a

Ur

4~

*mt

From

a painting by A.

Wagnei

t .'i.

POCKET EDITION

THE

TRAVELS of THEOPHILE GAUTIER

Volume One

flUTranslated and Edited by

PROFESSOR

F.

C.

DE SUMICHRAST

4-

Department of French, Harvard University

TRAVELS
IN SPAIN
With an Introduction
by the Editor

BOSTON

LITTLE, BROWN,

AND COMPANY

1912

#^4l^4^4s>4^

Copyright,

igol, by

George D. Sproul

V
<3lS3
v/.l

UNIVERSITY PRESS

JOHN

AND SON

CAMBRIDGE,

*i*

j<.

r4 *4 ! *4 *4* *4*

*!'

sJicsrtifjfesfesffsfesbsfes? *=*==

Contents
Introduction Irun
<*
3

"

15

Vergara
Burgos

Burgos

Valladolid

"27 "47 "66

"84.
" '44

Madrid

The

Escorial

Toledo

"

'57

Granada

"198
" 277

Malaga
Cordova
Seville

"

3 23

Cadiz

Gibraltar

"356 "378

Introduction

4. 4.4. 4. 4, 4. 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4.4; 4. 4; 4. 4.

44 -i;* 4.4.

Travels in Spain
4;4^4;4;4.4.4.4> 4. .-4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4.4. 4. 4.4. 4.4. 4. 4. 4

Introduction
SPAIN whether
to
it,

has

always

attracted
it

Frenchmen

they warred with

least

or were friendly

at

they have never been indiffer-

ent to

it.

The
is

noble French epic, "

The
the

Song of Roland,"
sixteenth

full

of Saracenic
the
in
its

Spain

century

borrowed

Spanish

version

of

" Amadis of Gaul " which,

the

new

dress,
;

became

breviary of the Court of the Valois

Henry IV

fought and defeated the Spaniard, but wore his costume

and spoke
at

his

language; Richelieu checkmated Spain

every point, but Corneille sang the praises of the

pundonor in his

Castilian

immortal " Cid

"

Conde

destroyed the military prestige of the dons at Rocroy,

but Scarron turned to the writers of the Peninsula for

inspiration,

and Moliere placed the Sevillian

stage.

Don Juan
century
Bias,"
local

upon the French

Lesage's
purely

In

the

eighteenth

French

masterpiece,

" Gil

masqueraded under Spanish names and Spanish

a. 4. 4, 4. 4, 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4.4. 4. 4;

4; 4; 4. 4; 4; & i; db
veil that

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
colour, and
it

was under a Spanish

Beaumar-

chais presented his subversive

comedy " The Marriage

of Figaro," on the eve of the Revolution.

When

the nineteenth century

felt

dawned and Roman-

ticism arose, that school yielded to

it

the Spanish attraction and

more ardently than had ever before been

the case.

Chateaubriand, the founder of Romanticism,

tale,

wrote a picturesque and sentimental of the Abencerrages,"

the
in

"The

Last

which he
glories

brilliantly described

Alhambra and the

into

of Granada, without
recalled

entering
history

actual

detail,

and

the

varied

of the land

ruled

in

turn by

Moor and by
the
spell:

Christian.
his

Alfred

de Vigny, too,

owned
"

" Dolorida " and "

The Horn
Spain.
for

seemed
pictures

to

the

enthusiastic youth of his day faithful

past and the present in

of the

Old

Alfred de Musset,

whose reputation balanced

sov'ran poet,

time

that

of the

made

his
in

debut

with "Tales of Spain

that

and Italy," written

alone

the the

richly coloured verse

found

favour in

eyes of the
his

men

of his

generation.

Merimee produced
collection

" Drama of Clara

by the
la

Gazul,"

of plays

inspired

free

drama of Lope de Vega and Calderon de

which he palmed off
as Spanish

Barca,

originals,

and which

4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; a. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4.4,

INTRODUCTION
he followed with
tales, the

scene of which was

laid

in

the Peninsula, and later with " Letters

from Spain,"
Victor
in

written while travelling through the country.

Hugo, the chief of the school, had " Odes and Ballads " turned

already

his

to the land of fiery pas-

sions and fierce hatreds for striking subjects.

celebrated " Preface " to his

In his

drama " Cromwell," adand

miration

for

Spanish

letters
It

modes of thought

showed
that

plainly enough.

was with a Spanish subject

" Hernani "

he

won
name

his

first

triumph on the stage and over-

threw for a time the Classical repertory.

was

to

conjure by in those days, and even

later,

now, seventy years

the echoes of the conflict

it

aroused have not wholly died

away.

It

was with

Spanish

subject

again

that

in

" Ruy Bias " Victor

it

Hugo

scored another success, while

is

interesting to

note that these are the only two plays of his that have
survived the wreck of the Romanticist drama.

The

Romanticist

movement had

been

impelled

towards exoticism by Chateaubriand, and the various

writers of genius or talent
lead

who

hastened to follow his

in

sought that exoticism either

in

bygone times

the

especially

the epoch

of the Renaissance and

absolutely
foreign

Middle

Ages

or

in

countries.

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Italy never
siasts

seemed quite foreign enough

to the enthuin
litera-

of that excitable and emotional period

It

ture.

was too

closely linked with classical

in the

memories
mediaeval
the
exi-

to furnish

save

bloody annals of

its

days

subjects

startling

enough

to

satisfy

gencies of the Romanticists.

Spain, the legendary Spain

of the poet and the romancer, of Lope de Vega and

Calderon, of Columbus and

contrary, taken a strong

Cervantes, had, on the

hold on the imaginations of

school.
It

the writers of the

new

combined

all

the

elements of picturesqueness and strangeness, of violent

passions and singular manners, which they craved for.
It

shared with Greece

the

Greece of the

War

of

Independence

and
It
th'e

with Turkey the characteristics was, like these lands, wholly

dif-

of Orientalism.
ferent

from

France of the Restoration

Its

and the

bourgeois

king

Louis-Philippe.

scenery

must

of

necessity

be grander, wilder, more

diversified,

more

striking than that of fair France, fair and gentle, but as

yet scarcely
ciated
until

known

to

its

inhabitants, and
to

unappreits

George Sand drew attention

rustic

many
cities

charms and

beauties.

Spanish towns and

must perforce be quainter, more mediaeval, more barbaric

in

outline,

in

plan,

in

detail,

in

character,

in

INTROD UCTION
architecture

than

old

Paris

itself,

swamped
it.

in

the

newer
gling

city that

had grown up around

The

min-

of Gothic and Moorish

which they presented

than the mingling
in

must of necessity be more

of Gothic and Classical of the native land.

artistic

met with

the

chief cities

The

inhabitants

also,

from the

grandee

who

stood with covered head in the presence

of his sovereign to the poor but proud hidalgo draped

in his

worn and ragged mantle, must be

cast in another

mould than the society nobleman and the

epicier

despised

who

appeared to the Romanticist writer to con-

stitute effects

the totality of

French

society.

The

accursed
elo-

of civilisation

branded
be
kill,

by the flaming
century

quence of Rousseau
almost unfelt
love
lovers
in

in the previous

must be
men might
jealous,

the

Iberian land, where

passionate

and
slay

hate,

women

and

and fathers

without the stupid

law

intervening to trouble the free course of natural feeling

and desire.
Spain was the land of love intrigues, of grated win-

dows and barred

balconies, of serenades and

all

duels, of

knife-thrusts and secret poisonings, of

things, in a
litera-

word, that made

ture.
Its

life

worth

living in

Romanticist
in

men were

still

clad

the

picturesque

TRAVELS
costumes
with which
;

IN SPAIN
still

Beaumarchais had familiarised

the French
in

its

women
the

wore the

brilliant

dress

which Fanny Elssler won terpsichorean triumphs

the stage
in

on

bolero,

the

fandango, and the

cachucha.

The
navaja,

sombrero and the mantilla, the fan

the
castanets

and

the

and

the

tambourine

were inseparable adjuncts of the Castilian, the Andalusian,

and the Valencian

at

least

such was the firm

Romanticist "
inflamed

belief of the
tribe.

whole of the long-haired

Byron's " Childe Harold " and "

Don Juan

had wrought up

French
Victor

imaginations

and
did

French

hearts.

Hugo, who

remember

something of the country which he had seen when a

boy, had added fuel to the
fire

with

his splendid

tales

of Spain couched

in

burning verse.
all

And Gautier was

that land, of
its its

aglow with passionate love of

its

manners,
its

customs,

its

architecture,

Moorish remains,

Gothic

piles,

its

majos and
Spain

manolas.

The

Spain

he

knew was

the

he

dreamed of; the land he had learned

for in the verse of his

to love

and long

Byron and of

his poetic chief,

a world of passion, a land

of splendour, a country of

contrasts that appealed to his every feeling as a painter,

to his every instinct as a poet, to his every aspiration as

J* .1, 4. 4. 4. 4. 4, Ap 4; 4? 4 4.4. 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; tfc 4; 4;

I

& 4j

NT

RODUCTION
local

a youth intoxicated with the liquor of exoticism, with the

heady

wine of
in

colour.

He

had

scarcely

travelled
left

when,

1840, he crossed the Bidassoa and

the Pyrenees behind him.

He

had seen Belgium

only, and the quaintness of the architecture of that land

had but whetted

unexpectedness.

his

appetite for

more strangeness and

Then,

too, in the

Low

Countries he

had come upon innumerable traces and reminiscences

of the Spanish domination, and he was the more keen
to behold with his

own

eyes the land of Alva and Philip

the Second and of Charles the Fifth.

It

was under those influences and

in

that

state

of

mind that he began, continued, and ended his travels in

Spain.

He

sought the picturesque, the barbaric, the

it

curious, the eccentric, and

would indeed have been

strange had he not found

for,

it.

What

he went to look

and what he perceived was the external appearance

of the land and the people.

He was

not concerned

with the deeper questions that might well engage the

attention of an observer: he heeded neither the political

troubles nor the mental unrest

he paid no attention to

the conflict of dynasties nor to the aspirations towards

freedom of a people long held

in

bondage by the Bourby sue-

bon sovereigns

to the deep disturbance caused

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
cessive

revolutions treading on the heels of repeated

aggression and invasion by his

history of the century

own countrymen.
young
in

The
dis-

yet
it

is

nowhere

cussed by him, although

was

Spain that Napoleon's

power had been

shattered, that Wellington had crushed

the French armies, that the country had risen as one

man

to repel the foreign foe, and had

waged a war

so

bitter,

so relentless, so hideously cruel that humanity

it.

might well have been staggered by

At the very

moment when he was

revelling in the fierce emotions

aroused in him by the brutalising spectacle of the bullfight,

when he was joying

in
its

the

delicate,

fairy-like

grace of the Alhambra, with

memories of the Moor,

of Chateaubriand and Washington Irving,

delighting
in

when he w as
!

the glories
last

of Burgos
throes

and

Seville,

the

country was in the

of the

Carlist

war;

Espartero was the popular hero, and the Oueen-Regent,

Christina,
lessly

was abdicating the power she had

so ruth-

and so thoroughly misused, and fleeing to France.

in his

Here and there

book,

it

is

true,

one comes upon

its

passing allusions to the events that shook Spain to

foundations, but the only reflections they suggest to

are that vandalism
that
is

him

inseparable from revolutions, and

picturesqueness has lost by the expulsion of the

4. 4- 4*

4. 4*4, tb^db^rdb^bdb^rtibdbdbdbdbdb^db

INTRODUCTION
monks
in

robe and cowl from the deserted monasteries

he traverses.

With
in

this reservation,

which

is

a regret, the
It

" Travels
is

Spain " form most delightful reading.

impos-

sible, surely, to

render with greater force, vividness, and

its

accuracy the external aspect of the land and

tants; to convey

inhabi-

more admirably

in

words the sense of

form, the beauty of outline, the picturesqueness of detail

and of costume, the splendour and variety of colour.

The

style

of Gautier

is

fairly
if

enchanting
little

in

these

respects,

and the reader

he learns

or nothing

of the character and modes of thought of the Spaniards,

if

he

is

not helped to an understanding of the forces at

the

work

in

country which

Roman

and

Moor

con-

quered and

lost

enjoys

at least

an unparalleled word-

painting of one of the most picturesque of lands, of the

most interesting of countries.

The " Travels

of

in

Spain "

first

appeared in the shape

Presse,

letters to the Paris journal

La

between

May
the

27 and September 3, 1840, under the

Feullletoniste
first

title

Lettres d'un

Sur
de

les

Chemuis.

These comprised

nine chapters.

The
Paris,

tenth and eleventh appeared

in

the

Revue

on January 17 and 31 and

in the

October 17, 1841, and the remaining ones

Revue

4. 4- 4- 4; 4- 4; 4. 4; 4; 4j 4; 4.4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

TRAVELS
<&* Z)*wx
1,

IN SPAIN
book
1843,

Mondes, between April 15, 1842, and January

1843.
in

They were

collected and published in

additions, in

form,

two volumes, with some

title

under the
Piot,

Tra

Ios

Montes, and dedicated to Eugene

who

had been his travelling companion.

In 1845

new

edition appeared, in

which the

title

was changed

to Voyage en

Espagne, and in
Ios

1849 the

original

name

of the work, Tra

Monies, was added as a sub-title.

Travels

in

Spain

 4, 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

;fc 4;

4; 4; 4.

Travels in Spain
4. 4. 4, J, 4, 4. 4. 4; 4; J; 4. A. 4.4; *; 4^ 4^4:4; 4; 4; 4^ 4.4;

IRUN

A
tion

FEW
go

weeks

since, in April, 1840,

had

carelessly said,
to

"

should

rather like to

Spain."

few

days

later

my

friends

had omitted the prudent reserva-

which accompanied the expression of

my

wish,
I

and repeated to any one that came along that

going on a
trip
rid

was
I

to Spain.

So on the 5th of

May

proceeded to

my

country of

my

importunate person,

and climbed into the Bordeaux stage-coach, which took

me

to

that

city
in

and

Bayonne, where we

took

the

Madrid coach,

which we reached the Bidassoa River.

On
first

the other side of the Bidassoa

shows Irun, the

belongs
is

Spanish

village.

Half

the

bridge

to

France, half to

Spain.

Close to the bridge

the

famous

Isle

of Pheasants, where was

celebrated by

proxy the marriage of Louis XIV.

few more revolutions of our wheels, and

shall

perhaps lose one of

my

illusions

and see disappear the

15

j. j.

,i, ^t.

j,

,j,

j. 4-

AAA j^t AAAJ'jijbj' AAAA

'

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Spain of

my

dreams, the Spain of the Romancero, of

Victor Hugo's ballads, of Merimee's tales and Alfred

de Musset's stories.

As

cross

the dividing line, I

remember what
at

dear, witty that

:

Henri

Heine

said

to

me

Liszt's concert, in

German

accent of

his, full

of

humour and

slyness

"

How

will

you manage
"
?

to

speak of Spain after you

have been there

One
either

half of the

Bidassoa bridge belongs to France,

;

the other half to Spain

you can

plant

one foot on
the farther
life

kingdom, which

is

very grand.
at

At

end of the bridge you plunge and

to a
in

once into Spanish

local colour.

Irun has no resemblance whatever

French

village.
;

The
tiles,

roofs of the houses project

fan shape

the

alternately

convex and con-

cave, form a sort of crenelation of strange and

ish aspect
;

Moor-

the jutting balconies are of old blacksmith's

for

work of amazing beauty

lonely

village,

and

convey the idea of great wealth now vanished.

The

women
so

spend

their
in

lives

on these balconies, shaded

and turn them into
the face

by an awning

striped colours,

many

aerial

chambers stuck on
ends
are

of the
give

building.

The two

unprotected, and

passage to the cooling breeze and to burning glances.

Do

not,

however, look there for the dun,

16

warm

tints,

RUN
a painter might
after the
is

the

brown-meerschaum shades which

for,
;

hope

everything

whitewashed

Arab

fashion

but the contrast of the chalky tone with the

the beams, the
roofs,

dark,

brown colour of

and the

balconies nevertheless

produces a pleasant
horses
at

effect.

We

parted

with

Irun.

To

the coach

were harnessed ten mules, clipped half way up the

body, so that they were half hide, half hair, like those
mediaeval
different

costumes which look

garments
that

like

two halves of
sewed
a

have

been

together.

These curiously clipped mules have

and appear dreadfully one to study
cles,

strange look,

thin, for

the denudation enables

their

anatomy thoroughly
veins

bones, musWith

and

the smallest of the

tails

included.

their hairless
like

and their pointed ears, they look

huge

rats.

Besides the ten mules, our numbers

a

were increased by
with

zagal and two

escopeteros,

adorned
zagal
is

bell-mouthed

muskets

{trabucos).

a sort of runner or sub-mayoral,

who

puts the shoe on

the

wheels on perilous

hills,

looks after the harness

and the springs, hurries up the relays, and plays the

part of

La
a

Fontaine's

fly,

but

much more

efficaciously.

He

wears

charming costume
bands
and
silk

a pointed hat,

adorned
or

with velvet

tufts,

and

brown

17

TRAVELS
colours,
usually blue,

IN SPAIN
red,

snuff-coloured jacket with cuffs and collar of different

white, and

with

great

arabesque flowering in the middle of his back, breeches

studded

with

filigree

buttons,

pair

of alpargatas,

which are sandals fastened with cords.

sash and a scarf with

Add

red

many

coloured stripes, and you

get-up.

have a thoroughly correct

The

escopeteros

are guardians {miqueletes), destined to escort the carriage

and to frighten away

on a small
scale),

rateros (the

name

given to thieves

who would

not resist the temptation

of spoiling a single traveller, but

sight

whom
off,

the terrifying

of a trabuco suffices to stand

and

who

pass

by saluting you with the regulation, J'aya V.

con Dios,

" Go, and

escopeteros
less

God
is

be with

you."

The

dress

of the

very similar to that of the zagal, but

coquettish and less rich.

They

sit

on top
the

at

the

back

of the carriage
In

and

thus overlook

whole
to

country.

describing
postilion,

our

caravan
rides

we

forgot

mention

a little

who

on

a horse,
line.

keeps

ahead of the

train,

and

starts the

whole

A strange, inexplicable, harsh, terrifying, and

provoking noise had been
I filling

laughter-

my

ear for

some

time.

fancied

it

must be,

at

the very least,

some

princess
It

being murdered by a ferocious necromancer.

was

^ 4. 4, 4: 4^ 4; 4. 4? Jj 4^ 4;4; 4; IRU N
nothing more
of

tfc :fc

&

:?:

4: J: A' sb

&

:fc

than an

ox-cart

ascending

the

street

Irun

its

wheels shrieking hideously for lack of

grease, the driver preferring, no doubt, to put the said

grease into his soup.

The The

cart

was

in

every respect
solid

exceedingly primitive.

wheels were
in

blocks

and turned with the axle, as

by children from the
is

the

little

carts

made
noise

shell of a

pumpkin.
is

The
them

heard

over a mile

away, and
It

not

considered

unpleasant
a

by

the

natives.

provides

with
as

musical

instrument

which

plays

automatically

long as the wheel

lasts.

peasant here would not

have a cart that did not shriek.

This

particular one

must have been constructed

at the

time of the flood.

As

the

hill is

steep I walked as far as the

I cast

town

gate,

and turning around

a farewell glance

on France.
chain of

The

prospect was truly magnificent.

The

the Pyrenees sank in harmonious undulations towards the blue

silvery

surface of the
;

sea,

cut here and the

there by
clearness
far

bars

and, thanks
I

to

extreme
very

of the

atmosphere,

could

perceive
line

away
into

a faint, pale,

salmon-coloured

which projected

the vast azure, and formed a great bight on the edge

of

the

coast.

Bayonne and
this

its

outpost, the

Biarritz,

formed the extremity of

point, and

Gulf of

iii #i*

*-&+

+i* *i *i* '? *4 *4 *4* *^*t? tS? tt? s? tt? db

db ttrtS. dbtfedb

TRAVELS
Gascony stood out
on
in

IN SPAIN
on a map.

as plainly as

From now

we

shall not again

approach the sea until

we

are

Andalusia.

Farewell, good old

full

Ocean

The

carriage galloped at
hills,

speed up and

down

extremely steep

a performance

which can be

carried out only thanks to the marvellous skill of the

drivers

and

the

extraordinary

surefootedness
fell
little

of the
our laps

mules.

In spite of our speed, there

laurel

in

from time to time a

branch, a

bouquet of
like

wild flowers, a string of

mountain

strawberries

rosy pearls threaded on a blade of grass.

These bougirls,

quets were thrown by the

little

beggar boys and

who

followed the coach, running barefooted over the

sharp stones.

This fashion of asking

for

alms by

first

making
about
it.

a gift one's self has

something noble and poetic

The

landscape was delightful, somewhat

Swiss in

appearance, pel haps, but of very varied aspect.

Moun-

tainous masses, in the intervals of which one caught

sight of
still

higher ridges, rose up on either side of the

slopes,
diversified
off"

way.

Their

with

various

crops,

wooded with green

vaporous summits.

oaks, set

admirably the distant

at

Red-roofed villages blossomed

the foot of the mountains amid clumps of trees, and

4-4-4-4*4- 4- 4 4- 4- 4 4; 4j 4; 4j 4; 4; 4.4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

IRUN
every minute
I

expected to see Ketle or Gretle issue

chalets.
far.

from these new

Happily, Spain does not carry

comic opera quite so

Torrents as capricious as
little

women come

and go, form

cascades, part, meet again, thread the rocks and

the pebbles in the most diverting fashion, and afford a

pretext
for

an

endless

number of

the

most

pictur-

esque bridges.

These

bridges have a peculiar appear-

ance

the arches are cut out almost up to the railing,

so that the road to be

on which the coach

six

drives

seems not
of trianguis

more than

inches thick.
office

sort

lar pier,

performing the
the
centre.

of a bastion,
profession

usually

found
bridge

in
is

The

of

Spanish
scarcely

not a very fatiguing one.

There can

be a more perfect sinecure; you can walk under Spanish bridges

in
their-

during nine months

in the year.

They

stay a

places with imperturbable

fate,
little

indifference and

patience worthy of a better

awaiting a river, a

thread of water, or even a

are well

dampness
are

for they

aware that

their

arches

mere

arcades,

and
I

their

name

utter flattery.
at

The

torrents of

which
five

spoke just

now have

most a depth of four or

inches of water, but they suffice to

make

good deal

of noise and to impart

life to

the solitudes

which they

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
traverse.

From

time to time

they drive

some

millin

wheel, or feed some works by means of a dam, built

just the place for a landscape painter.

The

houses scattered

in

small groups through the

land are of a strange colour,

neither black, nor white,

This
defiis
it

nor yellow, but the colour of roast turkey.

nition,

however

trivial

and culinary

may

sound,
trees

none the

less absolutely correct.

Clumps of

and

patches of green oaks bring

out admirably the gray

lines and the vaporous, sombre tints of the mountains.

We

dwell purposely on these trees because nothing

is

rarer in Spain,

and henceforth

we

shall

have but scant

opportunity to describe them.

We
sleep.

changed mules

at

Oyarzun, and

at

nightfall
to

reached the village

of Astigarraga, where
yet had any

we were

We
Don

had not

experience

of the
descrip-

Spanish inn;
tions in

and the picaresque

and

lively

Quixote and Lazarillo de Tormes coming

at

back to our memory, our whole body itched

the

mere thought of them.

with hair as long
at

We
that

expected omelets adorned

of the Merovingian kings,

;

mixed with feathers and claws

with
all

pieces of stale bacon

suitable to
in goat-

the bristles left on, thus equally

;

make

soup out of or to black pots with

wine

IRUN
skins like those
slashed so
at
all,

which the good knight of La Mancha

furiously
is

and
little

we even

expected nothing

which

much
the

worse.
daylight

Profiting bv

which remained, we
truth

went

to visit the church,

which

in

looked more

like a fortress
like

than a temple.
the

The

small

windows

cut

loopholes,
it

thick walls, the

solid

buttresses,

imparted to
meditative.

a robust, square look

more warlike than

Spanish churches often have that appearit

ance.

Around

ran a sort of open cloister, in wh;<:h

large bell,

was suspended a very

which was rung by

moving

the striker with a rope instead of swinging the

enormous metal capsule.

When we
curtains, the

were

shown

to

our

rooms

we were

dazzled with the whiteness of the bed and window-

Dutch

cleanliness

of the

floor,

and the

perfect

neatness
girls,

of every
with
their

detail.

Tall,

handsome,
flowing

well-made

splendid

tresses

down

their

backs,

very well-dressed
sluts,

and

in

no wise

resembling the promised

activity that

came and went with an

augured well for the supper, which was

It

not long in coming.

served.
it;

was excellent and very well

At the

risk

of being tedious,

we

shall describe

for the

difference

between one people and another

c-

A, *|* ! ! 4 1 *i JU-^*A**J*r4***A*|-> A4*rJi

a*}**

vhekott

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
lies

precisely in these small details,

which

travellers

neglect in favour of grave poetical or political views,

which can very well be written without one's going

to the

country

itself.
first

A
on
red
it

rich

soup was

served, differing from ours in

is

having a reddish colour due to saffron which

to give
it

dusted

a tone.

There
is

surely

is

local colour

be

soup.

The

bread
crust
;

very white and close, with

is

a slightly golden

it

salted
palate.

sufficiently

to

quite noticeable to a Parisian

The

forks have
flat

the end of the handle turned back, the prongs cut like the teeth of a
a spatula look

and

comb.

The
As

spoons also have

not.

which our silver-ware has

damask.

The
we

cloth

is

a sort of coarse
it

for the wine,

must confess that

pal violet

was of the

richest possible episco-

and thick enough to be cut with a knife,

it

while the carafes in which

was contained

did

not

make

it

at

all

transparent.

After the soup, was served the puchero, an eminently

Spanish dish, or rather, the sole Spanish dish, for

it

is

eaten every day from Irun to Cadiz and from Cadiz

to

Irun.

proper puchcro

is

composed of

quarter

of beef, a piece of mutton, a chicken, a few ends of

a sausage called cborizo, stuffed full of pepper, pimento,

24

4, 4. 4;

4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4j Jj 4; 4. 4; 4j 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; J; 4; A

IRUN
and other spices, of
of
all,

slices

of bacon and ham, and on top

saffron

a hot

tomato and

sauce

so far the

animal portion.

The

vegetable portion, called verdura,

vanes according to the season, but cabbage and garban%o always form the basis of
scarcely
it.

The
that

garbanzo
it

is

known

in Paris,
it

and we cannot define

is

better

than

by

saying that
a bean

pea

has striven to
All this

become
stuff
is

and has succeeded too well.

served

on

different

dishes,

but the

various
to pro-

ingredients are mixed

on one's

plate in a

way

duce a very complicated and tasty mayonnaise.

This

mixture will doubtless appear somewhat barbarous to

gourmets, nevertheless
is
it

has a

charm
and

of

its

own and
Afterbutter

bound

to

please eclectics

pantheists.
oil,

wards came chickens

is

dressed

with
fish,

tor

unknown

in

Spain,

fried

either

trout
if

or de-

stock-fish,
sired,

roast

lamb,

asparagus,

salad,

and

macaroons, broiled almonds of exquisite

taste,

goat's

-milk cheese,

queso

de

Burgos,
to

which
be.

is

very

famous and
up,
a

sometimes
is

deserves
in

To
our

wind
sherry,

tray

brought

with

Malaga wine,

brandy,
anisette),

aguardiente

(which cup

resembles
(fuego)

French
live

and
light

small

filled

with

coals

to

your

cigarette.

This

meal,

with

25

TRAVELS
few unimportant changes,
every part of Spain.

IN SPAIN
is

invariably reproduced

in

We

left

Astigarraga at midnight, and passed through

Ernani, the

name of which

calls

up the most romantic

remembrances, without catching sight of anything but

huddled
hovels

and

broken-down buildings vaguely

perceived through the darkness.

out stopping, Tolosa, where

We

traversed, with-

we

noticed houses adorned

in stone.
full

with frescoes and huge coats of arms carved

It

was market day, and the market place was

of

asses,

mules picturesquely harnessed, and peasants with

fierce

strange and

faces.

By

dint

of climbing and
dry stone bridges,

descending, crossing torrents upon

we

at last

reached Vergara, where

we were

to dine.

26

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
VERG A RA BURGOS

AT

Vergara,

saw

my

first

Spanish

priest.

His

appearance struck
!

me
I

as

rather grotesque, al-

though, thank Heaven

do not entertain Voltaire's

;

ideas with regard to the clergy

but the caricature of

recurred
to

Beaumarchais'

Basile

involuntarily

me.

Imagine a black cassock with a cloak of similar colour,

and over
all

a vast, prodigious,

phenomenal, hyperboli-

cal, titanic hat,

of which no epithet, however extravait

gant and excessive

may

be, can give even the faintest

approximate
the brim
is

idea.

The

hat

is

at least three feet in

long,

curved inwards, and makes

front

and

behind the head a sort of horizontal roof.

to invent a

It is difficult It did

more absurd and

fantastic shape.
priest

not

on the whole prevent the worthy

from looking
air

very respectable, and walking about with the

of a

man whose conscience

shape of
his

is

perfectly easy as regards the

headgear.

In place of bands he wore a

small white and blue collar, a/zacuello, like the Belgian

priests.

27

t!j IvT

t?'"

"~T

*^* *A* *-*

*'-"

*^* *^* *A *A ! *!

JU 6, !- JU iJU *4* *^*

*4 *i**i*

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Beyond Mondragon, which
the
last pueblo
is,

as

they say in Spain,

of the province of Guipuscoa,

we

enfoot

tered the province of Alava, and

were soon

at the

of the

Salinas
in

mountain.

Switchback
it,

railways

are

nothing

comparison with
is

and

at first the idea that

the coach

going to cross

it

strikes

one as being as

ridiculous as
flies

walking on the ceiling head down, as

miracle was performed with the help of

do.

The

six

oxen, which were harnessed ahead of the ten mules.

in

Never

my

life

have

heard such an uproar.

The

mayoral, the zagal, the escopeteros, the postilion, and

the oxen-drivers vied with each
vectives, whip-lashings,

other in

shouts, in;

and blows of the goad

;

they

pushed

at

the spokes of the wheels

they steadied the

bridle,

coach from behind, dragged the mules by the

the oxen by the horns, with incredible ardour and fury.

The
and

coach,

at

the

tail

end of that long

the

line

of animals
appearance.

men,

presented

most

curious

There must have been

leaders
forget,

fully

fifty

yards between the

and the wheelers of the team.

by
the

Let us not
of Salinas,

way, the

church

steeple

which has a pleasant Saracenic

aspect.

Looking back from the top of the mountain, the

various elevations of the

chain

of the

Pyrenees

are

28

*l-

*.lt *-J-*

#X* riy

#*-

#Ji **% *X*

A'

#* X JU * * #* c*s #* r* *

**-2

<*

VERGARA BURGOS
seen stretched out in infinite perspective.
like great light velvet draperies cast here

They

look

and there and

rumpled into quaint folds by a Titan's caprice.

At

Royave, a
of
light.

little

farther on, I noticed an exquisite effect

snowy

summit

(sierra

nevada),

which

the nearer crests of the mountains had until then concealed from us, suddenly appeared, standing out against
a sky of so deep a lapis-lazuli

blue that

it

was almost
which we snownot

black.

Soon on every

side of the plateau

raised

were traversing, other mountains

covered,

their

cloud-capped

heads.

The snow was

by

compact, but divided into thin threads

of silver gauze,
with the azure or
cold
its

like the ribbing

whiteness increased
tints

contrast

lilac

of the rock faces.

The
as

was

rather sharp, and

grew more intense

we

advanced.

The wind
pale
it

had not got very

warm

while

caressing the
virgins,
in

cheeks

of those handsome, chilly

icy as
if
it

and

reached us as

had come
poles.

a straight line

from the
setting
sorts

arctic or antarctic

The

sun

was
all

when we
of

entered

Vitoria.

After traversing

streets, the architecture

of

which was mediocre and

stopped
at

in

poor

taste,

the carriage
fairly

the Parador Viejo.

Crossing a
arcades,

hand-

some square surrounded by

29

we went

straight

5^

*|- -l^

r.K *JU *JU * JU *!" * I* * #4 !* * !* s * a* j*

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
to

the church.

Darkness already

filled

the nave and

in

thickened

mysteriously and

threateningly

obscure
fantastic

corners, in which could be dimly

shapes.

made out

few small lamps twinkled darkly yellow

like stars

and smoky,

through a
first

fog.

It

was

in

this

Vitoria church

that I

met with those

terrifying

carvings in coloured
in

wood which

the Spanish indulge

so excessively.

After a supper (cena) which

made

us regret the one

we

had enjoyed
to

at Astigarraga,

we bethought

ourselves

of going
poster

the theatre.

We

had been lured by a

announcing

an extraordinary performance
followed

by

the

French

Hercules,

by a

baile

nacional,

which appeared

to us big with cachucas, boleros, fan-

dangos, and other wild dances.

Play-houses

in

Spain, have, as a rule, no facade, and

are distinguished

from other buildings merely by two

at

or three smoky lamps hung

the door.

We

took

two orchestra

stalls called glass seats (asientos de luneta),

and we plunged bravely

into a passage the

flooring of

which was
ground.

neither

boarded

nor

tiled,
is

but

the

bare

The

interior

of the theatre

more comfortthe boxes are

is

able than the approach

would indicate

very well arranged, and though the decoration

simple,

30

* *t* vr*

in *

*r

.r-

*****

*r * *

** *** mF* !> *t * a

VERGARA BURGOS
it

is

fresh

and

clean.
in

The

asientos

de

luneta

are
is

armchairs arranged

rows and numbered.

There

no ticket-taker

at the

door to take your tickets, but a

the close of the performdeliver

small boy collects

ance.

them before

At

the

entrance you have merely to

an admission ticket.

We

hoped to
so
far

find

here the Spanish feminine type,

of which

we had

seen

very few specimens.

the boxes and the

However, the women who

balconies had

filled

nothing Spanish about them

It

save the
it

mantilla and the fan.

was

good

deal, but

was

not enough.
military

The
as
is

audience was composed mainly of

the case in garrison towns.

men,

The

spectators in the pit stand up, as in primitive theatres.

