house that the besieged1 during the ,french war1 held their councils4 ,the ,casa ,zaporta can boast of a very fine staircase and beautiful patio with elegant fluted columns and reliefs and medallions breaking the spandrils4 ,a few other good houses still exist1 but as they are in the old quarters of the city1 and as these are rapidly disappearing1 ,i fear that ,saragossa will not contain for long anything beyond her ,cathedrals that is of tangible interest4 ,,santiago ,the evening train from ,pontevedra deposited me sometime about midnight at ,cernes1 the hamlet outside ,santiago where the line ends4 ,the full moon during the latter portion of the journey had been a source of endless delight4 ,my face was glued to the window watching the ever-changing hills and valleys through which the train crept1 shrouded in that mystery which obliterates detail and suggests so much in great masses of subdued light and deep shade4 ,i reached the hotel1 procured a room1 threw open the window1 and stood on the balcony listening to the intense stillness of a wonderful night4 ,suddenly a dull rumbling down some side street disturbed my reverie of the ,santiago of days gone by4 ,the only thing to be expected at this time of night was the station 'bus1 but ,i heard no clattering hoofs and was lost in surmise1 when out of the dark shadow of a narrow lane into the moonlight swung a yoke of oxen drawing a long cart with slow majestic pace4 ,but what a cart6 a low sort of wooden box balanced between two solid wooden wheels4 ,the rumbling was explained4 ,it was primitive and the most medival thing ,i had yet seen in a country which is barely ,european4 ,the peasant owner1 a few steps in advance1 never turned his head1 but guided his beasts with a long stick which he waved from side to side over his back4 ,there was no shout1 no cry of command4 ,the mise en scne was beautifully arranged1 it was complete4 ,there was the background of ancient grey houses1 beyond them1 tapering into the starry sky1 the slender pinnacles of the great ,cathedral4 ,a row of stunted trees occupied places down one side of the little square which filled my stage4 ,the subdued colour and silence of the moonlit night1 and the slow passage of the ox-cart as it passed out of sight1 bettered ,irving's best effects at the ,lyceum4 ,a clock in a neighbouring tower struck the quarters1 the moment had arrived for the anti-climax6 ,i expected every minute to see a door open1 a light stream across the square1 a cloaked figure steal furtively out1 and disappear down into the shadow of the lane4 ,it was perfect1 nothing could have been arranged better as an introduction to ,santiago de ,compostela4 ,illustration3 ,,santiago4 ,,the ,,cathedral ,the body of ,st4 ,james landed itself at ,padron on the coast not far from ,santiago1 and his bones were brought to the spot where now stands the ,cathedral4 ,in the course of time their whereabouts was forgotten and it remained for ,bishop ,theodomir to rediscover the sacred spot in #hbi1 guided thither by a star4 ,hence the ,campus ,stell--or ,compostela4 ,the shrine of the saint is still visited by innumerable pilgrims1 and perhaps more arrive in ,santiago than any other city of ,spain4 ,in olden days so great was the number that ,el ,camino de ,santiago--,the road to ,santiago1 gave rise to the ,spanish term for the milky way4 ,i have watched them in the ,cathedral1 peasants1 men and women1 come from afar1 to judge by their dress4 ,they each carried a staff decorated with tufts of herbs and little star-shaped pieces of bread tied on with gay ribbons4 ,i have seen women making the round of the altars in the different chapels with great bundles of clothes1 through which were thrust umbrellas1 balanced on their heads4 ,they never lost the poise of their burden as they knelt and rose again4 ,but of all the pilgrims ,i saw1 one who might have stepped out of ,chaucer's pages carried me back to the days of long ago4 ,she wore a short skirt of thick brown material1 sandals protected her stockinged feet1 from her girdle hung rosary1 scallop shells and a stoneware pilgrim's bottle1 a hooked staff lent support to her bent1 travelled-stained figure4 ,her leather wallet was stuffed with bread1 and covering her short cropped hair was a grey felt hat1 mushroom shaped4 ,a little black dog entered the ,cathedral with her1 and squatted silently by his mistress's side as she knelt praying in the dim light of a grey day4 ,chaucer's ,wyt of ,bath had made a pilgrimage to ,seynt ,jame1 and my pilgrim with her little lame companion might very well have been with him too4 ,the ,cathedral1 founded in #ajgh1 was built on the site of one destroyed by ,almanzor in #iig4 ,the legend of the destruction of the first church1 which had been standing for just one hundred years1 was thus--,almanzor1 after sacking ,leon and ,astorga1 swept all the country westwards with his ,moorish hosts until he reached ,santiago4 ,so great was his fame and in such terror was his name held that no one had the courage to face him and fight for saint and city4 ,riding through its deserted streets he came to the church1 and to his surprise at last espied a solitary ,christian1 a monk1 praying alone at the shrine of the saint4 ,what dost thou here8 inquired the haughty ,moor4 ,i am at my prayers1 curtly answered the holy man1 continuing his devotions4 ,this reply and the courage of the single enemy so called forth the admiration of ,almanzor1 that his life was spared and an infidel guard set over the tomb4 ,illustration3 ,,santiago4 ,,south ,,door ,,of ,,the ,,cathedral ,the west faade1 a ,renaissance outer covering1 so to speak1 of the older faade1 would not look so imposing as it does if granite had not been used in its construction4 ,the grey tones of the lichen-covered stone redeem the somewhat overdone florid design1 and it stands well above a double flight of steps on the east side of the huge ,plaza ,mayor4 ,the south door1 or ,puerta de las ,platerias1 takes this name from the silversmiths whose workshops are still under the arcades around the ,plaza on to which it opens4 ,it is the oldest portion of the ,cathedral and dates from the foundation4 ,the shafts contain tiers of figures in carved niches1 and the tympanum has rows of smaller ones4 ,the north door fronts on to the ,plaza ,fuente ,san ,juan1 and faces the convent of ,san ,martin ,pinario1 which was founded in #iab by ,ordoo ,,ii4 ,in the days before this ,plaza was officially given its present name1 it was known as ,azabacheria1 azabache is jet1 and it was here that vast quantities of rosaries made of this were sold to pilgrims4 ,in the south-east angle of the ,cathedral is the ,puerta ,santa1 bearing the inscription ,hace est domus ,dei et porta coeli4 ,it is only opened in the ,jubilee year and then by the archbishop himself4 ,the entrance to it is from the ,plaza de los ,literarios4 ,it will be seen from this that the ,cathedral is practically set in four great ,plazas1 el ,mayor1 de las ,plateras1 la ,fuente ,san ,juan1 and de los ,literarios1 and for this reason1 although the roof towers high above1 it is one of the few ,cathedrals the size of which can be appreciated by an exterior view4 ,the early ,romanesque interior is superb1 and not unlike our own ,ely ,cathedral4 ,the finest thing in it of archological interest is the ,portico de la ,gloria1 which ,street calls one of the greatest glories of ,christian ,art4 ,this ,portico1 situated at the west end of the nave1 formed at one time the faade4 ,the idea of the whole doorway is ,christ at the ,last ,judgment4 ,his figure1 twice life-size1 occupies the centre4 ,below ,him is seated ,st4 ,james1 while around them are angels worshipping4 ,four and twenty elders are arranged in the circumference of the archivolt2 each one holds a musical instrument1 most of which are shaped like violas and guitars4 ,a most beautifully sculptured marble column supports this in the centre1 resting on a base of devils1 with the portrait of ,maestro ,matio1 who executed the whole from his own designs1 facing the nave4 ,an inscription under this doorway states that the work was finished in #aahh4 ,to the right and left are smaller arches1 portraying in well-cut granite good souls on their way to ,paradise and wicked ones in the clutches of devils on their way to ,hell4 ,nothing can exceed the primitive religious feeling pervading this work4 ,mateo must have given his whole soul with fervour to his labours2 and the almost obliterated traces of painting and gilding enhance their result by giving a touch of warmth to the cold colour of the stone4 ,west of the portico1 above which are the remains of a fine wheel window1 has been built the present ,renaissance faade known as ,el ,obradorio1 the two being connected by quadripartite vaulting4 ,the nave itself has a walled-in triforium1 but no clerestory and the vaulting of the roof is barrel4 ,the saint's shrine is in the crypt beneath the ,capilla ,mayor4 ,the extra extravagant retablo above the ,high ,altar is chirrigueresque1 and hardly redeemed by the lavish employment of jasper1 alabaster and silver with which it is decorated4 ,a jewelled figure of ,st4 ,james is seated in a niche above the mass of precious metal in which the altar is encased4 ,it is all very gorgeous and must impress the pious pilgrim who has journeyed hither from afar1 but ,i could not help wishing it were simpler4 ,however1 the one living vital thing in ,spain is her religion1 and her ,church knows so well how to conduct its business that my feelings of regret are purely sthetic4 ,the cimborio is a fine creation1 under which swings on certain fiestas the huge silver incensario1 a lamp wellnigh six feet high4 ,the two bronze pulpits are real masterpieces of cinquecento art and are adorned by subjects from the ,old ,testament by ,juan ,bantista ,celma4 ,in one of the side chapels1 known as the ,relicario1 are recumbent figures on the tombs of ,don ,ramon1 the husband of ,urraca1 ,berenguela #aahg1 ,fernando ,,ii4 #abbf1 ,alfonso ,,xii4 of ,leon #abfh1 and that faithful1 pitiable figure ,juan de ,castro1 wife of ,pedro the ,cruel4 ,even now1 after the spoliation by ,soult1 who carried away ten hundredweight of precious metal in sacred vessels1 the ,relicario is a perfect museum4 ,all the other chapels contain good tombs1 especially that of ,espiritu ,santo in the north transept2 and among other beautiful objects with which the ,cathedral is replete are two ancient limosneras or alms-boxes1 two very ancient gilt pyxes1 a carved wooden cross1 similar to the much-revered cross of los ,angeles at ,oviedo1 given by ,don ,alfonso and ,doa ,jimena in #hgd4 ,the large cloisters to the south-west of the ,cathedral were built by ,archbishop ,fonseca in #aeba4 ,they are bad ,gothic enriched with ,renaissance details4 ,the centre court is paved with granite and gives an impression of bareness which is not redeemed by the architecture4 ,it was in this ,cathedral that ,john of ,gaunt1 ,duke of ,lancaster1 was crowned ,king of ,spain4 ,illustration3 ,,santiago4 ,,interior ,,of ,,the ,,cathedral ,santiago possesses a much frequented university1 which is extremely well provided with books4 ,in the church of ,santa ,maria de la ,sar may be seen relics of the ,holy ,office which held its sittings in the adjoining monastery4 ,the president's chair1 marked with a palm1 a cross and a red sword is perhaps the most notable4 ,this monastic church1 at one time owned by ,templars1 is situated outside the city boundary on the ,orense road4 ,like all the others1 in fact like the whole of ,santiago1 it is built of granite4 ,it possesses a triple apse2 the nave is of five bays without a triforium or clerestory1 and the interior1 in consequence1 is very dark1 heavy and gloomy4 ,in it is the tomb of ,archbishop ,bernardo1 #abdb4 ,the cloister at one time must have been exceptionally fine1 but alas6 only nine arches now remain2 and the whole edifice is of the fast-crumbling away type not uncommon in the country4 ,the fine ,plaza ,mayor1 or ,plaza ,alfonso ,doce1 is bounded on the north by the huge ,hospice erected by ,enrique de ,egas for ,ferdinand and ,isabella for the use of poor pilgrims4 ,the royal coat-of-arms is in evidence over the entrance portal1 enriched1 in addition1 with figures of saints and pilgrims4 ,the massive cornice has a course of heavy chain work and the ball decoration so common in ,toledo4 ,this huge pile of buildings is now used as a hospital4 ,it is divided into four courts with fountains and is admirably adapted for its present use4 ,the small chapel is one of the gems of ,santiago4 ,the roof springs from four arches with ,gothic statues and niches clustered round a central column4 ,on the west side of the ,plaza stands the great ,seminario founded in #aggg for the education of young priests4 ,the ground floor is now occupied as the ,ayuntamiento of ,santiago4 ,to the south is the ,collegio de ,san ,gernimo1 with a remarkable early doorway4 ,the college was known as ,pan y ,sardina from the poverty of its accommodation4 ,sardines1 the staple industry of ,vigo and other coast towns of the district1 are the cheapest food obtainable1 hence the appellation4 ,santiago is delightfully situated amidst heather-clad hills1 