The

orchestra,

composed of

a single

row of musicians,

most of them playing upon brass instruments, blew

courageously upon their cornets a piston an unvarying
refrain
circus.

which

recalled the trumpet-call at Franconi's

Try
patience

to

understand, gentle

reader,

the

eager im-

of

two young,
are
in

enthusiastic,

and

romantic
first

Frenchmen who
a Spanish dance

going to see for the

Spain.

time

At

last

the curtain rose 3

upon a
1

stage setting

which

TRAVELS
ing and fairy-like
greater
nacional
;

IN SPAIN

had the intention, not carried out, of being enchantthe cornets a piston blew forth with

fury the above-mentioned blast, and

the baile

came forward

in

the

persons of a male and a

female

dancer, both of them

I

armed with

castanets.

Never have
ble.

seen anything sadder and more lamentatheatre

No
a

twopenny
a

has ever borne upon

its

worm-eaten boards
pair,

more worn
pair

out, tired out, toothless

more complete

of wrecks.

The

poor

woman, who had

powder, had
a

plastered

herself

over with inferior

to

sky-blue

tint

which recalled

the

imagination the delightful image of a person

died of cholera, or of a

who

has

drowned man who has been

too long out of the water.

As
his
is

for the
;

man, he darkly
fell

hopped up and down

loosely like a bat

in

corner

he rose and
its

which

crawling on

feet

he

looked like a grave-digger engaged in burying himself.

If instead of castanets he had held a Gothic rebec, he

could have passed for the coryphaeus in the fresco of

the

Dance of Death

at Basle.

As
at

long as the dance

lasted

they never once

afraid to behold
tears

looked

each

other

they

seemed

each other's ugliness, and to

old, so

burst into
crepit,

on seeing themselves so

de-

and so deathly-looking.
32

J* ,* *J* ri.

*U

rUJ*A,.U~l**U^J-*U*UM 4,4*4**1? * *?#

VERGAR A BURGOS
This bolero of death
lasted five
fell,

or six minutes, at

the end of which the curtain

torture of these
is

putting an end to the

to

two wretches and

our own.
in

That
love

how

the bolero struck

two poor

travellers

with local colour.

Spanish dances exist

be found
in

in Paris alone,

just as sea-shells are to

curiosity

shops

only, and never upon the seashore.

We
start

went

to

bed pretty well disappointed.

In the

middle of the night

again.

we were
cold

called
still

up, for
bitter,

we
a

had to
regular

The

was
to

Siberian

temperature,

due

the

elevation

of

the

piateau

we were

traversing and

the snows by

which

we were

surrounded.
old Castile (Castillo la Vieja')

At Miranda we entered
in the
lion

kingdom of

Castile

and Leon, symbolised by a

holding a shield seme of castles.

until

These

lions,

which are repeated

you are sick of them, are

usually of gray granite, and have an imposing heraldic

port.

Between Ameyugo and Cubo,

small, insignifi-

cant villages where

is

we changed

mules, the landscape

extremely picturesque.

The

mountains draw nearer

rise

and closer, and huge, perpendicular rocks

edge of the road steep as
cliffs.

on the

On

the

left

a torrent,

crossed bv a bridge with truncated ogee arch, roars at

3

33

JU rl *

?-, #J.-

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#* * # #! *S* ri #JU *A #* * ***

TRAVELS

IN SPAIN
its

the foot of a ravine, drives a mill, and covers with

foam the stones which block

that

way

and
the

in

order
picture

nothing
a

shall

be wanting

to

make
in

effective,

Gothic church

falling

ruins,

its

roof

broken

in, its

walls covered with parasitic plants, rises

amid the rocks.

faint
ful,

In the background the Sierra shows

and blue.

The

prospect
is

is

undoubtedly beautiits

but the Pancorvo defile

superior in

startling

grandeur.

The
is

cliffs

leave barely

room

for

the road,

and

point

reached where two huge masses

of

granite incline toward each other, representing the arch

of a gigantic bridge, cut

sage of an

in

the centre to stop the pas-

army of Titans.

second

similar arch

within the thickness of the rock increases the illusion.

Never

did a scene

painter imagine a

more picturesque
flat

and better arranged scene.

After the

prospects of
at

the plains, the surprising effects

in the

met with

every step

mountains seem impossible and fabulous.

posada where

The
to be to

we

stopped

for

dinner had
is

stable for a hallway.

This arrangement

invariably
in

met with

in every

Spanish posada, and

order

reach your room you have to walk behind the heels

of the mules.
usual, had
in

The

wine, which

was

blacker

than

addition a pretty local bouquet, derived

3+

4, ..

^ 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4j 4 4; 4j 4; 4j 4; 4j 4. 4; 4j 4; 4; 4.

VERGARA BURGOS
The
their

from the goatskin.

hair
their

maids of the inn wore

backs;
with
this

their

hanging down

exception

costume was that of French

women

of the lower

classes.

As

general
in

rule the national

;

costume has

been preserved

Andalusia only
it.

in Castile

you come
all

upon very few examples of

The men

wear

pointed hats trimmed with velvet or silk tufts, or else

wolfskin caps, rather ferocious in shape, and the inevitable snuff-coloured or black

cloaks.

For the

rest,

there

is

nothing very characteristic about their dress.

Between Pancorvo and Burgos we came upon three

or four
little

villages as dry as

pumice stone and of the

whether
walls

colour

of
in

dust.

doubt

Descamps ever
burnt,

found

Asia

Minor any
tanned,
these.

more

more
crisp,

browned,

more

more

grainy,

more
loll

more scorched than

at least as

Along these walls

asses

good

as the

Turkish donkeys, and which he

ought to come to study.

fatalist,

The Turkish donkey

is

and you can see by his humble and dreamy

is

look that he

resigned to the blows which fate has in

reserve for him, and

which he

will

submit to without

complaint.

The

Castilian

donkey has a more philo;

sophical and deliberate look

he understands that

man
;

cannot do without him

he

is

one of the household

35

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
he has read
in

Don
line

Quixote, and he boasts of descending

a direct

from Sancho Panza's famous

steed.

Side by side with the donkeys,

moon thorough-bred

dogs

of a superb breed, with fine nails, strong legs, backs,

and heads
style

among

others, great greyhounds, after the

of those of Veronese or Velasquez, of great size

;

and beauty

and a few dozen mucbachos, or

street boys,

whose eyes sparkle amid

their rags like black diamonds.

Old
great

Castile

is

no doubt so
old
!

called

on account of the
in
it,

number of

women one
prepare

meets

and
stew

such old
heath

women

Macbeth's witches traversing the

to
their

of Dunsinane
girls

infernal

are charming

by comparison with
in

them.
I

The
had

abominable vixens

Goya's " Caprices," which

believed to be nightmares and chimeras, are frightfully

accurate portraits.
as

Most of

these

women

are as hairy

mouldy cheese and have moustaches

their dress
is

like grenadiers.

Then

a sight.

If you were
in

to take
it,

piece of stuff and spend ten years ing

its
it,

dirtying
it,

scrapit

making holes

in

it,

and patching

until

lost

original

colour, you

would not

attain to the

sub-

limity of these rags.

These charms

are increased by

a haggard, fierce aspect very different

from the humble

France.

and piteous mien of the poor people

in

36

J-*

**-,

f* .J *4* l*

'I"'

"

*Ai

J|* X J-

eJU

*Jt*

4 ^5* * *g*g**B

VERGAR A BURGOS
Shortly before

we

reached Burgos a great building

to us. de
It

on the
thusian

hill

was pointed out

(Cartuja

was the CarShortly

monastery

Miraflores).

afterwards the tracery of the cathedral spires, which

became every moment more

the sky, and half an hour later
capital of

distinct,

showed against

we

entered the famous

Old

Castile.

The main
rises

square of Burgos, in the centre of which

is

an indifferent bronze statue of Charles III,

large

and rather striking

pillars

in

appearance.

Red
it

houses,

upborne by
sides.

of bluish granite, enclose

on

all all

Under the arcades and on

the square itself

infinite

sorts of small dealers are found,

and an

number

of picturesque asses, mules, and peasants are wandering

around.
;

Castilian

rags

show here
is

in

all

their

splendour
draped
purple.
in
I

the
his

meanest mendicant
mantle
find
like

aristocratically
in

Roman emperor
colour and the

the

cannot

better comparison for these

their
stuff

mantles, both as
itself,

regards

than great pieces of tinder with

Caesar

ragged

edges.

Don
rags.

de

Bazan's cloak,

in

the play of "

Ruy

Bias," does not approach these triumphant and glorious

The whole

business

is

so dry,

worn, and

in-

flammable that you cannot help thinking the wearers

37

i*r|*

#.6.

vi* # #4* !% x #jU i* jl* 1o | #j ! *i* #1* i* r|* 4*l* * ttrtl?

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
imprudent when they smoke and strike their
steel.
flint

and

The

children of

six or eight years

of age also

have their cloaks, which they wear with most amusing

gravity.

The fonda where we

inn,

alighted

was
a

a regular Spanish
;

where no one understood

word of French
I

so

we

had to trot out our Spanish, but

am bound

to say
is

that,

thanks to the remarkable intelligence which

characteristic

of these

people,

we were

fairly

well

understood.

The
the

service of the inn

was performed by a troop of names

wild-haired kitchen wenches, bearing the finest

in

world,

Casilda,
in

Matilda, Spain
;

Balbina.

Names
most

are

always

beautiful

Lola, Bibiana, Pepa,

Hilaria,

Carmen, Cipriana

are tacked on to the

prosaic creatures.

One

of the maids had hair of a

in Spain,

most vehement

red, a very frequent colour

belief, there

where, contraiy to the general

fair,

are

many

and especially many red-haired women.

are

There

no bolsters

to

the beds, but

two

flat

pillows placed

one on top of the other.

is

These

are
it

usually very hard, although the material

is

good, but

not customary to card the wool of the mattresses;

it

is

merely turned over with a couple of

sticks.

38

VER GAR A BURGOS

Although Burgos has been so long the
Castile,
it

first city

of

has not preserved

a very

marked Gothic
one
street

appearance.

With

the

exception

of

in

which

are to be seen a

few windows and porticoes, of

the time of the Renaissance, surmounted by coats of

arms with supporters, the buildings do not date much

beyond the beginning of the seventeenth century and

are exceedingly vulgar-looking
;

they are old-fashioned,

its

and yet they are not old.

dral,

But Burgos has

finest in

cathe-

which

is

one of the
all

the world.
it

Unforin

tunately, like

Gothic

cathedrals,

is

set

the

midst of numerous buildings which prevent your having a general view and grasping
its

vast

proportions.

The

great portal opens

rises

upon

a square, in the centre

of which

a
in

pretty

fountain,

surmounted by a
the butt of
all

charming Christ,
little

white marble,

the
is

gamins

in the city,
at statues.

whose

greatest
portal,

enjoyment

to

throw stones

The

which

is

magas

nificent

embroidered work, deep cut and

of lace, has been
first

flowery

a piece

unfortunately scraped and

planed up to the

frieze

by some

Italian prelates

the

great lovers of simple architecture, sober

walls, and

ornaments
cathedral a

in

good

taste

who
39

desired to give

Roman

look, greatly pitying, as they did,

1**1*

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!* #1*

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JU A *A* #i* #1 **

*^* ****^*

TRAVELS
the poor barbarians

IN SPAIN
make much
seem
use of the
did not
to be

who

did not

Corinthian order and

who

aware of

the beauties of the attic and the triangular pediment.

There
Spain
;

are

still

many

people of the same opinion

in

in

just

as

was the case

France before

the

Romantic school caused the Middle Ages

in

to be held

honour and the meaning and beauty of the cathebe understood.

slender spires, docketed
all

drals to

Two
even

the

way

up, with

much open work,

festooned and embroidered, carved

in their smallest details like the setting

all

of a

ring,
all

spring heavenward with

the ardour of faith and

the rush of firmest conviction.

paniles

Our

incredulous

cam-

would not dare

to venture into the skies with

ribs as delicate

no better support than lace of stone and

as cobweb-threads.

Another tower,

also carved with

incredible richness, but less lofty,

marks the intersec-

tion of the arms of the cross and completes the mag-

nificence of the outline.

goodly fellowship of statues of saints, archangels,

kings, and
lation
in

monks animates
is

the design, and this popuit

stone

so numerous, so closely pressed,

it

swarms so amazingly, that unquestionably

is

larger

than the living population which inhabits the town.

40

!-

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!*

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gj 4* *** *=* ** ts? *=* *^* la? *=*

*^*

VERGAR A BURGOS
As one
steps into the church an incomparable

sis

mas-

terpiece compels

you to stop
into

it

is

the carved
It

wooden

door

which
other

opens

the

cloister.

represents,

among

subjects in bas-relief,

Christ's

entrance

into Jerusalem.

The jambs

and transoms are covered

with exquisite figures of the most elegant appearance,

and so marvellously carved that

stand
yield

it

is

hard to under-

how
to

inert

and opaque

material like

wood can
It
is

such a capricious
the
finest

and clever fancy.

in

undoubtedly

gate

the

world

next

to

Ghiberti's in the Baptistery at Florence, which Michael

Angelo,
being

who was
gate

a connoisseur, considered

worthy of

the

of

Paradise.
in

This admirable work

bronze
to secure
it

should be moulded and cast

eternity as
is

such

at

man's command.

The
work.

choir, the stalls in

which are

called sillaria,

is

closed by wrought-iron gates of wonderful

hammered
in

The

flooring

is

covered, as usual
;

Spain,

with immense esparto mats

its

each

stall

has, in addition,

own

little

dried grass or reed carpet.

Above

is

sort

of dome, formed by the interior of the tower

It
is

already spoken of.

mass of sculptured

ara-

besques, statues,
dentives,

little

columns, groining, lancets, penIt

which make you giddy.

4i

would take more

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
than two years to note every
detail.

The work

is

as

close pressed as the leaves of a cabbage,

like a fish-knife, gigantic as a

open-worked

pyramid, delicate as an
has kept up in mid-air

earring; and
for

how
is

this filigree

centuries

past

understanding.

What

kind of

men were
Has

they

who

erected these marvellous buildings,

fairy palaces
?

which the prodigality of

the breed died out
civilised,
I

cannot surpass

And

are

we,

who

boast of

being
all
?

nothing but decadent barbarians after

with a deep sadness

am

filled

when
;

I visit

one

of these mighty buildings of past days

cast

am

utterly

down and

only care to withdraw into a corner, to

put a stone under

my

head, and to await in motionless

is

contemplation death, which

If you
pore,
built

absolute stillness.
in this vast

will

go around with us

madre-

by the prodigious human polypus of the

fourteenth and fifteenth centuries,

the small sacristy, which
is

we

shall

begin with
in

a fairly large hall,

spite

of

its

name, and which contains an Ecce Homo, a

Cross by
Murillo, and a Nativity by

Christ on the

Jordaens, the latter framed in exquisitely carved wood-

work.
used to
also,

In the centre
light

is

placed a large brascro, which

is

the

censers, and perhaps the cigarettes

for a

great

many

Spanish priests smoke.

The

42

sbtfe

4:4:4; 4: 4: 4: 4; 4: 4: 4:4: 4:4: 4? 4: 4:4:4: 4: 4: tfetl;

VERGARA BURGOS
a great brass

brasero
filled

is

basin placed upon a tripod, and

fruit-stones
a

with charcoal or small

lighted

and
fire.

covered with fine ashes, which produce

gentle

The

brasero

in

Spain takes
rare.

the

place

of chimneys,

which are very

In the great sacristy, near the smaller one, there

a

is

Christ on the Cross by

el

Domenico Theotokopouli,
and
erratic

called

Greco,

an

extravagant

painter,

whose work might be mistaken

for sketches

by Titian,

did not a certain affectation of sharp, carelessly painted

forms betray him very quickly.

In order to give his

painted,

paintings the appearance of being very boldly

he has daubed here and there, with incredible petulance

and

brutality,
like
;

thin,

sharp

lights,

which traverse the

el

shadows

sword-cuts.

All the same,

Greco

is

great painter

the good works in his second

manner

re-

semble Romanticist paintings by Eugene Delacroix.

You

have no doubt seen

in

the Spanish gallery at

Paris the portrait of el Greco's daughter, a magnificent

head which no master would refuse to

see

sign.

You

can

from

that

what an admirable painter Domenico

could be

Theotokopouli
mind.
It

when he was

in

his

right

appears that his anxiety to avoid resembling

led

Titian, whose pupil he was, turned his head and

43

TRAVELS
him
into extravagances

IN SPAIN
fantasies

and

which allowed

his

splendid gifts to

show only

in intermittent gleams.

El

Greco

was, besides, an architect and a sculptor, a subis

lime trinity, a luminous triangle, which

often

met

with

in the

heaven of highest
is

art.

The

sacristy

panelled

with

cupboards,

with

flowered and festooned columns in the richest taste.

Above the

panelling

there
I

is

row of

Venetian

mirrors, the use of

which

do not well understand,

unless they are placed there merely as ornaments, for

they are too high up to allow one to look into them.

Above

the mirrors are ranged in chronological order

all

the portraits of

the bishops of Burgos, from the

fills

first

one down to him who now

the

episcopal seat.

The
were

oldest

of these

portraits

touch the vaulting.

they look as
if

Althey

though they are painted

in

in oil,
;

pastel

or distemper

the

reason

being that

paintings in Spain are not varnished, for

want of which

protection

many

valuable masterpieces have been de-

stroyed

by damp.
a fine

The

portraits, although

most of
first-

them have

appearance, are not, however, by

class painters,

and they are hung too high

to allow

one

to judge of the
hall
is

worth of the work.

The

centre of the
es-

occupied by a huge dresser

and immense

44

4*

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4 *

I.'*

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#i #t* J*

VERGARA BURGOS
parto baskets, in which are kept the ornaments and the
vessels

employed

in

worship.

Under two

glass globes

are preserved as curiosities

two

coral trees,
least

much

less

complex

in their

branching than the

door
is

arabesque in

the cathedral.
or

The

ornamented with the arms

little

Burgos

in relief,

with a seme of

crosses gules.
is

The
one,
is

chapel of Juan Cuchiller, which

next to this

not architecturally remarkable, and

it,

we were
up

hurrying to leave

when we were asked

to look

and observe a most curious object,

fastened to the wall by iron clamps.

huge

coffer,

It is difficult

to
;

imagine a box more patched, worm-eaten, and broken

it

is

unquestionably the dean of earthly trunks.

in

An

inscription

black letters, which runs, Cofre del Cid,

immediately gave, as you can readily believe, immense

importance to these four planks of rotten wood.

coffer, if

The
which
Cid

we

are to believe the legend,

is

that

the

famous Ruy de Bivar, better known

as the

Campeador, having no money,

writer,

caused

to

just like the ordinary

to be carried, full of sand

lent

and pebbles,
security,

to a

worthy Jewish usurer who

upon due

with orders that he was not

open the

monstrous

trunk until the Cid

Campeador had
to

repaid the

sum

borrowed

which goes

show

that

the

usurers of

45

& i: & 4. && J. 4, dbababdb dr tfc*

TRAVELS
times.

IN SPAIN
and even few Christians

those days were easier to get along with than those of

our

own

Few Jews, The

could

now

be found simple and debonair enough to

historic
coffer
all
it

accept such collateral.

is

large,

broad, heavy, and deep, and covered with

sorts

of

locks and padlocks

when

full

of sand,
it

must have
the

taken

at

least

six

horses

to

drag

along; and
it

worthy

Israelite

might well suppose that

was

filled

with clothes, jewels, and silver-ware, and thus the more

readily

humour

the Cid's
for

whim,

whim which

has

been provided

by the penal code, as well as

many

other heroic fancies.

46

.^ 4 4* 4* 4> 4j 4 4* 4j

4^4^-4^4^<j;^4^4^4^4;47 4^'j;

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
4. 4; 4. 4. 4. '>"i.*-ir'Jt'ir'i:'^~^tfctt ^:d:dbd:'i:rfri:^
,

BURGOS
.N
leaving the chapel of Juan Cuchiller, you pass
into
rated.

another

room very
is

picturesquely

deco-

The

wainscoting
skilfully

of oak, the hangings red,

and the ceiling

imitates

Cordova

leather.

It

contains a Nativity by Murillo, a Conception, and a

Jesus wearing a robe,

all

well painted.

The
which

cloister

is

filled

with

tombs, most of them

closed with very close, strong gratings.

all

The
cut

tombs,
in

contain illustrious

persons, are

the

thickness of the wall and ornamented with coats

of

arms and embroidered with carvings.

I

On

one of them

noticed a group of
in

Mary and

Jesus, the latter holding a

book

his

hand, exquisitely beautiful, and a chimera,

half animal, half arabesque, of strange and most surpris-

ing invention.

On
easily

all

these tombs rest life-size statues,

in their robes,

either of knights in

armour or of bishops

which might

be mistaken, through the openings

of the gratings, for the dead they represent, so correct

is

the attitude and so minute the detail.

47

d- -i, cl*

rJ-.

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^J*l>*i4**l*ri**l*4*|*4*

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tb

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
On
the jambs of a door
little

noticed, as I

passed, a

charming

statue of the Virgin, delightfully

worked
In-

out and extraordinarily complete in conception.

stead of the contrite and modest air usually given to

the

Blessed

Virgin, the sculptor has

represented her

with a glance in which voluptuousness

ecstasy, in the intoxication of a

mingles with
is

woman who
her

con-

ceiving

God.

She stands
all

with

head

thrown

back, breathing in with

ray of flame

her soul and strength the

impelled by the symbolic dove, with a

strikingly original

mingling of ardour and purity.

anything novel
in
is

It

was

difficult

to

find

subject

so

frequently represented, but no subject

ever too

worn

out for a genius.

The
a
at

description of the cloister alone

letter,

would require

whole

and

in

view of the scant space and time

little

our disposal, you must forgive our saying but

it,

about

and returning to the church, where we

shall

take the masterpieces as they come, without choice or

preference;

for

everything
is

is

beautiful

or

admirable,

and what do speak

we may omit
of.

at least as

good as what we

We
in

shall stop first before a Passion

It
is

of Jesus Christ,
largest

stone, by Felipe Vigarni.

one of the

4. 4. 4, 4, 4j 4. 4; 4; 4^ 4^ 4; 4*4. 4. 4; 4. 4; 4; 4. 4; 4* 4. 4j jfc

B U
bassi-relievi in

RGOS
In accordance with Gothic
:

the world.

custom,

it

is

divided into several compartments

the the

Garden of Gethsemane, the Bearing of the Cross,

Crucifixion between the two thieves
tion,
;

a vast

composi-

which, by the delicate work on the heads and the

is

fineness of the detail,

worth

all

that

Albert Diirer,

Hemeling, or Holbein did of most

with their
epic

delicate

and exquisite

miniature-painter's

brushes.

This stone

ends

with

magnificent

Entombment.
fill

The

groups of sleeping apostles which

in the

the lower panels

as beautiful

Garden of Gethsemane are almost

and

in as

pure a style as the prophets and saints of Fra

;

Bartolommeo

the

heads of the holy

women

at

the

foot of the cross have a pathetic and sorrowful expression,

the secret of which

was known

to

the Gothic
is

artists alone.

In

this case, the expression

united to

rare beauty of form.

The

soldiers

are noticeable for

quaint and fierce equipments, such as were given in

the Middle

Ages

to antique, Oriental, or

Jewish per-

sonages whose costume was not known.

besides, represented

They
skill

are,

with a boldness and

which

contrast most happily with the idealism and melancholy

of the other figures.

The whole work

is

framed

in

by

an architectural design wrought like goldsmith's work,

4

49

4.4>4^~4*XXXX4,.J,a,J,X4,J^t.JUJ..4<JU4<.4.4> w T* r* wm r v*w *.** T * ** *r * * * * *"*

+ vtsa

rf*

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
of incredible taste and lightness.
It

was completed

in

I53 6

Since

we

are talking of sculpture,

stalls,

let

us mention at
rival
in

once the choir

the world.

which have probably no

is

Each

stall

marvel.

They

represent

subjects from the

Old Testament

in bas-relief,

and are

divided one from another by chimeras and fantastic

animals which form the arms of the

parts are

stall.

The

flat

formed of incrustations

set off"

by black hatch-

ing like inlaid

work on metal.
;

And

fancy arabesques

have never been carried farther

both the conception

spirit, incredible

and the execution exhibit inexhaustible

fertility,

and constant invention.

It is

new

world, a
that of
in
in

separate creation, as complete and

varied as

God,

in

which plants
in

live

and

men bloom,

which
which

boughs end

hands, and limbs in foliage,

sly

chimeras with

glance open

wings provided with

claws, and in which the monstrous dolphins blow forth

water through their

nostrils,

an

incredible interlacing

of flowers, foliage, acanthus leaves, lotus, and calyxes of blooms adorned with aigrettes and tendrils, of leaves
curled
fishes,

and

dentelated,

of fabulous

birds,

impossible

extravagant

sirens

and dragons, of which no

description can give an idea.

The

freest

fancy reigns

50

*J->*4->

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*4* *4 *4 i" A* *4* *I"**4#A**4*^*I* ei* I * *s* =* q*****j*

BURGOS
in
all

these incrustations,

the yellow

tone of which,

showing against the dark background

imparts the look

of the wood,

of Etruscan

painted vases, a look

quite justified bv the cleanness and primitive character

of the outline.

These

designs,

in

which the pagan

genius of the Renaissance shows out, have no connection with the purpose of the stalls,

and

at times,

even,

the choice of subject shows entire forgetfulness of the

sacredness of the place

children playing with masks,

women
grapes,

dancing, gladiators fighting, peasants gathering

maidens

tormenting or

caressing

fantastic
little

monster, animals playing on the harp, or even

bovs imitating in the basin of a fountain the famous

Manikin piece

at

Brussels.

If the proportions were

figures
in

somewhat more slender these

the purest Etruscan work.
variety in detail, that
is

would be equal

to

Unity
the

aspect and infinite

difficult

problem which

mediaeval artists have almost always solved successfully.

At

a distance of five or six yards, this carving, so fanin

tastic

conception,

is

grave,

solemn, architectural,
in

brown

in

tone, and quite worthy of framing

the

pale, austere faces

of the canons.
is

The

Constable's Chapel, capilla del Condestable,

in
itself.

complete church

The tombs
51

of

Don

Pedro

I-.

*J -l,

*.$.-.

*!-.

4 ! *? 4 *4* 4**i*!-*!*!''A*tf'!#4* *Jr*4**l* * !

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Fernandez Velasco, Constable of
wife, occupy the centre and are
it.

Castile,

and of

his

no small ornament

to

They
lying

are of marble, superbly carved.

in his battle

The man
take
to

is

down
in

armour, enriched with araof

art
;

besques

the

best style

the

vergers
sell

imprints of them with

tourists.

damp

paper and

them

His wife has her

little

dog by her side; her

gloves and the pattern of her brocade robe are wrought

with incredible delicacy.

The

heads of the pair rest

their

upon marble pillows adorned with

their arms.

coronet and

Gigantic coats of arms

adorn the walls

of the chapel, and on the entablature are placed figures

bearing stone staves for banners and standards.
retable

The

the architectural
thus called

facades

which accompany

altars are

is

sculptured, gilded, painted,

covered with arabesques and columns, and represents

the Circumcision, the figures being
right side,
life size.

On

the

where hangs the

portrait of

Donna Mencia
little

de

Mondoza, Countess of Haro,

stands a

Gothic
in-

altar,

illuminated, gilded, carved, adorned with an

finity

of small figures, which one might take for the

so light and
is

work of Antonin Moine,

are they.
jet.

cleverly

done

On

the altar there

is

a figure of Christ in

The

high altar

adorned with plates of silver

52

4. 4, 4, 4- 4>

4<

J- 4- 44444; tb tfc ;' db db tfc dl* rt^?^J

B
and
crystal suns,

RGOS
flashing reflections produce a

whose
play

singularly

brilliant

of

light.

On

the

vaulting

blooms a sculptured rose of incredible delicacy.

In the sacristy, close to the chapel,
panelling a
is

set

in the

Magdalen

attributed to

Leonardo da Vinci.

The

softness of the

brown

half-tints,

which merge

into

the lights by imperceptible gradations, the lightness of

touch with which the hair

is

painted, and the perfect

roundness of the arms lend weight to this supposition.

There

is

also preserved in this chapel the ivory diptych

in

which the Constable was

the habit of taking with

in prayer.

him

into the field

and before which he knelt

the

The
Frias.

Capllla del Condestable belongs to

Duke of
wood

As you go

by,

glance

at

the
a

painted

statue of Saint

Bruno by Pereida,

Burgos sculptor,

and

at

the epitaph to Villegas, the translator of Dante.

A
I

great staircase, of noble design, with magnificent

carved chimeras, compelled our admiration for a time.

do not

know whither
at

it

leads and into

it

what room
worthy of
in

opens the small door

the

the top, but

is

most

splendid

palace.

The

high
is

altar

the

chapel of the
curious
logical

Dukes of Abrantes
It

one of the most

inventions possible.
tree

represents the genea-

of Jesus Christ. 53

The

strange idea

is

thus

dbdb & ik "k 4: i:

TRAVELS
carried out
foot
:

& & "k ^dMrifctfeib sbtfcdbtfci: 4: abdb IN SPAIN

Abraham
lies

the Patriarch

down
fruitful

at

the

of the composition, and into

his

loins

plunge the

many branched

roots of a

huge

tree,

each
;

bough of which bears one of the ancestors of Jesus

the bough
is

subdivided into as

many branches
is

as there

are descendants.

At the top
;

the

Blessed Virgin

seated

on

a cloud throne

the sun, the

moon, and the

stars, silver

and

gilt,

sparkle through the efflorescence

is

of the

boughs.

It

terrifying

to

think

what an
all

amount of labour was required

leaves and

to carve out

these these

work out
to

all all

these folds, to
these
figures

make
to

all

branches,

cause

stand

out
is

from the background.

This

retable, thus

wrought,

as large as the facade of a house

and

rises

to a height

of thirty-six

feet

at

least,

including the three stories,

the second of which contains the Coronation of the

Virgin, and the
last

the Crucifixion, with Saint John

artist

and the Virgin.

a sculptor

The
lived

was Rodrigo

del

Haya,

who

in

the

middle of the sixteenth

century.
Saint Tecla's chapel
tect
is

most

peculiar.

The
at

archi-

and the sculptor seem to have aimed

compressleast

ing the greatest

possible space.

amount of ornament within the

It is a

chapel in the richest, the most

54

:fe:fc4:

&& & k -k i: i:i:i::&:&&rk$:4:i: : B

URGOS

adorable, and

the

most charming bad

taste.

Every-

where
volutes

are spiral

columns wreathed with vine stems,

into
infinite

which

roll

curves,

strings

of

cherubim cravated with wings, great swelling clouds,

twisted
that

flames

rising

from

perfume-burners,

beams

spread out fan-like, thick-blooming chicories, and

the whole gilded the skill of a

peries
is

and painted

in

natural colours with

miniaturist.

The The

brocade of the drapoint,

worked out thread by thread, point by

minuteness.
saint

with amazing

herself, in the
in

midst of the flames stirred up by Saracens

extrava-

gant costumes, turns to heaven her beautiful enamelled

eyes, and holds in her
little,

flesh-coloured hand a great

in

consecrated palm-branch curled

the Spanish fashion.

The

vaulting

is

wrought

in

the same taste, and other

rich,
fill

altars,

of

less

dimensions but equally

the rest

of the chapel.

We

are in the presence, not of Gothic

delicacy or exquisite Renaissance taste, but of richness

substituted for purity of line; nevertheless,
it
is

still

very

handsome, very
its

beautiful, as

is

every excessive

thing complete in

own way.
manner

The

organ, of formidable size, has batteries of pipes

in

arranged

sloping

like pointed
effect.

guns, proprivate

ducing a threatening and warlike

The

55

4* f4* ! ! 4

*-

*l* ^i*|#.i*l-ll*l*l-*l*|;^i* ^tj

^^
size.
is

TRAVELS
chapels

IN SPAIN
a
to

each

have their organ, but of smaller

of one of these chapels there
I

On

the

retable

painting of such beauty that

cannot attribute

it

any other master than Michael Angelo.

The

unmisits

takable characteristics of the Florentine school at

finest

show triumphantly

in

this

magnificent painting,
;

which would be the gem of the most splendid museum

yet

Michael

Angelo

rarely

painted
I

in

oils,

and

his

paintings are fabulously rare.

it

incline to think that

is

a composition

painted by Sebastian del Piombo,

artist.

after a cartoon
is

and sketch by the sublime

It

known

that, jealous

of Raphael's success, Michael

del

Angelo occasionally employed Sebastian

Piombo

in

order to unite colour to drawing and to surpass his

young

rival.

Whoever

the painter

may

be, the

work

itself is

admirable.
veils

The
with

Blessed Virgin, seated and

her
transparent
scarf

nobly

draped,

the

divine nudity of the child Jesus standing by her side;

two contemplative angels

in

float silently in the

blue sky

the background

a stern

landscape, rocks, stretches

of ground, and a few broken walls.

give an
idea

Words

fail

to

of the majesty, calm, and power of the

Virgin's

head.

The neck

joins

the

shoulders with

such chaste, pure, and noble

lines,

the face breathes

56

J, 4.4. A, 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4? 4; 4; 4? 4; 4; 4; 4; J. 4; 4j 4; 4; 4;

BU RGOS
such a sweet maternal peace, the hands are so divinely
turned, the feet are so elegant and high-bred, that one

cannot take one's eves off the painting.

Add

to the

marvellous drawing a simple, solid colouring, sustained

in tone, without brilliancy,
light

without petty seeking after

and shade, with a certain fresco look which per-

fectly

matches the tone of the architecture, and you

have a masterpiece the equal of which can be found

onlv
in

the Florentine or
is

Roman

school.

There

also

in

the

cathedral at
I
;

Burgos a Holy
be the

Family, unsigned, which

greatly suspect to

work of Andrea

del Sarto

and Gothic paintings on

like

panels by Cornelius
in

Van Eyck,

those which are

the

Dresden Museum.

Paintings of the
in Spain,

German

school are not

uncommon

and some of them

as

are exceedingly beautiful.

We

may mention
Leyva

we

go some
turned
at

paintings

by Fra
entered

Diego de
the Cartuja
especially

who

monk and

de Miraflores

the

age of fifty-three

the

one which

represents the

martyrdom of

Saint Casilda,

whose two
Blood

breasts have been cut off by the executioner.

spouts in great streams from the

the chest by the amputated flesh

two
;

red spots left

on
lie

the

two

breasts

by the

saint's

side

she gazes with an expression of

57

^dbti? "Jh *^*

'-'*

*^* *'"

*-"*

! *^ ^ ^?* !* 4 4*

4'

^ 4^ 4^ tl^^?
angel with
a

TRAVELS
feverish

IN SPAIN
at

and convulsive ecstasy

face,

tall

dreamy and melancholy

her.

who

bears

palm to
are

These

terrifying

paintings

of martyrdoms

very numerous in Spain, where the love of realism and

truth in art
will
is

carried to

its

utmost

limit.

The
;

painter

not spare you a single drop of blood

you must

see the severed nerves shrink, the

living flesh quiver,

and

its

dark purple contrast with the bloodless, bluish

whiteness of the skin, the vertebras cut by the executioner's cimeter, the cruel

marks made by the whips

and rods of the tormentors, the gaping wounds which

vomit blood and water through

rendered with frightful accuracy.
in this

their

livid

lips

all

Ribeira has painted

el

way

things that would

;

make

Verdugo himself

shudder with horror

and

it

really takes all the dread

beauty and the diabolical energy characteristic of that

great master to enable one to bear with those ferocious

slaughter-house paintings, which

seem

to

have been
It

done for cannibals by an executioner's

is

assistant.

enough to disgust one with being

a martyr, and the

angel with his palm strikes one as but a slight compensation for such atrocious torments.
Ribeira very

often refuses even this consolation to his tortured victims,

whom

he leaves lying,

like

the pieces of a ser-

A-,

>i->

i* 4

J JU

^ A* JU

!* 4r *jjjtj? tl? tl? ll? tl? tIt dtT tc ^1?

^SsJtiS?

BURGOS
pent, in
rav a

dun, threatening

shade which

no

divine

illumines.

The

need of truth, however repulsive

;

it

may

be,

is

a characteristic feature of Spanish art

neither ideal-

ism nor conventionality enters into the genius of that

people,

which

is

wholly devoid of aesthetic feeling.

suffice

Sculpture does not

for

it

it

must have
in

colreal

oured statues, Madonnas rouged

dresses.

and dressed
is

Never,

in

its

opinion,

material

illusion

carried far enough, and that

excessive love of realism

often

makes

it

cross the slight distance

which separates
and highly

sculpture from

wax

figures.

The famous
a
is

revered
after the

Christ of Burgos, which can be

candles have been lighted,
taste.
is

shown only
striking ex-

ample of that extraordinary

painted stone
least,
it

It

no longer

or wood,

it

is

human

skin,

so, at

is
is

said,

is

stuffed

with great

skill

and care

the hair

real, the

eyes are provided with lashes, the

crown of thorns
detail

of genuine thorns,

not
of
life

a single

has been forgotten.

But nothing can be more

to behold than that
tall
its

gloomy and more disturbing

crucified

phantom, with
immobilitv.

its

sham

air

and

deathly
tone,
is

The

skin, of a

musty brown

rayed by long streamlets of blood, so closely

59

-i.

j,

t- .t.

j.

.i. *i*ii ,s.

ju.i, **! ! 4;^|j dbtiiJirtlb^tbdbsIf

TRAVELS
flowing.
It

IN SPAIN
is

imitated that one really believes the blood

actually

does not require a great effort of imagina-

tion to credit the legend that this miraculous Crucified

One
wears

bleeds

every

Friday.

Instead
the

of a
at

fluttering

drapery
a

rolled

around
kilt,

him,

Christ

Burgos

white

embroidered

with

gold.

This

vestment
to those
in

produces a most

peculiar

effect,

especially

who

are not

accustomed

to

see

Our Lord
which

such a costume.

At the

foot of the cross are set

I

three ostrich-eggs, a symbolical ornament of

do not catch the meaning, unless

the Trinity as being the

it

be an allusion to
things.

germ of

all

We

left

the cathedral dazzled, crushed, intoxicated

with masterpieces, and with our powers of admiration

exhausted.

We

were shown the Cid's house.

house
;

am

wrong
where

to say the Cid's

it

should say, the place

is

may have

been.
;

It

square piece of

ground surrounded by posts

the least

there does not remain

is

vestige to authorise the belief, but there

nothing to prove the contrary, and therefore there

is

no reason why one should not

trust the tradition.

Saint Mary's Gate, erected in

is

honour of Charles V,

remarkable piece of architecture.

in

The

statues

placed

the

niches,

although

short

and thickset,

60

JL 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4> 4. 4; 4j 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; ^;

BURGOS
have a look
of strength
lack

and power which

fully
is

re-

deems

their

of

height.

Near

the

gate

the

promenade, which runs along the Arlencon,

respectable river, at
great deal for Spain.
least

very
is

two

feet

deep
is

which

This promenade
fine

adorned with
representing

four statues, of rather

appearance,
:

the four kings, or counts of Castile

Gonzales,

Don
I.

Alonzo,

Don Fernando Don Enriquez II, and Don

there
is

Fernando

Beyond

this,

is

not

much worth

seeing in Burgos.

The

theatre

even more primitive

there

than that of Vitoria.

That evening
"

was being
the

performed a play
bler,"

in verse,

The King and

Cob-

by

Zorilla,

very distinguished young writer

very popular in
several

Madrid,

who

has
style

already

published

volumes of verse, the

of.

and harmony of

which are highly spoken

taken beforehand, and

All the seats had been

to forego this pleasure.

we had

Before leaving Burgos

we

paid a visit to the Cartuja

de Mirafiores, situated a mile

and

a half

from the gate

of the

citv.

few poor
in

old, infirm

monks have been

until

allowed

to

remain

this
its

convent

they

die.

Spain lost a good deal of

the

romantic character when

monastic orders were suppressed, and I do not

quite see

what she has gained

in

other respects.

~~
61

|**|? *i* A* *4* -It *4* ! A *i*4**4**i**|*ieli* 4**1* !*#* X #|*#|

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
The
exterior
tiled

cartuja
is

is

situated at the top of a

hill.

The

simple and austere, great

;

stone walls and

roofs

everything done for the mind, nothing for

long,
cell

the

eye

inside,

cool,

silent

cloisters,

white-

washed with lime,

framework,
painted
in

doors,
are
set

windows with leaden

biblical

which

subjects

in

glass,

especially
is

an
:

Ascension,

the

comLord

position of

which

curious

the body of the

has disappeared; His feet alone

are seen, the prints

of which

are

hollowed out upon a rock surrounded

by holy personages

who

are

filled

with wonder.

A
tain

small court, in the centre of which rises a foun-

from which sparkling water

falls

drop by drop,
light

contains the prior's garden.

few vine tendrils

up the gloomy walls

here and there,
order.

few flowers, a few plants grow

dis-

much

as they will, in picturesque

The

prior,

an old

man

with noble and melan-

choly face, wearing a garment resembling a robe as

closely as possible (the

monks

are not allowed to

politely

wear

their costume), received us

most

and seated us

around
offered

the

brasero,

for

it

was not very warm, and

us cigarettes, azucarillos, and fresh water.

lay

book

open on the
it.

table.

took the liberty of

glancing

at

It

was the " Bibliotheca Cartuxiana,"

i.

4. 4, 4. 4. 4, 4. 4- 4> 4j 4 4.4. 4. 4. 4. 4; 4. 4. 4; 4. 4; 4; 4.

BURGOS
a collection of
all

the passages from different authors

which

praise

the

order and

life

of the Carthusians.
his

The
that

margins were
dear old

annotated
writing,

in

own

hand, in

priest's

straight,

firm,

some-

what heavy, which suggests so much, and which the

quick-living, impetuous

layman cannot master.

left

So the

poor

monk, compassionately

in

that

abandoned
fall

convent, the vaulting of which will soon

down

upon

his

unknown

grave,

was

still

dreaming of the

glory of his order, and with a trembling hand noting

upon the white leaves of the book some forgotten or

newlv found passage.

The
place

graveyard
like

is

shaded
in

by

two or three
cemeteries.

tall

cypresses

those

Turkish
four
died
is

This

of death contains

hundred and nineteen

since the

Carthusians
erected.
grass, in
visible.

who have
ground

convent

was
close
is

The
The

covered

with thick,

which neither tomb,

dead
lie

cross, nor inscription

there

mingled
life.

together,

as

humble

in death as

they were in

The calm

and

the silence of this

anonymous cemetery

are restful to
its

the soul.
silver

fountain in the centre sheds

all

limpid,
I

tears

over

these

poor,

forgotten
filtered

dead.

drank a few drops of that water,

through the

A* 4*

*.(

rl* *

<~r* I-*

s^ ** *4* *JU ** 4* **' *1* s* "4^ !* *= * ** =* * *=

TRAVELS
ashes of so

IN SPAIN
men
;

many

saintly

it

was pure and

icy-

cold, like death

itself.

If the dwelling of
is

men

here

is

poor, that of

God

splendid.

In the centre of the nave are placed the

II

tombs of

Don Juan

and Queen

Isabella, his wife.

The human
amazing.

patience that built such a

monument

is

Sixteen lions, two at each corner, support-

ing eight scutcheons bearing the royal arms, form the

base.

Add an

equal

number of
;

virtues, allegorical
in

figures, apostles,
foliage, birds,

and evangelists

fill

with branches,

animals, a network

of arabesques, and
prodigious piece of

you have
work.

a very faint idea

of

this

The crowned
;

statues of the

King and Oueen

his

lie

upon the top

the

King holds

his sceptre in

hand

and wears a long robe ornamented with intertwining

lines

and flowered work of marvellous delicacy.

of the Infant Alonzo
is

The tomb

on the Gospel

side of the altar.

The

Infant

is

represented kneeling
vine, in

before a prie-dieu.

An open-work

which are

perched children gathering grapes, festoons with ever

varying fancifulness the Gothic arch which surrounds
the composition, itself partially set into the wall.

These

marvellous

monuments
Silva,

are

in

alabaster,

and are the

work of Gil de

who

also carved the high altar.

64

..l,t.,l, t~ 4/- !.

J,

.1.

iJUf 4,44j^4^4^4ij4.4|4j4j

BURGOS
On
sees
like

the right and

left

of the

altar,

which

is

of

won-

drous beauty, are two open doors, through which one

two motionless Carthusians dressed

white

in their

shroudare

gowns.

These two

figures,

which

probably by Diego de Leyva, completely deceive you

at
first

glance.

Stalls
is

by Berruguete complete
surprised
to

this
in

ensemble,

which one

meet with

lonely countryside.

From

the top

of the

hill

we were shown
where
are the
his wife.

in

the

distance San Pedro de Cardenas,

tombs
only

of the Cid and

Donna Ximenes,

The

thing wanting to the Cid's glory was to be canonised,

and he would have been

if,

just before dying,

he had

not had the Arabic, heretic, and

to

ill-sounding notion

order

that

his

famous

horse

Babieca should

be

buried with him, which cast a doubt

upon

his

orthodoxy.

Besides

his

merit as a hero, the Cid enjoys that of

so

having

inspired

well

the

unknown

poets of the

Romanceros, Guillen de Castro, Diamante, and Pierre

Corneille.

65

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
4, 4. 4; 4; 4 4; 4. 4. A. 4 X. 4. 4, 4. 4; .g; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

VALLADOLID

THE
in
fossil

royal mail-coach in

which we

left

Burgos

deserves to be described.

Imagine an ante-

diluvian carriage, of an obsolete model to be

met with

Spain only

enormous splayed wheels, with

very far
red
in

very

thin

spokes, placed

behind the body,

days of Isabella
all

which

had been painted

;

the

the Catholic
sorts

an extravagant body, pierced with

of

odd-shaped

windows and furnished

satin,

inside

with small cushions covered with

which may
period, and

have been rose-coloured

at

some

distant

trimmed
which

with

pinkings

and ornaments
been
of

of chenille,
colours.

may

very well have

is

many

This antique coach-body

instead

artlessly

hung with ropes

are

of springs, and
cords.

the

weak

places
is

lashed

with
fairly

esparto

To

the coach

harnessed a
of

long

string

of

mules, with an assortment

postilions and

a mayoral, wearing an

Astrakhan lamb-

skin jacket and sheep-skin trousers of a most

vitish

Mosco-

appearance.

66

 4. 4j 4; 4; 4j 4- 4; 4* J; 4; 4. 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4.

VALLADO LID
in
this

Away we went

concern

in

the

midst of a

whirlwind of shouts, oaths, and crackings of whips.

We

went

like the very devil

we

flew over the ground,

and the vague outlines of surrounding objects flashed

on the
rapidity.

right
I

and

on the

left

with

phantasmagoric

have never seen more

spirited, restive, or

wilder mules.
cbos

At every
one
to

relay

it

took a host of mucha-

to

harness

the

carriage.

The

devilish

beasts
legs,

emerged from the

stable

walking on their hind

and the only way to reduce them to the condi-

tion of quadrupeds
to their bridle.

was

to

hang

bunch of

postilions

The
broken

country

we

travelled

was

singularly

wild;

great barren plains, the

monotony of which was unbounded

by
ochre -yellow
could

by

single
hills

tree,

mountains,
scarcely
to

and

to

which

the

distance

communicate

faint blue tone.

From time
villages

time

we

traversed

earthy-looking

with

walls built of clay, and most of

them

in ruins.

As

it

was Sunday there stood along these yellowish

lighted

walls,

up by a

faint

sunbeam, motionless

as

mum-

mies,

files

of haughty Castilians draped in their snufFel sol,

coloured rags, occupied in tomar

the

an amusement an

dulness

of

which

would
67

kill

in

hour

the

^^^^4; ^ 4< 4, 4^4> ^4^4. 4* 4; 4. 4. 4; 4; 4; 4* 4* 4. 4* TRAVELS IN SPAIN

most phlegmatic of Germans.
acteristic

However,

this

char-

Spanish enjoyment was perfectly excusable

it

on

that day, for

was atrociously
as

cold.

fierce

wind
of

swept the plain with a roar

chariots full of

of thunder, and
vaults.
I

armour driven over brazen

do

not believe that anything wilder, more barbarous, and

more
kraals

primitive
or

could be

met with among Hottentot

Profiting

Kalmuck camps.
It

by

halt,

entered one of the huts.

was

windowless den,
in the centre,

with a hearth of rough stones placed

and

a hole in the roof to allow the smoke to emerge.

walls were of a bituminous

The
upon

brown worthy of Rembrandt.

pueblo situated
a

We
of old

dined at

Torrequemada, a
is

small river, the bed of which

fortifications.

filled

up with the ruins

is

Torrequemada

noticeable for

its total

lack of glass windows.

the
this

Glass panes are to be

of which, in
is

found
spite

in

tavern only, the kitchen

incredible piece of luxury,
in

of

nevertheless

provided with a hole

the roof.

After having swal

in

lowed a few garbanzos, which

like shot

rattled

our stomach

on

a tambourine,

we

got back into our box

and the steeple-chase began once more.

behind the mules was
the noise
it

The

coach

like

pan
still

tied to a tiger's tail

made

excited

them
68

more

a straw fire

I* *|*

#! *i i*

*1* *i* *jU #4* I*4**4*l**4#i**i***l'**4%f4*<^-* *!** *g

VALLADOLID
burning
holt
;

in

the middle of the road nearly

made them

they were so skittish that they had to be held by

the bridle and their eyes covered with the hand

when

another carriage met

carriages

us.

As

a general rule,

when two
is

drawn by mules meet, one of them

bound

to be upset,
did

and by and by what was bound to happen

I
is

happen.

was busy turning over

in

my mind
when
I

hemistich, as

my

habit

in

travelling,

saw

coming towards me, describing a

companion who was

rapid

parabola,

my

sitting opposite to

me.

His action
a
?

was followed by a very heavy shock and

smashing of the carriage.

general

" Are you dead

"

" asked
the con-

my

friend, as
I

he finished his curve.

On

trary,"

replied;

"are

you?"

"Not
we

quite,"

he

answered.

We

got out as quickly as

could by the

broken roof of the poor coach, which was broken into

a thousand pieces.

As

for the mules, they

had gone

off,

and had carried away the fore-body and the two front
wheels.

Our own

personal

loss

amounted

to

one

button, which gave

way owing

to the violence of the

It

shock and could never be found again.

impossible to upset more satisfactorily.

was

really

In other respects our position was not particularly

pleasant, although

we were

seized with a -most

un-

* *

*.!' >!/

*JU

rft

!-

** * X* *1* #A rA* * J-9 jX & vJU #X

* ** *f* *S*

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
seasonable
into
less.
fit

of laughter.

Our mules had

vanished

smoke and our coach was dismantled and wheelHappily the venta was not
of galleys were fetched
very
far
off,

and

a couple

and

took us and
deserves
its

our

luggage.
It
is

The
a

galley

thoroughly
or

name.
without

two-wheeled

four-wheeled

cart

top

or bottom.

The

trunks

and

packages

are placed in a net of reed ropes.

is

On

top of them

laid

a mattress, a true Spanish

mattress, which in
lug-

no wise prevents your feeling the corners of the

gage thrown in pell-mell.
selves as best

The

patients

seat

them-

they can upon

this

rack, by the side

of which
irons

Saint

Laurence's and
at

Gautimozin's gridleast

were beds of roses, for

In
this

on those one
vehicle,
at

could turn around.

dreadful

which

had no manner of springs,

about four Spanish leagues

we

drove

the rate of
is

an hour, that

to

say,

about five French leagues, or three miles faster than

the best mail-coaches on the finest roads
;

the

road
hills

we were

travelling over

was

full

of very steep

and very sharp slopes, down which

at full

we

always went
skill

gallop.

It

takes

all

the assurance and

of

the Spanish postilions and conductors to prevent the

whole business smashing up

70

into

innumerable

bits at

the bottom of precipices

VALLADOLID being
;

instead of

upset once,

we

ouwht really to have been upsetting

all

the time.

Duefias looks like a Turkish cemetery.

The
like

caves,

which are dug out

through
small
turrets

of the

living

rock,

receive air

which swell out

turbans

and look singularly like minarets.

ish

church of Moor-

appearance completes the

illusion.

To

the

left

the Canal of Castile shows from time to time in the

plain.
It
is

not yet finished.

there

At Venta de Trigueros
galley

was harnessed
remarkable
fully

to our

rose-coloured

horse

of

beauty
justified

(the mules had been given up), which

Eugene Delacroix, whose horse

Trajan "
always
imitates

in the

" Triumph of
of
genius
are

has
;

been

criticised.

Men

right

what they most

invent

exists,

and

nature
all

their

eccentric

fancies, or

nearly

of them.
After having followed a road running between

em-

bankments and buttressed counterforts quite monumental

in

character,

we

at last

entered Valladolid

prcttv

well broken

up, but with

our noses intact and our

arms

still

fixed to our bodies.

at

We

alighted

a superb
fine

parador, perfectly clean

and were given two

rooms, with a balcony look-

*t* rl

*vf-

?*

'( 4 *

*'

--

* *!** *A

r|->

*4 #1*

#!-

!#* #*

i*

JU

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
ing out

upon

a square, carpets of coloured

in

matting,

and walls painted

green. the
lers

distemper

in

yellow and appleseen no reason for

Up

to this time

we have
bareness

charge

of

filth

and

which
inns.

all

travel-

have
yet

brought against

Spanish
in

We

have
the

not

found

any scorpions

our

beds, and

insects

we were

threatened with have not put in an

appearance.
Valladolid
It
is

is

a great city almost wholly depopulated.

capable of containing two hundred thousand souls,

and has not

tants.
its
is

much more
a

than twenty thousand inhabi-

It

is

clean, quiet, elegant city,

which

feels

nearness to the Orient.

The

facade of San Pablo

covered from top to bottom with marvellous carving

of the time of the early Renaissance.

portal are ranged by

In front of the

way of
lions,

posts granite pillars surin

mounted by
sible

heraldic
shields

which hold
the

every pos-

position
is

bearing

arms

of

Castile.

Opposite
an

palace of the time of Charles V, with

arcaded

courtyard

extremely elegant, and

sculp-

tured

medallions of rare beauty.

The
its

Inland Revesalt

nue

sells in this architectural

gem

wretched

and

abominable tobacco.
of San
Pablo
is

By

happy chance the facade

a

situated

on
72

square

thus

it

may

X*

!-* r\-*

r.K

**- #J- J/9

JU x *1* #1* AX #JU t

JU r|-* ** *A *J* #J-

* #JU |*

VALLADOLID
be photographed, which
is

very

difficult

in

the case
set

of mediaeval buildings, which

in the

are

almost always
stalls
;

midst of groups of houses and vile

but

the

rain,

which never ceased

in

falling

all

the

time

we remained
a
picture.
at

Valladolid, did

not permit us to get

Twenty
Burgos

minutes'

sunshine
us
to

between the
get
capital

showers
plates

had

enabled

of the spires of the cathedral

of the portal
;

and of a large

portion

but at Valladolid

we

did

not

even have the

all

twenty

minutes,

which we regretted
in

the

more

that the city

abounds

charming speci-

mens of

architecture.

The
which

building
it

in

which the
to

library

is

placed, and
is

is

proposed

turn

into
taste.

museum,

in

the purest and

most exquisite
restorers

Although some
prefer
its

of

the

ingenious

who

boards

to

bassi-relicvl

have
there

shamefully
still

scraped

admirable
constitute

arabesques,
a

remain

enough

to

masterpiece of elegance.

Draughtsmen would be

interested in a balcony

which projects from the cornet

of a palace in this same San Pablo Square, and forms

a

look-out singularly

original

in

taste.

The

section

of the small column which connects

is

the

two arches

quite

remarkable.

It

was
73

in

this

house,

we were

rj/

4* *\* *& s*

!'

*** s* *** 4* i* *4* ** * *i* A #JL Jt* *4* *4 * *=

TRAVELS
told, that

IN SPAIN
was born.
of an
the
style

the terrible Philip II

a

We

may

also

mention

colossal

fragment
in

unfinished

granite
Peter's

cathedral by
at

Herrera,

of Saint
in

Rome.

This building was abandoned

favour of the Escorial, that

son of Charles V.

gloomy fancy of the gloomy

We
closing

were shown,

in a

closed church, a collection of

after
in

paintings

which had been brought together

had

the
this

of the convents, and

been put
It

place

by order of the

authorities.

appears

that

the people

who

pillaged

the

churches and convents

for

were excellent
they
left

artists

and admirable connoisseurs,

daubs, the best
in a

merely horrible
five

of

which
In

would not fetch

the

francs

curiosity shop.

museum

there are a few

passable

paintings, but

nothing worth speaking of; on the other hand, numerous wooden carvings and ivory crucifixes, remarkable

more

for

their

size

and their age than

People
to

for

the real

beauty of the work.

who go

to

Spain to pur:

chase curiosities are apt

there
is

be greatly disappointed

not

single

valuable

weapon, not

single

rare edition, not a single manuscript to be had.

The

Plaza de

la

Constitucion
large,

at

Valladolid

is

very

handsome and very

surrounded by houses up-

74

*e*|* **

r|- #|

& *i

JU

et%

JU #J*#^4i**^*i*S*i'> !*#* * I*ri

VALLADOLI
borne

by great bluish granite columns

a fine effect.

in

one

piece,

which have

The
is

Palace of the Consti-

tution, painted apple-green,

adorned with an inscrip-

tion in
is

honour of Innocent

Isabella, as the little

at

queen
night

called here,

and with a clock-dial lighted

at Paris,

like that

of the Hotel de Ville

to delight the

an innovation
Under
the
hatters,
in
all

which appears

inhabitants.

arcades are established

multitudes of tailors,

and shoemakers, the three most flourishing trades

Spain.

There

also are situated the chief cafes,

and

the population seems to concentrate at this point; in the rest of the city you scarcely
passer-by,

meet an occasional

a servant-girl carrying water, or a peasant

driving his donkey.

The

effect

of solitude

is

further

increased by the great extent of ground over which the

city is spread
;

squares are more numerous than streets.

The Campo Grande,

near the great gate,

is

surrounded
it.

by fifteen convents, and more could be put on

On

leaving Valladolid

the character

of
;

the

land-

scape changes

and the

barrens reappear

only, they

have what
stunted

is

lacking to those of Bordeaux, clumps of

green oaks

and

more wide-spreading pines;

desolate-

otherwise they are just as arid, lonely, and

iooking,

here

and there a few heaps of ruins which

75

J* 4 *.

!-

J, J. J-. 4' 44>4.-i4^j4j4j|j44j4; ?- '4

i;

TRAVELS
are called villages, and

IN SPAIN
which wander a few ragged

which have been burned and

in

ravaged by rebels, and

and wretched-looking
picturesque but a few

inhabitants.

There

is

nothing

women's
with

skirts,

of the brightest
in

canary-yellow,

adorned

embroidery

several

shades representing birds and flowers.

Olmedo, where we stopped

ruined
;

for dinner,

is

completely

whole

streets are deserted, others are filled

up

by the

fallen houses, the grass

grows

in

the squares as
;

in the accursed cities

of which the Bible speaks

soon

there will be no other inhabitants in

Olmedo

than the
the

flat-headed viper, and the short-sighted owl, and

dragon of the desert

the stones of the altars.
fortification

will

drag his
belt

scaly

belly

over

of old and dismantled

surrounds the
its

city,

and the charitable ivy

covers with

green mantle the bareness of the ruined,

Tall,

gaping towers.
parts

handsome
its

trees border the

ram-

and Nature does

best to repair the ravages

of time and war.

of Spain
is

The

diminution of the population

frightful.

In the time of the

;

Moors

it

had

thirty-two millions of inhabitants

now

it

scarcely has

more than

ten to eleven millions.

Unless some fortu-

nate but scarcely probable change occurs, or marriages

become supernaturally fecund,

76

cities

formerly flourish-

fit

*ft*

**

*" f*- i
,

* *** *4*

4*4* ** "J? = 4* ** * ** *s* * 4* *

VALLADOLID
ing will be wholly abandoned, and their brick and clay
ruins
will,
little

by

little,

melt away into the earth,

cities
is

which devours everything, both

and men.

The

landscape beyond
I

Olmedo

not very varied in

character; only,

noticed before

we

reached the place

where we were

to sleep a beautiful sun effect.

The

luminous beams lighted up the slope of a chain of very

distant mountains, every detail of

which stood out with

bathed
in

extraordinary

clearness

their

sides

shade

were almost
painter

invisible, the

heavens were leaden.

who

should reproduce such an effect accurately

would be charged with exaggeration and inaccuracy.

The
those
stable,

posada, this time,

was much more Spanish than

It

we had

hitherto seen.

consisted of a

vast

surrounded by whitewashed rooms, each conIt

taining four or five beds.

was wretched and

proverbial
there

bare,
filth

but

not unclean.
yet

The

characteristic
;

had not

put in an appearance
in

was even
of
;

unheard-of luxury

the dining room,

a series

engravings representing the adventures of Telemachus

hideous coloured
universe.

daubs with which Paris floods

the

We
light

started again in the

morning, and when the

I

first

of

dawn enabled

us to distinguish the scene,

be-

77

& *4 *

1'*

S* * &*

4'*

" * * ** ""I* *s *=* "a* ** * * *** *=*

* *=* =

TRAVELS
held a sight

IN SPAIN
never forget.
I

which
at

I shall

We

had just

changed horses

a village called,

think, Saint

Mary

of the Snows, and

chain

we were

climbing the foot-hills of the

we

had to cross.
city.

We

seemed

to be in the midst

of a looked

cyclopean

Huge sandstone

blocks

that

like buildings rose

on every hand and stood out

against the sky like the silhouettes of fantastic Babels.

Here

flat

stone which

had

fallen across

two other
or dol-

rocks, closely resembled a

Druidical peulven

men

little

farther a succession of peaks, shaped like

the shafts of columns, imitated

lsea;

porticoes and propy-

or again

it

was a chaos,
It

sandstone ocean, petrilashed to maddest fury.

fied at

the

moment when

was

The

grayish-blue

tone of the

rocks heightened

still

more the strangeness of the prospect.

from the
the
interstices

Everywhere

of the stones spurted the spray or

crystal

drops

of
that

springs,

and

what

particularly

delighted

me was

the

melted snow ran into the

pools bordered by an
in a silver

hollows and formed

rald-coloured

little

eme-

sward, or
resisted

set

circle

of snow
Pillars

which had

the

action

of the

sun.

erected from point to point, which served to indicate

the

road

when

the

snow

stretches

its

treacherous

mantle over both the road track and the precipices,

^^4.4

4; 4 4.4: 4: 4.4: 4; 4; 4r 4; 4;4; 4; 4; 4: ^rdr^:d:

:

VALLADOLID
imparted to
it

monumental
all

aspect.

Torrents roared
crossed

and foamed on

hands

the road

them over
at

dry stone bridges such as are to be met with

step
in

every

Spain.
rose higher and higher;
loftier

The mountains

we

had no
rose,

sooner crossed one than another and

one

which we had not before seen.

The

mules proved
to

unequal to the work, and recourse was had

oxen.

This allowed us
rest

to descend,
I

and to climb on foot the

by the pure,

of the sierra.
air.
I felt

was

fairly intoxicated

bracing

so light, joyous, and enthusiastic

that I shouted, and leaped like a kid.

The

high peaks sparkled and twinkled in the beams

like a dancer's silver-spangled

of the sun

bodice; some

of the peaks

were cloud-capped, and melted into the

is

heavens by imperceptible gradations, for nothing

like a cloud as a
tions, the tones

so

mountain.

The

scarps and undulaas

and the forms, were such

no

art

can

give an idea of, no pen or brush suggest.

tains realised all that

The moun-

we have dreamed

they would be,

which

is

no

slight

praise.
is

Only, we imagined them

higher; their vast size

parison.

to be perceived only by

com-

On

looking closer, what has been mistaken

is

from afar for a blade of grass

a sixty-foot pine.

79

w<

4.444*4; 4-

!*

444*4^4^4^4^4;44;4j4;;4; :|

TRAVELS
At
the

IN

SPAIN
for

turn of a bridge, admirably adapted

highwayman's ambuscade, we saw a small column with

a
cross.
It

was

monument
his

in

memory of

a poor

devil

who

had ended

days in this narrow gorge,

driven to this through manoa irada (the angry hand).

From

time to time
:

we met Maragatos

in their sixteenth-

century costume
trousers,
their

a leather jacket buckled tight, full

;

and broad-brimmed hats

Valencianos, with
kilts,

white linen drawers resembling a Klepht's

a handkerchief tied around their heads, footless white

gaiters edged with blue, like the

knemis of antiquity, a

long piece of stuff {capa de muestra) with cross stripes

of brilliant colours, draped in very elegant fashion over
the shoulders.

So

far as their skin

could be seen,

it

was the colour of Florentine bronze.

trains
bells,

We

also

saw

of mules harnessed
fringes,

in

charming fashion, with

and
;

and

many-coloured blankets,

the
the

arrieros carrying

carbines.

We

were delighted

wished-for picturesque was turning up abundantly.

As we proceeded

higher, the strips of

snow became

thicker and broader, but a ray of sunshine

made

the

whole mountain gleam

'her
tears.

like a

woman

laughing through
little

On

all

sides

meandered

brooklets,

scattered like the disordered

hair of naiads

and nunc

8o

4- 4, 4, 4, 4. 4, 4. 4. 4- 4 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

VALLADOLID
limpid

than

diamonds.

By

dint
sat

of

climbing

we
the the

reached

the topmost

crest,

and

down upon
at

pedestal of a huge

granite lion

which marks,

top of the watershed, the boundaries of

Old

Castile.

Seized with the fancy to pluck a lovely rose-coloured

flower,

whose botanical name

do not

know

but which
a

grows in the cracks of the sandstone,

rock which we were
II used to
sit

we climbed

told

was the place where Philip

and watch the progress of the work on

Either the tradition
sight.
is

the

Escurial.

apocryphal or

Philip had

uncommonly good

The
slopes,

coach, which was crawling slowly up the steep

at
last

caught

us up,

the oxen

were unhar-

nessed,

and

we
at

galloped

down

the

descent.

We

stopped to dine
at
is

Guadarrama,

a little village nestling

the foot of the mountain, and

a

whose
by

sole

monument
II.

granite
a

fountain

erected

Philip

Here,

through

strange inversion

of the natural order of

dishes, our dessert consisted

of goat's-milk soup.

Madrid,

like

Rome,

is

surrounded by desert counall

try, barren, dry,

and mournful beyond

conception.

There

is

not a tree nor a drop of water, not a green

plant nor a trace of humidity, nothing but yellow sand

and iron-gray rocks

and

as

one leaves the mountains

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
behind, the rocks

become

stones only

here and there

a dusty venta, or a cork-coloured steeple

which pokes

up on the edge of the horizon

dragging
chariots,
a

big,

melancholy oxen
peasant
riding
a

fierce-looking
his

horse or mule, his carbine at

brero pulled

saddle-bow, his som-

down over

his

eyes; or again, long lines

tied

of white asses carrying cut straw

with network,

and
wears a

that

is all.

The

leading ass, or coronel, always

his

little

plume or pompon, which marks

rank

in the long-eared hierarchy.

few hours

later,

which seemed longer, so imarrive,

patient

were

we

to

we

at

last

saw Madrid
entered the

plainly enough, and in a

capital

few minutes

we

of Spain by the Iron Gate.

The

coach

first

proceeded
trees,

down an avenue

planted with stout polled

and bordered by brick towers, which are pumpSpeaking of water, although the transiI

ing stations.
tion
is

not a happy one,

forgot to

tell

you that we

had crossed the Manzanares on a bridge worthy of a

more genuine
Queen's
which
vast
it

river.

Then we
is

proceeded

past

the

Palace,
is

which

one

of those
in

buildings

customary to say are

good
give

taste.
it

The
fairly

terraces

upon

which

it

rises

grand

appearance.