the lower slopes of which are well wooded with oak1 fir1 and eucalyptus4 ,great boulders of granite stand out like the monoliths of prehistoric ages4 ,many a pleasant walk through the purple heather revealed to me a landscape such as one sees in parts of ,cornwall and ,scotland4 ,the grey city with its red-tiled roofs1 its huge deserted monastic buildings1 the many spires and domes of the ,cathedral and other churches1 all set in patches of brilliant green meadows and maize fields look particularly beautiful from ,monte ,pedroso1 a fine vantage point surmounted by a huge ,calvary4 ,the climate is comparatively moist1 ferns of all sorts grow in the shade of garden walls1 and bracken is thick in the oak woods4 ,the ,galician is well favoured by ,nature1 and being a patient1 hard-working man of not much mental capacity1 very pious and an ardent advocate of small holdings1 gets through life with a contented spirit4 ,he is very close and knows the value of a peseta4 ,unfortunately he is looked down upon by the ,castilian1 and the term ,gallego is rather one of abuse than respect4 ,driven to emigration by the subdivision of land which cannot support more than those who own and work it now1 he goes south in great numbers and is the trusted concierge in many a large house and hotel in ,madrid and elsewhere4 ,the ,panama ,canal too attracts him from his native hills1 in fact the ,gallego is to be met with wherever ,spanish is the spoken language4 ,,tuy ,the train deposited me one morning at this little frontier town4 ,it was very hot1 and it was ,sunday4 ,the only porter in the station volunteered to carry my bag to the ,fonda1 so we joined a long file of peasants and tramped up the dusty road to the old ,gothic capital which stands splendidly situated above the river ,minho4 ,from a distance the ,cathedral rises like a fort1 capping the white houses and brown roofs which are terraced below4 ,at one time in the far away past ,tuy was a town of great importance4 ,greek remains have been dug up here1 but history does not go further back than tolian ,diomede1 the son of ,tydeus1 who founded what became under ,king ,witiza the ,gothic capital4 ,this was in the year #gjj4 ,ordoo ,i4 rebuilt it two hundred years later1 and ,i did not find it difficult to trace the massive granite walls which sheltered the inhabitants1 and preserved it as the most important city of these parts4 ,truly a crown to the fortress1 the castellated walls of the ,cathedral give it a martial air4 ,the nave of five bays is early pointed1 with a blind triforium and blocked up clerestory4 ,so narrow and dark are the aisles and so massive the columns which support the fine vaulting of the roof1 that ,i could never get rid of the feeling that ,i was in some great hall of an ancient castle4 ,it only wanted a few halberdiers or men-at-arms1 instead of the black-garbed peasant women kneeling at the different altars1 to make the illusion perfect4 ,the transepts1 which have aisles1 are ,romanesque with an early pointed triforium4 ,after the great earthquake at ,lisbon many strengthening additions were made to the interior1 blocking out most of the light4 ,in the case of the aisles arches were run up at different intervals with no sense of proportion1 quite hap-hazard1 and creating a very much askew appearance in this part of the building4 ,transoms were built across the nave to add to the disfigurement of one of the most perfect little ,cathedrals in ,spain4 ,the west doorway is very fine1 with four detached columns on either side1 thus forming a narrow porch4 ,the upper half of these columns each consists of a good figure of a saint whose feet rest on a devil4 ,in the tympanum are good reliefs and a well-cut ,adoration of the ,magi4 ,the archivolt is seven-fold and is an excellent piece of rich carving4 ,all is granite1 and all is solemn1 quite in keeping with this hard material4 ,illustration3 ,,tuy ,the ,cloister ,court1 round which runs a most beautiful arcade of early pointed work with detached shafts1 has unfortunately fallen into decay4 ,but the charming little garden in the centre somewhat compensates for this4 ,when ,i strolled in the silence was only broken by the cooing of doves and the hum of bees4 ,the sun seemed to find his way into every nook and cranny1 and here1 thought ,i1 is peace4 ,away beyond the outer wall1 a wall which is part of the old defence of ,ordoo's day1 is the road to ,portugal4 ,passing through vineyards it reaches the river a mile distant and crosses the water by a very fine bridge4 ,it was from this road that ,i made my sketch of the quaint old-world town4 ,down by the river at the end of the one broad street that ,tuy possesses is the old ,convent of ,santo ,domingo4 ,now a barrack1 it still keeps its grand ,transitional church4 ,the chancel is extremely fine and among its many tombs a knight in armour with his lady at his side ,i thought the best4 ,on the grassy platform in front of the church ,i spent one or two pleasant evenings4 ,the river flows below and the mountains of ,portugal rise sublimely from the opposite bank4 ,i was decidedly pleased with my short sojourn in this typical ,spanish town1 the wonderful position of which1 right on the frontier overlooking another land1 makes it one of ,spain's most unique ,cathedral cities4 ,,orense ,in the gold district1 such is the meaning of ,orense4 ,in ,roman days it was the headquarters for working the gold in which the district abounded4 ,three warm springs1 situated close to the road which leads out of the town to the south-west1 also brought fame to ,orense1 though they possessed1 apparently1 no medicinal properties4 ,nowadays the poorer classes use the water for domestic purposes1 thereby saving fires4 ,in ,visigothic times ,orense was the capital of the ,suevi1 and was the scene of the renunciation of ,paganism by this tribe4 ,besides its warm springs the town boasts of two other wonders1 its bridge and its ,cathedral4 ,the former is certainly a grand piece of work4 ,the centre arch rises one hundred and thirty-five feet above the river ,minho1 with a magnificent span of one hundred and forty feet4 ,of the six remaining arches some are pointed and some are round4 ,the ,cathedral is a most interesting structure1 more's the pity it is so little known4 ,built on an artificial platform to throw it out from the hillside1 it rises well above the neighbouring roofs4 ,silversmiths and metal workers ply their trades in the dark shops between the buttresses which hold up this platform on three sides4 ,there is nothing much to attract one in the exterior of the ,cathedral except the ,gothic north and south doors4 ,they both have rounded arches with good figures in the jambs and archivolts4 ,the south is the better of the two1 as the north bears traces of alteration1 the case in the whole appearance of the exterior4 ,a third door opens in the second bay west of the north aisle1 and is approached from the street below by steps leading up between two shops4 ,the massive north-west tower is adjoining and stands over perhaps half a dozen small rooms where all day long the musical tap of the metal workers' hammers are heard4 ,the side chapels of the interior are all recessed1 and standing in the south-west corner of the ,cathedral ,i obtained an uninterrupted view for my sketch along the south aisle into the apse4 ,there is no triforium in the nave1 but a beautiful lancet clerestory enhances both this and the aisles4 ,i thought the octagon at the crossing extremely good4 ,two rows of lights1 one above the other1 have an interior gallery with an unobtrusive balustrade round each4 ,the supporting corbels are well-cut bosses4 ,the spandrils between the arches are recessed with well-carved figures of angels and archangels playing on musical instruments4 ,of course this octagon bears no comparison with that at ,burgos1 it is much simpler and much smaller1 but has a tentative beauty of its own4 ,illustration3 ,,orense4 ,,in ,,the ,,cathedral ,the transepts are of earlier date1 and have been altered1 though not injudiciously4 ,the coro is small1 very dark and solemn1 and in this respect bears favourable comparison with many another which may be far finer4 ,its reja1 like that of the ,capilla ,mayor1 is a very good example of wrought and hammered iron-work1 and does credit to the skill of those who no doubt sat in the little shops below giving their life-work to the adornment of the church above4 ,the ,high ,altar is a mass of silver with a background of glittering carving which forms the gilded retablo4 ,the warm yellow of the ,cathedral stone and the time-worn colour of the figures which decorate this retablo have a very pleasing effect to the eye4 ,the ashes of ,santa ,eufemia1 ,orense's patroness1 rest beneath her effigy which stands to the south of the ,high ,altar1 and those of ,,ss4 ,facundo and ,primivo under theirs on the north side4 ,santa ,eufemia's body was found by a poor shepherdess lying out on the mountain slopes of the ,portuguese border1 and was brought here to rest4 ,the ,cathedral is full of fine tombs1 among which that of ,cardinal ,quintata in ,carrara marble is the best4 ,it is placed on the north side of the chancel facing a much earlier ,gothic tomb with a well-carved canopy which stands on the south side4 ,the present edifice was founded in #abbj by ,bishop ,lorenzo1 displacing the older church erected in #eej and dedicated to ,saint ,martin4 ,wandering at random up the narrow streets which covered the hill ,i found myself outside the ,convent of ,san ,francisco4 ,like so many institutions of a kindred nature it is now a barrack1 and difficult of access4 ,however1 ,i managed to get in and found the chief interest centred in the cloisters4 ,they are beautiful relics of the thirteenth century4 ,sixty arches complete the arcade1 with coupled shafts standing free4 ,the capitals are well carved and the dog-tooth moulding above them has not suffered much from the ravages of time4 ,here1 as in other towns where money in late medival days was scarce1 it is pleasant to find untouched remains of an earlier past4 ,the streets are mostly arcaded and very tortuous and quaint4 ,the market is held on the ,plaza of the ,cathedral1 and fruit vendors sit in the sun on the steps which lead into the ,holy ,fane4 ,the ,alamedas are thronged at night with a crowd which1 for ,spain1 seemed to take life seriously4 ,i had finished my usual after-dinner stroll one evening1 and returned to my hotel4 ,it was a balmy night and ,i pulled my chair out on to the balcony4 ,the lights in the cottages on the hill opposite went out one by one1 and away down below1 amongst the dark foliage of a vineyard1 ,i heard the sound of a guitar4 ,a voice breathed out a love song1 and once more ,i felt the romance of the ,south--that indescribable feeling which comes over one when nerves are attune to enchanting surroundings4 ,,astorga ,no1 you won't find much for your brush to do in ,astorga1 seor--was the answer to a query addressed to a fellow passenger in the train4 ,i fear he was not far wrong1 though ,i knew with the ,cathedral ,i should not be disappointed4 ,it was a wet evening1 and ,i landed at the station in the dark2 gave my traps to a porter1 and found myself after a tramp through the mud at the only ,fonda in the place4 ,my baggage was deposited in a sort of glorified cupboard containing a bed4 ,the small window had no glass1 and ,i discovered the next day that it opened on to the stables4 ,i objected to these quarters1 and later on in the evening my belongings were moved into a room just vacated by some one who had gone on to ,madrid in el rapido4 ,the next morning ,i made my way to the ,cathedral4 ,it stands well and quite isolated1 except for the ,new ,art ,bishop's ,palace which is in course of erection4 ,the ,cathedral is late ,gothic1 built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries on the site of a former church4 ,the interior is lofty and very beautiful1 though spoilt by a bad trascoro in execrable taste and quite out of keeping with the elegant columns of the nave4 ,this consists of seven bays4 ,the bases of the piers run up ten feet or more1 and resemble the later additions to ,leon ,cathedral and those at ,oviedo4 ,the intersecting mouldings on them are the very last style of ,gothic work and exemplify the beginning of a more florid taste4 ,there is no triforium4 ,the clerestory windows are of unusual height1 as at ,leon1 and are filled with very fine glass4 ,the aisles are also very lofty4 ,the chapels attached to that on the north have their vaulting carried up to the height of the aisle1 a very unusual feature4 ,all the windows on this side1 with one exception1 are blocked4 ,in the south aisle the vaulting of the lateral chapels is low4 ,the windows are glazed and contain good glass2 and in the first chapel from the west is a very fine early ,german retablo4 ,the transepts are of one bay only4 ,the south has perhaps the best glass in a ,cathedral which is specially rich in this4 ,illustration3 ,,astorga ,there is much good iron work in the different rejas1 and the walnut silleria in the coro are exceptionally well carved4 ,but the gem of the ,cathedral is undoubtedly the magnificent retablo over the ,high ,altar4 ,its author1 ,gaspar ,becerra1 was a native of ,baeza1 and studied in ,italy under ,michael ,angelo4 ,it is his masterpiece1 and well merits this title4 ,of the fourteen panels1 ,the ,disputation and ,ascension are the best4 ,the exterior of this lofty church is much enhanced by its flying buttresses4 ,the west faade is good ,renaissance work1 with flanking towers1 only one of which is1 however1 finished4 ,a flying buttress connects them with the centre of the faade as at ,leon1 in fact ,i could not help drawing comparison1 when ,i knew them both1 between these two ,cathedrals4 ,the warm red stone of which this at ,astorga is built has weathered most beautifully1 and contrasts with the grey balustrade composed of figures holding hands--a very quaint device1 by the way--which adorns the ridge above the clerestory4 ,at the south-east corner1 instead of the usual pinnacle1 a huge weathercock stands4 ,it is a wooden statue of ,pedro ,mato1 a celebrated ,maragato1 in the dress of his tribe4 ,la ,maragateria is a territory of small extent in the middle of which ,astorga is situated4 ,the inhabitants1 the ,maragatos1 mix with no one4 ,they live exclusively to themselves1 preserve their costume and their customs1 and never marry out of their own clan4 ,the men hire themselves out as carriers1 the women stay at home and work4 ,it is supposed that as they have many ,arabic words still in use1 they are a remnant of the ,moorish occupation left behind when ,christian armies finally swept the ,infidel back into the south4 ,this may be so1 for the ,moors are past masters at caravan work1 and the ,maragatos are the great carriers of ,spain4 ,when on the road their strings of mules take precedence1 and everything clears out of their way4 ,the men dress in loose baggy knickers and the women attire themselves in short red or canary-coloured skirts with green or light blue lining1 one pleat remains open and shows either of these colours4 ,they wear white stockings1 black shoes1 and very gaily-coloured handkerchiefs cover their heads4 ,on a ,sunday they swarm into the town1 going off in the evening at sundown to their different villages in picturesque chattering throngs4 ,twice a year the whole tribe assembles at the feasts of ,corpus ,christi and the ,ascension1 when they dance for an hour1 el ,caizo1 a dance which if an outsider dare join in is immediately stopped4 ,i had heard a great deal of the dignity of the ,spaniard1 before ,i went to ,spain1 and had failed to find that this reputation was at all justified1 except in the case of the ,guardia ,civil1 until ,i came across the ,maragatos4 ,i found them to be among the most self-respecting and courteous folk that one could meet anywhere2 they certainly are amongst the most interesting of the many distinct tribes that people the ,peninsula4 ,astorga1 the ,asturia ,augusta of the ,romans1 is described by ,pliny as a magnificent city4 ,it was once the capital of southern ,asturia and was always an important outpost fortress4 ,as indicative of its strength ,i may mention that ,astorga bears for arms a branch of oak4 ,like ,leon1 the importance of its position as a base1 both for those who lived in the mountains to the north and west1 as well as for those who came from the plain1 was always appreciated1 and was for ever a bone of contention between the inhabitants of these districts4 ,the ,bishopric was founded in #gdg by ,alfonso el ,catolico1 but no man of note has ever been appointed to the ,see as far as ,i could discover4 ,indeed1 ,astorga is another of those old ,spanish cities which are passed by in the train1 with the remark--,how nice the old walls look1 ,i do wish we had time to stop here4 ,a saunter round the walls ,i must own is very disappointing4 ,it is so evident that but little veneration is felt1 or respect shown1 for any antiquities or historical associations4 ,in many places they have been pulled about for the sake of the building materials they yielded4 ,they are the rubble heaps of ,astorga and have fallen into sad decay4 ,one portion is1 however1 preserved4 ,in the south corner1 where a pretty little paseo garden affords shade and a pleasant promenade1 a splendid view is obtained over the hills and far away4 ,here1 at any rate1 restoration has been undertaken for the sake of the common ground where men and women walk1 as custom dictates1 every evening4 ,at the spot where the ,cathedral stands a great deal of demolition has taken place1 and even to-day the huge new chteau-like palace of the bishop1 now in process of erection1 closes in a fine space and detracts from the little antiquity which is left in this corner of ,astorga4 ,such is modern taste in ,spain4 ,besides its walls1 ,astorga is celebrated for its mantecadas1 small square sponge-cakes1 neatly folded in pieces of greased paper1 which find their way all over this part of the country2 but the farther off you find them the less do they resemble the originals1 and these are very good4 ,,zamora ,travelling through the great plain of ,leon by train is apt to become intensely monotonous1 especially when1 as in the case of reaching ,zamora1 fate decreed that ,i should sit baking for hours in the slowest of all1 the undesirable mercantilo4 ,very few villages enlivened the yellow landscape1 which bare of vegetation lay blistering under the midday sun2 those that were visible were all tapia built with unglazed lights1 and seemed to have grown outwards from the little brown-walled churches in their midst4 ,on rising ground beyond the limits of these sad-looking hamlets1 ,i could see the dwellings of the poorest of the poor4 ,dug out of the bank-sides1 they resemble rabbit holes more than anything else4 ,a door gives light1 ventilation and access to the interior1 a tiny chimney sticking out of the ground above carries off the extra fumes of smoke4 ,life inside must be nearer that of the beasts than that of any other race in ,europe2 and as the slow mercantilo crawled along ,i had plenty of time to note the stunted growth and wearied mien of those whose day of toil ends in these burrows under the earth4 ,in many places1 the year's vintage is stored in these subterranean holes4 ,at last the train crept into the station and ,i read the name of my destination on its wall4 ,zamora adds another to the list of those very interesting old cities of ,spain which still have a remnant of their ancient walls left standing4 ,known at one time as ,ocellum ,duri1 ,the eye of the ,douro1 from its strategical position on that barrier river1 it still bears many traces of a glorious past4 ,of old1 an outpost for defence against the ,infidel of the south1 with its natural barrier1 ,zamora nevertheless changed hands many times4 ,the veracious chronicler records how in #ici ,ramiro ,,ii4 came to the city's relief and slew forty thousand ,moors--their whole force1 in fact1 to a man6--only to be revenged a few years later by the all-conquering ,almanzor4 ,ferdinand ,i4 in #ajfe rebuilt the defences which this redoubtable warrior had levelled and presented the city to his daughter ,urraca1 whose son1 ,alfonso ,,vi41 was the first ,king of united ,leon and ,castile4 ,zamora figures1 too1 in the ,cid's meteoric life4 ,he appointed ,geronimo1 his confessor1 who lies buried in ,salamanca1 to the ,bishopric1 and when ,sancho besieged the place1 it being then held by ,urraca1 the defence was so excellent that no se tom ,zamora en una hora 7,zamora was not taken in one hour7 became a proverb4 ,it was at this siege that five ,moorish sheiks brought the ,cid tribute and saluted him as ,campeador4 ,there are more tangible remains of the quaint old city's importance to be found in its ,cathedral and streets than its proverbs and anecdotes4 ,here is the house of ,urraca1 with an almost obliterated inscription over the gateway--,afuera6 ,afuera6 ,rodrigo el soberbio ,castellano--culled from the ballad of the ,cid1 and referring to his exclusion from the place4 ,in the church of ,san ,pedro y ,ildefonso are a couple of fine bronze-gilt shrines containing the remains of ,,ss4 ,ildefonso and ,atilano4 ,the ,romanesque church of the ,templars1 ,la ,magdalena1 dates from the twelfth century4 ,its rose window is formed with small columns like the ,temple ,church in ,london2 and within are some beautiful tombs4 ,the ,hospital is a good building with an overhanging porch1 very effectively coloured and having the appearance of glazed tiles4 ,many old houses of the nobility now slumber tranquilly in slow decay1 and ,zamora1 like so many other ,spanish towns of its class1 seems left behind in the modern hurry of life2 and this is one of its greatest charms1 the charm that is so typical of old ,spain4 ,the ,cathedral abuts on to the city wall and is almost surrounded by a bare piece of ground1 where the remains of dismantled fortifications give a deserted and forlorn air to the very unecclesiastical aspect of the exterior4 ,i made a sketch among these ruins and could not help feeling the result looked more like an ,eastern farm enclosure than a really fine ,cathedral4 ,there was the huge unfinished square tower1 baked a brilliant yellow1 the cimborio and dome1 with its eight curious little domes1 all roofed in cement1 and a copy of1 if not contemporary with1 the same in the old ,cathedral of ,salamanca2 the low mud walls and almost flat roofs2 a party of peasants in a sort of nomad encampment1 innumerable fowls pecking at the dust--what more could you have to remind one of the ,east4 ,the sun was broiling1 and nothing disturbed this bit of the ,spain of long ago4 ,the exterior of the ,cathedral has been much marred by the poor ,renaissance north faade1 not visible in my drawing1 and a tower with a slate roof4 ,the south porch is1 however1 intact1 and from it1 for the building stands high above the ,douro1 the view must have been grand before the ,bishop's ,palace was built and obliterated the whole prospect4 ,a dozen steps1 narrowing as they approach the portal1 lead up to the door which is surrounded by four good round arches with scroll mouldings of simple design4 ,inside this ,i found myself in the south transept4 ,illustration3 ,,zamora4 ,,the ,,cathedral ,the interior1 with the exception of that portion east of the crossing1 which is poor ,renaissance with perpendicular vaulting1 is exceedingly massive4 ,the nave is but twenty-five feet in width1 the columns which support the bays are ten feet through2 the aisles are very narrow1 but so good are the proportions of all these that this miniature ,cathedral is one of the finest ,romanesque churches in the country4 ,the cimborio is round in plan with sixteen windows from which the ribs of the vaulting spring4 ,unfortunately the columns have been decorated with a spiral pattern of a chocolate colour1 quite destroying the beauty and simple grandeur of a feature which for simplicity ranks next to that of the ,catedral ,vieja at ,salamanca4 ,in the ,capilla del ,cardenal at the west end of the nave is a very fine retablo divided into six panels painted by ,gallegos1 whose signature is on the central one4 ,i was examining this one morning when an old priest passed through into the adjoining sacristy4 ,he stopped and explained the subjects to me1 taking particular interest in this when he learnt ,i was a painter and what my mission to ,zamora was4 ,i cannot forget his courtesy and pride while showing me some of the treasures the ,cathedral possesses1 and shared his regret that the wonderful tapestries were only on view at certain festivals4 ,in this chapel are some good tombs of the great ,romero family1 others too of interest are in the ,capilla de ,san ,miguel1 and the finest of all that of ,canon ,juan de ,grado has the genealogy of the ,virgin sculptured above the effigy of the ,canon4 ,i was very grateful for the seats which here are available for a rest and quiet examination of the church4 ,in ,burgos is the only other ,cathedral where it is possible to sit and gaze4 ,,leon ,situated on the edge of the great plain which stretches away south to the ,sierra de ,gredos and beyond to ,toledo1 ,leon served as a sort of buffer town between the ,highlanders of the north and the dwellers on the ,castilian uplands4 ,the headquarters of the seventh ,roman ,legion1 from which the name is derived1 it may be described as a great fortress of bygone days4 ,astorga1 some thirty miles westwards1 being an outpost in that direction no doubt helped to preserve ,leon from the ravages of the ,galician ,visigoths4 ,the ,romans held their fortress for five hundred years until ,leovigild in #ehf captured it after a long and strenuous siege4 ,so highly was the position and strength of these two towns appreciated1 that when ,witiza1 the ,king of the ,goths1 issued a decree levelling all defensive works to the ground1 they were exempted and their fortifications preserved4 ,the ,moors held ,leon for a very short spell1 and then only as a defence against northern invasion4 ,when ,ordoo ,i4 descended from his mountain fastnesses and drove them out1 ,leon changed front with its new occupants1 and became a stronghold to be held at all costs against invaders from the south4 ,the great ,almanzor1 in his victorious march north with the soldiery of ,cordova1 swept away all opposition and this buffer town was sacked4 ,however1 after his defeat at ,calatanavor and subsequent death1 the banner of ,christ was once more unfurled to the breeze from what little was left of its walls4 ,these were almost entirely rebuilt of tapia and cob-stones by ,alfonso ,v41 since whose time they have remained or slowly fallen away4 ,leon stands in a verdant pasture valley intersected by many streams and shady roads lined with tall poplars4 ,the fields on either side are divided from one another by hedges and willow trees1 thick scrub follows the streams and grows down to the water edge1 and walking in these pleasant places it was not difficult to imagine myself back in ,england4 ,the city itself is really little better than a big village1 and considering the important part it has played in the history ,spain1 seems sadly neglected and left out in the cold4 ,this1 too1 despite the fact that it is an important junction and railway centre4 ,there are no buildings of any present importance1 and those that once could lay claim to this are in a state of decay4 ,it is only on ,sundays and market days1 when the peasants in picturesque costume and gay colours come in1 that ,leon can boast of the smallest animation4 ,i remember one ,sabbath evening as ,i stood on my balcony1 that vantage ground from which one sees all the life of the place pass by in the street below1 watching the folk parade up and down4 ,a military band discoursed brassy music1 the crowd was packed as tight as sardines in a tin1 when suddenly the toot1 toot of a motor horn was heard above the clash of cymbals and boom of the drum4 ,a large car came down a by-street opposite1 turned sharply and charged the crowd4 ,the ,spaniard is of an excitable temperament1 loud cries of disapproval1 and screams from the gentler sex drowned all else4 ,the chauffeur discovered his mistake none too soon and attempted to turn the car4 ,at this the uproar grew louder and he brought it to a standstill4 ,youths climbed the steps1 boys hung on behind1 ,toot1 toot went the horn2 the bandmaster1 with an eye to the situation1 waved his bton more energetically than ever1 the big drum boomed1 the trombones blurted out for all they were worth1 but the hooting and whistling drowned everything4 ,at last the car began to back and became disengaged1 the chauffeur adroitly turned1 and started down the street followed by the noisier elements of the crowd eventually pulling up at a caf1 just out of the parade zone4 ,in ,leon as elsewhere1 fashion dictates a limit to the walk in either direction and the chauffeur had stopped beyond this4 ,the two occupants of the car got out in a very unconcerned manner1 sat down at a table and ordered a drink4 ,for at least a quarter of an hour1 while these two were taking their coffee1 the crowd stood round booing1 whistling and shouting4 ,i do not think ,i have ever seen anything cooler than the way in which1 their thirst satisfied1 and the account settled1 they got up and walked slowly after the car which long ago had disappeared out of danger4 ,by this time1 despite the presence of a couple of the ,guardia ,civil1 the crowd was excited4 ,a cart full of peasant folk next essayed the perils of the thoroughfare1 they however got through safely after much badinage and fun4 ,no sooner had they gone1 the band meantime had vanished1 when out from a wine shop came some peasants with castanets a little light-headed for once4 ,there were four of them1 two men and two women4 ,they immediately began a dance on the pavement4 ,a ring was formed and a storm of hand-clapping encouraged them1 for ten minutes they footed it admirably4 ,more castanets appeared from somewhere and soon half ,leon was dancing in the middle of the ,calle4 ,the feeble-looking policemen1 who had been terribly worried over the motor-car incident1 thrust out their chests1 or tried to1 and beamed all over4 ,the scene had changed from what had first looked very much like an ugly row1 to one of pure enjoyment1 they were safe1 every one else was out of danger1 and ,leon too was saved4 ,illustration3 ,,leon4 ,,the ,,cathedral ,the night ,i arrived in ,leon1 having finished dinner1 ,i left the hotel and taking the first turn hap-hazard wandered up the street4 ,the electric lights were soon behind me and ,i found myself in what seemed to be a huge deserted square4 ,the dark night was lit by milliards of twinkling stars1 and gazing upwards at them my eye followed the line of what appeared to be immensely tall poplar trees4 ,i looked again1 ,i had never seen trees that colour1 then it slowly dawned on me that ,i was in front of the great ,cathedral4 ,slowly1 slowly as my eye became accustomed to the dark ,i made out tapering spires that met the very stars themselves embedded in the purple-blue sky1 an infinitude of pinnacles1 with a wonderful building beneath4 ,the mystery of a beautiful night conjures up all that is best in this country4 ,squalor and dirt are hidden2 one's thoughts take flight and wander back to the ,spain of old1 the glorious ,spain of bygone days4 ,at moments like this ,i certainly would never have been surprised to hear the clatter of hoofs and see a band of knights with pennons flying and armour glinting appear suddenly in the semi-darkness4 ,well1 the days of chivalry have gone but the romance of a starry night will never die4 ,the next morning ,i returned eager to discover what my impressions would unfold4 ,much to my delight ,i found the restoration of the ,cathedral1 which ,i knew was in progress1 so far finished that not a single scaffold pole1 nor any rubbish heaps of old stones were anywhere to be seen4 ,extremely well have the designs of ,seor ,don ,juan ,madrazo been carried out1 and the ,cathedral to-day stands a magnificent church and grand monument of ,christianity4 ,santa ,maria de ,regla is the third ,cathedral which has existed in ,leon4 ,the site of the first is supposed to have been outside the city walls4 ,the second was built where once stood the ,palace of ,ordoo ,,ii41 and this had been raised on ground occupied by ,roman baths4 ,the present edifice was founded in #aaij by ,bishop ,manrique de ,lara1 a scion of a great family which was always in revolt1 but was not completed until the early part of the fourteenth century4 ,with ,toledo and ,burgos1 ,leon's ,cathedral forms the group of three great churches that are distinctly ,french1 and closely resemble ,amiens and ,rheims4 ,it would be difficult to find another building the interior of which exceeded the colour elegance and grace of this airy structure4 ,illustration3 ,,leon4 ,,the ,,west ,,porch ,,of ,,the ,,cathedral ,the west porch is the finest ,gothic specimen of its kind which exists in ,spain and recalls those of ,notre ,dame de ,paris and the ,cathedral at ,chartres4 ,three archways are supported by cloistered columns to which are attached figures under beautiful canopies4 ,the archivolts and tympanum are covered with sculpture representing the ,reward of the ,just and ,unjust1 the ,nativity1 ,adoration1 ,flight in ,egypt1 and ,massacre of the ,innocents4 ,all are extremely interesting1 many of the figures being in contemporary costume4 ,two grand towers flank the west faade1 of which the north is the older and some thirty feet less in height than its neighbour4 ,both are surmounted by spires1 that of the south being an excellent example of open filigree work1 rivalling those at ,burgos and very much better than that of ,oviedo4 ,between these towers and above the porch is a pediment with spires and a glorious wheel window1 underneath which is a row of windows that corresponds to the triforium4 ,this portion is part of the late restoration4 ,the south porch also has three arches1 which have been well renovated4 ,the centre one alone has a door to admit into the interior1 it is double and surrounded by figures in the archivolt with reliefs in the tympanum4 ,on the centre column is a figure of ,san ,froilan1 at one time ,bishop of ,leon4 ,a beautiful balustrade follows the sky-line of the whole ,cathedral4 ,this is broken by many pinnacles1 some of which are spiral1 with others on the faades and finishing the supports of the flying buttresses1 give the exterior a resemblance to a forest of small spires4 ,the interior is a marvel of beauty and lightness4 ,the nave and aisles consist of six bays1 no lateral chapels disfigure the latter with chirrigueresque atrocities4 ,the triforium runs round the whole ,cathedral4 ,so cleverly has the spacing here been arranged1 that with the clerestory it makes one magnificent panel of gorgeous light4 ,the windows of this1 forty feet high1 were at one time blocked up for safety4 ,they now contain stained glass1 and soar upwards to the vaulting of the roof4 ,every window in the ,cathedral is coloured and the effect as the sun streams through can well be imagined4 ,no flamboyant retablo spoils the simplicity of the east end1 the place of what might have been a jarring note amidst the ,gothic work being taken by good paintings in flat gilded frames4 ,it was ,seor ,madrazo's idea to remove the coro from the centre of the nave1 and had this been done ,santa ,maria de ,regla would have gained immensely4 ,the carved stalls are good1 and the trascoro sculptured in white marble1 which age has toned1 and picked out in gold1 is decidedly a fine work4 ,among the chapels in the apse that of ,la ,nuestra ,seora del ,dado contains a miraculous ,virgin and ,child4 ,tradition tells that a gambler who had lost heavily threw his dice at her and smote her on the nose4 ,this forthwith bled copiously1 hence the miracle and the name of ,dado or die4 ,another chapel contains the tomb of a great benefactress of the ,cathedral1 the ,condesa ,sancha4 ,an expectant nephew1 seeing her property slowly dwindling in the cause of the ,faith1 put an end to his aunt1 and thereby met his own death by being pulled asunder by horses to which he was tied4 ,however1 the chapels are not very interesting1 but the tombs in the ,cathedral are4 ,of all these that of ,ordoo ,,ii41 behind the chancel1 is certainly the finest4 ,the king lies at full length with a herald at his head and a monk at his feet holding a scroll inscribed aspice4 ,he wears his crown and carries the royal emblems4 ,this tomb was erected five hundred years after the king's death1 and is guarded by a quaint iron grille4 ,the cloisters1 entered from a door in the north transept1 are a jumble of ,gothic and ,renaissance1 with a ,romanesque arcade and a good deal of plateresque work as well4 ,some of the earliest frescoes in ,spain are fast disappearing from the walls4 ,they illustrate events in the ,life of ,christ1 and are in an early ,italian style that places their origin in doubt4 ,from the western spires to the angular exterior of the chevet1 a good idea is obtained of the beauty of the ,cathedral as one stands in these cloisters1 and when they1 too1 are restored the great work begun in #ahfj will be finished4 ,next to the ,cathedral1 and perhaps in a way more interesting1 is the convent of ,san ,isidoro el ,real4 ,this1 the ,escorial of ,leon and ,castile1 is a building which ,soult's soldiers desecrated in a most abominable manner2 next to the lower or ,roman portion of the city walls it is the most ancient building in ,leon4 ,the body of ,san ,isidoro was brought hither in the reign of ,ferdinand ,i4 who obtained it from the ,emir of ,seville1 and the present church was erected to receive it4 ,this was in #ajfc1 the original convent being a hundred years older4 ,san ,isidoro was declared by the ,council of ,toledo to be the ,egregious ,doctor of ,spain1 and in his capacity of titular saint fought with cross and sword at the battle of ,baeza against the ,moors4 ,the church is ,romanesque and dark with a lofty clerestory but no triforium4 ,the ,high ,altar shares with that at ,lugo in ,galicia the privilege of having the host always manifestado4 ,illustration3 ,,leon4 ,,san ,,marcos ,in the ,panteon1 a small low chapel at the west end1 lie buried the ,kings and ,queens and other royalties of ,leon4 ,the columns are very massive with heavy capitals2 the ceiling is adorned with early frescoes which happily escaped the depredations of the ,french1 they are crude1 but the colour adds to the impressiveness of this gloomy abode of the ,dead4 ,representing scenes from the ,lives of our ,lord and ,his ,apostles1 with signs of the ,zodiac and months of the year1 they date from #aahj4 ,the whole convent is replete with mural paintings1 and before ,soult sacked it contained many extremely interesting and rare missals of the seventh and eighth centuries4 ,unique is another convent1 that of ,san ,marcos1 which stands on the river bank outside the city on the road to ,astorga4 ,founded as a chapel in #aafh for the knights of ,santiago1 it was rebuilt in #aead-di by ,juan de ,badajos1 and is certainly his masterpiece4 ,it would be difficult to find a faade of greater beauty than this marvel of plateresque work4 ,the remarkable pink and golden colour of the stone1 intensified against the background of a deep blue sky1 the delicacy of the carving in which angels and cherubs1 griffons and monsters intermingle with floral wreaths and branches of fruit in orderly confusion1 the elegant pillars