After having

undergone

inspec-

VALLADQLID
tion at the

Customs, we put up close

to the Calle
in

de

Alcala and the Prado, and

we

lost

no time

sending

Manuel, our

valet,

who was

a thorough-paced aficionado

and tauromachian, to
bull-fight.

purchase tickets for

the

next

83

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
4. 4; 4, 4. 4. 4,

4,4, 4;^j44.4; 4; ^;^:^;d;A*tl:^?d:^;^;

MADRID
NEVER
quiet
streets.

did

any days seem so long to me;

impatience
I

to

my

read

more than ten

times over the posters at the corners of the principal

They promised marvels

;

eight bulls from the

for

most famous breeding-ground

and

picadores

Sevilla

Antonio

Rodriguez

for

espadas
;

Juan

Pastor,

called also el Barbero,

and Guillen
not
to

winding up with
into

orders

to

the

public

throw

the

arena

orange-peels and other projectiles which might

the combatants.

damage

The name
designate the

matador

is

not
slays

much
the

used
bull
;

in

Spain to
is

man who
is

he

called
;

espada (sword), which

nobler and more high-toned

I

nor do they say

ful

toreador, but torero.

present this use-

piece
in

of information, by the way, to those

local

who
and

indulge

colour
fight

in
is

drawing-room

songs

comic opera.

The

called media corrida, or half

performance, because formerly there were two every

Monday, one

in

the morning, the other at five

in

the

84

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MADRID
afternoon, and the
ance.
It

two together made up

perform-

The

afternoon function has alone survived.

has been said and repeated everywhere that the

for

taste

bull-fights
will

is

going out

in

Spain, and that

If
it

civilisation
so,
it

do

away with
the worse
finest

them.
for

does

will

be so
is

much

civilisation, for

bull-fight
;

one of the

spectacles

man can

see

but the day has not yet come, and tender-hearted

writers

who

affirm

the contrary

had better go some

Monday

to the Alcala Gate, and they will be convinced

that the taste for this ferocious

enjoyment

is

far

from

dying out.

Monday,

the

Day

of Bulls, dla de
is

toros, is

a holiday

no one works, the whole town

up.

Those who

have not yet secured their tickets hasten to the Calle

de Caritas, where
is

situated the
;

box

office, in

hopes

of finding some vacant seat

for

by an arrangement

which cannot be too highly

praised, the

whole of the
stalls.

enormous amphitheatre

is

divided into
is

numbered

The

Calle de Alcala, which

the main artery into

is

which

the populous streets of the city empty,

full

of footthis

passengers, horsemen, and carriages.

For on
the

day

emerge from

dusty

coach-houses

most

comical

and extravagant caksas and carriages, the most fan-

85

l*

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*C* *=* *S* *=* "=* ** *^* 5* *=* *2* *=* ** *R* * * '* *S<

TRAVELS
tastic

IN SPAIN
The
calcorricola.

equipages, the most amazing mules.

are
like

esas

the

Neapolitan

They have
body adorned

great

red wheels,

no

springs, a carriage

with more or less allegorical pictures and upholstered

in

old

damask or faded
;

serge, with

silk

fringes

and

trimmings

the whole having a curious rococo air which

effect.

produces a most comical

the shaft,
in

The

driver sits

on

whence he can harangue and

beat his mule

comfort, and this leaves one seat the more for his

clients.

The mule

itself

is

adorned with as

many

plumes, pompons,
sibly

tufts, fringes,

and

balls

as

can pos-

be put on the harness of any sort of a quadruped.

calesa usually contains a manola and her female
a

The

friend, with her manolo, besides

bunch of muchachos
concern goes
like the

hanging on behind.
wind,
in a

The whole

whirlwind of shouts and dust.

There

are

also coaches

drawn by four or
met with only
represent

five

mules, the like of

which
der

are to be

in the paintings

of

Van

Meulen which

the

conquests and the

hunts of Louis

XIV.

All sorts of wheeled vehicles

are called into use, for to drive in a calesa to the bullfight

is

the most stylish thing a manola can do.

She

will pledge her very

bed

in order to

have some money

for that day,

and without being exactly virtuous during

J-..J-.

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MADRID
the rest of the week, she
so
is

certainly very

much

less

on Sundays and Mondays.

Country people are

at

also
their

seen,

coming
;

in

on horseback, their carbines

saddle-bow

others

mounted on
;

asses, either

by them-

selves or with their wives

besides the carriages of the

society people, and a multitude of

seiioras

worthy citizens and

on:
for

wearing mantillas,

who

hasten

now

comes

the detachment of mounted

in

national

guards,

trumpeters

front, riding
in the

forward to clear the arena,

and for nothing

world would the spectators miss

the clearing of the arena and the precipitate flight of the alguazil
fight the

when

he has thrown to the official of the

tori/,
is

key of the

where are shut up the horned

opposite the matadero, where

gladiators.

The

toril

the dead animals are skinned.

the day before by night into a
called el arroyo,

The

bulls are brought

meadow

near Madrid

which
a

is

the place whither go to walk

is

the aficionados,
for

walk which
at

not without danger,

the

bulls are

liberty

and their drivers have a

great

deal

of trouble in

looking after them.

Then
who
is

they are driven into the amphitheatre stable with the

help of old oxen

accustomed to the work and

mingle with the fierce herd.

The

Plaza de Toros

situated to the left, outside the Alcala Gate, which,

by

,(>.

4;

^ 4; 4^4j^4;44^^4;4j4;4;4;4;4j4;|jj|;4;j|; TRAVELS IN SPAIN

is

the way,

a rather

fine

gate,

somewhat

like a tri-

umphal arch, with

ments.
It
is

trophies

and other

heroic
in

orna-

huge
;

circus,

which
are

is

no wise

remarkable

externally

the

walls

whitewashed.

As
is

every one has secured a ticket beforehand, there

at the

no disorder

entrance

eery one
his

climbs to

his

seat

and takes the one marked with

interior
is

number.
the arena,

The
which

is

well arranged.
in
size,

Around

truly

Roman

runs a circular wooden

fence six feet high, painted red, and provided on each

side,

two

feet

above the

level

of the ground, with a

and banderilleros
rest

wooden
one foot

ledge,
in

on which the

chulos

order to spring over

when
fence
it,

they are too

is

sharply pressed by the bull.

tablas.

The

called

las

There

are

four doors in

which give the

attendants or the bulls access to the arena, and which

also allow of the
this fence there

removal of the bodies,

etc.

Outside

is

another rather higher, which forms

with the
chulos

first

a sort of

passageway
tired,

in

which stand the

picadore

when

they

are

the substitute

(sobresaliente)

who
in

is

bound
his

to be there, ready dressed

and

armed,

case

chief should
;

happen

to

be

wounded
nados

or killed,

the cachetero

and some

aficio-

who by

dint of perseverance

manage,

in spite

of

MADRI D
regulations, to
sage,

make
to

their

way
is

into that coveted pas-

entrance

which

as

much

sought after in
in Paris.

Spain as entrance to the wings of the Opera

As
the

it

often happens that

fence, the second
is

the

maddened

bull

leaps

first

further provided with a

network of rope intended to prevent a repetition of

the spring.

number of carpenters stand ready with

to

axes and

hammers

repair

any damage which may

that
bulls

happen to the enclosures so

cally

accidents are practi(technically

called
to leap

impossible.

And

yet

multas piernas, many-legged) have been

known

the

second

fence,

as

is

proved by an

engraving in
of
the

Goya's

" Tauromaquia."

The

engraving

famous author of the " Caprices " represents the death

of the alcalde of Torrezon, gored by a leaping
bull.

Beyond the second fence begin the benches intended

for the spectators.

Those

nearest the ropes are called

barrera seats, the centre ones tendido, and those which

are against the
tnblondlhs.
first

row of gradas

de cubierta are called

recall

These benches, which

those of the

Roman

amphitheatre, are of bluish granite and have

no other roof than the sky.

Immediately above come

divided

the covered seats, gradas cubiertas, which are

into
delantera, or

front

seats,

centra,

or centre seats,

A*

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TRAVELS
and
tabloncillo, back, seats.

IN SPAIN
Above
these rise the boxes,
asientos,

called pakos

and

palcos por

one hundred and

can
pot

ten in number.

These boxes
of

are very large and

each

contain a score
differs

spectators.

The
in

palco

asientos

from the ordinary box

it,

that

a single at the

seat

may be

hired in

like

the balcony

stalls

Opera.

The

boxes

of the

Queen Regent and

the

" Innocent
silk

Isabella " are

in

ornamented with draperies of

and enclosed

curtains.

Next

to

them

is

the

box of the ayuntamiento, who presides over the sports

and has to
settle

any
so

difficulties

which occur.
twelve

The

circus,
all

divided, contains

thousand
;

spectators,

comfortably seated and seeing easily

an

indispensable matter in a spectacle intended purely for

the
eyes.

The

vast

place

is

always

full,

and those

who cannot

procure sombra seats (shady seats) would

in

rather cook alive on the benches

the burning sun

than miss a

fight.

It

is

the proper thing for people

in

who wish
their

to be
at

considered

good

society to have

box
at

the bull-fight, just as in Paris one has a

box

the Italian opera.

I

When
I

issued

from the corridor to take

Torrents of
is

my

seat,

felt

dazzled and giddy.

light

poured

down upon

the circus, for the sun

a superior light

90

4.4,4,4,4, tfc^-.Vdb-fr^^tfctfcrfctfctfcrfctfc^tfc'l::!^

MADRI D
giver which has the advantage of not shedding
it

oil,

and
vast
;

will be long before gas itself will replace

rose, like a mist

it.

rumour

of noise, above the arena

on

the sunny side fluttered and sparkled thousands of fans,

and

little

round

parasols

with

reed

handles.

They

looked like swarms of birds of changing colours, trying

to take flight.

There was not

a single

empty

seat.

can assure you that to see twelve thousand spectators

in a theatre

so vast that

God

alone can paint the ceil-

ing of

it

with the splendid blue which he draws from

is

the urn of eternity,

in

itself a

wonderful spectacle.

The mounted

National guards, very well horsed and

very well dressed, were riding around the arena, pre-

ceded by two alguazils wearing hats and plumes of the

time of Henry IV, black doublet and cloak and kneeboots.

They

drove away a few obstinate aficionados

and belated dogs.

The
to

arena having been cleared, the

two
the

alguazils

went

fetch the toreros,

composed of

picadores, the

chulos, the

banderilleros, and the

espada,

who

is

the chief actor in the drama.

These

entered to the sound of trumpets.

blindfolded
horses,
for

The
of to
is

picadores ride

the

sight

the bull

might

frighten the steeds and cause

ously.

them

swerve dangervery picturesque.

The costume

of the riders

91

*| *|^ <4 ** *A i *| -i" *4* -4* *A | JU |* ci.

JU i *4* ri% #i ct% JL mL g

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
It consists

of a short, open jacket, of orange, green, or

embroidered with
silver

blue velvet, heavily

or gold,

with spangles, quillings, fringes,

filigree

buttons, and
shoulders,
a lumi;

ornaments of

all

sorts,

especially

on

the

where the velvet completely disappears under

nous phosphorescent network of interlaced arabesques

a
vest

of the same

style,

a shirt

with

lace front, a
;

striped cravat carelessly knotted, a silk girdle

breeches
tin

of buffalo hide stuffed and lined inside with

postilions'

like

boots, as a protection
;

for the legs against

the horns of the bull

a very

wide-brimmed gray hat

(sombrero), low crowned, with an enormous bunch of

favours
;

heavy purse or cadogan of black ribbon,

and which binds the hair
is

which

is

called, I think, mono,

behind the head.

point

The weapon
inches
in

a lance fitted

with a

one
the

or

two

length,
is

which cannot
to
irritate

wound

bull

severely,
;

but

sufficient

and to keep him back

prevents
high
in

a leather

band

fitted to

the hand

the lance
front

slipping.

The

saddle

rises

very

and behind, and resembles the

set

steel clad

saddles in

which were
tourneys
;

the knights of the Middle

Ages

at their

the stirrups are of wood, in the

shape of a half-shoe like Turkish stirrups.

iron spur, sharp as a dagger,
is

long

fitted to

the horseman's

92

,J. -J* ,1,

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MADRID
heel.

To

urge on

the horses, often

half

dead,

an

ordinary spur would not be sufficient.

The

chulos look very bright and gay in their satin

knee-breeches, green, blue, or pink, embroidered with

silver

on

every seam, their

silk

stockings, white

or

flesh-coloured, their jacket adorned with designs and

ornaments, their tight

perched
their

belts,

and

their

little

montera

coquettishly

upon the

ear.

They

carry

on

arm

a stufF mantle (capa\

which they unroll and

dazzle, or bewilder

flutter
it.

before the bull to

are well

irritate,

They

made, slender young fellows, unlike

are

the

picadores,

who

usually
athletic

noticeable
proportions.

for

their

very great

height

and

These
theii

have to depend on their strength, the others on

agility.

The
bull a

banderilleros
is

wear the same costume, and

their

particular office
sort

to strike into the shoulders of the

fitted

of arrow
strips

with

a barbed iron

and

adorned with
banderillas,

of paper.

These arrows

are called

and are intended to excite the fury of the

it

bull

and exasperate

sufficiently to

make

it

come

well

up

to the matador's sword.

in
at

Two

banderillas

must be
do
that,

stuck

the

same time, and

in order to

both arms must be passed between the bull's horns;

93

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
a ticklish operation, during the performance of which

any absent-mindedness would be dangerous.

The

espada's costume differs from that of the ban-

derilleros only in being richer,

more splendidly adorned,

silk,

and

in

being

occasionally
to

of purple
the
bull.

colour
espada's

peculiarly

distasteful

The

weapons
piece

are a
scarlet

cross-sword with a long

stuff
this

hilt,

and

of

fixed
sort

to

cross-stick.

The
is

technical
muleta.

name of

of fluttering

buckler

Now

that

you are acquainted with the stage

and the

actors, I

shall

show you them

at

work.

The

picadores, escorted by the chulos, proceed to

the box of the ayuntamiento, where they perform a

salute,

and whence are thrown

to

them the keys of

the

toril.

These keys

are picked up and handed to

the alguazil,

who

bears

them

to the official of the ring

yells

and gallops off as hard as he can, amid the

shouts of the crowd
tives
;

and

for alguazils

and
in

all

representa-

of justice are no more popular

Spain than are

the

the police and city guard with us.

picadores take their stand on the the
toril,

Meanwhile
left

two

of the gates of

which

is

opposite the Queen's box, the en-

trance of the bull being one of the most interesting

points in the performance.

They
94

are posted close to

MADRID
each other, backed up against the tablas, firmly seated
in

their saddles,

lance in
animal.

rest

and

ready to

receive

bravely
rilleros

the

fierce

The

chulos

and

bande-

stand at a distance or scatter about the arena.

All these preparations, which are longer in description

than

in

reality,

excite

curiosity
fixed

to

the

highest
fatal

degree.
gate,

All eyes

are anxiously

upon the
is

and of the twelve thousand glances, there

in

not

one turned

any other direction.

earth

The handsomest
the alms of a

woman upon

could

not obtain

look at that moment.

I confess that for

my

part I felt

my

heart clutched,

as

it

were, by an invisible hand,

my

temples throbbed,

and cold and hot sweat broke out over

tion
I

me

the

emo-

then

felt

was one of the

fiercest I

have ever

experienced.

shrill

blare of trumpets

was heard, the two

noisily,

red

halves of the door were

bull dashed into the

thrown open

and the

arena,

welcomed by

tremendous

cheer.

It

was

a superb

animal, almost black, shining,

with

huge dewlap,

square

head,

sharp,

polished,
tail,

crescent-like horns, clean

limbed, a restless

and

bearing between the two shoulders a bunch of ribbons

of the colours of

its

ganaderia, held to the skin by

95

rJ.-t

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
sharp points.
It

stopped for a second, breathed heavily

two or three

times, dazzled by the daylight and astonsight

ished by the tumult, then catching

of the

first

picador, he charged

him
I

furiously.

The

picador thus

attacked was Sevilla.

cannot

resist
is

the pleasure of
really the

describing that famous Sevilla,

picador.

who

ideal

Imagine a man about

thirty years

of age,

handsome, high-bred looking, and

cules,

as

robust as Her-

brown

as a mulatto, with superb eyes

and a face

recalling that

which Titian gave

jovial

to his Caesars.

The
which
some-

expression

of

and
his

disdainful

serenity

marks
thing

his

features and

attitude has really

heroic

about

it.

On

that

day

he

wore an
silver,

orange jacket embroidered and

trimmed with
on

which

has

remained

imprinted

my mind

with
his

ineffaceable accuracy.

He

lowered

the point of

lance, steadied himself, and bore the shock of the bull

so admirably that the furious brute staggered past

him
its

bearing

away

wound which
It

before long

rayed

black skin with red streaks.

a few

stopped, hesitating, for

fury the

moments, then charged with increased

little

second picador, posted a

farther along.
in

Antonio

Rodriguez drove

great

lance-thrust
first,

which opened a second wound close to the

for

96

i*t*#l* r.K

A*

| J-

rK

#i*

*|t.

A' i**-**^'**!?

m t^ w Si? tt?t?

MADRID
the

shoulder

alone

must be

struck;

but

the

bull

charged upon him with

his

lowered

head, and
belly.

plunged
chulos
stupid

whole horn into the horse's

up,
fluttering

The
new

hastened

their

capes,

and the

animal, attracted and distracted by this

bait,

pur-

sued them at

full

speed

but the chulos, setting foot

lightly

upon the ledge we have mentioned, sprang

over

the fence, leaving the animal greatly disconcerted at seeing no one.

The

thrust of the horn had ripped

open the horse's

falling

belly so that the entrails

were running out and

I

almost to the ground.

thought the picador would

horse.

withdraw to take another

Not
if

in

the

least.

He

touched the animal's ear to see

the

blow was up
;

mortal.

The

horse

was

merely

ripped

the

wound, though hideous

to behold,

might be healed.
into the belly,

The

intestines

were pushed back

two

or three stitches taken, and the poor brute served for

another charge.
his place further

He

spurred

it

and galloped ofF

to take

away.

The
dores,

bull

began to perceive that he had not much to

gain except lance-thrusts in the direction of the pica-

and

felt

desire

to

go back to the pasturage

grounds.
7

Instead of charging without hesitation, he

97

&**t* *.U

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-J-.

4* -i ? *A* *& A#i,|*#At*|*JUi rA,f6.i- #*

^*lj

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
started,

after a

short rush, to return to his querencia

with imperturbable obstinacy.

technical

The

querencia

is

the

name

for

any corner of the arena which the and to which

its
it

bull chooses

for a refuge

always re-

turns after the cogida, as

attack

is

called,
is

and

after

the

suerte,

or

torero's

attack,

which

-also

called

diestro.

A
so

cloud of chulos flashed before

;

its

eyes their capes

his insolence

of brilliant colours
far as

one of them carried

to

place his rolled up mantle on the bull's

head.
could,

The maddened
of
this

animal got

rid,

as

well
tossed

as

it

unpleasant
stuff,

ornament, and
it

the

harmless piece of

which

trampled with rage

when

it

fell

to the ground.

Profiting by this renewed

it

burst of wrath, a chulo began to tease

it

and to draw
opposite
its
its

towards the picadores.

Finding

itself

enemies, the bull hesitated, then

making up

mind,

charged Sevilla so fiercely that the horse rolled over,

for Sevilla's

arm

is

a
fell

bronze buttress which nothing

under the horse, which
is

can bend.
best

Sevilla

the

way

to

fall,

for the

man

is

thus protected from

being gored, and the body of the horse serves as a

shield.

The

chulos

intervened
thigh
;

and

the

horse was

got

off with a ripped

Sevilla

was picked up,

98

1. *1 ri*
-=*r-

J-.

rl> *i* J.^ r* rt* i

.**

4. -**.

.*.

tw *..-<..-<.*.**wrf*i"*W *****

JU r&i U* rl JU 1* #A #-t* i* rl tit

^1 *i r?

MADRI D
and he got back into the saddle with perfect coolness.

The
was

steed of
less

Antonio Rodriguez, the other picador,

It

fortunate.

was gored
right in

so

fiercely

in

the

chest that the horn

pletely in the

went

and disappeared com-

wound.

While

the bull

was trying

to

disengage

its

head, caught in the body of the horse,

his

Antonio clutched with

hands the top of the fence,

for the

which he leaped with the help of the chulos,

picadores,

when thrown, weighed down by

the metal
easily

linings of their boots,

can move scarcely more

than the knights of old, boxed up in their armour.

The
over

poor

horse, left
if
;

to

itself,

could but stagger

across the
its
its

arena as
entrails

it

were intoxicated, stumbling

flowed

own

torrents of black blood

irregular zigzags

from
the

wound and marked

upon
gait.

sand which betrayed the

it

unevenness of
It raised
its

its

Finally

fell

near the tablas.

its

head two

or three times,
its
its

blue eye already glazed, turning up

its

lips
tail

white with foam, which showed

faintly

bare teeth
legs

beat

the

ground,

its

hind

were

convulsively drawn up and struck out in a last kick,

as if
it

had

tried to
Its

break with

its

hard hoof the thick

skull of death.

agony was scarcely over when the

bull busy

muchachos on duty, seeing the

99

elsewhere,

**

*" *!"

*h* *$" -* ?r* * *** *A &* t #!- * rl* 1 1 i

-t-

i* * rJ * *1 #i<

TRAVELS

IN SPAIN
The
its

hastened to take off the saddle and bridle.

horse remained stripped, lying on
silhouette
its

dead

side,
It

brown

showing against the sand.

it

was

so thin,

so flattened out, that

might have been cut out of

noticed
at

black paper.
the
strangely
Its

had already forms

Montfaucon
gives to

fantastic

which

death

horses.
elled

head, so noble, so cleanly shaped,

terrible finger

mod-

and moulded by the

of nothingness,

seems to have been the dwelling of human thought

the

mane which

flows out, the

tail

which
poetic

is

spread out,

have something

picturesque and
a corpse
is
;

about them.

dead horse
life

is

every other animal from

which
I

has departed
at

nothing but a dead brute.

have spoken
it

length of the death of this horse

the most painful sensation which
It

because
I
felt at

gave

me

the bull-fight.

was not the only victim,

however; fourteen other horses were slain; one bull

alone killed five of them.

The
bull

picador returned with a fresh mount, and there

less
its

were several charges more or

fortunate, but the

was beginning

to tire

and

fury to abate.

The
and

banderilleros

arrived

with

their

papered

arrows,

soon the

bull's

neck was adorned with a

collar of cut

paper which the very efforts that he

made

to get

rid

A. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4; 4. 4. 4; -A. J. 4.4. 4. 4; 4 4j 4; 4. 4; 4j 4. 4; jf;

MADRID
of
it

drove

in

more

firmly.
in

small

banderillero
skill

called

Majaron, drove

the darts

with great

and

boldness,

and

sometimes

even

he

performed

a cross-caper before withdrawing.

Needless to say, he
the bull had in

was loudly applauded.

seven or eight
his

When

him

banderillas,

the irons

of which tore

head and the paper of which rattled in his ears, he

began to gallop here and there and to bellow horridly. His black muzzle was wet with foam, and
in

his rage

he dealt such a fierce blow with his horns to one of

the doors that he threw
penters,
it

from the hinges.

his

The

car-

who were watching

movements, immediin

ately replaced the door.

chulo drew him

another

direction, but was pursued so fiercely that he scarcely

had time to leap the fence.

asperated bull
fence.

The maddened and

the

ex-

made

a prodigious effort

and leaped the

passage

All

those

who were

in

sprang

with marvellous speed into the arena, and the bull reentered by another gate, driven off with sticks
hats by the spectators in the lowest

and

row of benches.

The
to the

picadores withdrew, leaving the field to Juan

Pastor, the espada,

who proceeded

to pay his respects

bull.

ayuntamiento and asked leave to slay the

permission being
granted,

The

he

threw away

his

;fc :fc:fc :i: :!: :fc :Jr

:!:*: i: : :fc :fc :fe :fc :fc tfc :fc tfc tfc rfe sb db

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
montera,
to stake

by
his

way of showing
all,

that

he

was going
the

and walked
his

up

deliberately to
folds

bull, concealing

sword

in

the red

of the

muleta.

The
body which
light

espada waved rapidly the scarlet

stuff,

which
the

the bull blindly charged.

slight

movement of
fierce

sufficed to avoid the rush

of the

animal,
at

soon
stuff,
it.

charged
it

again,

striking

fiercely

the

which

pushed aside without being able

itself,

to pierce

favourable opportunity presenting

the espada took

bull,

up

his

position

exactly opposite the

waving

his

muleta

in his left

hand, and holding

level

his

sword horizontally, the point on a

It
is

with the

animal's horns.

difficult

to

render In words the

this

anguished curiosity, the frenzied tension excited by

situation,

which

is

worth

all

the dramas Shakespeare

ever wrote.

In a few seconds more, one of the two

actors will be dead.

bull
?

Which
are

shall

it

be, the

man

or the
;

There they

alone, facing each other

is

the

man

has no defensive armour, he

dressed as

if for

a ball, in

pumps and
;

silk stockings, a pin

is

could pierce

his satin jacket

all

he has

a bit of stuff

and a

frail

sword.

All

the material advantages in this duel are

bull.

on the

side of the

He

has terrible horns, sharp

^^.^^4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4^4.^4; 4. 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4*4; 4;^

MADRID
man

as poniards,

immense impetus,

the rage of a brute un-

conscious of danger; but the

his

has his sword and

glances
fixed

courage, and twelve thousand

;

upon

him

beautiful

women

will

applaud

him

presently

with their white hands.

The

muleta was pulled aside, uncovering the matahorns were within an inch of
lost.

dor's chest, the bull's

it.

believed
as

him

silvery

gleam

flashed,

swift

thought,
fell

between

the

two crescents, and

the bull

on

his

knees uttering a bellow of pain,

with the sword-hilt

Hubert's
antlers, as

between
bore

his

shoulders, like Saint

stag

which
is

crucifix

between

his

he

represented in Albert Diirer's marvel-

lous engraving.

whirlwind
;

of applause

swept

over the amphi-

theatre

the

nobility

on the palcos, the middle classes

on the gradas cubiertas, the manolos and manolas on

the tendido, shouted and yelled, with true

Southern
el

ardour and excitement, " Bueno

bero !

bueno

viva

Bar-

viva

"
just dealt

The blow
of
fact,

by the espada
is

is,

as a

matter
estocada

very highly thought of and

pies.

called

a vuela

The
is

bull

dies

without

losing

drop

of blood, which

the highest point of the art, and

103

k k k "k k k k k k "k k
falling

:*: tb

db tfc

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
his

ti: tb :fc db 4?

4? tb t&

on

knees seems to acknowledge

his adver-

sary's superiority.

The

dilettanti

say that this stroke

a

was invented by Joaquin Rodriguez,

of the
last

famous torero

century.
bull
is

When
black,
It
is

the

not

slain

at

one blow, there

in

springs over the fence a mysterious being dressed

who

has heretofore taken no part in the fight.

the cachetero.

He

advances furtively, watches

animal, notices whether

the
it

last

convulsions of the

may

still

pick itself up, which does happen someit

times, and treacherously strikes

from behind with

a cylindrical poniard ending in a lancet, spinal

which cuts the

rapidity

cord

and

destroys
correct

life

with
is

the

of

lightning.

The

place

behind

the
>

head,

a few inches from the parting of the horns.

The

military

band played

at

the death of the bull

one of the gates was opened, and four mules magnificently harnessed,
all

plumes,

balls,

and woollen

tufts

and

little

red and yellow flags

the Spanish colours

by

galloped into the arena.

They

were destined to re-

move
a rope

the

bodies, to

which

they are

made

fast

and a hook.
the
bull.

The

horses were

first

dragged out,
their

and

then

These four mules, with

dazzling and sonorous equipment, dragging over

the

104

4~ 4~ 4~ 4~ 4* 4* 4- 4-

4'44^4^4*4.4444^4j4;4j4;4j4:

MADRID
sand
at

mad

speed

all

those bodies

which but now

had galloped so well themselves, had a strange, wild

aspect which helped
functions.
to diminish the

gloom of

their

The

attendant
it

came up with

a basketful
in

of earth, and scattered

over the pools of blood

slip
;

which the toreros might

their places

the picadores resumed

a
;

by the gate, the orchestra played

bull

few
for

bars,

and

another

dashed

into

the

arena

there are no intervals to this spectacle, nothing stops

it,

not even the death of a torero.

We have already said

and armed,

that the substitutes are standing by, dressed

in case of accident.

We
but

do not intend to

relate in succession the slaying

of the eight bulls which were sacrificed on that day,

we

shall

mention some variants and some

bulls are

inci-

dents.

The
quietly
quiet,

not always very fierce

some,

indeed, are very gentle and ask

to
lie

nothing better than

;

down

in

the shade
that

one can
greatly

tell

by

their

pleasant

faces

they

prefer

pasturage to the circus.

They

turn their backs upon

the banderilleros, phlegmatically

allow the

chulos to

wave

their

many-coloured mantles before their nose.

Even

the banderillas are not sufficient to dispel their

apathy.

Recourse

is

then had to violent

means, to

105

^4.4; 4. 4? 4? 4; 4.^4.4^ '};;* :; d*tb ti'd'

TRAVELS
the banderillas de fuego.

IN SPAIN
are a sort

They

of fireworks

which

light a

few minutes

after they

have been planted

bull),

in the shoulder of a cobarde

(coward
sparks
at

and explode
reports.

with

much

scattering

of

and

loud

This ingenious invention

terrifies

once

stuns, burns,
bulls,

and

the bull

were he the coolest of

he has

got to get mad.

He

indulges in a multitude of ex-

travagant leaps which one would not expect so heavy

an animal to be capable of; he bellows, foams, and

twists in every possible

way

to get rid of the irritating

its

firework which burns

It
is

its

ears and roasts

hide.

true that the banderillas de fuego are

as

made
is,

use
to

of only

the

very

last

resort
if

the

fight

a
;

certain extent, dishonoured

they have to be used

but

if

the

alcalde

delays
is

too

long the wave of his

handkerchief, which
that he
is

the signal, such a tumult arises

in.

compelled to give

It

is

impossible to
yells

describe

the

shouts and screams,

call

the

and the
"
!

stamping.
others,
is

Some

out,

" Banderillas de fuego

"

Perm

perros ! "
;

(Dogs

dogs

!)

The

bull

loaded with insults

it

it

is

called a brigand, an assas-

sin, a thief;

is

offered a place in the shade;

at
it,

innu-

merable jokes are fired

often very witty ones.

Soon

regular

stick

chorus helps out the shouting,

106

Ju *4* *&

*-t*

*A* *4* *4*

*4'*

*4* *4* *** *=* tS? t^j tl?

db sc *^* *=* *=* *=*

*-* *** =*

MADRID
which
and
is

insufficient.

The

floor
falls

of the palcos cracks

splits,

and the painting

from the

ceilings in

white particles like snow mixed with dust.

tion
is

Exasperafire

at its height.
!

"

Throw

the alcalde to the

and

to the dogs

" howls the maddened crowd, shaking

its fist at

the ayuntamiento's box.

is

At
is

last

the wished-

for permission

granted, and peace

is

restored.

Often the
illas

bull

so cowardly that even the bander-

de

fuego

are

not

sufficient.
in.

It

returns to

its

querencia

and refuses to come

perros ! "

Then

shouts of

" Perros

are heard again.

On

a sign from
are splen-

the alcalde, the dogs are brought in.

did,

They

handsome thorough-breds, and of remarkable beauty.

charge straight
at

They

the bull, which

may

toss

dozen, but cannot prevent one or two of the strongest

and boldest from fastening

at last

upon

his ears.

Once
could
bull

they have got hold, they are like leeches; you

rip

them open before they would

its

let

go.

The

shakes
all
is

head, smashes

them
has

against the fences,

lasted

useless.

When
the

that

for
his
its
is

some time
sword into
knees give
despatched.

the

espada

or

cachetero

drives
staggers,

the victim's side.

The
earth,

bull

way,

it

falls

to

and

there

it

Sometimes

also a sort

of instrument called media luna

.3.*i*t,

r.i.

*A

rl-.

c-iw D

>

.A* #JU

cs?t

<4* ^i * *4* i* oJU *4* ri 1* rt> 1* *| * f

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
(half-moon)
is

used to hamstring
;

it,

and thus
it

it

is

ren-

dered incapable of resistance

fight,

then
It

is

no longer a

but a disgusting butchery.

often happens that

the matador misses his blow,

the sword strikes a bone

and springs back, or

the blood to flow

else

it

enters the throat and causes

freelv,

which

is

a serious blunder

under the laws of bull-fighting.

kill

If the espada does not

is
is

the animal with the second stroke he

hooted

at,

hissed,
it

and insulted

for the Spanish public

impartial;

applauds the bull and the

merits.

man
"

according to their

respective

If

the

bull
toro !

rips
if
it

up a horse and
is

overthrows a man, " Bravo

the

man who who

overthrows the
ice
is

bull,
in

" Bravo

torero !

" but no cowardpoor devil

tolerated

man

or brute.

was

afraid
bull

to drive

the banderillas into an extremely

fierce

excited such a tumult that the alcalde had

to

promise to send the

man

to

prison,

before order

could be restored.
In this same bull-fight Sevilla,

who

is

an excellent

horseman, was greatly applauded under the following

circumstances.
his

bull

of extraordinary strength got

belly,
off"

horns under the horse's

lifted

and throwing up

his

head

the animal clean

the ground.

Sevilla, in

that perilous position, did not even

move

in his saddle,

108

MAD RID
did not lose his stirrups, and held his horse in so firmly
that
it

fell

back on
had

its

four feet.
a

The
and

fight

been

good
and

one
a

eight

bulls

fourteen

horses

killed,

chulo

slightly

wounded,

nothing
hospital,

better could have been asked for.

Each

bull-fight

brings in

about twenty to twenty-five

is

thousand francs.
to the

The money

granted by the

Queen
are

main

where the wounded toreros

most carefully tended.

in

priest

and a doctor are ready

one of the rooms of the Plaza de Toros, the one to

Formerly a

care for the soul, the other for the body.

mass on behalf of the toreros was

fight
;

said during the bull-

believe this
is

is

stiil

the case.

You

see that

nothing

forgotten, and that the directors are careful

men.

When

the last

bull
it,

is

slain,

everybody jumps

into the arena to

look at

and the spectators with-

draw, discussing the merits of the different suertes and

cogidas which have most impressed them.

And what
pretty
faint
?

about the

women

you ask,

Are they
I

must
that
I

own

that I do not

know.

have

idea

there were

some very
it.

pretty

women

near me, but

could not swear to

Let
point.

us

go to the

Prado to

settle this

important

iog

4; 4; 4; 4j 4^ 4; 4. 4; 4; 4^ J.