and pilasters1 all so truly ,spanish under the blazing sun1 fascinated me immensely as time after time ,i returned to wonder and admire4 ,here again ,i could conjure up the past1 the romance of ,spain's greatest ,order2 well housed were those knights of old in their glorious ,hospice1 and now--the river still runs under the walls of what afterwards became a convent1 its banks are lined with tall poplars1 far away rise the mountains of the north in rugged outline just as they did of yore--and ,san ,marcos8 ,alas6 half is a museum and the rest a barrack4 ,a forlorn air pervades the place1 the old garden wants tending1 and despite the life of the military1 ,i could not help sighing once again1 as ,i have so often sighed in ,spain--,how are the mighty fallen6 ,,oviedo ,oviedo1 seldom visited by the foreigner1 lies well situated on rising ground in a fine open valley4 ,grand mountains surround and hem it in on the east1 south and west1 to the north the country undulates until it reaches the ,biscay coast twenty odd miles away4 ,these natural barriers gather the clouds and the climate is humid2 on an average there are but sixty cloudless days in the year4 ,while ,i was in ,oviedo it rained almost incessantly1 and the clang of the wooden shoon kept the streets lively with a clattering click-clack4 ,all the poorer classes wear sabots in wet weather1 sabots that are pegged on the soles1 difficult to walk in1 but kept well out of the mud and puddles by these pegs4 ,this particular make is common to ,asturias1 just as the ordinary ,french shape is to ,galicia4 ,oviedo is one of ,spain's university cities1 and ,i happened to strike the week when the festivities in celebration of its tercentenary were in progress4 ,wet weather and pouring rain never damp the ardour of the ,spaniard during a fiesta1 and despite the rain1 powder was kept dry somehow or other1 and enthusiasm vented itself regularly up to eleven o'clock every night by terrific explosions4 ,functions of some sort seemed to be going on all day long4 ,societies from the country paraded the streets1 led by music1 in most cases bagpipes and a drum1 and ,oviedo was evidently doing itself proud4 ,i happened on a ceremony in the ,cathedral one morning4 ,the bishop was preaching to an immense crowd when ,i entered4 ,seated in the nave were the ,professors of the ,university1 ,doctors of ,law and ,medicine1 the ,military ,governor and his ,staff1 the ,alcalde and ,town ,councillors1 besides representatives from the universities of every ,european country1 except1 strangely enough1 ,germany1 and one from ,harvard1 the first to attend a function of this sort since the war4 ,it was a really wonderful sight1 for the ,cathedral is not marred by a coro in the nave4 ,the hues of the many-coloured robes1 from canary yellow and scarlet to cerulean blue and black1 the vast throng literally filling every available bit of space1 even on to the pulpit steps1 gave me a subject for my brush1 and ,i surreptitiously made a hasty sketch1 to be finished afterwards in my room4 ,illustration3 ,,oviedo4 ,,in ,,the ,,cathedral ,the ,cathedral was founded by ,fruela in #gha1 and enlarged in #hjb by ,alfonso the ,chaste1 who made ,oviedo the capital of ,asturias1 and with his ,court resided here4 ,he created the ,see in #haj4 ,the present edifice was begun by ,bishop ,gutierrez of ,toledo in #achh1 and the tower added by ,cardinal ,mendoza in #aebh4 ,hedged in1 although fronting on to a little plaza1 the grand west faade with its beautiful porch can hardly be said to be visible4 ,this lofty portico of richly ornamented ,gothic1 under the shelter of which the gossips parade to and fro1 leads into the ,cathedral and stands thrust out and between the two towers4 ,only one of these towers is completed1 and it is surmounted by a good open-work spire the top of which rises two hundred and seventy feet from the ground4 ,i wandered about hopelessly trying to gain some idea of the exterior of the ,cathedral and found that it was only by walking outside the city that anything at all can be seen of it1 and then the towers and roof of the nave1 with the flying buttresses attached1 were the only features that came into view4 ,the entrance by the south door leads through a dark passage1 in which many votive offerings hang over a tiny shrine where burnt a little flickering lamp2 going in ,i found myself at the spot from which ,i had made my sketch the previous day4 ,what a relief it was to find no coro blocking up the nave6 ,the eye could wander over the whole of this lofty interior--could follow the beautiful open work of the triforium and rest on the stained glass of the clerestory windows4 ,the aisles are very shadowy1 all the light being concentrated in the nave and the crossing1 and the vision1 with a great sense of good effect1 is led up to the white tabernacle on the ,high ,altar and the immense retablo beyond4 ,a little theatrical if you like1 but it is business1 and the ,church understands this so well4 ,among the chapels1 good1 bad and indifferent1 is one containing a gorgeous silver-gilt shrine wherein rests the body of ,santa ,eulalia1 ,oviedo's patroness4 ,in another1 tucked away behind the north transept1 the ,capilla del ,rey ,casto1 lies buried ,alfonso the ,chaste who did so much for the city4 ,six niches in the walls contain stone coffins1 which are supposed to hold the remains of ,fruela ,i41 ,urraca1 wife of ,ramiro ,i41 ,alfonso el ,catlico1 ,ramiro1 and ,ordoo ,i4 ,the bodies of these royalties at one time lay here1 and a modern inscription on a mural tablet relates how they were removed1 but not how their tombs were destroyed4 ,many other kings and princes we are told by this tablet also lie here1 and as there are but half a dozen coffins their bones must be bien mlange4 ,there are the usual overdone chirrigueresque altars which do their best to mar this imposing church1 though ,i am glad to say they hardly succeed4 ,from them1 however1 it was a relief to be taken by a very intelligent verger up the winding stairs which led to the ,cmara ,santa4 ,this is by far the most interesting portion of the ,cathedral4 ,built by ,alfonso in #hjb to hold the sacred relics brought hither from ,toledo at the time of the ,moorish invasion1 it stands above a vaulted basement2 the reason for this arrangement evidently being the damp climate1 and the wish to keep so holy a charge free from moisture4 ,the chapel is divided into two parts4 ,the inner1 of very small dimensions1 has a low barrel vaulting borne by arches with primitive twelfth-century figures4 ,the sanctum sanctorum is slightly raised1 and from this inmost ,holy of ,holies the relics are shown to the devout who kneel in front of a low railing every day at #h4cj ,a4,m4 and #c4cj ,p4,m4 ,the cedar wood arca in which they are kept is of ,byzantine workmanship4 ,the relics include some of ,mary ,magdalene's hair1 and crumbs left over from the feeding of the five thousand4 ,the outer chamber of the chapel has a finely-groined roof1 attached to the columns supporting which are statues of the twelve apostles4 ,the richly-tesselated pavement resembles the ,norman-,byzantine work of ,sicily1 and was not uncommon in ,spain prior to the thirteenth century4 ,a bell tower1 in which at one time hung ,wamba1 the great bell of the church cast in #abai1 stands partly on the roof and at the south-east corner of the ,cmara ,santa4 ,it was erected by ,alfonso ,,vi41 and to judge by its present state will not long survive1 most decidedly ,wamba could not swing there now4 ,the ,cathedral possesses three remarkable crosses1 ,la ,cruz de los ,angeles1 ,maltese in shape1 is studded with uncut gems4 ,it dates from #hjh1 and like the cross at ,santiago is #abjj years old4 ,la ,cruz de la ,victoria1 the cross of ,pelayo1 is encased in beautiful filigree work1 and is the identical one borne aloft before ,pelayo at his glorious victory over the ,moor at the ,cave of ,covadonga4 ,the third is a crucifix on an ivory diptych1 absolutely identical with the ,cristo de las ,batallas of the ,cid at ,salamanca4 ,many other relics of great archological interest belong to the ,cathedral1 and make it well worth the journey to see4 ,this journey from ,leon is long and trying1 but the line1 which climbs to an altitude of #daaj feet1 is one of the finest pieces of engineering skill in ,spain4 ,illustration3 ,,oviedo4 ,,the ,,cloisters ,the dark entry of the south door leads not only into the ,cathedral and up to the ,cmara ,santa1 but also through a side door opens on to the fourteenth-century cloisters4 ,they are well kept and the little garden court a paradise in comparison with some of those ,i know4 ,the capitals of the columns are well carved with prophets and saints under canopies1 angels and angels' heads1 grotesques and good floral cutting2 while into the walls beneath them and round the arcades are let many tombs and gravestones brought here from different ruined or desecrated churches4 ,i went off one morning to see the earliest ,christian church in the country4 ,braving the rain ,i tramped through mud ankle-deep for an hour up the hill slopes westward4 ,it was a case of two steps forward and one back1 but the spirit of the tourist was on me4 ,i could not leave ,oviedo and acknowledge ,i had not been to ,naranco4 ,i was desperate and ,i got there4 ,what a charming out-of-the-way spot it is6 ,hidden behind a grove of ancient chestnut trees1 under the brow of the mountain1 stands ,santa ,maria4 ,a triple arched porch at the top of a dozen steps gives entrance on the north side to this minute and primitive place of worship4 ,i entered and found myself in a barrel-vaulted parallelogram1 with a curious arcade running round the walls4 ,the west end is raised three steps above the nave1 from which it is cut off by three arches ten feet high at the centre4 ,the east end also has this feature1 but the floor is level with the nave4 ,all the columns in the church are of twisted cable design with shield capitals containing figures in low relief4 ,the arcades1 which are walled up1 have depending from the plain groining bands slabs of cut stone with plaques below1 something like a ribbon and medal in the way they hang4 ,the interior is but thirty-five feet in length and fifteen feet across4 ,beneath the church is a semicircular stone crypt1 similar to that beneath the ,cmara ,santa2 it is entered from the cottage in which at one time lived the officiating priest4 ,the caretaker inhabits this cottage1 which is built on to the church1 and ,i had come at her dinner hour4 ,alas6 she could not leave me in peace1 and ,i must own to a defeat4 ,i was practically driven away1 for the meal was spoiling and required her undivided attention1 but ,i had seen ,santa ,maria de ,naranco2 ,i had grasped how in the early days1 when the ,infidel was overrunning the land1 this little building on the lone hillside was a centre of the ,faith1 and how from the surrounding mountain fastnesses worshippers had gathered here and gone away strengthened by prayer1 and how from this little seed of the ,church sown on the forest-clad hill ,spain's mightiness had grown4 ,,valladolid ,for nearly one hundred and fifty years1 from the reign of ,juan ,,ii41 #aded1 to ,philip ,,ii41 #aeih1 ,valladolid was a royal city and the capital of ,castile4 ,it lies on the plain through which the river ,pisuerga meanders1 just touching the outskirts of the city on the western side4 ,in the ,moorish days ,valladolid was known as ,belad al ,wali1 ,the ,town of the ,governor1 and flourished as a great agricultural centre4 ,it is still the focus of the corn trade of ,old ,castile4 ,it was here that ,prince ,ferdinand1 despite attempts on the part of his father ,juan ,,ii4 to frustrate it1 was introduced to ,isabella the reigning ,queen of ,castile and ,leon4 ,many suitors had proposed themselves and paid their addresses to this paragon among women1 but possessing a will of her own she made her choice and selected the ,prince whom she married on ,october #ai1 #adfi4 ,valladolid suffered more severely at the hands of the ,french than any other city of ,spain4 ,they demolished most of the good houses and despoiled the churches2 among those that are left1 however1 ,i found plenty to interest me and to make a stay1 after ,i had discovered them1 well worth the while4 ,i made a sketch of ,santa ,maria la ,antigua1 which is the most interesting edifice in the place4 ,the fine ,romanesque tower is surmounted by a tiled steeple which recalls ,lombardy1 and although many additions have been made to the original fabric the whole building piles up very well1 the early ,gothic east end being particularly beautiful4 ,this church dates from the twelfth century1 but the greater part of it is pure ,gothic4 ,the roof is richly groined2 there are three parallel apses1 and the coro is at the west end--an always welcome place to find it4 ,the retablo by ,juan de ,juni1 whose work is scattered throughout the churches of ,valladolid1 is fine though over-elaborate4 ,another good church is ,san ,pablo1 partly rebuilt by the great ,cardinal ,torquemada1 whose name will for ever be associated with the terrors of the ,inquisition4 ,i found another subject for my brush in its very intricate late ,gothic west