4. 4; 4; 4. 4j 4; 4; 4; 4. 4. 4; J;
of, the

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
When
Madrid
is

spoken

very

first

things one

thinks of are the Prado and the Puerta del Sol.

The

Prado, which has several avenues and sidewalks with a

driveway
tops.

in the centre, is

shaded by low trees with cut

in

Each of them stands

a small,
is

brick-edged
led to the

basin with gutters through

tree at the regular watering

which water
hours.

But

for this pre-

caution they would soon be destroyed by the dust and

burned up by the sun.

vent of Atocha,

The Prado
in

begins

at

the

Con-

passes

front

of the Atocha and

;

Alcala Gates, and ends at the Recollet Gate

fashionable world

but the

keeps to a space

bounded

by the

fountain of Cybele on the one hand and that of

Nep-

tune on the other, between the Alcala Gate and the

Calle San Geronimo.

In that part
bordered with
;

there
chairs

is

a like

wide
the

space

called el Salon,

main walk of the

Salon
Paris.

Tuileries

on either side of the

there

is

an avenue which bears the name of

It is the

rendezvous of the fashionable society

society
is

of Madrid, and as fashionable

distinguished
dustiest,
least

not

usually

for

fondness
least

for

the

picturesque,
place
in

the the
is

shaded,

convenient
chosen.

whole promenade has

been

The crowd
in

so great in this narrow space

hemmed

between the

MADRID
Salon and the driveway that
it

is

often difficult to pull

;

one's handkerchief out of one's pocket

in step

you must walk

reason which
is

and follow your

leader.

The one

can have led to the adoption of this place day you can see and

that every

bow

to the people

who

drive past,

and
to

it

is

always an honour to a foot-passenger to

in

bow

some one
fine.

a carriage.
are

The

equipages are not

very

Most of them

drawn by mules, whose

black coats, pot bellies, and pointed ears have a most

unpleasant effect.

They

look like mourning carriages,

driven behind a hearse.

Even

the

Queen's carriage
;

is

exceedingly simple and

commonplace

an Englishman
it.

of wealth would unquestionably despise

there are

Of course
rare.

some exceptions, but they

Andalusian
saddle-horses

are

The
the
is

handsome

on

which

Madrid fops show off are very handsome.

There

no animal more elegant, more noble-looking, and more

graceful than an Andalusian stallion, with
plaited
its

handsome
sweeps
its

mane, and
its

its

long, thick

tail,

which

the

ground,

harness

adorned with

red tufts,

straight head, its brilliant eye,

and

its

neck curved
a lady,

like

a pigeon's breast.

saw one ridden by

which

was pink
a

(I

mean

the horse, not the lady), as pink as

over,

Bengal

rose

silvered

of marvellous

beauty.

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
The
and
for

appearance of the Prado

it is

is

really

most animated,
world, not

one of the

finest
is

promenades

in the

its all

position,
.'.ie

which

exceedingly ordinary in spite

to correct
its

of

efforts

which Charles III made

defects, but on account of the collects there every evening

amazing crowd which

until

from half-past seven

ten o'clock.

There

are very few

women's bonnets

to be seen
;

on

the Prado, save a few yellow ones (straw hats)

tillas

man-

alone are worn.

!

So the Spanish mantilla does

either of black or of white
it

actually exist
lace,

It is

made

more

usually of black, and

is

worn behind the

head above the comb.

few flowers placed by the

temple

complete

this

head-dress,

which

is

the

most
wears

delightful that can be imagined.

A woman who

the mantilla must be as ugly as the three theological

virtues if she cannot

manage

to appear pretty.

Un-

fortunately,

that

is

the only

portion
;

of the Spanish
is

costume which has been preserved

the rest

in

the

PVench
a shawl,

fashion.

The

folds

of the mantilla wave over

itself is
in

an odious shawl, and the shawl

sort

worn
re-

over a dress of some

calls

of stuff which

no wise

the Spanish beauties.

The

former costume was

so thoroughly appropriate to the type of beauty, and

A*

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,

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*-

MADRID
especially to the habits, of the Spanish
really the only

women,

that

it is

one possible

for

them.

The

fan

which

they carry somewhat corrects their Parisian aspirations;

a

woman

without a fan
;

is

a thing I have not seen in this

blessed country

have seen some

who wore

satin shoes

without any stockings, but they had a fan.

a fan everywhere, even to church,

They

carry

where you meet with

on

groups of

women

of

all

ages, kneeling, or squatting

their heels, praying

and fanning most fervently, with

Spanish signs of the cross

ours, executed by

much more

complicated than

them with
soldier.

a precision

and a rapidity
to

worthy of a Prussian
is

The way
Spanish

use a fan
excel

wholly
it.

unknown

in

France.

women

in

Their

fingers open, close,

and turn the fan so

quickly, so lightly that a prestidigitator could not surpass them.

Some of

the richer ladies have collections

of fans worth a great deal of money.

We

saw one

which contained more than a hundred fans

styles
;

in different

they had
;

come from every country and belonged

to

all

times
;

they were in ivory, tortoise-shell, sandal;

wood

they were spangled

they were adorned with

water-colours of the time of Louis

XIV

and Louis

XV

there were
;

some

in

Japanese and Chinese rice-

paper
8

several were studded with rubies, diamonds, and

II 3

?S* m*

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w^M^tW^w*<MiSin>>witw>iM

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
other precious gems.

For

a pretty

woman
fad.

this

is

luxury

in

good

taste

and a charming

The

fans as

they close and open

repeated
its

make

little ruffling

sound which,

more than

a thousand times a minute, sends

peculiar note through the vague

as strange.

rumour and
a

strikes

French ear

When

woman

meets an

acquaintance, she makes a sign with her fan, and drops,

as she goes by, the

word agnr.

And now

let

us

come

to the Spanish beauties.

The
with
tillas,

Spanish type, as

we

understand

it

in

France,

does not exist in Spain,

it.

at least I

have not yet met

Usually

when we speak

of senoras and man-

we

think of a long, pale, oval face, with great

black eyes, velvety eyebrows; of a delicate, somewhat arched nose

;

lips red

like

pomegranates, and over

bears

all

warm, golden tone which

song,

out the line of the

" She

is

golden as an

orange."

That type

is

Arab or Moorish, not Spanish.

charming
in the fullest sense

The

Madrilenas are

of the word.

Three out

of four are pretty, but they are in no wise such as we

fancy

them.

They

are

short,
figures,

dainty,

well

shaped,

with small

feet,

handsome

and

fairly full busts;

but they are very white-skinned, their features

small

and

irregular,

and their cherry

lips recalling

exactly cer-

114


tain

JL.

J. 4, 4. A. 4. 4. J. 4, 4.

4; 4; & 4; 4; 4j

jfc

4j 4; 4; 4;

MADRID
portraits

of the time of the Regency.

hair,

Many

of

them have light-brown

and you cannot walk up

and down the Prado without meeting seven or eight

fair-haired
palest

women

of

all

degrees of fairness, from the

blond to the most vehement red and the auburn

It
is

of a Charles V.

mistake to think there are

no

fair

women

in

Spain.

Blue eyes are numerous,

of as black.
difficult

but are not thought so

much

At

first

we found

it

somewhat
in

to reconcile
as if

ourselves to seeing

women

low-necked dresses
slippers,

going to a

ball,

bare-armed, with satin

and

flowers in their hair and fan in hand, walking alone in

a public place
;

for here ladies do not take a

man's arm
Their
day, for
in this

unless he

is

their

husband or a near
at least

relative.
it

escort walks
after

by them,
the

so long as
is

is

nightfall

etiquette

less

rigorous

respect, especially for strangers

to
it.

who

are not

accustomed

We
spoken
just as
;

had heard the manolas of Madrid very highly

of,

but the manola as a type has disappeared,

the grhette of Paris and the trasteverina she

;

of

Rome

still

exists, but she

has lost her old charac-

teristics

she no longer wears her striking and pictu-

resque costume; ignoble cotton prints have taken the

"5

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TRAVELS
place of the brilliant skirts

IN SPAIN
embroidered
in

amazing

designs; the hideous kid shoe has driven out the satin
slipper, and, horrible

to

relate, the

gown

is

fully

two

fingers

longer.

Formerly the manolas enlivened the

Prado with their quick
it

aspect of the

gait

and

their

striking costume, but

is

now

difficult to

distinguish

them from the wives of tradesmen and women of the

lower middle
class.
I

have sought for a thorough-bred

I

manola
at

in

every corner of Madrid.

looked for her

the bull-fight, in the Delicias, at the the

festival

Nuevo Recreo,
I

at

of Saint
a

Anthony, and

have only

once come across

complete one.

Once

while travers-

ing the Rastro quarter, after having stepped over a great

number of

rascals
in a
I

sleeping

on the ground

in

rags,

found myself

deserted lane, and there, for the

first

and

last

time,
well
is

beheld the wished-for manola.

She

was
age,

tall,

made

girl,

some twenty-four years of

which

the extreme age to which manolas and

grisettes

can attain.

She had

bronzed complexion,

steady, sad look,

somewhat

thick lips, and something of

African

in the outline

of her face.
it

The

huge

plait of

her hair, so black that

showed

blue, tressed like the

handle of a basket, was twisted around her head and

was kept

in

place by a

tall

comb.

Bunches of coral

i76

J.J.

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MADRID
beads hung from her
ears, her

brown neck was adorned

with a necklace of the same material.

A
;

black velvet her

skirt, as

mantilla covered her head and shoulders

short as that of the girls of Berne,
cloth, and

was of embroidered
legs clad in black

showed strong, well-made

;

silk stockings

her shoes were the old-fashioned satin

shoes; a red fan fluttered like a vermilion butterfly in

her hands covered with silver rings.

The

last

of the

manolas turned the corner of the lane and disappeared

from

my

sight, leaving
in

me amazed

at

having seen once

again walking
I also

the real, living world, an opera dress.

saw

at the

Prado some Santander pasiegas

in their

national costume.

These

pasiegas are said to be the

best nurses in Spain, and their fondness for the children

confided to them

has

become

proverbial, just as in
is

France the

probity

of the

Auvergnat

proverbial.
folds

They wear

a red cloth skirt with

enormous heavy

edged with a broad braid, a bodice of black velvet, also

trimmed with gold, and by way of head-dress, a bandana

in brilliant

colours with numerous silver ornaments and

other barbaric adornments.

These women
striking

are

very

handsome,
and
their

and

have

very

look of force
children
in

grandeur.

The

habit

of

cradling

in

arms

makes them hold themselves

117

way

" -

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TRAVELS
which shows
off to

IN SPAIN
their

good
in

effect

handsome
is

figures.

To

have a pasiega

her national costume

sort

of luxury comparable to that of a Klepht behind one's

carriage.
I

have not spoken of the costumes of the men, but

will

if

you

look into the fashion-plates of six months

ago, you will have a perfect idea of them.

There

exists

in

Madrid

a trade

which

is

quite un-

known
in

in Paris,

that of water-sellers.

Their stock

trade consists of a cantaro of white earthenware, a

small basket

of reeds or

tin,

which contains two or

three glasses, a

few azucarillos, which are sticks of

porous caramel, and sometimes a couple of oranges

or limes.
foliage,

Others have small breakers covered with

their

which they carry on

back

few even,

along the Prado, for instance, have

stalls

surmounted
in

with brass

figures of

Fame, and

flags,

which

no

respect yield to the splendours of the liquorice-water

sellers

of Paris.
in

These

water-sellers are usually

young

Galician lads

snuff-coloured jackets, knee-breeches,

and pointed

hats.

Some

are Valencianos with

white

linen trousers, a piece of stuff laid over their shoulder,

and blue-edged alpargatas.

few

women

and

girls, in

no costume

to speak of, are also found in this business.

118

MADRID
According
to
their

sex

the

water-sellers

are

called

aguadores or aguadoras.
their sharp call,

You
"

hear

all

over the town

"Water, water; who wants water?

snow
the
to
!

Iced water, cool as

thing

You

hear this sort of

till

from
calls

five

in

morning

ten
los

at

night.

These

suggested

Breton de

Herreros a
popular

song called
all

" Aguadora," which was

vastly

through Spain.

The Madrid

thirst

is

really

amazing.

All the water

of the fountains and

all

the

snows of the Guadarrama

to

Mountains would not sufHce

slake

it.

The
naiads

poor
has

Manzanares and the dried-up urn of

been often laughed
at,

its

but

would

like to

know what
is

any other river would look

to such a thirst.

like in a city that

is

a prey
at its

The Manzanares
carefully

drunk up
for

source

the aguadores

watch

the
its

least

drop of water which they can find between

banks,

and carry

it

off in their cantaros

and

their fountains;

washerwomen wash

the clothes with sand, and in the

is

very centre of the river bed there

for a

not enough water

Mohammedan
is

to perform his ablutions.

glass

of water
to

sold for a cuarto (about a farthing).

Next
its

water, what Madrid most

needs

is

a light for
!

cigarette,

and so the

call,

" Fuego, fuego

"

is

heard

119

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*'-'*

*"-*

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
on
all

hands, and constantly mingles with the

!

call,

" Agua, agua

"

It

is

an endless
to

fight

between the

two elements, each trying

fire

make

the most noise.

is

A
by

more permanent than

in

that of Vesta
full

carried

youngsters

small cups

of coal and fine ashes,

provided with a handle to save burning one's fingers.

It is

now

half-past nine; the Prado

is

is

getting empty,

and the crowd and

botillerias

moving

in the direction

of the cafes

which border the great Calle de Alcala

the other streets.

The Madrid

cafes strike us,

who

are

accustomed to
Paris
cafes, as
their

the brilliant, fairy-like

regular

luxury

of the

twenty-fifth-rate
recalls

public

houses,

while

decoration
exhibited

vividly

the caravans in

which are
but
the

bearded
is

women
fully

and living

sirens,

lack of luxury

compensated

for by the excel-

lence and the variety of the refreshments served.

We
this

must confess that

is

Paris, so superior in everything else,

this

behindhand
its

in

respect

our

art

is,

in

matter, in

infancy.

The most famous

another, the

cafes are,

the Bolsa at the corner of Carretas Street; the

Nuevo,

where the
I

exaltados

meet

name

of which

have forgotten, which

is

the usual meeting-place of

Cangrejos or Crayfish
;

the Moderates,

who

are called

MADRID
the Levante, close to the Puerta del Sol.
I

do not

mean

that the others are not good, but the

above-menforget

tioned are the most frequented.

'

We

must not

either the

Cafe

del

Principe, alongside of the theatre

is

which bears the same name, and which

rendezvous of
artists

the usual

and

literary
is

men.
adorned with small

Let us enter the Bolsa, which

mirrors cut out on their lower surface so as to exhibit

designs like those seen upon certain

German

glasses.

Here

is

the

list

of bebidas heladas, of sherbets and

belada,

quaitos.
in

The

bebida

or

iced
is

drink,

is

served
great

large or

small glasses, and

is

to be

had

in

variety.

There

the naranje (orange), Union (lemon),

It
is

fresa (strawberry), and guindas (cherry).

a sort

of liquid

ice,

or

snowy puree of most

exquisite taste.
is

The

bebida

de

almendra blanca (white almonds)

delightful

drink

unknown

in

France.

The Madrid

cafe also serves

you with iced milk, half strawberry or

is

cherry, which, while the body

torrid zone,

being cooked in the

all

makes your

throat enjoy

the

snows and
ices

cold

of Greenland.
ready,

During the day, when the

are not yet

you can have agraz, a drink made

in

of green grapes and served

very long-necked bottles;

is

the slightly acid taste of the agraz

exceedingly

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
pleasant.

Or you
con

can

drink a bottle

of cerveza

ck

Santa

Barbara

limon,

but

this

takes

some

little

time to prepare.

First are brought a basin

and a large

spoon

like a punch-ladle, then the

waiter approaches,

bearing

the

wire-fastened

bottle,

which
is

he

uncorks

with

infinite

precaution, and the beer

has been
;

poured into

the basin, into which

previously put a deis

canter

full

of lemonade
ladle,

the mixture
is

then stirred
is

with
ready.

the
If

the

glass

filled,

and the drink

combination,

you do not care

to do
is

for this

all

you have

to

go into one of the orchaterias de

chufas, usually

kept by Valencians.
sort

The

chufa

is

small berry, a

of almond, which grows in the

Valencia,

neighbourhood
ground,

of
of

which
is

is

roasted

and
is
is

and

which

drink

made which
This

exquisite, especially

when mixed with snow.

an extremely refreshing drink.

To
let

wind up what we have

to say about

the cafes,

us add that the sherbets differ from the French ones

in

being thicker.
in

The

quesito

is

small, hard

ice-

cream moulded
all

the shape of a cheese.

There

are

sorts

of them, apricot, pine-apple, orange, just as

Chocolate, coffee, and other spumas are also

in Paris.

served.

These

are varieties

of whipped cream, iced

4. 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4j 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

4. 4;

MADRID
and exceedingly
finely
light,

sometimes powdered with very

barquilos or

ground cinnamon, and served with

rolled wafers,

through which you take your bebida as

it

through a siphon, drawing

ends,

in slowly

by one of the

little bit

ot

refinement which enables you to

Coffee
is

enjoy longer the coolness of the drink.

served in cups, but in glasses.
it is

not

For the matter of

that,

little

used.

These

details
if

may

appear to you
suffering, as

somewhat
are,

fastidious, but

you were

we

from a heat of eighty degrees and more you would

consider

them most

interesting.

Many more women

are to be seen in the

Madrid

cafes than in the Paris ones, although cigarettes, and

even Havana cigars are smoked

papers

there.

The
the

newsEco
del

most

frequently

met with are

Diario,

Comercio, the

Nacknal and the

which

tell

you

of the festivals of the day, the hours of masses and

sermons, the temperature,

lost

dogs,

young peasant-

women who
who
But
draw.

are looking for positions as nurses, criadas

are looking for a situation, etc., etc.

it

is

striking eleven,

it

is

time for us to with-

There

are but a very few belated passers-by in

the Calle de Alcala.

at

The

serenos,

with their lanterns

the end of a pike and their stone-gray cloaks

and

123

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
their cadenced cry, are alone seen in the streets.

No

sound

is

heard but that of a choir of crickets singing

little

together, in their
their
dissyllabic

cages adorned with glasswork,

complaint.
;

The Madrid
cage of

people are

very fond of crickets

every house has one suspended

from the window

in a miniature

wood

or wire.
are kept

They
in

are also strangely fond of quails,

which

open-worked willow baskets, and which pleasantly

everlasting
plu, piu, piu,

vary, with their

the

creak,

creak of the crickets.

The
with a

Puerta del Sol

a church

is

not, as might be imagined, a

gate, but

facade painted pink

and

adorned

dial lighted at

night, and with a great sun with

it

golden beams, whence

the church there
is

derives

it

name.

In front of
its

a sort of a square, traversed in

greater length by the Calle de Alcala, and crossed by

the

Calle de

Carretas

and

de Montera.
faces on

The

Post

Office,

a great square building,

is

the square.

The

Puerta del Sol

the rendezvous

of the idlers of

the city, and they appear to be numerous, for early in

the morning the crowd

Politics

is

dense there.
subject of conversation.

form

the general

The

theatre of
is

war

is

in

every one's mind, and more

all

strategy

devised at the Puerta del Sol than on

124

MADRID
the
fields

of battle and

in

all

the campaigns in the

world.

Formerly, and even to-day, the nobility would

del Sol,

go into the shops near the Puerta

have a chair

brought out, and remain there the greater portion of

the day, talking with their clients, to the
satisfaction of the

great

dis-

tradesman, grieved

at

such a mark

of familiarity.

Now
for

let

us
is

wander

at

haphazard through the

;

city,

chance
not
street

our best guide

the

more so

that

Madrid
and

does

possess
is

many

architectural

attractions,

one

as

interesting as another.

The

houses of Madrid are built of laths and brick,

and of clay, except the door-posts, the binding-courses,

and the bearing-pieces, which are sometimes of blue
or gray granite; the

whole wall being carefully lined

fantastic

and

painted

in

rather

colours, apple-green,

ash-blue,

light-fawn,
less

canary-yellow,

rose-pink

and

other

more or

anacreontic shades.
is

The

frame-

work of the windows

tectural

ornamented with sham archispirals, cupids,

work, numberless volutes,

and

flower-pots, and

provided with Venetian

blinds with

broad white and blue stripes, or mats which are kept

watered
ness.

for the

sake of the humidity and the coolare simplv

Wholly modern houses

125

whitewashed

-I

*-> (-,

X *JU *% *1* *4*

4*

* *4 *4 *4* *4* ** *i* **-! ** *|* ft*l

,

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
or
tinted
like

Paris ones.

The
break

projecting
the

balconies

and

miradores
lines

somewhat
and

monotony of
flat

straight

diversify the

naturally
is

aspect

of the buildings, every relief on which

treated in
all this

painted and

the style of theatre decorations.

Light up

with a brilliant sunshine, place here and there

filled

in

these streets

with

light

few

long-veiled

senoras

who

hold their open fan against their cheek

by way of a parasol, a few tanned, wrinkled beggars

draped
in

tinder-coloured rags, a few Bedouin-looking,

;

half-naked Valencianos
little,

erect

among

the

roofs

the

dwarf cupolas, the bulging, leaden-ball-topped

of a church or a convent,

spires

and
if

you have a
to

rather curious prospect which

would prove
Lafitte,

you

that

you

are

no longer on the rue

the boulevard

and that you have

really left

asphalt, even

you had not

already been convinced of the fact by the sharp pebbles

of the Madrid pavements which cut your

feet.

really striking thing

is

the frequent repetition of

the inscription

" yuego

de villar"

which recurs every

is

twenty yards.

Lest the reader should imagine there

in

anything mysterious
translate

these three words,

hasten to
I

them.

They
is

simply

mean "

Billiards."

cannot see what

the use of so

many

billiards.

Next

126

= **y

*'*.'*

* ** *s* ' ** *

gg*g J**P^B*g3*g*S*^g
I

4**1*

MADR D
to juegos de villar, the

most

frequent

inscription

is

dcspacho de vino (wine shop).

In these shops are sold

Val-de-penas

and other good wines.

are
also

The

conjiterias

and pastelerias
decorated.
tion.

very numerous and

prettily

Spanish preserves deserve particular menas as

it

Those known
is

angel's

hair
in a
is

are

exquisite.

Pastry

also as

good

can he
it

country which

has no butter, or at least, where

so costly and so
is

poor that
sort that

it

cannot well be used.

call

It

much of

the

we

fancy biscuits.

All the inscriptions are written in abbreviated characters, with the letters

interlaced
first

one

in

another,

makare

ing

it

therefore difficult at

for strangers,

who

great readers of signs, to

make them

out.

The

houses are uncommonly large and commodious,

is

the ceilings are high, and space

nowhere economised

some of the
house.

staircases
suites

here would hold a whole Paris

to
;

Long

of rooms have

be

traversed

before reaching the really inhabited part

for all these

rooms are furnished only with

a
flat

a coat

of white-wash or
lines

yellow or blue

tint,

with coloured

and panels
paintings

imitating

wood-work.

Smoky and blackened

representing the beheading or the ripping up of

some

martyr

favourite subjects of the Spanish painters

127

4: 4; 4 4. 4;

4; 4. 4; 4; 4; -h 4j4; 4; 4; 4? 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

TRAVELS
are

IN SPAIN
Wooden
floors are

hung upon

the walls, most of the paintings being

unframed and wrinkled.

in

unknown
All the

Spain

at

least,

have never seen any.

rooms

are floored with bricks, but as the bricks are

in
is

covered with rush mattings

winter and reed mats

greatly diminished.

in

summer, the inconvenience

mats are
plaited

The
do
an

with
the

much

taste; the natives of the

Philippines
better.

or

Sandwich

Islands

could
for

not

There

are three things

which are

me

accurate test of the state of civilisation of a country:

its

pottery, the art of plaiting either willow or straw,

and the method of harnessing draught animals.

pottery
potter}',
is

If the

fine,

of good shape, as correct as antique

with the natural tone of the yellow or red

the baskets and mats are
fine

clay

if

and

skilfully

woven
chosen
with
;

and

adorned
harness

with
is

coloured

arabesques

well

if the

embroidered, pinked, adorned

bells, tufts

of wool and designs of the finest kind,

is

you may be quite sure that the nation

and very close to a
do not
state

still

primitive

of nature, for
a

civilised people

know how
very

to

make
I

pot, a mat, or a harness.

in

At

this

moment
by a

have

front of me, hanging

from
water

a pillar
is

string, a
It
is

jarra in which

my

drinking

cooling.

an earthen pot worth twelve

4^4^4^4j4j4.4^4^4^4^4.4j4.4^4.4^4.4^4.4.

MADRID
cuartos, that
exquisite,
is,

about three

pence.

The

design

is
it

and

know

nothing to
top,

compare with
flares,

next

to

Etruscan.

The

which

forms

four-leaved clover slightly hollowed, so that the water

can pour out

in

whichever way the vase

is

turned

the

handles, ribbed, with a small moulding, run with perfect

elegance

into

the neck and sides, which are of

outline.

most

satisfactory

Fashionable

people prefer

to these

charming vases hideous

pot-bellied,

paunchy,
of

dwarfed English pots, covered with a thick layer

glaze,

which might be

easily

mistaken for jack-boots

polished white.

But talking of pots and potteries,

we

have got a pretty long, way from the description of the

house.

We
little

had better return

furniture
is

to
is

it

without delay.
to

The
Spanish

which
hideous

be met with in

houses

in

taste,

and

recalls

the
style

Messidor and the Pyramid styles.

flourishes

The Empire
;

here in

all

its

integrity
in

you come across

mahogany

pilasters,

ending

sphinxes' heads in green

bronze, or Pompeian wreaths, which have long since

disappeared from the civilised world.
a single piece of carved
table
inlaid in

There

is

not

wood

furniture, not a single

mother of

pearl, not a single lacquered

cabinet,

nothing.

Old Spain
I

has

entirely

disap-

29

TRAVELS
peared
carpets
;

IN SPAIN
left

there

is

nothing

of

it

but a few Persian

and

a
is

few damask

curtains.

On

the other

hand, there

an amazing abundance of straw chairs

and sofas; the walls are painted to represent columns

or cornices, or daubed
tables
figures
all

over

in

distemper

on the

and whatnots are placed

representing

little

china or porcelain

troubadours

and

other
are

equally

ingenious subjects,
solete,

which, however,
made
of

entirely ob-

poodles

spun

glass,

electroplate

candlesticks with tapers, and a hundred other magnifi-

cent things which

it

would take too long to describe,

I

even
not the
lish

if I

had not said enough about them.

to

have

courage

speak

of the

hideous

coloured

engravings which pretend, though wrongly, to embelthe walls.

There may be some exceptions, but

they are not numerous.

Do

not

imagine

that

the

dwellings of people of the higher classes are furnished

with

greater
are

taste

or

richness
exact,

these
to

descriptions,

which
of

scrupulously

apply

the

houses
or
ten

people

who

keep

carriages

and

eight

servants.

The

blinds are always closed, the shutters half shut,

so that the

rooms are
to

filled

with a sort of dim light

to
in

which you have

become accustomed
J

order

4. .*. 4. 4- 4. 4. 4. 4, 4. 4, 4, 4 4. 4. 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

MADRID
to discern objects, especially
outside.

when you come

room can

in

from

The

people

in

the

see perfectly

well, but those

who

enter are blind for eight or ten

minutes,
lighted.

especially
It
is

when one of

the

anterooms

is

said

that skilful female mathematicians

this optical

have ascertained by calculation that

combi-

nation results in perfect security for an intimate tetea-tete in an

apartment thus arranged.

in

The

heat

Madrid

is

excessive.

It

comes on
in

suddenly without the transition of spring, so that speaking of the

that
it

temperature

of Madrid, people say

has three months of winter and nine

It
fire
is

months

of

hell.

impossible to protect one's self from this

rain

of

save by

keeping

in

low
in

rooms which

are almost
is

wholly

darkened

and

which coolness

kept

up by continuous watering.
has

This need of
of bucaros,
not
a

coolness
quaint

given
wild

rise

to

the

use

and

refinement

which

would

be

pleasant to our fashionable

strikes

French

ladies,

but which
in

the

handsome Spanish women

as

the very

best taste.

Bucaros are a sort of pots of American red earth,

very

much

like

that of

which the bowls of Turkish

are to be had in
all

pipes are made.

They

sorts

of

I3

J.4.

.1. .1.

J, 4- J. 4* 4-4>4j4jJ;;i:djdb:fctildbt;ti? sS?b?&

TRAVELS
shapes and sizes
coarsely
;

IN SPAIN
gilt

some

are adorned with

scattered
in

lines

and

painted

flowers

over

the

surface.
will

As

they are no longer

rare,

made

America, bucaros
will

become

and

in

few years

be as hard to

find as old Sevres china;

then

everybody will have

them.

Seven or eight bucaros are placed

tops

on the marble
are

of tables or in corners.
sit

They

then

filled

with water, and you

effect

down on

the sofa to wait the the pleasure

clay

which they produce and

with
suitable
tint,

to enjoy

thereof

tranquillity.

The
to

takes

on

darker

the

bucaros

begin

sweat

and

to shed a

perfume much resembling the odour of wet

plaster or of a for a long time. that

in

damp

cellar

which has been shut up

The

bucaros perspire so abundantly

is

an hour's time half the water

is

evaporated.

What
cistern

left

is

as

cold
is

as

ice

and

has a well

or

taste

which

rather

disagreeable, but

which

connoisseurs consider
caros
are
sufficient

delicious.

Half a dozen buair

to
it

make
as

the

in
It

a
is

parlor so
a sort of
its

humid

that

you

feel

you

enter.

cold vapour bath.

Not content with

breathing

per-

fume and drinking the water, some people chew small

fragments of the bucaros and then swallow them.

132

4> 4-4. 4. 4- 4- 4 4- 444.444<44444l"44i4

MADRID
I

have been to some evening parties or

is

tertulias.

There

nothing

noteworthy

about

them.

People
in

dance to the accompaniment of pianos as they do

France, but
fashion,
if

in

still

more modern and lamentable

I

that be possible.

cannot understand why

people

who dance

so

little

should not
;

make up

their

minds not to dance at

quite as amusing.

all

it

would be simpler and

The

fear

of being accused of indulg-

ing in the bolero, fandango, or cachucha

perfectly
in

makes women
is

motionless.

Their costume

very simple
are always

comparison with that of the men,

like fashion-plates.
I

who

dressed
at

noticed the
at

same thing

the palace de Villa

Hermosa,

the performance

for the benefit of foundlings,

where were the Queen

all

Mother and
of Madrid.

the

young Queen, and

the great world

Ladies

who were

duchesses twice over

and marchionesses four times over, wore dresses which

a milliner
stress in

going to spend the evening with a seam-

Paris

would absolutely contemn.

to

They have

forgotten

how

dress

in

the

Spanish fashion, and

they have not yet learned

how

to dress in the

French,

and

if

they were not

the
I

uncommonly

pretty, they

would
only,

often run
at

risk

of being ridiculous.

Once

a ball, did

see a lady wearing a rose satin waist

133

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
adorned with
of Fanny
five or six

rows of black

lace, like

that

Elssler in the

"Devil on

Two

Sticks,"^

but she had been to Paris, where the Spanish costume

had been revealed to her.

The

tertuhas are not very costly for the entertainers.

their absence
; ;

Refreshments are conspicuous by

is

there

neither tea, nor ices,

nor punch

only, on a table

in

an outer room are ranged a dozen glasses of water,

limpid, with
a
plate

perfectly

of azucarillos
if

but

it

would be thought

indiscreet

and gluttonous

any one

were This

to be so luxurious as to put sugar in the water.

is

the

way
but

in

the

richest

houses, not through

it

miserliness,
besides, the

simply

because
sobriety

is

the

custom
is

hermit-like

of the Spaniards

quite satisfied with this

regimen.
not
in

As

for

manners,

it

is

six

weeks

that

one can

understand the character of a people and the customs

of society

novelty
is

gives
to

you impressions which a

It

longer stay

apt

efface.

seemed

to

me

the

women

in

Spain

enjoyed

greater liberty
in their

than else-

where; the behaviour of men

to

presence seemed

me

very

mild

and

submissive.

They pay

their

duties with scrupulous exactitude

and punctuality, and

in
all

express their passion

by verses

metres, rimed,

34

4; 4j 4; 4- 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; Jj 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4;

M ADRID
assonanced,
that
sue/tos,

and

others.

From
at

the

moment
of a

they

have placed their heart

the feet

beauty, they

may no
;

longer dance except with great-

grandmothers

they

may

talk only
;*

with ladies of

fifty

of unquestioned ugliness
visits

they
is

may no

longer pay

to houses

where there

any young woman.

most assiduous
in
six

visitor disappears suddenly,

and returns

months or a year;
go to that house
;
;

his mistress
is

had forbidden
if

him

to

he
it

received just as

he had

called the day before

far as

is

perfectly understood.

So
are

may be judged
in

at first sight,

Spanish

women

not capricious

love,

and the connections they form

often last several years.

The Teatro
arranged.
there.
I

del

Principe
saynetes

is

rather

conveniently

Dramas,

and intermedes are played

a
el

saw the performance of

play

by

Don Don

Antonio Gil y Zarate, "

Don

Carlos

Heschizado,"
style.

composed
Carlos
is

quite

in

the

Shakespearean

very like Louis XIII in

"Marion
is

de Lorme,"

and the prison scene with the

visit

monk

a copy of the
cell

of Claude Frollo to Esmeralda in the

is

where

she

awaiting death.

Fairy pieces with dances and

are also performed at
title

spectacular entertainments
theatre.
I

this

have seen given, under the

of "

La

*35

A* <! rK

r|, r|*

VM *

,.9-a

. *

r.l*

>1*
*,

JU ! ! JL #1 ! 1* #1 !* #4* 4 * * ! ..* .*..*..*. m .* ~r m

-.>.

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Pata
*fc

Cabra "

an

adaptation
at

of

"

The

Sheep's
ballet

Trotter," formerly played

part

the

Odeon.
best
at

The
dancers

was remarkably poor.