faade4 ,the upper part of this contains the arms of the ,catholic ,kings1 below which on either side are those of the ,duque de ,lerma4 ,the niches are luckily all filled with their original figures1 and the wonderful tracery of the round window is also in good preservation4 ,the grey finials are weather-worn and contrast well with the rich yellow and pink of the rest of the front1 a faade which is absolutely crammed with intricate design4 ,two hideous towers of later date and of the same stone as that with which the ,cathedral is built1 flank this and detract unfortunately from one of the best examples of late ,gothic work in the country4 ,illustration3 ,,valladolid4 ,,santa ,,maria ,,la ,,antigua ,hard by1 up the street pictured in my sketch1 stands the ,colegiata de ,san ,gregorio1 with an equally fine faade1 though being an earlier ,gothic it is more severe in type4 ,the doorway of this is surmounted by a genealogical tree and the arms of ,ferdinand and ,isabella4 ,some of the figures of rough hairy men with cudgels are very primitive4 ,san ,gregorio was a foundation of ,cardinal ,ximenes1 it is now used as municipal offices4 ,passing through the doorway ,i entered a beautiful little court1 rather dark1 but with sufficient light to enable me to appreciate the good artesonade ceiling of its cloisters4 ,the second court is a blaze of light4 ,spiral fluted columns form the cloister1 the ceiling of which is picked out in a cerulean blue and white2 they support a recently restored gallery1 a mixture of ,moorish1 ,romanesque and plateresque work1 into which the sheaves and yoke of the ,catholic ,kings is introduced as at ,granada and ,santiago1 making a very effective whole4 ,a fine old stone stairway leads from this court up to what in the old collegiate days was a library4 ,of the ,cathedral ,i fear ,i can write but little4 ,it is a huge gloomy edifice without a single redeeming feature1 and of all those ,i saw the most incomplete and disappointing4 ,the exterior north and south walls are still unfinished1 the stone work is not even faced6 ,the east are built of brick1 and the west faade1 altered by ,chirriguera himself from the original plan of ,herrara1 is extremely bald and ugly4 ,this enormous building is four hundred feet in length and over two hundred wide1 yet these proportions give it no grandeur4 ,the interior is absolutely devoid of ornament1 and if it were not for the silleria in the coro1 which were originally intended for ,san ,pablo and are good1 there would be nothing to warrant a visit to this cold and depressing church4 ,by the way1 the sacristy contains a silver custodia in the shape of an open temple1 a good example of the work of ,juan de ,arfe4 ,there is a third-rate ,french air about ,valladolid1 at least so it struck me1 and it was only after a visit to the old ,colegio de ,santa ,cruz1 wherein is the museum1 that my first disappointment wore off and ,i felt that ,i was still in ,spain4 ,illustration3 ,,valladolid4 ,,san ,,pablo ,the contents of the museum are mostly objects which the ,french plundered from the churches and monasteries of ,castile1 and were recovered after their disastrous defeat at ,vitoria4 ,the styles of ,berruguete1 ,hernandez and ,juan de ,juni can be examined here at leisure4 ,some of the life-size carved wooden figures of the last named1 formerly used on the processional cars which parade the streets at certain festivals1 are remarkable more from the extravagant attitudes of the figures than from their artistic merit4 ,the custodian who accompanied me was a pleasant fellow1 and evinced surprise that a pintor could not see the beauties he pointed out4 ,i fear he thought little of my artistic discrimination2 especially when in the ,sala de ,juntas he invited me to ascend a pulpit over which hung a large crucifix1 and with fervour solicited my admiration of the face of ,christ1 on which was a most agonised look1 cheap and quite according to academic rules4 ,no1 no1 it is bad4 ,but1 seor1 ,he suffers4 ,i could not make him understand that acute suffering need not be so painfully apparent4 ,in this ,sala are placed the whole of the silleria de coro from the church of ,san ,benito4 ,arranged on either side of the room they give it a superb effect4 ,at the far end are the red velvet-covered chairs of ,spanish ,chippendale used by the ,council of the ,academy of ,arts at their meetings4 ,beyond them1 on a raised platform1 are the two bronze-gilt kneeling figures of the ,duke and ,duchess de ,lerma4 ,a few pictures hang on the walls and other treasures and relics help to make this fine ,sala an ideal council chamber for the academicians4 ,of the hundreds of carved figures in other rooms those by ,berruguete1 very ,greek in type1 flat brow and straight nose1 are artistically by far the best1 though the ,death of our ,lord1 a life-size composition by ,hernandez1 follows not far behind4 ,just as ,madrid contains the finest armoury in the world1 ,i doubt if any other museum can compete with ,valladolid's for figures and compositions of carved wood4 ,the ,university holds at present a high rank1 most of its professors being progressive4 ,the building itself is a chirrigueresque concern of the seventeenth century with a very extravagant faade4 ,it possesses a good library which is get-at-able1 and not like others belonging to the church which are very difficult of access4 propos of this one of the professors here told me the following hardly credible experience of a friend of his1 whom ,i will call ,a4 ,there is a movement at present in ,spain to catalogue some at least of the many thousands of priceless historical ,arabic documents and ,,mss4 which1 hidden away in ,cathedral and other libraries1 would throw invaluable light on the history of early times if they could be examined4 ,a4 is engaged in trying to compile this catalogue1 and1 hearing that in a certain ,cathedral city--not ,valladolid--the ,cathedral library contained some treasures of ,arabic lore1 procured an introduction to the bishop1 and requested permission to search the archives of the diocese4 ,explaining that he was unable to help in the matter1 the bishop sent ,a4 to the chapter authorities4 ,the basis of their refusal was that any ,,ms4 if taken down from its shelf might be injured1 and if once taken down might not be replaced in the same position6 ,yes1 they certainly possessed many supposed ,arabic documents1 but as none had been disturbed in living memory1 why take the trouble to make a catalogue8 ,surely this would be superfluous1 the books were there no doubt1 ,a4 could see them in their shelves1 the librarian would be happy to show them1 but no1 they could not be taken down4 ,in the library of the ,escorial the books are all placed with their titles against the wall and their edges turned towards the spectator1 so that no vulgar touch could defame them by reading4 ,small wonder that the ,progressists of ,spain shrug their shoulders sometimes at the many petty obstacles encountered in their attempts to better their country1 and regard it as an almost hopeless task4 ,two foreign colleges are situated in ,valladolid1 the ,scotch and the ,english4 ,the first named was founded by ,colonel ,semple in ,madrid and removed hither in #agga1 the second by ,sir ,francis ,englefield1 who came to ,spain after the execution of ,mary ,queen of ,scots4 ,they are both seminaries for the education of young priests and with the ,irish ,college in ,salamanca complete the trio4 ,the focus of the city's life is in the ,plaza ,mayor1 a fine square where the first auto da f1 which ,philip ,,ii4 and his court witnessed1 took place in ,october #aeei4 ,it was here also that ,alvaro de ,luna was executed1 after faithfully serving his ,king1 ,juan ,,ii41 for thirty years4 ,spain thereby lost the strong will and the arm which enforced it1 and which out of chaos had brought the country into a semblance of order by quelling the turbulent nobles4 ,such has been in the past the fickleness of ,spain's rulers that not one of the great men who have served their country1 with perhaps the exception of ,general ,prim1 and he died a disappointed man1 has ever ended his life in peace and quiet4 ,they have nearly all died at the stake1 on the scaffold1 or been foully murdered4 ,the much dilapidated house in a narrow street where ,columbus died is fast falling into ruin1 but that in the ,calle de ,rastro1 where ,cervantes lived and wrote the first part of ,don ,quixote1 is in better condition4 ,,burgos ,unlike most folk who enter the country from the north1 ,i left ,burgos for the end of my last visit to ,spain1 and found it in a way not unlike ,cadiz1 the first place ,i arrived at4 ,they are both clean cities--for ,spain2 the streets in both are narrow1 and the houses tall with double-glazed balconies4 ,there is but little traffic in either1 the squares in both are numerous1 but the resemblance stops at this4 ,the streets of ,burgos run east and west in lines more or less parallel with the river ,arlanzn4 ,they are draughty and cold4 ,the city stands #bghe feet above sea level and the winds sweep down from the distant sierra in bitter blasts4 ,the life of ,burgos is eminently ecclesiastical with a large sprinkling of the military element1 for here all three branches of the service are quartered4 ,it is a quiet place and ,i worked in peace unmolested4 ,what a pity the builders of the great ,cathedral could not find another site whereon to erect their wonderful church4 ,how much better it would have looked if placed on the flat ground near the river than on the spot where a summer palace of ,gonzalez once stood4 ,however1 one cannot move mountains and ,i was perforce obliged to plant my easel on the slope of the hill and paint the stock view from in front of the west faade4 ,in #ajge ,alfonso ,,vi4 moved the ,archiepiscopal ,see from ,oca to ,burgos and gave the site of the royal palace for its erection4 ,the present edifice was founded in #abba by ,ferdinand el ,santo on the occasion of his marriage with ,beatrice of ,swabia1 who in her train brought the ,englishman1 ,bishop ,maurice4 ,employing a ,french architect1 ,maurice was more or less responsible for the present building1 though another foreigner1 ,john of ,cologne1 added the beautiful open work spires with their parapets to the towers of the west end4 ,it is curious that this1 the most richly ornate ,cathedral in the country1 should be the outcome of patronage of the foreigner1 though at the same time it is the most ,spanish of the three foreign ,cathedrals4 ,so rich is this magnificent ,church in every style of architectural decoration that it would take a lifetime to know it thoroughly4 ,john of ,cologne's beautiful spires are better than those at ,leon and ,oviedo1 and rise with the towers that support them to a height close on #cjj ft4 ,the gorgeous central lantern1 with its twelve traceried pinnacles1 the grace of those that surmount the ,constable's ,chapel1 the many1 many others that break the skyline and adorn this glorious fabric1 all go to make it a building that1 despite the different styles employed1 will be a wonder and a joy as long as man's handiwork lasts4 ,the lower portion of the west front was renewed in #agij4 ,the ,puerta ,principal in the centre is flanked by two small doors1 with reliefs of the ,conception and ,crowning of the ,virgin1 while the chief door has four statues of ,ferdinand el ,santo1 ,alfonso ,,vi41 and ,bishops ,oca and ,maurice4 ,large ,gothic windows occupy the third stage of the front1 their bases being filled with statues4 ,the central stage1 which has a single arch1 contains a splendid rose window4 ,the upper portion of the two towers is occupied by very beautiful perforated double windows in which crochet decoration is profusely used4 ,it is altogether a wonderful faade which ,i greatly wished could be seen from the level4 ,the chief entrance on the north is closed4 ,it is on the street1 and through it the descent into the north transept is by the well-known ,escalada ,dorada4 ,the early ,gothic portal--,puerta alta--is adorned by statues and with the whole of this faade is one of the earliest portions of the ,cathedral4 ,the door1 which on this side leads into the ,cathedral1 is the ,puerta de la ,pellejeria and opens on to the north-east angle of the transept below the ,golden ,staircase4 ,on the south the ,puerta del ,sarmental is approached from the street by three tiers of steps1 it is also part of the original ,gothic and is decorated with statues and coats-of-arms4 ,above it rises a similar faade to that of the north transept4 ,the arcading in both these faades is most beautiful and from some points1 where the roof-line can be seen cutting the sky1 they look like two towers surmounted by an elegant balustrade4 ,very probably the pitch of the roofs was intended to be higher1 and the building of the central lantern has interfered with the original design4 ,the nave of pure early ,gothic is lofty but sadly spoilt by the height of the coro4 ,the aisles are low1 but very beautiful4 ,the cimborio runs up in double stages with windows in each and balustrades1 it is a perfect maze of intricate design and fine carving4 ,the walls are covered with the royal arms of ,charles ,v4 and the ,city of ,burgos2 there are figures of patriarchs and prophets standing in the niches1 seraphim and angels occupy the recesses of the spandrils1 and the beautiful groining of this superb octagon is quite unmatched anywhere in ,spain4 ,it all looks as if just finished1 the stone is white and in perfect preservation4 ,how my neck used to ache when looking aloft1 unweaving the intricacies of that splendid interior6 ,to strengthen the ,cathedral and support the weight of this addition1 the original piers were altered at the crossing1 and the huge cylindrical columns1 which are richly chased with ,renaissance decoration1 substituted4 ,one can hardly say that ,juan de ,vallejo has spoilt the church by this octagon1 for his work here would grace any building1 but all the same ,i think the ,gothic of the interior has suffered by the introduction of his designs1 and ,i would sooner have seen the crossing in its original state4 ,illustration3 ,,burgos4 ,,the ,,capilla ,,mayor ,the triforium is composed of wide bays with an uneven number of closed lights in each4 ,a single arch1 the mouldings of which are surmounted by carved heads1 spans each group4 ,the clerestory contains a little modern glass1 most of the old having been destroyed by a powder explosion in the fort on the hill above4 ,in the coro the silleria are exquisitely carved2 the main panels represent subjects from the ,new ,testament1 the lower1 which are divided by pilasters with arabesques1 represent scenes of martyrdom4 ,philip ,vigarni1 who was responsible for this fine coro1 surpassed himself in some of its decoration1 which adds one more item to all that ought to be thoroughly studied in the great ,cathedral4 ,on the north side of the ,high ,altar1 in front or which hangs a magnificent silver lamp1 are the tombs of three of the ,infantes of ,castile4 ,behind this1 the trassagrario is covered with well-executed reliefs in white stone1 some of this is very soft and has crumbled away a good deal4 ,every morning a deposit of dust is swept up and it will soon be necessary to thoroughly restore these fine panels or the designs will be lost for ever4 ,they represent the ,agony in the ,garden1 our ,lord bearing the ,cross1 the ,crucifixion1 the ,descent1 the ,resurrection and the ,ascension4 ,the three centre are by ,vigarni1 and the others by ,alfonso de los ,rios4 ,nearly all the chapels are replete with interest1 be it architecture1 tombs1 pictures or relics1 but of them all the ,capilla del ,condestable is the grandest4 ,built in #adhg by ,john of ,cologne for the ,hereditary ,constable of ,castile1 ,don ,pedro ,fernandez de ,velasco1 it is the private property of the ,duque de ,frias4 ,the reja1 the masterpiece of ,cristobal ,andino1 bears date ,,mdxxiii4 and is certainly the finest in the ,cathedral4 ,it is a worthy entrance to this magnificent octagon1 which1 viewed from outside1 rises detached from the main building with eight elaborate pinnacles pointing heavenwards4 ,the tracery of the pierced ceiling of the ,lantern with its gilded bosses1 vies in intricacy with that of the ,cathedral itself4 ,there is a double clerestory with sculptured knights at the bases of the columns holding coloured metal banners4 ,the undercutting of the mouldings in the arches is very marvellous1 the lowest course is formed of detached figures hanging downwards and from a little distance off looks like a piece of lacework4 ,in front of the retablo and ,high ,altar are the superbly sculptured tombs of the ,constable and his wife4 ,he is in full armour1 she lies by his side on a richly embroidered cushion with her little lap-dog nestling comfortably in the folds of her robe near her feet4 ,the chapel teems with interest2 the wealth of red marble from the quarries of ,atapuerca and the very effective chequer arrangement of black and white steps leading to the ,high ,altar give it just the note of colour its whiteness otherwise would lack4 ,attached to the chapel is a small vestry entered through a diminutive plateresque doorway of exquisite design4 ,amongst other priceless relics the vestry contains a fine gold chalice studded with precious stones and a good ,madonna by ,luini4 ,another fine picture1 a ,virgin and ,child by ,sebastian del ,piombo1 hangs over the altar in the ,capilla de ,la ,presentacion4 ,in the ,capilla del ,santissimo ,cristo is a very ancient crucifix of life-sized proportions4 ,tradition and the vergers say that it came from the ,east and was carved by ,nicodemus4 ,the figure is flexible and very attenuated1 it is covered with a buff-coloured leather to represent dried flesh and is very gruesome4 ,in ,san ,juan de ,sahagun are six panels of the fifteenth century2 good specimens of the early ,spanish school1 they represent the ,nativity1 ,adoration and four scenes from the ,passion4 ,the great ,bishop ,alfonso de ,cartagena lies interred in the ,capilla de ,san ,enrique1 and his tomb is remarkably fine4 ,others in this chapel and in the cloisters are cut in slate and have been worked with great cleverness considering the way in which a blow splinters this material so easily4 ,the ,chapel of ,santa ,ana1 unfortunately restored recently1 belongs to the ,duque de ,abrantes1 and contains the best retablo in the ,cathedral4 ,on it are displayed incidents in the ,life of ,christ which spring from and are enclosed by the branches of a genealogical tree4 ,it is a quaint idea very well carried out4 ,it is a difficult task to try and give an idea of the contents and admirable style of all these chapels in the space of a short chapter1 suffice it to say that they are1 one and all1 worthy pendants to the rest of the great church1 and exemplify in their contents the glorious age of the ruling bishops and nobility of ,old ,castile4 ,in the south transept is a wonderful low doorway in front of which ,i had often stood examining the well-carved wooden panels on the doors themselves4 ,it leads into the cloisters1 but it was not until ,i had become thoroughly acquainted with the groups representing the ,entry into ,jerusalem and the ,descent into ,hades which grace this portal1 that ,i passed through4 ,the door dates from the early fifteenth century and considering the many thousands of times it has swung open and shut is in most excellent preservation4 ,the cloisters are fourteenth-century work and form an upper storey to a basement cloister of low arches surrounding a courtyard which at the time of my visit was undergoing extensive repair4 ,in the centre is a huge cross2 the flagstones of the court were all up1 and the bones from many disturbed graves were being thrown into a pit4 ,the beautiful cloisters proper are filled with modern opaque glass--,muy frio answered the verger to my question1 ,por que8--and no doubt it is in the winter months4 ,but the charm about a cloister is the vista through the arches2 this ,burgos has lost for the sake of the well-being of her priests2 the pity is that funds would not allow of better glass when the utilitarian aspect demanded the shutting out of the cold winds4 ,the sacristy on the east side of the cloisters is a very beautiful early fifteenth-century room with a fine groined roof1 the peculiarity of which is that it has no supporting columns4 ,the half-piers end in corbels of hunting scenes and ,i daresay have often recalled to many a priest days of his early boyhood4 ,the ,chapter ,house1 with an artesonade ceiling1 contains some good pictures and is reached through the ,capilla del ,corpus ,christi4 ,high up on the wall of this chapel1 and fixed to it with iron clamps1 is the ,cofre del ,cid1 a wooden coffer which the ,campeador filled with sand1 and telling the ,jews it was full of gold1 raised six hundred marks4 ,he redeemed the pledge later on and paid up the sum he had borrowed4 ,the tomb of ,enrique ,,iii4's head cook1 who is lying in armour with a sword1 occupies a space on the floor4 ,he was not a bad-looking man and ,i daresay took his turn at the enemy and used his sword when occasion offered4 ,street writes of these cloisters--,i know none more interesting and more varied--but ,i left them and the many fine tombs and statues they contain wishing that priests were not mortal nor liable to chills4 ,illustration3 ,,burgos4 ,,arch ,,of ,,santa ,,maria ,the capital of ,old ,castile is a quiet little place and ,i felt ,i was in a northern clime far away from the charm of ,andalusia and the south4 ,the name ,burgos is of ,iberian origin1 ,briga signifying a fortified hill4 ,founded as long ago as #hhd by ,diego de ,porcelos1 it was for many generations the capital of ,castile4 ,at the marriage of ,ferdinand ,i4 in #ajfg ,castile and ,leon became one and ten years later the seat of ,government was removed by ,alfonso ,,vi4 to ,toledo4 ,serious troubles ensued between the inhabitants of the two cities4 ,old ,castile could not brook the interference of the great archbishops of ,new ,castile and the loss of prestige attached to royalty and its court4 ,in ,charles ,v4's reign ,burgos joined the ,comunros1 the opponents of centralised government1 but was wisely pardoned with other towns by the ,king1 who held a court in state for this purpose in the ,plaza ,mayor at ,valladolid4 ,as a result of this forgiveness the inhabitants erected the fine entrance gateway of ,santa ,maria of which ,i made a sketch4 ,since that day1 except for ,wellington's futile sieges1 ,burgos has slept the sleep of the just and being an eminently ecclesiastical city will continue in this happy state4 ,much of interest lies tucked away in the narrow streets4 ,there is the ,casa del ,cordon1 at one time the palace of the ,velasco family1 and a royal residence4 ,within its walls the ,catholic ,kings received ,columbus on his return from the ,new ,world1 and here was signed the incorporation of ,navarre with ,castile4 ,this fine example of a town house is flanked by two square towers1 with a rope from which it takes its name carved over the portal4 ,the ,casa de ,miranda1 with a noble courtyard and well-proportioned fluted columns1 near which is the ,casa de ,angulo a strong fortress-like building4 ,the faade of the old ,collegio de ,san ,nicolas is replete with fine workmanship and the church of this name with tombs4 ,the richly-carved stone retablo1 illustrating events of the saint's life1 is also a work of real art4 ,under the wall of the cemetery stood the house wherein the ,cid was born1 and in the ,castle on the hill1 now a ruin1 he was married4 ,the nuptials of ,edward ,i4 of ,england with ,eleanor of ,castile were celebrated in this fortress1 which can also claim the birth of ,pedro the ,cruel4 ,for a provincial town ,burgos possesses a most interesting museum4 ,among the many relics ,i saw was a bronze altar font with coloured enamels of saints and a ,moorish ivory casket1 both from the monastery of ,san ,domingo de ,silos4 ,the fine kneeling figure in alabaster of ,juan de ,padilla1 who lost his life at an early age during one of the sieges of ,granada1 is almost as beautiful as that of the ,infante ,alfonso in the ,cartuja4 ,roman and medival remains1 found at different times and taken from disestablished convents1 added to the interest of a short visit4 ,there is so much to see in ,burgos and its surroundings1 and the seeing of it all is so pleasant1 so undisturbed1 and so different to the south1 where for ever ,i was annoyed by touting loafers and irrepressible boys1 that when ,i left it was with feelings of great regret4 ,illustration ,across the river1 about an hour's walk one morning brought me to the ,convent of ,las ,huelgas1 which is still inhabited by shy nuns4 ,founded in #aahg by ,alfonso ,,viii4 it has always loomed large in the history of ,castile4 ,many of her kings have kept vigil before the ,high ,altar1 when receiving knighthood1 our own ,edward ,i4 among them4 ,many royal pairs have been wedded within the church1 and many sleep their long sleep within its quiet precincts4 ,the ,abbess was mitred1 she possessed powers of life and death1 she ranked as a ,princess-palatine next to the ,queen1 and she was styled ,por la gracia de ,dios4 ,her nuns were1 and still are1 daughters of noble houses1 and some even of royal birth4 ,in the chapel of ,santiago hangs a copy of the embroidered banner captured at the great fight of ,las ,navas de ,tolosa1 a victory which crippled and drove out the ,infidel from the north4 ,the original hangs in the nun's choir1 a fitting pendant to the splendid tapestries which cover the walls4 ,i was told of other treasures invisible to the eye of man and once again wished ,i could have changed my sex for a short time4 ,being mere man1 ,i heard the gate shut as ,i left the convent with a rather crestfallen feeling1 so walked another half-mile on to the ,hospital del ,rey4 ,alfonso ,,viii4 built this ,hospice for pilgrims en route to ,santiago4 ,but little remains of the original building1 though the ,renaissance faade and thirteenth-century doorway1 with curious figures of ,adam and ,eve1 repaid me for my extra trudge and ,i returned to my hotel with the imagined slight dissipated and my amour propre restored4 ,my last pilgrimage in ,spain happened one cold afternoon when ,i went out to the ,cartuja de ,miraflores4 ,the clouds hung low over the hills