The

were
;

not as good as the mere substitutes

the

Opera

on

the other hand, the supermfmeraries displayed extraor-

dinary

intelligence

the

dance of the
precision
it

Cyclops was
and
accuracy.
exist.

performed

with

remarkable
dance,

As

for

the

national

does

not

At
that

Vitoria and Burgos and Valladolid

we were
in

told

the good dancers were

told

in

Madrid

Madrid we were

that the real dancers of the

in

cachucha were to be
;

found only

Andalusia,

at

Seville

but

we we

are very

much
to

afraid that to

have Spanish dances

shall

have

go back to Fanny Elssler and the Noblet

sisters.

Dolores Serra,

who made

such a sensation
first

in

Paris,
to

where we were among the

to

draw attention

the passionate boldness, the voluptuous suppleness, and

the sparkling grace

which characterised her dancing,

has appeared several times on the Madrid stage without producing the least effect, so completely has the
feeling for

and the understanding of the old national

dances disappeared from Spain.

gonesa, or the bolero
rise
is

When
all

the jota ara-

performed,

the best people the

rabble,
in

and

go

out

the

strangers and

136

4. 4. 4- 4-4- :l:db

** **:!: dbdbtfcd::* tjbdb

*?:!::*!: db

MADRID
is

whom
remain.

the

poetic

instinct always lasts longer, alone

The Queen's
solid building,

palace

large,

very square and

of fine dressed stone, with a great

many

windows, an equal number of doors, and a great many

Ionic columns, Doric pilasters,

in

a word,

all

that vast

goes to
terraces

make up

monument
it

of bad taste.

The

which support

and the snow-clad mountains

it

of

Guadarrama against which

vulgarity

stands out relieve the

outline.

monotony and

of

its

Velasquez,

Maella, Bayeu, and Tiepolo have painted fine ceilings

in
is

more or

less allegorical

taste.

The

great staircase
it

very handsome, and Napoleon preferred

to that of

Versailles.

The

Parliament house

is

adorned with
lions in

mixture of

Paestum columns and periwigged

inable taste
sibly
;

most abom-

do not believe that good laws can posin

be

passed

the

midst

of such

architecture.

Near
square

the Parliament
a
it

House

rises in

the middle of the

bronze
is

statue

of Miguel

Cervantes.

No

doubt

praiseworthy to erect a statue to the im-

mortal author of

Don

Quixote, but they ought to have

made

it

good deal

better.

The monument

to the victims of the

Dos

de

Mayo

137

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
is

situated

on the Prado not

far

from the
it,

Museum
Concorde

of
I

Fine Arts.

On
I

catching sight of

for a
la

moment

fancied I was back

Paris,

on the Place de
a

in

and

saw

in

strange mirage
until

the venerable

obelisk of Luxor,

which
'

now

had not suspected

pillar

of travelling around.
granite surmounted

It is a sort

of small

of gray

by an obelisk of reddish granite,

very similar in tone to that of the Egyptian needle.

The

effect
It

is

rather fine and has a certain venerable

to be regretted

gravity.
in

is

that the obelisk

in

is

not

one

piece.

The

inscriptions

honour of the

victims are engraved in gold lettering on the sides of

the pedestal.

The

Dos de Mayo

is

a heroic

and glori-

ous episode which the Spaniards dwell on rather too

much

engravings and pictures of

it

are

to

be met

with everywhere.

The Armeria
tions.

does not

come up

to one's

anticipa-

The

Artillery

and more complete.

Museum in Paris is far richer The Madrid Armeria contains

There
are helmets older or later
are
is

very few complete suits of armour composed of pieces

of the same epoch.

than
the
breastplates

upon which they

placed.

The
the

reason given for this discrepancy

that

when
relics

French

invasion

occurred,

these

curious

138

MADR [D
were concealed
in
attics,
its

and

that

there
to

they were

mixed up without

being possible

collect

them

afterwards and to sort them with anything like accuracy.

So no trust

is

to be placed in the statements of

the custodians.

We

were shown,

as

being the coach

of

Mad

Joan, the mother of Charles V, a carriage of

carved

wood admirably wrought, which

evidently was

not earlier than the time of Louis

XIV.

The

carriage
curtains,

of Charles V, with

its

leather cushions and

to

was much more

likely

be authentic.

There

are

very few Moorish weapons,

lers

two or
starred

three old buckinteresting things

and a few yataghans.

the

The most

are

embroidered

saddles

with

gold
is

and

silver,

covered with
the date

steel,

but nothing certain

or as

known
their

as

to

of their manufacture

to

original owners.

The
in

English admire greatly a sort

of

triumphal
in

cab

wrought

iron

presented

to

Ferdinand

1823 or 1824.
as

We
in

may mention

we

pass

on a few fountains
style

most corrupt, but rather amusing rococo

in

the

Toledo Bridge,

very bad taste, very rich and very

fruit,

much ornamented, with perfume-burners,

foliage
;

and

few curiously painted churches surmounted

with Muscovite steeples; and then go on to the Buen

J

39

TRAVELS
from the Prado.
sailles

IN SPAIN

Retiro, the royal residence, situated at a short distance

We

Frenchmen, who possess Ver-

and Saint Cloud, and

who

possessed Marly, are

royal residences.

rather difficult to please in the

way of

The Buen
ordinary,

Retiro appears to be the realisation of a

It
;

well-to-do grocer's dream.

has a garden

filled

with

but

showy flowers

small

basins

adorned

with

rockery and

vermiculated

stones, with jets

of

water, in the style of those seen in the shop

windows

of provision dealers
float

ponds of greenish water on which

varnished, and

wooden swans painted white and

other wonders in most mediocre taste.

The

natives

go

into ecstasies in front of a rustic pavilion built of

logs, the interior
in

round

of which has the pretension of

being Hindoo

character.
its

The

artless

patriarchal

Turkish garden with

kiosk, the

windows of which
which you

are glazed with coloured glass and through see blue, red, or green landscapes,
is

far superior in the

is,

way of taste and

certain chalet

magnificence.
is

There

above

all,

which

the most ridiculous and comical the

chalet
is

thing

imaginable.

Near

a stable, pro-

vided with a stuffed goat and kid, and a sow of gray

stone which
is

suckling

little

pigs of the

same

material.

short distance farther the guide steps aside, myste-

140

4. 4-4> 4 4 J; 4 4. 4- 4j 4? 4.4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4 4; 4; 4j

MADRID
riously
last

opens a door, and when he

calls

you and

at

permits you to

come

in

you

hear a dull sound

of wheels and counterweights, and you find yourself

in the

presence of hideous automata which are churnspinning, or rocking

children
is

ing
feet

butter,

with
carved

their

wooden
In
ill

wooden
next
;

laid

in

cradles.
is

the

room
potion

the

grandfather,

who
table.

in
is

bed
an

his

is

near him on the

the

This

exact

summary of

chief splendours

of the

Retiro.

fine

bronze equestrian statue of Philip V,

appearance resembles the statue of

which

in general

the Place des Victoires,

somewhat atones

for all

this

wretchedness.

The Madrid Museum, which

volume
to describe,
is

it

would take a whole

exceedingly rich.

There

is

an

abundance of Titians, Raphaels, Veroneses,

Velasquez, Riberas, and Murillos.

Rubens,

The

paintings are

remarkably well lighted, and the architecture, especially

in the interior,
is

in rather
taste,

good

style.

The

facade on

the Prado

is

in

bad

but on the whole the buildarchitect,

visited

ing does honour to the

Villa

Nueva, who

drew the

plans.

Having

the

Museum, you

ought to go next to the Natural History

see the

Museum

to

mastodon or Dinotherium gigantaum, a marveli-P

x*

ri ^i

X J-. *!* JL, tl J- *r .A A *X J* * JU

< *JL*

i* * X* #1* #1* ofl

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
lous fossil with bones like bars of brass,
at the

which must be
;

very least the behemoth of the Bible gold

a nugget

of

virgin

of

the

weight

of

sixteen

pounds,

Chinese gongs, the sound of which, no matter what

people say,
is

very
it,

much
and a

like that

of

copper stewpan

when you
all

kick

series

of paintings representing

the varieties

which can

result

from the crossing of

races.

the white, black, and copper-coloured

forget

Do

not

either to see

at

the

Academy

three admirable

paintings by Murillo, the Foundation of Santa

Maria

Maggiore (two

different

subjects),
;

and Saint Elizabeth

of Hungary healing
Riberas
are
;

the sick
el
;

two or three splendid

a Burial

by

Greco, some portions of which

a
fantastic

worthy of Titian

sketch

also by

el

Greco, representing monks performing penance, which

surpasses the most mysteriously

gloomy conceptions of

Lewis or of Anne Radcliffe

in

and a charming

woman
who

Spanish costume, lying on a divan, painted by good

old

Goya, the national painter above

this

all

others,

seems to have come into

lect the last

world on purpose to col-

traces of the national

customs which are

y Lucientes
is

about to disappear.

Francisco

Goya
of

unmistakably

the

descendant

Velasquez.

After
is

him come Aparicio and

Lopez,
142

the

decadence

j. 4-

-.t.

4, 4- 4. 4-4- 4-4-.-j;'j7^tl:d:d;d:^:^:4:d:^~

MADRID
complete, the cycle of
it

art

is

closed.

To whom
!

shall

be given to reopen

it ?

Goya,

a strange

painter and a singular genius

original,
local. in

No

man was
artist

ever

more markedly

no Spanish
sketch by

was ever more thoroughly

Goya, four touches of the graver

tinta, tells

cloud of aqua

you more about the manners of the country

than the longest description.

to the finest periods
force,

Goya seems

to belong
air, his

of art by his

adventurous
is

and

his

numberless talents, and yet he

almost

a contemporary, for he died at Bordeaux in 1828.

The

old Spanish

art

was buried with Goya,

as

was

the forever vanished world of toreros, majos, monks,

smugglers,
local colour

robbers, alguaciles, and witches

all

the

of the Peninsula.

He came
it.

just

in

time

to

collect

and

immortalise
;

He

thought he was

merely drawing caprices

trait

what he drew was the por-

and the history of old Spain, though he believed

he was serving the

caricatures will have

new

ideas

and

beliefs.

Soon

his

become

historical

monuments.

*43

1* 4* 1* *4

4* *4* "4* *= *4* *4* '* * ** * 4* *** * ** *** 4 *i* *=

rRAVELS IN SPAIN
4.4.4.^4. 4, 4.4, 4, 4, 4* 4; 4; 4. 4; 4.4; 4; 4; ^^^4; 4>

THE ESCORIAL

THE
trict in

Escorial

is

situated seven or eight leagues

far

from Madrid, not

from the Guadarrama,

It
is

at

the foot of a mountain chain.

impossible to im-

agine anything more barren and desolate than the dis-

which

it

lies.

Not

a tree, not a house

is

there
to

on

it;

great overlapping slopes, dry ravines,

known

be torrent beds by the bridges which span them here

and there, and clumps of blue mountains snow-capped

or cloud-laden. lack

The
the

landscape, nevertheless, does not

grandeur;

absence

of

vegetation
its

imparts

extraordinary severity and clearness to

farther

lines.

The

one goes from Madrid, the larger do the stones

which are scattered over the countryside become, approaching almost to the dimensions of rocks.

They

are of a grayish blue, and strewing the rough soil they

look like the warts upon the back of a hundred-yearold crocodile.

They show

like

innumerable
hills,

quaint

towers against the silhouette of the

which them-

selves resemble the ruins of gigantic buildings.

About

144

JU 4> 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

4^ 4. J; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4. 4; 4.
at

THE ESCORIAL
half-way out stands,
the top of a rather sharp
hill,

wretched, lonely house, the only one to be met with

on a

stretch of twenty-four miles.

Opposite to
clear,

it

is

spring
water.

which

yields,

drop

by drop,

ice-cold

You

drink as

many

glasses of that

water as

you

find, the

mules are breathed, and then the coach

starts again.

Soon afterwards you perceive, standing out

against the hazy background of the mountains, lighted

up by

a brilliant ray

of sunshine, the Escorial, a levia-

than of architecture.
ingly fine
capitals
;

The

effect

from afar
;

is

exceed-

it

looks like a vast Oriental palace

balls

the stone

and the

which top every pinnacle greatly

Before reaching
it

conduce to
erse a great

that illusion.

you trav-

wood of

olive trees adorned with crosses

curiously perched upon most picturesque huge boulders.

At the end of the wood you enter the

are
face to
face

village,

and
all

with the colossus, which, like by nearness.

colossi, loses a great deal

The

first

thing

which struck

me was

the vast
in

number of swallows and

martins which circled

uttering

the air in innumerable swarms,

sharp, piercing cries.

terrified

The

poor

little

birds

seemed

by the deadly silence

which broods

over this Thebai'd, and endeavoured to impart sound

and animation to
io

it.

145

*!* *!* *4 I* rl 4 *?*

*!

4* 4 4*4**4l**4* & #*#! !***

#&!

TRAVELS
It is

IN

SPAIN
was
built in
ful-

well

known

that the Escorial

filment of a

vow made by

Philip at the siege of Saint

to

Ouentin, when he was obliged

of Saint Laurence.

bombard

the

Church

He

promised the saint to com-

pensate him for the church which he had destroyed by

building another larger and finer, and he kept his
better than

word

the kings of the earth usually do.

The
by

Escorial,

begun
is

by

Juan

Bautista,

completed

Herrera,

unquestionably, next to the pyramids of

Egypt, the most enormous heap of granite on earth.

In Spain
it

is

called the eighth

wonder of the world.

As every country

has

its

eighth wonder, there must be

at least thirty- eighth

I

wonders.

am

greatly

puzzled to state

my

opinion of the

Escorial.

Yet, on
it

my

soul and conscience, I cannot

help thinking

the ugliest and gloomiest

monument

which an ambitious monk and

possibly devise for

a suspicious tyrant could

their

the mortification of

fellow-

men.

am
is

well

aware

that

the

purpose

of
is

the

Escorial

austere and

religious,

but gravity
is

not

necessarily coldness, and melancholy

not necessarily

emaciation

recollection

is

not weariness, and beauty

of form

may

always

be

happily

wedded

to

novelty

of thought.

146

Jj 4- 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; J; 4? 4; 4; 4j 4j 4; 4; 4; .g. tfc 4j ; J;

THE ESCORIAL
The
in

Escorial

is

planned

in

the shape of a gridiron,

honour of Saint
the
feet

Laurence.

Four square towers

represent

of the

instrument of torture, the

connecting buildings form the framework, other transverse buildings simulate the bars
;

the palace and the

church are built in the handle.

This curious notion,

to the architect,

which must have given much trouble

is

not readily perceived, although

it

is

very plain on the

it

plan,

and were one not informed of

certainly

beforehand,

it

would

escape notice.

do not blame

this

puerile symbolism,

which

is

entirely in the taste of the

age, for I

am

convinced

that specific
artist

directions, far

from being an obstacle to an

sustain him, and lead

of genius, aid and

him

to discover resources
it

which seems

otherwise he would not have thought of; but

to

me

that

something much more

People

effective

might have

been worked out.

who

are fond of

good

taste

and sobriety
fect, for

in architecture will

think the Escorial perit

the only line employed in

is

is

a straight line,

and the only order

barest of

the Doric order,

which

is

the
is

them

all.

disagreeable early impression

caused by the yellow-earth colour of the walls, which

might be mistaken for clay walls, did not the joints of

the stones, brought out by staring white lines, prove

H7

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
the contrary.

Nothing can be more monotonous than

mouldings,

these six or seven story buildings, without

pilasters, or cornices,

with small, low windows, which

It
is is

look like the holes in a beehive.

racks and hospital.
granite,
Its

an ideal barthat
it

only

merit

is

in
it

a wasted merit, since a

for clay.
I

hundred yards
all
is

off

can be mistaken

On

top of

a heavy

dwarfed cupola, which

better than the
for sole

cannot compare to anything

the Val-de-Grace, and
a

dome of

which
balls.

ornament boasts

multitude of granite

All around, in order that the

symmetry may be
have been
built

in in

no
the

wise diminished, monuments

same

style,

that

is

to say, with a

multitude of small

windows and with no ornamentation.

These

build-

ings have been joined together by bridge-like galleries

thrown across the

streets

which

lead to the village,

now

but a heap of ruins.

The ground

around the monument

are

is

flagged with

granite, and the boundaries

marked by low three-

foot walls adorned with the

inevitable balls at every

angle and opening.

ject in the least

The

facade,

which does not pro-

from the main body of the monument,

makes, therefore, no break upon the bareness of the

lines

and

is

scarcely noticeable, though

it

is

gigantic.

4. 4 4 4. 4- 4. 4 4> 4* 4 4; 4j 4; 4. 4; 4 4; 4; 4. 4; 4j 4; 4;

THE ESCORI AL
You
rises

enter

first

into a vast court, at the

end of which
its

a church

portal,
its

noticeable only for

colossal
its

statues of prophets,

gilded ornaments, and

is

rose;

painted figures.
grass

The

court
;

flagged,

damp, and cold

it

grows

in the corners

as

you step into

weari;

ness presses

down upon you

you

like a

leaden cope

your
all

heart sinks, and

feel as if there

were an end of

things and joy were forever dead to you. not gone twenty steps from the gate, a
faint,

You have
smell

when you
holy

icy,

savourless

odour

of

water and

funeral vault, wafted by a current of air laden with

pleurisy

and

catarrh.

Although

the

thermometer
chilled to the
life

stands at eighty degrees outside,

you are

marrow and

feel as if

never again would

warm

in

your veins, your blood, turned colder than serpent's

blood.

The
Well,

walls,

impenetrable
filter

as

tomb, do not

allow the living air to

ness.
in spite
I

through their vast thick-

of that cloister-like, Russian cold,

the

first

thing

beheld on entering the church was a

Spanish

woman

kneeling on the stones,

fist

who was

beat-

ing her breast with her

with one hand, and with

fervently.
a

the other fanning herself at least as

fan

The

remember

it

perfectly

was of
I

water-green
it.

colour,

which makes me shudder when

149

think of

4.

4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4. 4; 4j 4; 4j 4; 4; 4. 4; 4y 4. 4. 4; TRAVELS IN SPAIN
The
how
guide

who

piloted us through the

interior

of

the edifice
see

was

blind,

and

it

was

really

marvellous to

accurately he stopped before the pictures, the

painter of

subject and

which he named without ever

led us

making

mistake.

He

up

into the

dome, and

made us wander through

and
descending,

endless corridors, ascending

which

equal

in

their

labyrinthine

maze

Anne

RadclifFe's

"

The

Confessional

of the

Black Penitents," or "

The

Castle of the Pyrenees."

is

The
as

interior of the
pillars

church

bare and cold.

Huge,

mouse-gray
coarse

of granite
salt,

filled

with grains of mica

the
fresco-painted
ill

as

kitchen

rise

to

vaults,

the

azure

and

vaporous shades of which

harmonise with the cold, wretched colours of the architecture.

The

retable,

carved

and gilded
paintings,

in

Spanish

fashion, and with very

handsome
bareness

somewhat

compensates

for

the
is

of the

decoration, in

which everything

sacrificed to an

insipid
at

symmetry.

The

gilded bronze statues

which kneel
if I

the ends of

the retable, and which represent,

mistake not,

Don

Carlos

and

princesses
in

of the royal
style.
is

family, are most

effective and

grand

The

chapter house,

which

is

next the high altar,

in itself a vast

church.

The

stalls,

instead of blooming out into fantastic ara-

150

j, 4, a,

,4^

4.4~ *

:}: *l;dh-k &}: Jk-k lb

THE ESCORIAL
besques like those of Burgos, share the general
rigidity

and are merely decorated with small mouldings.

We

were shown the one sombre Philip

It
is

in

which

sat for

fourteen years the

II, a

king born to be a grand inquisitor.

the corner

stall.

door cut

in

the

wood-work

leads to the interior of the palace.

Without
tion, I

priding myself

upon very profound devo-

never enter a Gothic cathedral without feeling

mysterious

and

deep

sensation,

an

extraordinary
I

emotion, and without a vague fear that

shall

meet

around some cluster of

pillars

God

the Father Himself,

with his long silver beard, his purple mantle, and his

azure gown, collecting within the

the prayers

folds

of his robe

of the
is

faithful.

In

the

church of the
is

Escorial

one

so

overwhelmed, crushed, one

so

thoroughly in the grasp of an inflexible and gloomy

power, that the uselessness of prayer

strated.

is

plainly

demon-

The God

of such a temple can never be

moved.
After having visited the church,
the Pantheon, the

we went down
in

into

name given

to the crypt
It
is

which

are deposited the bodies of the kings.

an octag-

onal hall

thirty-six

feet

in

diameter and thirty-eight

feet high, situated

exactly under the high altar, so that

151

A*

i: -k when

-A-

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
the priest
It
is

i: -i'-b*: 4:4:-k+:-k'};-;
Mass
stands upon the keystone.

saying

reached by a staircase of granite and coloured

marble closed by splendid bronze gates.

The

Pan-

theon

is

lined with jasper, porphyry, and other precious

marbles.

In the walls are cut niches with cippi of

antique

form intended

to

receive
left

the bodies

of the
cold

kings and queens

in this

who have

successors.
;

The

crypt

is

deadly and penetrating

the

the polished
it

marble

reflects

trembling

rays

of the torch;

seems to be dripping with water, and one could

imagine himself
in

easily

a submarine grotto.

The

weight

of the vast
stifles

edifice

crushes you, surrounds, grips, and

caught, as
it

you

you

feel

were, in the ten-

tacles

of a gigantic granite polypus.

in

The

dead con-

tained

the
it

sepulchral
is

urns seem

more dead than

ever

others, and

difficult

to believe that they can

be resurrected.

Here,
is

as in the

church, the impression

borne
in

in

upon one

of sinister despair.

There

is

not

these

gloomy

vaults a single crack through

which

the glad heaven

may be

seen.

There

are a few good

paintings

left

in the sacristy,

though the best of them have been transferred

Royal

to the

Museum

in

Madrid.

Among
German

others there are

;

two or

three paintings of the

school on panels

152

4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4^ 4; 4; 4y 4j 4f 4^ 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; ^j 4; 4; 4.

THE
these
are
staircase

SCO RIAL
The
vow
ceiling

of rare merit.

of the great

was painted
in

in fresco

by Luca Giordano, and

of Philip
acres
II

represents

allegory the

and the
in

foundation of the

convent.

The

of walls

Spain painted by Luca Giordano are

fairly

amazing,

and

it

is

difficult

for us

moderns,

who

are breathless

before

we have
how

got through half the shortest task, to

conceive

such work

was

possible.

Pellegrino

Tibaldi, Cambiaso, Carducci,

Romulo, Cincinato, and

several others have painted cloisters, tombs, and ceil-

ings in the Escorial.

The

library ceiling,
is

which

is

by

Carducci and Pellegrino Tibaldi,

clear,

in

satisfactory,
is

luminous fresco tone

the composition

rich,

the interlaced arabesques are in excellent taste.

The
front

Escorial library has this peculiarity, that the books are placed

with

their

backs to
I

the

wall

and

the

towards the spectator.

this.

do not

know
in

the reason for

The

library

is

especially rich

Arabic manu-

scripts,

and must assuredly contain inestimable treas-

ures wholly

unknown.

The

remaining books struck

me

as being generally

on theology and scholastic phi-

losophy.

We

were shown some vellum manuscripts

it

with illuminations and miniatures, but as

to be a

happened

Sunday and the

librarian

was absent, we could

!53

:: tfc

"k :fc -k

&:

tb 4? 4? 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; <ij 4g 4; 4>

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
not see more, and
single

we had

to leave without

seeing a

incunabulum.

In one of the corridors stands a life-size Christ in

white marble attributed to Benvenuto

Cellini,

and a

few very strange,

cf Callot's
and

fantastic

pictures

after the

manner
very

Teniers'

" Temptation,"
monotonous,
gray granite

but

much
can be

older.

Nothing

more
these

however,
corridors

conceived than

which wind through the building

body
;

like veins in a

human

it

takes a blind

man

to

find

his

way through
constantly

them.
it

You go up and down, you

not
take

turn

would

more than

three

or four hours'

walking there to wear out the soles of one's shoes,

for the granite
is

rough as a

file

and
see

as gritty as

sandballs

paper.

From

the

dome you

nothing but

which from below appear the

size of bells, but are of

huge dimensions and could be turned

globes.

into

monstrous

The

vast prospect
at

is

unrolled before you, and

you embrace
separates

a glance

the

whole
the

district

which

you from Madrid.

On
From
;

other side rise

the

Guadarrama mountains.

here you can see

the whole plan of the

monument

you look

into the
rising

courts and cloisters with their rows of arcades

one above another, with

their fountains

and

their

cen-

154

sb

k k "k k k k k k -k k k k k kk k
pavilions.

:?:

db tfc

THE ESCORI AL
The
roofs

k k kk

tral

show

saddle-wise, as in a

bird's-eye

view.
into the

At the time we went up

a

dome

there

was

in

huge chimney-top,

in

a great nest of straw like an

its

overturned turban, a stork with

three

young

chicks.

This

interesting family

showed most quaintly against

leg in the
its

the sky.

The

hen stork stood upon one

its

centre of the nest,

neck sunk

in

its

shoulders,

beak majestically placed upon

philosopher
;

its tuft,

like a

meditating

the chicks stretched out their long beaks

for

and necks asking

that I
told

food.

hoped

for a

moment

might witness one of those sentimental scenes

in

of

books on natural history,

its

in

which the great

young, but the
of

white pelican tears

stork

breast to feed

its

seemed unmoved by these demonstrations

starvation.

The

melancholy group further increased

the deep solitude of the place, and gave an Egyptian

aspect
to this
vast

building worthy of the Pharaohs.

a

On

coming down we saw

garden which contains

It
is

more architecture than vegetation.

terraces

composed of
laid

and parterres of clipped boxwood

out in

designs like those on old damask, with a few fountains

and a

few greenish

pools
pile

solemn,
it

dull

garden,
part.

worthy of the gloomy

of which

forms a

155

4* *ft

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TRAVELS
It
is

IN SPAIN
hundred windows on

said that there are eleven

the exterior of the building alone, which

makes the
I

average tourist gape with

astonishment.
in

did

not

count them
I

but

it

is

not

the least improbable, for

have never seen so many windows together.

is

The

number of doors
I

equally fabulous.
desert,

issued

from that granite

that

monkish

necropolis, with an extraordinary sensation of satisfaction

and

lightness.

seemed

to

be reborn, to be
to

capable of again

becoming young, and

I

rejoice in

God's creation, which

within
these
funeral
like

had

lost

all

hope of doing
bright
air

vaults.

The warm,
stuff of
fine

enveloped

me
was

soft

wool,

and

warmed my body,
phere.
I I

chilled

by the cadaverous atmos-

freed

from that architectural nightmare,

never come to an end.
I

which

thought would

advise people

who

are foolish

enough

to

imagine that

they are bored, to go and spend three or four days in

the Escorial
is,
;

they will learn there what true weariness

all

and they will enjoy themselves

the rest of their

in

lives

by merely thinking that they might be

the

Escorial and that they are not.

156

4**4*

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
TOLEDO

WE
spite

had

exhausted the
to be
all

sights of

Madrid, and
;

were beginning

somewhat bored

so in

of the great heat and

the
rebels

sorts of terrible stories

about
for

and the rateros,

city

we

bravely started

Toledo, the

of sword blades

and

romantic

daggers.

Toledo

is

not only one of the oldest cities of Spain,

if

but of the world,

the chroniclers are to be believed.

The

most

staid

among them

place

its

foundation

at a

time anterior to the flood.

it

Why

should they not put

as far

back

as the

pre-Adamite kings, a few years

?

before the creation

of the world
foundation
to

Others attribute

the

honour of

its

Tubal Cain, others

Brutus,

again to the Greeks, others to

Telmon and

Roman

consuls, others to the

Jews who entered Spain

contention

with Nebuchadnezzar and

maintain their

by the etymology of Toledo, which comes, they say,

from
tions,

toledotb,

Hebrew word which means generahelped to build

because the twelve tribes had

157

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J" 1

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
and
settle
it.

Whatever the

truth

may

be,

Toledo

is

certainly a wonderfully old city, situated

six

some

thirty-

miles

from Madrid,

Spanish
is

miles, of

course,
article

which are much longer than a twelve-column

or a day without money, the two longest

things

we
in

know
small
latter

about.

The

trip

made

in

a calesa, or

mail-coach
is

which
safer,
starts

starts

twice a week.
in

The
with-

considered

for

Spain, as formerly
trip

in

France, no one

on the shortest
fear

out

making

his

will.

The

of brigands

must

surely be exaggerated, for in

the course of a very long

pilgrimage through provinces having the reputation of

being most dangerous,

we have

never met with any-

thing which would justify this panicky terror.

You

leave

Madrid by the Toledo Gate and Bridge,

both of which are adorned with flower-pots, statues, and

chicory leaves
theless
right
in

very poor taste, but produce nevermajestic

effect.

lather

You

pass

on the
Bias

the village of

Caramanchel, whence Ruy

the
little

fetched for

Mary of Neubourg
Bias
in

blue

German
of

flower (Ruy

to-day would not find a trace

this
;

forget-me-nots
soil

cork-bark hamlet built upon a

of pumice stone)

and you enter, travelling upon

a wretched road, an endless, dusty plain covered with

158

*"

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TOLEDO
corn and rye, the pale-yellow colour of which increases
the

monotony of the landscape.

few

ill-omened

crosses, a

which spread here and there

their thin

arms,

few steeples which indicate an unseen

village, the

dried bed of a torrent crossed

by a stone arch, are the

only breaks

in this

monotony.
his

From time

to time

you

meet a peasant on

mule, carbine by his

side, a

muchacho
with

driving before

him two

or three asses laden

tied

earthenware jars or bundles of straw

with

cords, or a poor,

wan, sunburned woman, dragging a

fierce-looking child,

that

is

all.

As we proceeded
more
desert-like,

the
it

landscape became barer and

and

was with

feeling

of secret

satisfaction

that
five

we

perceived

upon

a bridge

of dry
to

stone the

green light-cavalrymen
is

who were
travelling

escort us, for an escort

needed

in

from

Madrid

to

Toledo.
in

We
are

breakfasted at Illescas, a town

old

which there

some remains of

Moorish buildings, and where

are protected by compli-

the

windows of the houses

cated gratings surmounted by crosses.

Beyond

Illescas the

country becomes more

hilly,

and

the road consequently

more abominable.
hills,

It is

nothing

but a succession of break-neck

which, however,

159

*:

& *; *:

**

4 4.44 4.4.4- 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

.Jj

4; 4j

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
do not prevent the pace from being
postilions
fast
;

for Spanish

do not care a

bit

about what happens behind

get
to
their

them provided they themselves

tion
;

destina-

even

if

they bring along the pole and the front

satisfied.

wheels

only, they are quite

However, we
in a

reached our destination without mishap,

-dust raised

cloud of

by our mules and the horses of our escort,

thirst,

and entered Toledo, devoured with curiosity and

through
a

magnificent

Arab

gate

with

an

elegant
balls
is

horse-shoe arch and granite

pillars

surmounted by

and covered with verses of the Alkoran.

called

The

gate

the

Sun Gate.

It

is

of a reddish,
its

warm

tone,

like that

of a Portugal orange, and

profile

stands

out admirably against a clear, lapis-lazuli sky.

In our

grayer climate

we cannot have any

conception of the

virulence of colour and the sharpness of contour of

these

monuments, and the paintings which

strike

represent

them always

one

as

exaggerated.

After having passed the Puerta del Sol, you reach a

sort of terrace

from which you can enjoy

vast pros-

pect,
fields

the Vega, dappled and striped with trees and

are

which

indebted

for their

greenness to the

irrigation

system

introduced

by

the

Moors.

The

yellow Tagus, crossed by the two bridges of Saint

160

JU 4. 4. 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4? 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4j 4; 4j 4j 4; 4;

TOLEDO
Martin and the
Alcantara,
in

flows

rapidly
its

and almost

wholly encloses the town

one of

windings.

At

the foot of the terrace sparkle the

brown, shining roofs

and

of the houses, and the steeples of the convents

churches, with their green

and

white

tiles

arranged
hills

checkerwise.

Beyond are seen the reddish

and

the bare slopes which form Toledo's horizon.

The

prospect
air

is

peculiar in this, that

in

it

wholly lacks ambient

and the haze which

our climate always veils

air

broad landscapes.

The

transparency of the

leaves

the lines perfectly clean, and enables you to perceive

the smallest
hill

at

a considerable distance.

Our
look

trunks having been inspected,

we

hastened to

for

an
streets

inn.

We
by

were

taken, through
asses

such

narrow
gone

that
side

two laden
side,

could not

have
los

through

to

the

Fonda
in

de

Caballeros, one

of the

most comfortable

the city.

There, with the help of the few Spanish words

we
in

knew, and of pathetic

pantomime, we succeeded
intelligent

making

the

hostess

an

and

charming

woman, most

interesting and distinguished-looking

understand that

we were
kitchen

starving.

The whole

brigade
in

got

under way, the

distilled

innumerable small jars

ii

which are
161

and sub-

TRAVELS
on the
time.
fire,

IN SPAIN
dinner in an hour's

limated the spicy stews of Spanish cookery were placed

and

we were promised

We

turned the time to account by examining

closely.
It

the inn

more

was

handsome

building,

no

doubt some old mansion, with an inner court paved

with
coloured

marbles
with
tiles

arranged
wells
in

in

mosaic

pattern,

and

ornamented

of

white

marble

and

troughs faced with

the jars are washed.
is

which the
court
is

glass

ware and
It

The

called a patio.

usually_ surrounded
artificial

by columns and arcades, with

an
is

fountain in the centre.

in

An

awning, which

drawn up

the cool of the

evening, forms the

ceiling of this sort of outside

drawing-room.

Around

the

first

story of the court runs an iron balcony, beauti-

fully

wrought, on which open the windows and doors

eat,

of the apartments, which people use onlv to dress,

and sleep

in.

The

rest

of the time

is

spent in this

open-air drawing-room, in which are placed pictures,

chairs, sofas,

and the piano, and which

is

brightened

with pots of flowers and orange trees in boxes.

We
to

had

scarcely

finished our

examination,
It

when
proved
pro-

we were

informed that dinner was ready.

be not bad.
visit

Having
the city.

finished

our meal,

we

ceeded to

JU *

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TOLEDO
The Toledo
thing
to
streets

are excessively
it

narrow.

One

might shake hands across them, and

easiest

would be the

in

the

world to step across from one

if

balcony

the

other,

the

exceedingly

beautiful

gratings and charming bars in that superb iron-work

which
fere

is

lavished

everywhere
aerial

in Spain, did

not inter-

and

prevent

familiarities.

These narrow
all

streets

would cause an outcry among

the partisans

of civilisation, for they only dream of immense open

spaces,
vast squares, extravagantly
less

wide

streets,
;

and
yet

other

more or
is

progressive embellishments

nothing
climate.

more
At

sensible than a

narrow

street in a hot

the

bottom of these narrow

lanes

so

wisely cut through the groups and islands of houses,

one enjoys delightful shade and coolness.

Of

course
it

my

remark

applies

only to

hot

countries,

where

never rains, where

exceedingly rare.

mud

is

unknown, and
streets
in

carriages are

Narrow

our wet climate

would be abominable cesspools.

In Spain

women go
Toledo,

out on foot in black satin shoes and take long walks,

which causes

me

to

admire them, especially

in

where the pavements are composed of small, sharp,

polished, shining pebbles,
carefully

which seem

to

have been
;

placed

with the cutting edge up

but

the

163

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Uri,

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
well
shod, firm
little

feet

of the ladies are as hard

travel
lightly

as gazelles'

hoofs, and they

over these
cries

diamond-pointed
anguish
asphalt.

paving-stones which
traveller

draw
to

of
soft

from

accustomed

the

The Toledo
appearance.
facades

houses have an imposing and severe

are
are

There
they

very
usually

few

windows

in

the

and

grated.

The

doors,

adorned with
with
balls,

pillars

of polished granite surmounted

a frequent form of ornamentation,

look

thick and solid, an impression increased by constellations of

huge

nails.

They

recall, at

one and the same

time, convents, prisons, fortresses, and, indeed, harems,

for the

Moors have passed

here.

Some few

houses, as

a curious contrast, are coloured

in fresco or distemper,

and painted externally

bassi-relievi

with imitation

mono-

chromes, flowers, rockwork, and wreaths, with perfume-pans, medallions, Cupids, and
rubbish of the
last
all

the mythological

century.

These houses produce

effect

the quaintest and

most comical

among

their

sombre

sisters

of feudal or Moorish origin.

through a labyrinth of small lanes,
to

We
in

were

led

which we had

walk

in single file, to

the Alcazar,
point of the

situated, like a necropolis, at the highest

164

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TOLEDO
city.

Built

on the ruins of the old Moorish palace,

is

the Alcazar itself

a ruin to-day, and

it

might be one

of those remarkable architectural visions which Piranesi sought

It
is

and

realised
a

in
little

his

magnificent etchings.
artist,

by Covarrubias,

known

but

much

superior to the dull and heavy

tation
is

Herrera, whose repu-

a great deal overdone.

facade, adorned with

The

bloom of the purest

masterpiece

Renaissance
elegance.

arabesques,

is

of

noble
turns

The

burning sun

of Spain, which
it

marble red and stone saffron, has coated

with rich
the

and

vigorous

colours

far

different

from

black

leprosy which age imparts to our old

buildings.

As

a great poet has said,

" Time has passed

his intelligent

hand "
rigid

over

the edges

of the marble, over the too

to

contours, and

given

the

sculpture,

already
I

so rich and undulating, the

particularly recall the great

last

touch and polish.

staircase, very light in its

pilasters,

elegance,

with

marble columns,

and

steps,

already half broken, leading to a door that opens

on

an abyss
in.

for that

portion of the building has fallen

This superb

staircase,

which

king might inhabit

and which

leads to nothing, produces a strange

and

threatening effect.

i65

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TRA VELS IN SPAIN

The
rounded
Alcazar
is

built

upon

great
in

esplanade sur-

by ramparts crenellated

Oriental fashion,

from the top of which one enjoys the vast prospect

and

really

wonderful

panorama.
its

On

this

side

the

cathedral sends up into heaven

lofty spire;

farther

away gleams
de
los

in the sunshine the

;

church of San Juan

its

Reyes

the

Alcazar

Bridge, with
arches;
its

tower

gate, spans the

Artificio
fills

Tagus with bold

river

the Juanello

up the

with

superposed arcades

of

red

bricks,

which

might

be
;

mistaken

for

the

remains

of

Roman

constructions
(this

and

the

massive

towers of Cervantes' Casillo

ing
in

Cervantes has noth-

common

with the author of

Don

Quixote),

perched

upon the rocky

river,

and shapeless

cliffs

which

border the

make

still

another break on an hori-

zon already so
mountains.

strikingly varied

by the

crests

of the

An

exquisite

sunset completed the

picture.

The

sky by imperceptible gradations passed from the most

brilliant

red to orange, then to pale citron, and finally

into a weird blue of the colour of greenish turquoise,

which

itself

melted in the west into the

lilac

tints

of
the

night, the

shadows
part.

of which

already

darkened

whole of that

7o6

4* *4* ** *4* ** *A

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TOLEDO
Leaning on an embrasure of a crenellation and having a bird's-eye view of that city in

which
utterly

knew

not
I

a soul, and where

fell

my name was
in the

unknown,
all

into a

deep meditation
I

presence of

these

shapes which
see.
I

saw and probably would never again

began to doubt

my own

identity

I felt

so far

away from myself,

of

carried to such a distance outside

it

my

usual sphere that

all

seemed

to
I

me

a hallu-

cination, a strange

dream out of which

should start

awake
ville

to the sharp, trembling as I sat in a

strains of

some vaude-

music

theatre box.
felt

In spite of the
filled

magnificent

prospect,

my
was

soul

with

mighty sadness;
of

and yet

realising

the dream

my

life

was touching one of my most ardently

I

caressed desires.

had

spoken enough,

in

my

fair

youthful years of Romanticism, of

blade, to be

my good Toledo

anxious to see the place where Toledo

blades are made.

It

took

nothing

less

to

draw

me

from

my

philo-

sophical meditations than a proposal on the part of

friend
that

my
in

we

should go and bathe in

is

the

Tagus.

Now

bath

pretty

rare
fill

in a

country where
rivers with

summer

they have to

up the
on

water

drawn from the wells

but

our guide asserting

167

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
that

the

Tagus was

genuine
in

stream
it,

and

damp

enough
descend

to enable

one to swim
in

we

hastened to

from the Alcazar

order to profit
river.

by the

lingering twilight, and

went towards the

We
was

passed under a fine Arab gate with a brick arch, and

reached the Alcantara Bridge, near which

there

a spot suitable for bathing, reached by a winding, very

steep

path crawling along

the

rocks which enclose

Toledo.

Having had our

bath,

we

hastened back to re-enter

the city before the gates were closed, enjoyed a glass

of orchata de chufas and iced milk of most exquisite

taste

and bouquet, and were shown back to our fonda.

like
all

Our room,

Spanish

rooms, was whitewashed

and adorned with those dim, yellow paintings, those

mystical

daubs, painted like the signs of beer shops,

in

which are so often met with

the

Peninsula, the

country of the world which contains the greatest

ber of wretched paintings.

num-

The

Cathedral of Toledo

is

accounted, and rightly,

Its origin

the finest and one of the richest of Spain.

is

lost

in

the mists of ages, but if the native authors

it

are to be believed,

goes back to the Apostle Santiago,

the

first

Bishop of Toledo,

who

indicated

its site

to his

168

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TOLEDO
Elpidius.

disciple

and

successor,

Elpidius
it

built

church on the spot and dedicated

while that divine lady was
still

to Saint

Mary,

living

in Jerusalem.

The
church

Blessed Virgin was not ungrateful, and, accord-

ing to the
in

same legend, came

in

person to

visit

the
to

Toledo and brought with her own hands

chasuble
in

Saint Ildefonso a beautiful

linen.

made of heavenly

The
may be

chasuble

is

still

existence, and in the

wall
foot

seen the stone upon which the divine

of
to

was placed, the imprint

church
existed

which
the

it

still

bears.

This

up

time

of

Saint

Eua;enius, sixth Bishop of Toledo,

who

enlarged and

embellished
title

it

as

much

as his

means allowed, under the

it

of

Our Lady

of the Assumption, which

at the

bears

to-day.

In the year 200,

time of the cruel per-

secution which the emperors Diocletian and

declared
against

Maximin
Dacian

the

Christians,

the

prefect

ordered the temple to be demolished and razed to the

ground, so that the faithful had no means of receiving

the Host.

Three years

later,

Constantius, father of the

great Constantine, having ascended the throne, the per-

secution
sees,

came

to an end^ the prelates returned to their

and the Archbishop Melancius began to rebuild

still

the church,

on the same spot.

Shortly afterwards

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
(about the year 312), Constantine having been converted to the Christian faith, he ordered,
heroic

among

other

works

to

which he was impelled by

his Christian

zeal, the

repairing and building at his expense, in the

basilica

most sumptuous manner possible, of the

of

Our

Lady

of the

Assumption of Toledo, which Dacian had

caused to be destroyed.

The Archbishop
nus, a wise and

of

Toledo

at

that time

was Mari-

learned

man, who was on intimate

This gave him
a

terms with the Emperor.

a free hand,

and he spared nothing to build

remarkably magnifiIt

cent church of grand and sumptuous architecture.

was

this

church w-hich lasted

visited

through the Catholic

dominion, the one

by the Virgin, the one which

was turned
Spain
;

into

mosque during the conquest of

the

same one which, when Toledo was retaken

by King Alonzo VI, again became a church, and the

plan of which was taken to

Oviedo by order of King

in

Don Alonzo
same
of

the

Chaste,

order

that

the

church

of San Salvador in the

lines, in the year

latter city

should be built on the

803.

" Those who are desirous

knowing the shape, grandeur, and majesty of the

Cathedral of Toledo in those days,

when

the

Oueen

of

Angels came down

to

visit

it,

need only go and see

170

4. * 4- 4- 4-4. 4. 4' 4; 4; 4j Jj 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4;

TOLEDO
Oviedo Cathedral, and they
ourselves,
will

be satisfied."

For

we

greatly regret that

Finally, under the

we

could not enjoy

this pleasure.

happy reign of Saint

Ferdinand,
the church

Don

Rodriguez being Archbishop of Toledo,

the marvellous

assumed
it

and magnificent
it

form which
that of the

possesses to-day, and which,

at

is

said, is
artist

temple of Diana

Ephesus.
'

chronicler, permit

me

to disbelieve this

The

temple

of Ephesus was not as beautiful as the cathedral of

Toledo.

Archbishop Rodriguez, accompanied by the

the court, having celebrated pontifical mass,
in

King and
laid

the foundation stone on a Saturday,

the year

1227.
until
it

The work was

carried

on with much vigour

was completed and

which human

carried to the highest degree

art

of perfection

can

attain.

May we
The

be forgiven for

this slight historical digres-

sion, a thing

which we are not prone

to indulge in.
is

exterior of the cathedral at

Toledo
catVdral

much

less

richly decorated than that of the

it

at
;

Burgos
it

does not bloom

all

over with ornament

has no

arabesques, no lines of saints massed around the portals

;

it

has solid buttresses, clean, sharp angles, a thick

cuirass

of dressed

stone,

steeple

of robust

aspect,
all this

which lacks the delicacy of Gothic work; and

171

& #4* #A

*!-

A 4

I'*

*J-

9 *

Jt

**

** *A *

<

cA *e v|

TRAVELS
of a reddish
tint,

IN SPAIN
or the tanned skin of a

like

toast,

Palestine pilgrim.
is

But, on the other hand, the interior

carved and wrought like a stalactite grotto.

The
bears

gate

by which

we

entered
:

is

of bronze and

the following
in

inscription
silver,

" Antonio Zurreno,

this

worker

gold

and

made

centre door."

The
deur.

interior gives at

once a deep impression of granis

The

church
is

divided into five naves.

The
bow

central one
their heads

of vast height, the others seem to

in

and kneel

token of adoration and respect.

Eighty-eight pillars as huge as towers, each one com-

posed of sixteen
other, support the

slender

columns

set

close

to

each

huge bulk of the

edifice.

transept

cuts
altar,

the

great

nave between the choir and the high

and thus forms the

arms of the
thing in

cross.

The

whole building,
drals,
is

a very unusual

Gothic cathe-

which have generally been

the most

built at various periods,

in

homogeneous and complete

style;

the

original plan has

in the

been carried out from end to end save

in

arrangement of some chapels which

no wise

mar

the harmony of the general aspect.

in

Stained-glass

windows,
set
in

which gleam emerald, sapphire, and ruby

tracery-work as
delicate as

stone

finger-rings,

shed a gentle, mysterious light which induces religious

i * *V *J/

l- Jt !-*

1 *4U X* * ** * 4* ** *4 (X* #1* * rl* #JU

<r4*

*i* rl

TOLEDO
ecstasy.

When

the

sunshine
the

is

too brilliant, esparto

that cool

blinds

drawn across
which

windows maintain
Spanish

semi-obscurity

makes

churches

so

favourable to recollection and praver.

or retable,
i

The

high altar,
It is

is

large

enough

for a

church

in itself.

huge mass of small columns, niches,

arabesques,

statues, scrolls,

and

of
a

which the
very
faint

minutest
idea.

description
this

would give but which

tuary,
rises to
is

All

work,

the vaulting and runs around the sanc-

painted and gilded with inconceivable richness.

The

rich,

warm

tones of the old

gilding

admirably

bring out the streaks and spangles of light, cut by the

groining and the projecting ornaments, producing

won-

drous and most varied

effects.

The

paintings on gold
altar equal

backgrounds which adorn the panels of the

in the richness

of their colouring the most brilliant paint-

ings of the

Venetian school.
the severe and
is

This combination of
forms of
the paint-

colour

and
art

almost hieratic

medieval

seldom met with.

Some of

ings might well be the early

work of Giorgione.
the choir, or
It
sillaria,

Facing the high

altar

is

in

accordance with Spanish custom.

contains a triple

row of
in

stalls

in

carved wood, wrought and

historical,

adorned

handsome fashion with

allegorical,

and

*73

4* 4. 4,4.4. a,

4*^ 4^4^^^4^^4*44.4^4i4^4U4.4t4>

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
sacred
bassi-relievi.

Gothic

art,

as

the

Renaissance

approached, never produced anything

fect,

freer,

more

per-

or better designed.
is

This work, the

details

of

which are amazing,

attributed to the

patient chisels

of Felipe Vigarni and Berruguete.

stall,

The

archbishop's

higher than the others,

is

arranged like a throne

and marks the centre of the choir.

a

Jasper columns of

shining

brown tone crown

this
rise

marvellous joineralaba.ster figures,

in

work, and upon the entablature

also

by Felipe Vigarni, but freer and easier

effective

manner,
lec-

and most

and elegant.

huge bronze

tern, laden with gigantic missals; great esparto

mats;

two

colossal

organs, placed
right,

opposite each

other, the

one on the

the

other

on the

left,

complete
is

the description of the choir.

chapel, where are buried

Behind the retable

the
his

Don

Alvar de Luna and

wife in two magnificent alabaster tombs placed side by

side.

The

walls

of the chapel are ornamented with

shells

the Constable's

arms and the

of the order of

Santiago, of which he
in

was grand master.

Close by,

the vaulting of that portion of the nave here called

is

trascoro,
It
is

noticed a stone with a funeral inscription.

that of a

nobleman of Toledo, whose

pride re-

volted at the thought that people of low birth would

174

jjjHp *^* *^* *^*

3! 3?

*^* *^* *^*

tg"^jfea?3?SP3?sl?SrS3? J? SBHlS

TOLEDO
tread over his tomb.

"
said

will not his

have the low-born

;

walk over me," he

on

death-bed

and

as

he

bequeathed great wealth to the Church, his strangecaprice

was humoured by
vaulting,

placing

his

body

in

the
will

masonry of the
walk over him.

where assuredly no one

We
it

shall not a

attempt to describe the various chapels

would take

whole volume.

Let us be

satisfied

with

mentioning the tomb of a cardinal, carved

taste

in the

Arab
it

with minute delicacy.

We

cannot compare

to

anything better than lace on a large scale.

We

shall

come
most
let

at

once

to

the Mozarabic

chapel, one

of the
it,

interesting in the cathedral.

its

Before describing

us explain

name.

At the time of the Moorish invasion the inhabitants

of Toledo were obliged to surrender after a two years'
siege.

They endeavoured
among

to obtain the

most favour-

able terms, and

this,

the articles agreed

upon was
for

that

six

churches should

be preserved
to

the the

Christians
barbarians.

who might
These

wish

remain

among
of

churches

were

those

Saint

Mark,

Saint

Luke, Saint Sebastian, Saint Torquato,

Saint Olalla and Saint Just.

Thus

the faith

was

pre-

served

in

the city during the four hundred

J

years of

75

4; 4; 4; 4,

:*;

TRAVELS
Moorish dominion, and
Toledans were
with the Arabs.
called

db^ 4j 4.^^4.4; 4.4. 4. 4.4; 4. 4; 4.

IN SPAIN
for
this

reason

the
is,

faithful

Mozarabs,

that

mingling

In the reign of Alfonso VI,

when

Toledo again

fell

into the hands of the Christians, the

papal legate Richard

ritual

wished

to have the
rite,

Mozarabic
in

given up for the Gregorian

king, and
ritual.

backed

this

by
the

the

Queen

Constantia,

who

preferred

Roman
;

But the clergy revolted and pro-

tested

the

faithful

were very indignant, and

were
So the

within an ace of breaking out into rebellion.

Mozarabic

ritual

was maintained and

enthusiastically

observed for

many

years by the Mozarabs, their sons,

and their grandsons.

text

But

at

last

the meaning of the

was forgotten, and no one could be found who

could say or understand the prayers which had been

the object of such a lively disagreement.

Don

Fran-

cesco Ximenes, Archbishop of Toledo, desiring to preserve so memorable a use, founded a Mozarabic chapel
in the cathedral,

caused to be translated and printed

in

in

ordinary characters the liturgies, which were

characters, and
celebrate

Gothic

appointed priests specially charged to

to this ritual.
still

Mass according

The Mozarabic
adorned
with

chapel, which

exists

to-day,

is

most interesting
176

Gothic

frescoes,

the

!**4*4* ri*

ri-.

*i*

JL #4*

#ju *l* !* r|*#JI*#i*i*l*#I*l* *4* **!*

TOLEDO
subject being the battles between the

Toledans and the

colours

Moors.

They

are
if

admirably

preserved, the

are as bright as

they had been laid on yesterday, and

an archaeologist would find here innumerable interesting details of arms, costumes, equipments, and archi-

tecture

for the

principal fresco represents a view of

ancient Toledo which must have been very accurate.

In the

lateral frescoes are

painted with a wealth of detail

the vessels which brought the Arabs to Spain.

fessional

pro-

man might

obtain

much
navy

useful
in the

information

for the difficult history of the

Middle Ages.

The arms
which

of Toledo, five mullets sable

on a

field

argent, are represented in several places in this chapel,

is

closed after the Spanish fashion by iron-work

gates beautifully wrought.

The
covered
violet

Chapel of the Virgin, the walls of which are

all

over with
superbly

porphyry, jasper, yellow and

polished,
fairly

breccia

surpasses

in

richness the splendours of the "

Thousand and One

Nights."

It

contains

great

many works, among

others a reliquary given by Saint Louis which contains

a piece of the true Cross.

By way
take
a

of taking breath

we

shall,

if

you

please,

turn

through

the

cloisters,

the

elegant

and

177

 4, ^

,j.

4, 4, 4.4,4,4,4, 4.4;^

rk tfcrfctfc
masses of

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
severe arcades of which enclose beautiful

verdure
are
still

that,

thanks
in

to

the

shadow of the church,

burning heat of the

fresh

spite

of the

season.

All the walls of the cloister are covered with

vast frescoes in the style of

called

Van Loo,
which

by a painter
are
in

Bayeu.

These

paintings,

of

fair

composition and pleasant colour, are not

with
the style of the
building,

harmony

and

no doubt have
or

taken the place of older paintings, weather-worn

thought to be too Gothic by the people of taste of the

time.

cloister

is

well

placed

near a church

it

forms a happy

transition

from the peace of the sanctu;

ary to the noise of the city

you can walk, dream, and

compelled
to

think in

it

without

being

follow

the

prayers and sermons.

The

Catholics enter the church,

in

the Christians generally remain

state

the cloister.

This

of mind

has
is

been understood by the Catholic

In countries
is

Church, which
that

a clever psychologist.

are

religious-minded, the cathedral

the

most

ornate, the richest, the most highly gilded, the most

flowery place

there are to be found the coolest shades

;

and the deepest peace

the music

is

superior to that
is

of the theatre, and the splendour of the ceremonies

unrivalled.
It is

the central point, the attractive spot,

178

TOLEDO
as
is

our Opera in

Paris.

We
the

Northern Catholics,

with our Voltairean

the

temples, have no conception of

luxury,

the

elegance,
are

comfort

of

Spanish
churches,

churches.

They

furnished

and

living

and do not have the icy-cold, deserted look of ours.

The
God.

faithful

here

can

dwell

familiarly

with

their

The

sacristies

and the chapter

halls

of the cathedral

of Toledo are more than regal in their magnificence.

Nothing can be more noble and picturesque than these

great halls

ornamented with the

quiet, rich luxury of

secret.

which the Church alone possesses the where carved wood-work,

tieres
in

Every-

in black

oak or walnut, porIndies,

tapestry

or

damask of the

curtains

with

broad deep folds, ornamental

I

hangings,

Persian

carpets, fresco paintings.

scribe

shall

not attempt to de-

them

individually, but merely

mention one piece

of work adorned with beautiful frescoes representing

religious

subjects,

in

the

German
imitated.

style

which the
is

Spaniards

have

so

happily

This work
it

attributed to

Berruguete's nephew, though

may be

Berruguete's own.
at

For these great geniuses practised

one and
is

the

same time the three forms of

art.

There

also a vast ceiling painted by

Luca Giordano,

179

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
on which swarm
figures in
a

multitude of angels and allegorical

the most startling foreshortening, causing a

optical
effect.

remarkable
ceiling
falls

P'rom
light

the

centre

of
it

the
is

beam of
flat

which, although
to
fall

painted upon a
larly

surface,

seems

perpendicuat
it.

upon you from whatever point you look

is

There

the Treasury,

which contains the

silk

beautiful

copes of brocade, of gold cloth, of

damask, of mar-

vellous lace, the gilded reliquaries, the diamond-studded

monstrances, the huge silver candlesticks, the embroidered banners, in a word,

sories
all

the properties and acces-

needed

in

the

performance

of

that

sublime

Catholic drama called the Mass.

In the closets in one of these rooms

Blessed Virgin's wardrobe
;

is

preserved the

for

gold,

marble, or ala-

baster statues are unable to satisfy the passionate piety

of the Southerners.

Carried away by their devotion,

they heap upon the object of their worship ornaments

extravagant in their richness; nothing

is

too beautiful,

nothing too

brilliant.

They

care

little

that the shape

and material of the statue disappear under the shower of gems

;

the great point with

them

is

that

it

shall

be
the

physically

impossible

to

hang another

pearl

in
in

marble ears of the

idol, to set

a larger brilliant

her

TOLEDO
golden crown, or to draw with
precious
stones

one

other design upon the brocade of her dress.

Never
patra

did

any queen of antiquity, not even Cleopearls,

who drank

never

did

any

Byzantine

empress, never did any mediaeval duchess or Venetian

courtesan
jewel-case,

of Titian's day possess

a
richer

more gorgeous

wardrobe

than

Our Lady

of

Toledo.
of them

Some
is

of the dresses were shown us.

One
one
it

wholly covered

so

much
is

so that

cannot even imagine what the stuff

of which

is

made
fine

with

designs and arabesques embroidered

are

in

pearls,
price.

among which
These

some of inestimable

size

and

are edged with black pearls of instars of

credible rarity.

Suns and

gems

are studded

over
is

this

marvellous dress which dazzles the eye and

worth several millions of francs.

We closed
of which
other,
is

our

visit

by climbing the steeple, the top

reached by ladders placed one above anstraight

rather

and

not very
is

safe

to

look

at.

About half-way up there

seen, in a sort of storelay

figures, coloured

room, a collection of huge

and

dressed in the fashion of the

last

century, which are

used on the occasion of some procession or another,

like that

of the Tarasque

at

Tarascon.

**

*.i*

*if *A* -| 4* *4* 4* A* -4* A -!- *l* l* *>! ! *4 !< ! ! <4* ^Jl*

TRAVELS
The
the
ascent.
spire

IN SPAIN
of*

magnificent prospect enjoyed from the top

largely

repays one
city
is

for

the fatigue

of the

The whole

spread out

below.

The

hump-shaped, quaintly contorted rocks of blue granite

which border the Tagus and bound one

side

of the

view of Toledo, increase the strangeness of the landscape, which

light,
is

flooded

with

hard, pitiless, blinding

is

which no gradation tempers, and which

in-

creased by the reverberation of a cloudless, vapourless,

white-hot sky.

The
kiln,

heat

was atrocious

it

was

like that of a lime-

and one had to be urged by mad curiosity not to

give

up further

visiting
;

of monuments

in

such

an

African temperature
the
fierce

but

we were

still

possessed with

ardour of Parisians enthusiastic over local

;

colour.
steps
to

Nothing could stop us

drink,
for

we

only stayed our

we were

thirstier
if

than

Afric's

golden sands, and

dried sponges.

we

imbibed water as

we had been

Having
our

visited the cathedral,

we

resolved, in spite of

thirst, to
it

proceed to the church of San Juan de los

Reyes, but

was only
in

after prolonged

discussion that
it,

we succeeded

obtaining the

keys of

for

the

church has been closed for

five or six years,

and the

4.4; j. 4.4. a. 4. 4; 4; 4; ^^tbtfctfcdbrfrtfcdbtfc^fc tb :*::

TOLEDO
convent to which
into decay.
it

belongs

is

abandoned and

fallrig

The

church

is

situated

on the banks of the Tagus,

close to the Saint Martin's Bridge.

that
rich,

The

walls have

orange
rainless

tint

which colours ancient monu-

ments

in

climates.

series

of

statues

of

kings, in noble and

port, decorates

chivalrous attitudes
is

and of proud
not the most

the exterior, but this

remarkable

point

of San Juan de

los

Reyes, for

all

mediaeval churches have a population of statues.

In-

numerable chains hanging from hooks adorn the walls

from

top

to

bottom.

These

are the fetters

of the

Christian prisoners
nada.

delivered at the conquest of

Gra-

These

chains, suspended by

way of ornament
and repulsive

and ex

voto, give

the church a strange

prison look.

The
Having

key turned with

difficulty

in

the rusty lock.

overcome

this

slight

obstacle,

we

entered

an exceedingly beautiful devastated

slender columns supported

cloister.

Separate

upon

their flowery capitals

arcades adorned with mouldings and tracery of extreme

delicacy.

Along the

walls

ran
in

long

inscriptions

in
in-

praise of Ferdinand and Isabella,

Gothic characters

terlaced with flowers, lines, and arabesques,

a Chris-

183

tfe tfc

^h ^b 4r

tfc

db

*^*

l"i>4 *! 4|j;Jj4>4-I4"4 4- 4- 4.

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
tian imitation

of the maxims and verses of the Koran

as

which the

Moors used

architectural

ornaments.
should be

What

a pity that so precious a

'

monument

thus abandoned

Having kicked open some doors fastened by wormeaten bars or obstructed by rubbish,
entering the

we

succeeded in
style,

church, built
for

in

charming

and

which seems, save

some

startling

mutilations, to
is

have been completed but yesterday.

There

nothing
the
Its

more

elegant and delicate in Gothic art.

Around

church runs a gallery with open-work balustrade.

venturesome balconies cling

to

the groups of pillars,

following closely their hollows and projections.

scrolls, eagles,

Vast

chimeras, hieratic beasts, coats of arms,

bannerets, and emblematic inscriptions after the fashion

of those

in

the cloister,

form the decoration.

high altar
at

The

choir, placed opposite the

the other end

of the church,

is

separated

from

it

by a bold and strik-

ing elliptical arch.

a masterpiece
lessly torn

The
Such

altar,

which must have been

piti-

of sculpture and painting, has been

useless

down.

devastation stuns one

in

and makes one doubt human intelligence, for

respect

what
a
?

do old stones injure new ideas

Cannot
the
past

revolution be

managed without overthrowing

184

TOLEDO
It

seems
if

to

us

the

constitution

would

have

lost

nothing

the church of Ferdinand

and Isabella the

Catholic, that noble

a

Queen who

believed the

word of

man

of genius and presented the universe with a

left

new

world, had been

standing.
stair,

Venturing upon a half-ruined

interior of the

we

reached the
is

convent.

The

refectory

large, but

presents nothing interesting

save a frightful
in

painting

above the

door.

It

represents a body

a state of

decomposition, with

all

the horrible details so complaIt is

cently treated by Spanish painters.

rendered

still

more hideous by
covers
it.

the

layer of

dirt

and dust which

symbolical and gloomy inscription, one

of those

biblical

sentences which form such a terrible

nothingness,
is is

warning

to

human

placed at the foot of

the sepulchral picture, which

refectory.
I

a singular choice for a

know

not

if

the stories told

for

of the glut-

tony of

monks

are true, but

myself, I should not

have

much

appetite in a dining-room thus adorned.

either
side

Above, on
ranged, like the

of a long

passageway, are

cells. of a

beehive, the deserted cells of

are exactly alike and
all

the vanished monks.

They

whitewashed.
ishes the poetic

The

whitewashing considerably diminit

impression, for

prevents terror and

l8 5

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
imagination from concealing themselves
ners.
also
in

dark corcloister are

The

interior

of the church and the

whitewashed, both thus having a look of newness

style of the architecture

which contrasts with the

and

the condition of the buildings.

The

lack of moisture

and the heat of the climate have prevented plants and

weeds from growing

in the interstices

of the stones and

possess the green
in

rubbish, which consequently do not

mantle of ivy which time throws over ruins

climates.

Northern

We
doned

wandered

for a long

time through the abanascend-

edifice, traversing long, endless corridors,

ing and descending

for there

risky

stairs,

and then withdrew,

even the

was nothing

interesting to see, not

kitchens to which our guide

showed

us the way.

The
for the

church and
der
is

cloister are

rather magnificent, the remain-

simple to a degree.

Everything
body.

is

done

soul,

and nothing

for the

At

a short distance

from San

Juan de

los

Reyes
a
it

stands the famous Synagogue

Mosque, but without

guide you might pass a score of times in front of

without suspecting
at a

its

existence.

Our man knocked

door cut
clay.

in a

most insignificant-looking wall of

reddish

After a time

for the

Spaniards

are

^86

>b

df

"h

*i?

*t?

*^*

"^

#|^

^*|*i* 4* *l*fi*l*l|#l*r||* !*!

never
if

in a

hurry

TOLEDO was opened and we were

it

asked

we wished

to

see

the

synagogue.

On

replying

affirmatively,
filled

we were shown

into a sort of courtyard

with vegetation, in the centre of which grew an

its

Indian fig-tree with

brilliantly

deep-cut

leaves

intensely and

green as
rises

if

they were varnished.

At

the end

of the court
like

an insignificant building looking more

a barn than anything else.

We
:

entered
in

it,

and

never were
East.
like

we

so greatly surprised

we were

the far

The

slender columns with their flaring, turban-

capitals, the
flat

Turkish arches, the verses of the

ceiling

Koran, the

with cedar
all

panels,

the

light

admitted from

above,

was

there.

Vestiges of

former paintings, almost effaced, cast strange colours

upon the walls and added

to the peculiar effect.

This

synagogue, which the Arabs turned into a mosque and

the Christians into a church,
is

now
;

used as a workaltar
is

shop and

dwelling

by a joiner

the

has

been

replaced by a bench.

This profanation
still

quite recent.

The

vestiges

of the retable are

visible,

and the

inscription

on black marble which commemorates the

consecration of this edifice to the Catholic worship.

The Jews
the horror

of Toledo, probably

in

order to diminish
the

which they inspired

187

in

minds of the

4U *

"

*>i/*

**'

* T

**-

X rll *4*ri* Jl*ri*#X "4*

*4* SJ ~

*!

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Christian population on account of their being deicides,

claimed not to have consented to the death of Jesus

Christ.

When

Jesus was

tried, the

council of priests

presided over by Caiaphas obtained the opinion of the

different tribes, to

know whether He

should be released

or put to death.

The
not

Spanish Jews were asked, and

the Toledo synagogue declared in favour of acquittal

so that
tribe
is

imbrued with the blood of the

felt for

Just
the

One

and does not deserve the execration

against the

Jews who voted

Son of God.

The
the

original text of the reply of the

Toledo Jews, with

is

Latin translation of the

Hebrew,

preserved in the

Vatican archives.
to build this

In recompense they were allowed

is, I

synagogue, which
in Spain.

believe, the

only

one ever tolerated

We

had been told of the ruins of a Moorish pleas-

ure palace, the Galiana Palace.

leaving the synagogue, although pressed and the next day

We

went

to

it

on

we were

tired, for

time

we were

to leave for

Madrid.

The

palace

is

situated

outside the city in the Vega.

fields

After fifteen minutes' walk through

and

culti-

vated ground cut by innumerable irrigation ditches

we

reached a shady clump of trees

at

the foot of which

turned the irrigation wheel, of unique and

Egyptian

188

4, 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4 4.4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4;

TOLEDO
simplicity.

Earthenware

jars fastened to the spokes of

it

the wheel by reed ropes draw up the water and pour

into
a

canal

formed of
it

hollow
led

tiles

leading

to

reservoir,

whence

is

easily

by ditches to the

parts

to

be watered.
its

huge heap of reddish brick showed

the
foliage

broken

outline behind

of the

trees.

It

was the

Galiana Palace.

We

entered this vast mass of debris,

which
door.

is

inhabited by a peasant family, through a low

is

It

impossible to imagine anything

dirtier.

darker,

smokier, more cavern-like, or

dytes these

The

Troglowith

were lodged
people
;

like

princes in comparison
lovely

yet

the

Galiana, the

Moorish

beauty, with the long, henna-painted eyes, with bro-

caded jacket studded with

her
little

pearls,

had stepped with

floor
;

slippers

upon

this

broken-down

she had

leaned out of this window, looking out upon the

Vega

where the Moorish horsemen were

the djerrid.

practising throwing

We

bravely continued our exploration, climbing to

the upper stories by rickety ladders, clinging with feet

and hands to the

tufts

of dried grass which hung like

beards from the grimy old walls.

top,

Having reached the

;

we became aware

of a singular phenomenon

we

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
had entered with white trousers, we were going out with
black trousers, but of a swarming, leaping black.