and the damp smell of autumn was in the air4 ,the road thither passes through avenues of great poplars4 ,the leaves had begun to fall and it was wet under foot4 ,a slight drizzle was imperceptibly saturating everything and ,i thought the time of my departure from sunny ,spain not ill-chosen4 ,despite all this1 and the depressing day1 ,i can always recall with pleasure the road that my companion and ,i traversed before we passed under the arch that marks the monastic boundary4 ,beggars accosted us at the door of the monastery1 for once ,i gave them alms and received a blessing4 ,we passed in1 and found ourselves in a pretty little courtyard filled with dahlias and other autumnal flowers4 ,the bright colours cheered us a bit1 the church lay on our left1 we entered it under a ,gothic arch4 ,a monk in the stalls was at prayer1 he also kept an observant eye on the two visitors4 ,our footsteps seemed to sound intensely loud on the stone pavement1 and we spoke in very low whispers4 ,the cold white-washed walls and this solitary figure droning out his prayers were depressing4 ,we furtively admired the finely-carved stalls1 the grand retablo over the ,high ,altar with its terribly life-like crucifix1 all the time with a feeling on my part of that vigilant eye boring a hole in my back like a gimlet4 ,we next examined the alabaster tomb the masterpiece of ,gil de ,siloe1 executed to the order of ,isabella the ,catholic1 which stands in front of the altar4 ,juan ,,ii4 and his wife ,isabella of ,portugal lie side by side clothed in their robes of state4 ,at his feet are two ,lions1 at hers a ,lion and a ,dog4 ,i forgot the solitary monk and the gimlet stopped its work as ,i became lost in admiration while following the intricacies of ,gil de ,siloe's greatest production4 ,at the eight corners of this magnificent tomb1 most undoubtedly the finest ,i have ever seen1 and by some considered unsurpassed in ,europe1 sixteen lions support the royal arms1 above them along the cornice beautiful little statuettes stand under canopies which are a marvel of delicate tracery4 ,the embroidery on the robes of the royal pair is exquisite and the imitation of the lace work unsurpassed4 ,for a long time we stood discussing and admiring the marvellous cleverness of the designer of a monument which is worthy of the great and pious woman who erected it to the memory of her parents4 ,hard by in the west wall of the church is the tomb of the ,infante ,alfonso1 whose death at the early age of sixteen left the accession vacant for ,isabella and so changed the history of ,castile4 ,it is likewise a wonderful piece of work by the same skilful hand4 ,the young ,prince kneels alone in an attitude of prayer which gains dignity from the half-shadow thrown by the recess in which the monument is placed4 ,the arch above is decorated with a twining vine1 while men-at-arms support the tomb4 ,we turned from the contemplation of these two memorials and the monotone of the old monk's prayer filled the church4 ,i think we both shared a feeling of relief when we found ourselves once more outside under the grey sky1 though ,i shall ever remember the impression of that aisleless church with its magnificent tombs1 that white robed monk with his droning voice1 the chill of the autumn air and those long lines of stately poplars under which ,i passed in my last pilgrimage in ,spain4 ,,index ,abderrhaman1 mosque of1 #hj ,adrian ,,iv41 ,pope1 #ha ,albornoz1 ,cardinal1 tomb of1 #aaa ,alfonso ,,vi41 #bcd1 #bce ,alfonso ,,viii41 #bde ,alfonso de ,cartagena1 ,bishop1 #bdj ,alfonso el ,catolico1 #aig2 coffin of1 #bbj ,alfonso the ,chaste1 #bah1 #bbj ,alfonso the ,learned1 sarcophagus of1 #aj ,alfonso de los ,rios1 #bch ,alhambra1 #ca1 #df1 sqq4 ,court of ,lions1 #ej ,almakkari1 historian1 #bc ,almanzor1 #bjj ,alva ,garcia1 #ach ,alvaro de ,luna1 #bcb ,antequerra1 #dh ,arabic documents1 #bcj ,aragon1 union of1 with ,castile1 #fg ,arfe1 silver monstrance by1 #adb ,arfe1 ,juan de1 #bbh ,arlanzn1 river1 #bcc ,astorga1 #aic-aih ,cathedral1 #aic1 sqq4 ,historical sketch1 #aig ,augustus1 ,emperor1 #hd ,averroes1 #cj ,avila1 #acg-add ,cathedral1 #ha1 #ach ,avila1 ,historical sketch1 #acg ,avila1 tomb of1 #adc ,badajos1 ,juan de1 #bae ,baeza1 #aie ,barcelona1 #hc1 #ia-ii ,cathedral1 #ib1 sqq4 ,church of ,san ,pablo del ,campo1 #id ,church of ,santa ,marica del ,mar1 #ie ,church of ,santa ,marica del ,pi1 #ie ,historical sketch1 #ia1 sqq4 ,rambla1 #ig ,barceloneta1 suburb of ,barcelona1 #if ,bartolom1 and the ,capilla ,real1 ,granada1 #ci ,beatrice of ,swabia1 sarcophagus of1 #aj ,becerra1 ,gaspar1 #aie ,beggars1 at ,cordova1 #bi1 #cj2 at ,seville1 #cj1 #ce2 at ,madrid1 #cj ,bernardo de ,aragon1 tomb of1 #afd ,berruguete1 carvings by1 #aac1 #ada1 #bbh ,boabdil1 figure of1 at ,granada1 #da ,brutus1 ,junius1 founds colony on the ,turia1 #ff ,bull-fights1 at ,seville1 #bj ,burgos1 #bcc-bdh ,capilla del ,condestable1 #bch ,capilla del ,corpus ,christi1 #bdb ,capilla de la ,presentacion1 #bci ,capilla de ,san ,enrique1 #bdj ,capilla del ,santissimo ,cristo1 #bci ,cathedral1 #bcc1 sqq4 ,chapel of ,santa ,anna1 #bdj ,church of ,san ,domingo de ,silos1 #bdd ,church of ,san ,juan de ,sahagun1 #bdj ,convent of las ,huelgas1 #bde ,collegio de ,san ,nicolas1 #bdd ,historical sketch1 #bcd1 sqq4 ,museum1 #bdd ,cadiz1 #a-e ,acadmia de ,bellas ,artes1 #d ,cathedral1 #c1 #d ,historical sketch1 #c ,mercado1 #d ,csar1 ,julius1 captures ,seville1 #g ,calix at ,valencia1 #ga ,campaa1 ,pedro1 pictures at ,seville1 #ab ,cano1 ,alonso1 pictures by1 at ,cadiz1 #d2 at ,seville1 #aa1 #ab2 builds faade of ,cathedral at ,granada1 #ch2 pictures by1 #ch2 pictures by1 at ,malaga1 #fj2 figure by at ,segovia1 #aea ,cartuja de ,miraflores1 #bdf ,casa ,consistorial1 ,barcelona1 #ie ,casa del ,cordon1 ,burgos1 #bdc ,catalua1 union with ,aragon1 #ib ,cervantes1 house of1 #bcb ,charles ,v41 palace of1 #ed2 arms of1 #bcf ,chartres ,cathedral1 #baa ,chirriguera1 ,high ,altar by1 #abi1 #ada1 #bbh ,cid1 the1 #fe1 #bja ,cofre del ,cid1 #bdb ,columbus1 monument at ,seville1 #aa2 house of1 #bcb ,comunros1 #bdc ,cordova1 #bc-cj ,capilla de ,nuestra ,seorade ,villavicosia1 #be ,cathedral1 #bd1 sqq4 ,convent de ,san ,jeronimo1 #cj ,historical sketch1 #bc1 #bd ,mosques1 #bd1 #be ,cornielis1 work of1 #ada ,corre de ,sol1 ,granada1 #ee ,cristbal1 carving by1 at ,tortosa1 #ha ,dalman de ,mur1 ,high ,altar by1 #afd ,damian ,forment1 retablo1 #aff1 #afg ,darro1 river at ,granada1 #ca1 #cc1 #cd1 #cg ,de ,gainza1 ,martin1 #aj ,diego de ,porcelos1 #bdb ,diego de ,siloe1 plans ,cathedral at ,granada1 #ch2 at ,malaga1 #ei ,duque de ,lerma1 #bbf ,edward ,i41 marriage of1 #bdd1 #bde ,el ,calvario1 #aej ,el ,campanario1 tower at ,cordova1 #bg ,el ,cristo de la ,luz1 ,toledo1 #aae ,el ,grao1 port of ,valencia1 #fg ,el ,parral1 ,segovia1 #aed ,el ,transito1 ,toledo1 #aad ,englefield1 ,sir ,francis1 #bcb ,escovedo1 ,juan1 #aej ,essex1 siege of ,cadiz by ,lord1 #d ,ferdinand ,i41 #bjj1 marriage of1 #bdc ,ferdinand and ,isabella1 monument at ,granada1 #dj2 portraits1 #da1 #dd1 #bbe2 arms of1 #bbg ,ferdinand el ,santos1 #bcd1 #bce ,francisco de ,lara1 ceiling by1 #aab ,francisco de ,palenzuela1 tomb of1 #abf ,fruela ,i41 coffin of1 #bbj ,gallegos1 panels by1 #bjc ,gay1 #hd ,genil1 river at ,granada1 #cd ,geromino1 tomb of1 #abf ,geronimo1 #bjj ,gerona1 #aja-aj ,cathedral1 #ajc1 sqq4 ,church of ,san ,pedro de los ,gallegans1 #aje ,historical sketch1 #aja1 sqq4 ,gibraltar1 #eh ,gil de ,siloe1 #bdg ,giralda ,tower1 ,seville1 #ac1 #ad ,gomar1 ,francisco1 work at ,tarragona1 #hf ,gonzalo de ,cordoba1 #de ,grado1 ,canon ,juan de1 tomb of1 #bjd ,granada1 #ca-ce ,albaicin1 #ca ,alhambra1 #ca1 sqq4 ,antequeruela1 #ca ,capilla de la ,antigue1 #ci ,capilla de ,pulgar1 #dd ,capilla ,real1 #db ,capilla de ,trinidad1 #ch ,cathedral1 #ch1 #dd ,church of ,san ,juan de los ,reyes1 #dd ,church of ,san ,niclas1 #dd ,church of ,santa ,anna1 #dd ,convent of ,cartuja1 #de ,convent of ,san ,geronimo1 #de ,greek remains1 ,tuy1 #ahc ,guadalete1 river at ,cadiz1 #e2 battle on banks of1 #eh ,guadalquiver1 position of ,cordova on1 #bc ,guadelmedina1 the1 #fa ,guillermo ,boffy1 #ajd ,gutierrez1 ,bishop1 #bai ,hernandez1 #bbi1 #bcj ,hontaon1 rebuilt dome of ,seville ,cathedral1 #ab2 ,salamanca ,cathedral1 #abe2 ,segovia1 #aej ,hospital de ,santa ,cruz1 ,toledo1 #aaf ,infante ,alfonso1 tomb of1 #bdh ,inigo de ,mendoz1 tomb of1 #aab ,james ,i41 of ,aragon1 armour of at ,valencia1 #gj2 tomb of1 #hf ,jews at ,seville1 #ae ,john of ,cologne1 #bcd1 #bch ,john of ,gaunt1 #agh ,jos ,granados1 builds western facade of ,cathedral1 ,granada1 #ch ,juan ,,ii41 #bd ,juan ,bantista ,celma1 #agh ,juan1 ,prince1 tomb of1 #adb ,juan de ,borgoa1 frescoes by1 #aab1 #ada ,juan de ,castro1 #agh ,juan de ,juni1 #bbh ,juan de ,mena1 #cj ,juan de ,padilla1 figure of1 #bdd ,juan de ,vallejo1 #bcg ,juanes1 ,last ,supper by1 #ga ,la ,magdena1 ,zamora1 #bja ,lanfredo1 ,bishop1 #hj ,la ,pea ,gajera1 #aed ,la ,pearala1 #aeh ,las ,navas de ,tolosa1 #bde ,leon1 #bje-baf ,cathedral1 #bji ,chapel of ,la ,nuestra ,seora del ,dado1 #bac ,convent of ,san ,isidoro el ,real1 #bad ,convent of ,san ,marcos1 #bae ,historical sketch1 #bje1 sqq4 ,leovigild1 #bje ,loja1 #dh ,loyola1 relic of1 #ie ,lucan1 #cj ,madrazo1 designs by1 #baj ,maestro ,matio1 portrait of1 #agf ,malaga1 #eg-fc ,alcazba1 #fa ,cathedral1 #ei ,historical sketch1 #eg1 sqq4 ,mercado1 #fa ,malagueta1 river1 #fa ,manrique de ,lara1 ,bishop1 #baj ,maragatos1 the1 #aie ,marcellus peoples ,cordova1 #bc ,maria ,padilla1 mistress of ,pedro the ,cruel1 coffin of1 #aj ,maurice1 ,bishop1 #bcd1 #bce ,mena1 ,pedro de1 pupil of ,cano1 #fj ,mendoza1 ,cardinal1 #bai ,meshwr1 #ec ,miguelete ,tower1 #ff ,minho1 river1 #ahc ,monte ,mauro1 #cd ,morales1 #cj ,mulhacen1 #dh ,murillo1 pictures at ,cadiz1 #d2 ,san ,antonio de ,padua at ,seville1 #aa2 in ,seville ,museum1 #bj ,museum1 ,seville1 #bj ,napoleonic ,wars1 #fg ,naranco1 #bbc ,church of ,santa ,maria1 #bbc1 #bbd ,nicodemus1 #bci ,nicolas ,florentino1 retablo by1 #abh ,nicolas de ,vergara1 carving by1 #aac ,notre ,dame de ,paris1 #baa ,oca1 ,bishop1 #bce ,oar1 river1 #ajb ,ordoo ,i41 coffin of1 #bbj ,ordoo ,,ii41 #bac ,orense1 #ahg-aia ,cathedral1 #ahg1 sqq4 ,convent of ,san ,francisco1 #aij ,historical sketch1 #ahg ,oviedo1 #bag-bbd ,capilla del ,rey ,casto1 #bbj ,cathedral1 #bah ,historical sketch1 #bah1 sqq4 ,panteon1 ,leon1 #bae ,parapanda1 ,mount1 #dh ,pedro the ,cruel1 coffin of1 #aj2 trees planted by1 #ad ,pedro ,mato1 statue of1 #aie ,pelayo1 #bbb ,petrucci ,orto1 chalice by1 #adb ,philip ,,ii4 destroys mosques at ,cordova1 #bd ,philip ,vigarni1 #bcg1 #bch ,philip and ,juana la ,loca1 tomb of1 at ,granada1 #dj2 coffins of1 #db ,pisuerga1 river1 #bbe ,pliny quoted1 #aig ,pradas1 work of1 at ,granada1 #dc ,quintata1 ,cardinal1 tomb of1 #aij ,ramiro ,,ii41 #bjj ,ramiro1 coffin of1 #bbj ,ramon ,berenguer ,i41 ,count1 #ia ,ramon ,berenguer ,,ii41 and ,emensendis1 tombs of1 #ajd ,reus1 #hc ,ribalta1 painting by1 at ,valencia1 #ga ,ribera1 ,adoration by1 #ga ,roman remains1 at ,tarragona1 #hd2 at ,segovia1 #adi ,roman ,sculpture at ,tarragona1 #hi ,salamanca1 #aba-ace ,capilla del ,carmen1 #abf ,capilla ,mayor1 #abh ,capilla de ,san ,bartolom1 #abh ,capilla de ,talavera1 #abh ,cathedrals1 #aba1 #abd1 sqq41 #abg ,church of ,san ,pedro1 #adc ,collegio ,mayor de ,santiago ,apostol1 #acb ,convent of las ,agustinas ,recoletas1 #acj ,grammar ,school1 #aca ,historical sketch1 #abc1 sqq4 ,university1 #aca ,san ,pedro1 river at ,cadiz1 #e ,santa ,eulalia1 body of1 #ic1 #bbj ,santiago1 #aga-aha ,cathedral1 #agc1 sqq4 ,collegio de ,san ,gernimo1 #ahj ,historical sketch1 #agb ,santos ,cruz1 pictures by1 #ada ,saragossa1 #aja1 #aei-agj ,church of ,san ,pablo1 #afg ,cathedrals1 #afb1 sqq4 ,el ,pilar1 #afe ,historical sketch1 #aei1 sqq4 ,la ,seo1 #afb1 sqq4 ,sebastian del ,piombo1 #bci ,segovia1 #ade-aeh ,capilla del ,cristo del ,consuelo1 #aeb ,cathedral1 #aej1 sqq4 ,chapel of ,santa ,cantalina1 #aeb ,church of ,san ,martin1 #aec 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,church of ,san ,pedro of ,ildefonso1 #bja ,historical sketch1 #bjj ,hospital1 #bja ,zurbaran1 pictures at ,cadiz1 #d2 at ,seville1 #aa1 #ab ,printed by ,,ballantyne ,,co4 ,,limited ,tavistock ,street1 ,covent ,garden1 ,london 99 99 99 99 99 ,typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber4 matyrdoms of the ,ordermartyrdoms of the ,order ,witiza in the meantime died and was suceeded,witiza in the meantime died and was succeeded ,the whole rises in isolated grandeur and and may perhaps gain,the whole rises in isolated grandeur and may perhaps gain and if it happen to be aand if it happens to be a the arches of the the old bridgethe arches of the old bridge so named on acount of the scallop shellsso named on account of the scallop shells she is embracing me1 we disentagle ourselvesshe is embracing me1 we disentangle ourselves but a short exsistence as their house of prayerbut a short existence as their house of prayer who fought three antagonists one ofter another and came off successfulwho fought three antagonists one after another and came off successful ,i was immediatley nonplussed,i was immediately nonplussed ,bernardo de ,arragon1 tomb of1 #afd;,bernardo de ,aragon1 tomb of1 #afd