We

were covered by imperceptible

rushed
ness
at us in

little

fleas

which had

compact swarms,
blood.

attracted by the coolI

of our

Northern

could
fleas

never
in

have

believed
as I

that there

were so many

the world

saw then.
few pipes which
led

water to the vapour baths are

the only remains of magnificence spared by time.

glass mosaic, the enamelled ware, the marble

The

columns

with cupolas, gilded, carved, and adorned with verses of

the Koran, the alabaster fountains, the stones pierced

with holes to allow perfumes to

has vanished.

filter

through,

all

There

is

nothing

left

but the frame-

work of the huge

turning to dust.
recall

walls and heaps of brick which are

For these marvellous buildings, which

scenes of the "
unfortunately

the fairy

Thousand and One

with
brick

Nights," were

constructed

only, or with clay covered with a layer of stucco and

lime.

All

the

lace work

and arabesque are not, as

marble or stone, but
their being reproIt

generally

believed,
in plaster,

cut

out of

moulded

which allows of

duced in any quantity and very cheaply.

preserving

takes the
to

dryness of the

Spanish

climate

allow

190

4* 4^ 4^4; 4j 4^ 4; 4^ 4^ 4*4^ 4^ 4^ 4*4* 4. 4^4*4^4^4; 4^

TOLEDO
monuments
our day.
First
built of

such

frail

materials to stand until

and foremost we had to get

rid

of the minute
bites

population

which marked
white

with their

the folds

of our
far

once

trousers.

The Tagus was

of the Tagus on
difficult

not

away, and we betook ourselves there

directly with
this

the princess's fleas.

side
is

The bank
in

defended by steep rocks

getting

of access, and

we
we

had some trouble

down

to the spot

where

proposed to carry out the great drowning operation.

to

I started

swim, as carefully as

possible, so as to
river

be

worthy of so famous and respectable a

as the

Tagus, and

few strokes brought

me

to

ruined con-

structions and shapeless remains of

rose a

mason-work, which
river.

few

feet

above the

level

of the

On

the

bank, on the same

side, stood

an old ruined tower with

a semicircular arch,

where some clothes hung up by

briskly drying in the sun.
I

washerwomen were

had

reached Florinda's Bath, and the tower beside

me was

King Rodriguez' Tower.

But night
is

falling

and

we have

to

return to the

inn for supper and bed, for

we have

to see the hospital

of

Don

Pedro Gonzales de Mendoza, the Arms Manu-

factory, the remains of the

Roman

amphitheatre, and

191

4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

-'l:'i;-r};4: 4: *};4.M.l.

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
many
another interesting sight
;

and we have to leave

part, I
I

to-morrow evening.

For

my own
a

am

so tired

out by the pointed pavements that

to turn upside

have a great mind on

down and walk

little

my

hands, like

the clown, to rest

ation
called
!

my

weary

feet.

Oh,
!

cabs of civilispitifully
I

Oh, omnibuses of
upon you
!

progress

how

but of what use would you have been

?

in the streets of

Toledo

The

Cardinal's Hospital

is

a vast building of vast the court

and severe proportions.

We rapidly traversed

enclosed by columns and arcades, which has nothing

remarkable save two wells with white marble walls.

We

entered the church and

examined the

cardinal's

tomb,
guete,

carved

in

alabaster by that
to be

marvellous

Berruage,

who

lived

more than eighty years of

endowing

his

country with masterpieces of varied style

and perfection.
pontifical

The

cardinal

lies

upon

his

tomb

in his
its

robes.

Death has pinched

final

his

nose with

skinny fingers, and the

contraction of the muscles

seeking to detain the soul about to escape has drawn in

the corners of his

mouth and thinned

his chin.

Never
and yet,

was there
such
of
it

death-mask more

fearfully truthful,

is
is

the beauty of the

forgotten.

work

that the repulsive side

Little children in attitudes of deso-

192

ji

! JU 4. A,

.1.

J.

.!.

4'

4-i>-4--l"4"k4..t.4;4;tb:fc d." vlrd?

TOLEDO
lation

support

the

plinth

and

the cardinal's
easily

coat

of

arms.
cotta
it

The
is

softest

and

most

worked
is

terra-

not freer and richer; this

work

not carved,

is

kneaded.

The

church also contains two paintings by Domenico

el

Theotokopouli, called
ratic

Greco, an extravagant and er-

painter

scarce

known

outside

of

Spain.

His

curse, as

you are aware, was the dread of being conan

imitator
led

sidered

of Titian, whose pupil

into

he had

been

it

him

the

strangest

caprices

and

attempts.

One

of these paintings, which represents

el

the Holy

Family, must have worried poor

it

Greco,
real

for at the first glance

might be mistaken for a

of

Titian.
brilliant

The

great

warmth

the

colouring,

the

tone of

the draperies, the beautiful golden-

amber
the

tint,

which warms even the coldest colours of

painter,

Venetian

all

combine

to
is

deceive the
less

most practised eye.

rich.

Only, the touch

el

free
left

and

The

little

sense which

Greco had

must

have

completely
after

vanished

in

the

sombre ocean of
this

madness

he

had

completed

masterpiece.

There
going

are

very
in

few painters

nowadays

capable

of

mad

the

same way.

The
.3

other painting, which represents the Baptism

193

<JU !*

~U -K JU

^i,

JL rK

*i* li**i*l**|*i**l|*|*#i*#|* I**!**!*

TRAVELS
of
Christ,
is

IN SPAIN
el

wholly

in

Greco's second
to

manner.
full

Black
violent

and white are used

contrasts, of

excess
tints,

it

is

of

startling

of foreshortened
at

attitudes,

of folds broken and rumpled

will

but

throughout runs a depraved energy, a diseased power,

which betray a great painter and a madman of genius.

Few
el

paintings have interested

for his worst

me

as

much

as those of

Greco,

always offer something unex-

pected and impossible which surprises you and makes

you dream.

From
factory.
taste,

the
It

Hospital
is

we went

to

the

Arms Manugood

a large, symmetrical

building in
is

founded

by Charles

III,

whose name
utility. It
is

met
situ-

with on every

monument of

public

is

ated close to the Tagus, the water of

which

used to

temper the blades and

also

to

drive the

machinery.

The

workshops are situated around

a great courtyard like

is

surrounded with porticos and arcades,

courtyard
in

almost every
heated, there

Spain.

Here the

iron
in

hammered,

further on tempered;

this

room

are the

grinding and polishing stones, in the other the sheaths

and

hilts

are made.
it

We

shall

not carry this investi-

gation farther, for

would not be of any particular

use to our readers, and

we

will

merely say that into

194

J- 4*

JL. *i.

4- 4 *N

'.

4>44' '*44j^[j4j4;4;^lj4?ct?^;fcdb
,

TOLEDO
the manufacture

of these justly famous

blades enter

old horse and mule shoes, which are carefully collected

for the purpose.
still

To
tall

prove to us that Toledo blades

deserve

their

reputation,

we were taken

to

the

testing

room.

and exceedingly powerful work-

man

took a blade of the most ordinary kind, a straight

it

cavalry rapier, drove

into a pig of lead fixed to the

wall and bent the blade in every direction like a riding-

whip, so that the

elastic

hilt

almost touched the point.

steel

The

temper of the

enabled
the

it

to bear this test

without breaking.

Then
it

man

stood up in front
the blade cut
in

of an
into
it.

anvil,

and struck
feat

so clean that

This

reminded
novels,

me

of that scene

one
de

of Walter

Scott's

where

Richard

Coeur

Lion and King Saladin cut iron bars and down

pillows.

So the Toledo blades of to-day are as good as those of

yore; the secret of the temper has not been
the secret of form.
is

lost,

but

All that these

trifle,

modern works lack

by progressive

really

only that

so despised

people, in order to compare with the old.

A
a

modern

sword

is

nothing but an instrument; a sword of the

sixteenth century

was both
in

weapon and

gem.

We

expected to find

Toledo some old weapons,

daggers, poniards, fencing-swords, two-handed swords,

I0-5

4, J. 4, 4. J, 4, 4, 4, 4. a, 4. 4, 4,

TRAVELS
rapiers,

4, 4, 4. 4, 4, 4, IN SPAIN
.i,

.g,

4, 4,

and other

curiosities

which one could hang up

for that

as trophies

on some wall or sideboard, and

to

purpose
private

we had committed
marks of the
sixty

memory

the

names and

armourers of Toledo which

opportunity of test-

Jubinal collected; but

ing

we had no
there

our
in

knowledge, for

are

no swords
find

to

be

found
in

Toledo, any more than you can

in

leather

Cordova, lace

Malines, oysters

at

Ostend, or

pate de foie gras in Strasbourg.

Curiosities are to be

found

in

Paris

alone,

and

if

any are met with in

foreign countries, they

have come from there.

We
like

were also shown the remains of the

Roman

Amphitheatre and the Naumachia, which look exactly

a ploughed
field,
is

as

Roman

ruins generally do.

My

imagination

not lively enough to lead

me

into
It
is

ecstasies over

such

problematical nothingness.
I

something
tell

leave to antiquarians, and

would rather
visible to

you of the walls of Toledo, which are

naked
eye

the

and

marvellously

picturesque.

The
where

masonry unites very happily with the roughness of

the

ground

it

is

often

very

difficult

to

say

the rock ends and the rampart begins.

sive civilisation has

Each succesa piece

worked
is

at

them.

Here

of

wall

is

Roman,

a door

Gothic, and the battlements

* 4* *s* +k*

J/

rl* *4

#-1*

fJU A *** #* # # J* #1* *JU #* **

*\l* Jt*

TOLEDO
are Moorish.
parts

The whole

of the portion of the ramto the

which stretches from the Cambron Gate

Gate (via
sacra),

Visagra

where the

probably ended, was built by a Gothic

Roman road king, Wamba.

Every stone has

its

history.

Toledo stands out nobly upon the horizon, seated

on

its

rocky throne with

It

its
is

girdle

of towers and

its

crown of churches.

impossible to imagine
in

firmer or sterner profile, richer

positively

colour and
aspect.
I

more
gazed

preserving

the

mediaeval

upon

it

for

more than an hour, seeking

to satisfy

my

eyes and to impress deep in

my memory
!

the outlines

of

this

admirable view.

Night, alas
bed, for

came on too
to start at

soon, and

we went

to

we were

one

in

the morning in order to escape the great heat

of the day.

[97

4^4- .5,^ 4, 4. 4~ 4. 4. 4. 4. 4*4. 4; 4*4; 4, 4,-1, 4*4, 4. 4.4.

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
4* 4> 4- 4~ 4. 4> 4. 4>
4* *i

4 4*4. 44;4;4j4j 4. |;^ 4; 4; 4.

GRANADA

WE
caught
it

had
the
at

to

go through

Madrid again

to take

Granada stage-coach.
Aranjuez, but
in

We
case

might have

that

we

ran the

risk of finding every seat taken.

But Madrid was unbearable, and the two days we

had to spend
at least.
in
it

seemed to us two centuries long,

trees,

We

dreamed of nothing but orange

lemon

trees,

cachuchas, castanets, bodices, and pictur-

esque costumes, for everybody had given us marvellous

accounts of Andalusia,

with that somewhat boastful

rid

emphasis which Spaniards will never get

of,

any

more than the French Gascons.

The
in

longed for

moment came

at last, for

everything

comes, even the day you desire to see, and we started

a

very

comfortable
mules,
at
"a

coach
coats

drawn
clipped

by a troop

of

vigorous

with

and

shining,

which went
with

great speed.

The
with

coach was lined

blinds

nankeen
It

and

provided

green

and

curtains.

appeared to us supremely elegant after

4**4* *4* *4* 4* *4 *4* *4* *4* *4 4**4*^^*4l* 4i**I*44* *4 *4"4*

,

GRANADA
the vile galleys,
sillas,

volantes, and coaches in

to this time,

which
would

we had been

jolted

up

and really

it

have been a very commodious vehicle but for the limekiln temperature,

which burned us up
fans and

in spite

of our

constantly

moving

the extreme thinness of

our clothing.

The

environs

of Madrid
less stony

are

desolate,
this side

bare,

and

burned up, although

on
the

than

when
is

coming from

Guadarrama;
hilly, rises

country,
falls

which

uneven rather than

and

monotonously
vil-

without any other feature than powdery, chalky

lages scattered

here and there over the general aridity,

and which would never be noticed did not the square

church-tower
Spain, and
attract

attention.

Spires are scarce in

steeples
is

the

ordinary

form of

four-

square

tower.

At

every

cross-road
;

gloomy crosses

spread out their sinister arms

carts

from time to time ox-

come

along, the driver asleep under his mantle,

fierce-looking

mounted peasants with muskets

the

at

the

saddlebow.

At midday
;

heavens are

the

colour

of molten lead
kles

the

soil

of a powdery gray with spar-

of

light,

scarcely
;

assumes an azure
is

tint

in

the

farthest

distance

there

not a clump of trees, not

a shrub, not

a drop of water in the bed

of the dried-

199

&

tf

"-*

d? *^* db

*^*

,, d? *4*'4 4"4'^, '^, ^, *i, "i"i"*>i"iiN'4

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
up torrent, nothing to
rest

the

eye and

the

mind.

The

only shelter which can be got from the burning

is

rays of the sun

that of the

narrow
It is

line

of bluish

shade projected by the mules.

well
into

true that
just

we were
time to

mid-July, which

is

not

the

enjoy a cool trip through Spain, but

we

believe that

countries should be visited in their most characteristic

season, Spain in

summer and Russia

in winter.

There

is

nothing worth mentioning until the royal

is

residence at Aranjuez

reached.

It is a

chateau built
a

of brick with
white
effect,

stone

facings,
slate

producing
roofs,

red

and

with

great

pavilions,

and

vanes, which recall buildings of the days of

Henry IV

and Louis XIII, or the palace of Fontainebleau and

the houses of the Place Royale in Paris.

The Tagus,
greatly

which

is

crossed by a hanging bridge, maintains the

is

vegetation in a condition of verdure which

admired by the Spaniards, and allows Northern trees

to

grow

vigorously.

At Aranjuez
as

are

elms,

ashes,

birches,

and aspens,
figs,

strange there as

here would

be Indian

or aloes and

palms.

We
from

were shown

a gallery constructed expressly to

enable Godoy, the famous Prince of Peace, to pass

his

mansion

to

the

palace.

On

leaving,

the

4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4j 4j 4j4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4;

GRANADA
bull-fight arena
is

seen on the

left.

It

is

of"

rather

monumental

form.

While

we

were

changing

mules,

we

hurried to the market-place to buy oranges

rather,

and

eat

ices, or

snow

flavoured with citron, in

as

one of those open-air refreshment-stalls,

in

common
of

Spain

as

wineshops are

in

France.

Instead

drinking glasses of bad wine or nips of brandy, the

peasant and herb-seller of the market-place indulge in
a beb'ula helada

which does not

steal

away

their brains

and turn them into brutes.

ness

The

absence of drunken-

among
to

the country people here the

makes them much

in

superior

corresponding class

our

so-called

civilised countries.

The name
Jovis,
built

Aranjuez, which

is

derived
the

from ara
palace

indicates clearly

enough
a

that

was

upon the

site

of
visit

former temple to Jupiter.

We
it

had not time to

little,

the interior, and

are
alike.

we

regretted
all

but

for

all

palaces
is

So are
only

courtiers.

Originality

to

be

found

among

the people, and the rabble alone seems to have pre-

served the privilege of poetry.

From Aranjuez
being
Hills

to
is

Ocaiia, the landscape, without

nevertheless

remarkable,

more pictuiesque.

of fine appearance, well lighted, diversify the

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TRAVELS
sides

IN SPAIN
the

of

the

road,
is

when

whirlwind
enclosed

of
like

dust
a

in

which the coach

within
its

galloping,

god

cloud, clears up,

blown by some favourable

details.

wind, and enables you to see the

although badly
kept,
in
is

The

road,

good enough, thanks

is

to

the

marvellous climate,

which rain

scarcely

known,

and the small number of carriages, most of the transportation being done by beasts of burden.

We

were to have supper and

in

to

sleep

at

Ocafia

while waiting for the royal mail

order to have the

advantage of

its

escort,

for

we were

soon to enter

La Mancha,

at that

time infested by bands of brigands.

We
the

stopped

at

an inn, outwardly good-looking, with

covered with a superb awning,

a galleried courtyard

cloth

of which, either double or single,

patterns

formed
or
less

symmetrical
transparency.

through

its

greater

Myrtles, pomegranates and jessamine,

planted in pots of red clay, brightened and perfumed

this

inner court, which

light.

was
patio

lighted
is

with a dim,

soft,

mysterious

The
walk

charming invention.
space
in
it
;

You
room

have
;

more
can

coolness
or
it

and
read
is

than

in

your
be

you

you

can

alone or in company;
people

neutral

ground where
to

meet, and

where, without having

submit

GRANADA
to

the

boredom

of formal visits and introductions,

you
inti-

get to

know
and

each other and become somewhat

as
in

mate
is

when,

Granada
of an

or

Sevilla,

there

the additional

pleasure

artificial

fountain, I
a country

know

nothing more delightful, especially

in

where the thermometer indicates

tropical heat.

While waiting
That
is

for the mail,

we

indulged

in a siesta.

a habit

which one must necessarily acquire

in

Spain, for the heat from

is

two

to five in the afternoon

beyond the conception of a Parisian.

The
grain

pavingfire

stones are red-hot, like the knockers of the doors,

seems
in

to

rain

down from heaven,

cracks
like

the

bursts

the ear, the earth

the

enamel of an

overheated stove, the crickets sing with greater vivacity

than

ever,

and
to

the

little

air

which
brazen and

is

wafted

around
a

seems

issue

from
are

the

mouth of
for
all

furnace.
in

The

shops

closed,

the

money

the world
sell

you could not induce a trades-

man

to

you anything.

Dogs and
it,

Frenchmen,
met

as the vulgar saying expresses

are alone to be
if

with in the streets.

to

The

guides, even

you were

present

them with Havana

cigars or a ticket to the

bull-fight,

two things which

guide,

are particularly attractive

to a Spanish

would
203

refuse to take

you

to

J* #1

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TRAVELS
the meanest of

IN SPAIN
The
only thing you can

monuments.

do

is

to sleep like other people, to

it;

and you very soon

make up your mind

to

for

what are you going

in

do

if

you are the only waking person

?

the midst

of a sleeping nation

Our
fectly to

rooms, which
clean,

were whitewashed, were perwhich

had

the

insects

been

described put
in

us as

swarming everywhere, had not yet

an appearance, and our sleep was untroubled by any

many-footed

nightmare.

At

five

in

the

afternoon
is

we

rose to take a turn before supper.

its

Ocafia
title

not

very rich in monuments, and

is

chief

to

fame

a desperate attack by Spanish troops

on a French
the

redoubt.

The

redoubt

was taken, but most of

the field.
fallen.

battalion perished

upon

The

heroes were

buried each where he had

Their ranks had

storm of shot, that

been so well kept,

they

in

spite of the

may be

traced

by the regularity of the graves.

"

Diamante wrote

a play entitled

The

Hercules of

Ocafia," no doubt composed for some athlete of prodigious

strength.
It

came

to

our mind as

we

passed

through Ocafia.

The
us
is

harvest

was ending

at the

time

when

grain with

just

beginning to turn yellow, and the sheaves

204

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GRANADA
were being carried
earth
;

to great threshing-floors of beaten

a sort of circus,

on which horses and mules sepatheir

rate the grain

from the chaff by the stamping of

hoofs.

The

animals are harnessed to a sort of sledge,

in

on

which stands,

bold, fine

attitude, the
It

man

charged with directing the operation.

deal of coolness and
frail

takes a great

firmness to keep upright on this

is

machine, which

borne along by three or four

painter of Leopold

horses at top speed.

Robert's

school could

make good use of

in

these scenes, so Biblical

and primitive
tanned
heads,

their

simplicity.

In

this

place the

the

sparkling

eyes, the

madonna-like

faces, the characteristic costumes, the blue of the sky,

and the splendour of the sun would be

his

as

ready to

hand

as

in

Italy.
;

The
the

heavens that night were

fields

of a

rosy,

milky blue

as

far

as

the eye

could reach stretched out in one vast surface of pale

gold, on which
light,

stood out, like islands in an ocean of

ox-carts disappearing
a

under the sheaves.

The
and

chimera of

shadeless picture so eagerly sought for

light

by the Chinese was realised; everything was

brightness,
pearly gray.

the

deepest

shadow was no more than

We

were

at last served

with a decent supper^

at

205

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TRAVELS
least,
it

IN SPAIN

seemed such

to our appetite,

in a

low room

adorned with small paintings on glass of rather awk-

ward Venetian rococo.

past

We

had to wait
for

until

half-

two

in

the
it

afternoon

the

arrival

of

the

stage-coach, for

would not have been prudent

to start

without

it.

We

had besides a special escort of four

with
tall

cavalrymen
swords.
in

armed

carbines,

pistols

and

long

They were

fellows with dark faces framed

hats,

by huge black whiskers, pointed

broad gray

belts, velvet breeches,

and leather

gaiters,
It

who

looked

more

like robbers

than constabulary.

was an excel-

lent idea to take

them with

us, as thus

we

should not

have to meet them.

Twenty

soldiers

packed into a galley followed the

galley
is

stage-coach.

The

a springless cart with

net

two
of

or four wheels.
flooring.

An

esparto

takes the place

will

This concise description

give you an

idea of the position of these poor wretches, obliged to

stand and hang on to the side of the racks to avoid

falling

over each other.

terrific

At

a speed of twelve miles an

hour, with
confess
it

heat and a vertical

sun, you will

takes a stock of heroic joviality to consider

;

such a situation comical

in

and yet these poor

soldiers,

ragged uniforms, foodless, with nothing to drink but

206

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GRANADA
all

the tepid water in their gourds, and jolted about like

rats
in

trap,

laughed and sang

the way.

The
;

sobriety and endurance of the Spaniards are marvellous

thev are like the Arabs in this respect,

it

is

impossible

to carry farther forgetfulness of physical discomfort,

but though they had neither shoes nor bread, they had
a guitar.
All this portion of the

kingdom of Toledo which we

its

were traversing
nearness to
is

is

dreadfully barren, influenced by

La Mancha, Don Ouixote's

country, which

the most desolate, forlorn province in Spain.

We
of

soon passed

Guardia, an

insignificant

little

place

most wretched aspect.

Puerto Lapiche
is

composed of

few semi-ruinous

hovels perched low upon the slope of a cracked,

hillside,

worn
by

the ground of which has become

falls

friable

dint

of being sunburned, and

It is

away

in

curiously

shaped gaps.
lation
;

the very
is

acme of

aridity

and deso-

everything
the
fire

the colour of cork

or pumice-

stone
spot.

of heaven seems to have passed over the

is

gray powder as fine as ground sandstone

dusted over the whole picture.

the

The

wretchedness
.in

is

more heart-breaking
brings

that the brilliancy of

all
its

im-

placable sky

out

poverty

the

cloudy

207

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TRAVELS
liant

IN SPAIN
bril-

melancholy of the North pales by the side of the

wretchedness of warmer countries.
sight of

The

such miserable hovels

fills

one with pity

for the robbers a country

who

are obliged to live by their wits in

raise

where you cannot

an egg

in a circuit

of

thirty miles.

The

stage-coaches and the galley-trains

the

are really an insufficient resource for them, and

brigands

who

cruise about

La Mancha must

often be

satisfied to

sup on a handful of the sweet acorns which

in
;

Sancho Panza delighted

for

how can you

rob people

who have no money

whose houses

and no pockets, the furniture of

consists of four walls,

?

and whose sole

utensils are a stewpan and a chair

villages

To

sack such

strikes

me

as

one of the gloomiest fancies

out of work.

which can occur

to robbers

little

beyond

Puerto

Lapiche

we

entered

La

Mancha, and saw on

which claim
of
to

the right two or three windmills

have successfully withstood the charge

Don

Quixote.

At the time we saw them, they

their flabby sails

were slowly turning

under the impulse

venta,

of a broken-winded breeze.

The

where we

stopped to drain two or three jars of fresh water, also

boasts of

having lodged the immortal hero of Cer-

vantes' novel.

208

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GRANADA
We
ing,

were starving when we reached Manzanares

at

midnight.
to

We

had supper about two

in

the

mornto

provide

which

half

the

village

had

be

awakened.

We

got back into the coach,

eyes

we went

to sleep,

and

when we opened our

place famous for
its

we were

near Valdepeiias, a

wine.

The ground

and the

hills,

studded with stones, were of a peculiar red tone, and

we

could just perceive, on the horizon, the dentelated

crests of the hills,

which stood out very sharply

in spite

of the great distance.

Valdepeiias
tation
is

is

very commonplace.
vineyards.
Its

Its

whole repu-

due to
is

its

name, which means

stony valley,

quite accurate.
to purchase
all

At Santa Cruz we were asked

of pocket knives
cete
are
in

sorts

navajas.
for

Santa Cruz
cutlery.

and Albanavajas,

famous
the

fancy

The

made
taste,

most characteristic Arabic and barbaric

have open-worked handles through which show

red, green, or blue spangles.

Coarse

inlaid

work, but
is

designed

with dash, adorns the blade, which

very sharp.
solo

fish-

shaped and always

Most of them have

"
(I

mottoes, such as " Soy de uno

am one

man's),

or " Cuando esta vlvora pica, no bay 7-cmedio en la botica

14

"

209

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TRAVELS
(When
this

IN SPAI
is

adder stings, there

no antidote
is

in

the

pharmacy).
parallel
lines

Sometimes the blade

inlaid
in

rayed with three

it

red,

which gives

most

formidable appearance.

The

size of the navaja varies

from three inches

to three feet in length.

Some majos

(peasants of the better class) carry

some which, when

spring or a ring to

opened, are as long as a sabre.

which a turn
line.

is

given secures the blade in a straight

is

The

navaja

the

favourite

weapon of the

Spaniards, especially of the country people.

it

They

use

with incredible dexterity, wrapping their cloak around

their

arm by way of
has
are
its

buckler.
like
in

The

science of the

navaja
teachers

professors

fencing,

and

navaja-

as

numerous

Andalusia as fencinghis

masters in Paris.
lunges and his
adepts can
it

Each navaja expert has

particular strokes.
at
It is

secret

own

said that
artist

tell

by looking

wound

to

what

is

due, just as

we can

tell a

painter by the touch of

his brush.

The

undulations of the ground

;

now became more

constantly ascend-

marked and more frequent

ing and descending.

we were

We

were approaching the Sierra

Morena, which bounds the kingdom of Andalusia;

beyond that
line

of violet-coloured mountains was the

GRANADA
paradise

of our
into

dreams.
the

The
hills

stones
into

were already
groups.

growing

rocks,

terraced

Thistles six and seven feet high rose by the roadside

like

the

halberds

of invisible soldiers.
I

Although

claim not to be an ass,

taste
flies.

am

very fond of thistles, a

I

which, for the matter of that,

share with butter-

These

surprised me.

They were

superb plants

full

of delightful suggestions for ornament.

scroll

There

is

no arabesque or
which
is

work
or

in

Gothic

architecture
chiselled.
fields

more cleanly cut

more

finely

From

time to time

we

could see in the neighbouring

if

great yellow spots

as

sacks of cut straw had been

emptied there, but

when we drew

near the straw rose

with a whirl and flew away noisily.

They were

flights

of grasshoppers resting; there must have been millions of

them.

It

made

the

country smack strangely of

Egypt.

Not

far

from the venta, on the

pillars

right of the road,

were some

on which were exposed the heads of

criminals, a sight
that

which

is

always reassuring and proves

one

is

in a civilised
;

country.

The

road ascended,

zigzagging constantly
Puerto de
a
los

we were

about to traverse the

It is a

perns (Dogs' Gate).

in the

narrow gorge,

break

made

mountain wall by the torrent,

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just

which leaves
by
the
its

room enough
Dogs' Gate

for the road

is

which runs
it

side.

The

so called because

is

way through which

the defeated

Moors

left

Anda-

lusia,

bearing with them the happiness and civilisation

Spain, which
is

of Spain.
to

as close to Africa as

Greece

Asia, was

never

intended for European manners

the genius of the East

it is

shows there
it

in

every form, and

perhaps a pity that

did not remain

Moorish and

Mohammedan.
It
is

impossible to imagine anything

more

pictur-

esque and grand than this gate of Andalusia.

The

gorge
layers

is

cut in

huge rocks of red marble, the gigantic

rise

of which

one above another with almost

architectural

regularity.

The enormous
the

blocks, with

broad

transversal
a

fissures,

marble

veins

of the
prepara-

mountain,
tion

sort

of

terrestrial

anatomical
the

which

enables

one to

study

structure

of

the

globe, are

of a size which

makes

the mightiest
;

Egyptian granite constructions appear microscopical

in the crevices

grow green oaks and huge cork

tufts

trees,

which seem no bigger than

nary wall.

of grass on an ordiis

As the centre of the gorge

reached,

the vegetation becomes denser and

trable jungle, through

forms an impene-

which one occasionally catches a

!.

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GRANADA
glimpse of the sparkling waters of the torrent.
slope
is

The
been

so steep on the right

side

that
a

it

has

thought

prudent

to

provide

it

with

parapet, else
difficult to

a carriage, going always at

steer

full

speed and

on account of the frequent turns, might very well

a

perform
feet
It

perilous leap of from five to six

hundred

at

the least.
in the Sierra

was

Morena
the

that the

Knight of the

Sad

Countenance,

after

manner of Amadis on

Poverty Rock, performed the famous penitence which

consisted in turning somersaults, in his shirt,
sharpest rocks, and
that

upon the
practical
side

Sancho Panza, the

man, who represents common-sense by the

lofty

of

madness, found Cardeno's portmanteau so well

with ducats and fine
shirts.
at

lined

The remembrance
step
in

of
so

Don Quixote comes

thoroughly
national
his

up
is

every

Spain,
so

Cervantes'

work and
the

completely do
character:
spirit

two heroes incarnate

Spanish

chivalrous enthusiasm and an adventurous

united to

much

practical

common-sense and

to a

sort

of

jolly, caustic,

and clever good-nature.

Once we had

crossed the Sierra

Morena, the charIt

acter of the landscape changed

as if

completely.

was

one had suddenly passed from Europe into Africa.

213

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TRAVELS
The
send

IN SPAIN
left their
;

adders, seeking their holes,

fine

zigzag tracks

upon the up

sand of the road

great

the aloes began to

their
;

thorny swords by the edge of

the ditches
at

their broad, fleshy, thick, ashy-gray leaves

to

once impart a different physiognomy

the land-

scape.

You

feel

that

you are
good.
in

really
It
is

elsewhere, that

you have
the

left

Paris for
in

not

so

much
cosin

difference

climate,

architecture,
that

and

tumes,

which

makes you

aware

you are

foreign country, as the presence of these great plants

of torrid
in

climates which
only.

we

are

accustomed
the

to

see

hot-houses

The

laurels,

green

oaks,

the cork trees, the metallic, varnished-leaved fig-trees

have a freedom, a robustness, a wildness, which mark

a

climate in which nature

is

stronger than

man and

can do without him.

At our
beautiful

feet

was stretched

like a

vast

panorama the

kingdom of Andalusia.
sea.

The

grandeur of the

view recalled the

Chains of mountains levelled

infinite gentle-

by distance rolled with undulations of

ness like long azure billows
;

broad masses of white

mist lay between

tipped

here and

there brilliant sunbeams

hill,
;

with gold a nearer

and

clothed

it

with

a thousand

changing colours

other slopes, curiously

214

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GRAN A
furrowed,
tures,

A
in

resembled the

stuffs

one sees
blue

old

pic-

yellow
over
all

on
a

one

side

and

on the other
light,

and

flood

of scintillating, splendid
filled

such as
light

must

have

the

terrestrial

paradise
like

poured over that ocean of mountains

;

liquid
it

gold and silver

every obstacle

it

met breaking
It

up

into a phosphorescent, spangled foam.

was grander

than the broadest horizons of the Englishman Martin,

and a thousand times more

in
light
is

beautiful.

The

infinite

far

more sublime and wonderful than the

infinite

in

obscurity.

Aloes,

more

and
right,

more African
and on the
left

in

height,

still

showed on our

a long

wreath

of flowers of a most brilliant rose sparkling in emerald

foliage

marked

the meanderings
Profiting
to these

of the
at

bed

of the

dried-up brook.

by a halt

a relay,

my
back

comrade hastened
a

flowers and brought

huge bunch

of them.
freshness
like

They were
and
beauty.

rose

laurels,

of incomparable
rose
laurels,

After

the

came,

melancholy reflection after

a bright burst of laughter, gray

woods of

olive trees,

the

pale

foliage

of which

recalls

the whitish green

of northern willows and matches admirably the ashy

tint

of the ground.

This

foliage,

of sombre, aus-

215

4; 4^4; 4; 4; 4; 4.4;

TRAVELS
tere

4; 4^ 4* 4; 4; 4* 4. 4; 4; 4.4; 4* 4; 4< 4. IN SPAIN

skilfully

and sweet tone, was very wisely chosen by the

ancients,

who

so

appreciated

natural

har-

monies, as the symbol of peace and wisdom.

It

was about four o'clock when we reached Baylen,

for the

famous

disastrous capitulation

which bears

its

name.

We

were to spend the night there, and while

waiting for supper,

we walked

about the town and

its

neighbourhood.
I

was struck by the strange colour of the church

Baylen,

at

which

does

not

go

back much

beyond

the sixteenth century.

Stone and marble, baked by

do

the
in
ful

Spanish sun, instead of blackening, as they

our

damp

climate, take on reddish tones of delight-

warmth and

vigour,

turning

often

saffron

and

purple, like vine leaves towards the close of autumn.

By

the side of the church, above a

tints,

low wall gilded

with the warmest

palm

tree

the

first

one

which

had ever seen growing

its

in the

open ground

proudly spread
sky.

leaves against the dark azure of the

tree, a

This unexpected palm

at

sudden revelation had

a sin-

of the East,
gular
effect

the

corner of the road

;

upon

me

expected

to

see,

out-lined

against the sunset sky, the long necks of camels and

the floating white burnouses of an

Arab caravan.

216

GRANADA
The somewhat
picturesque ruins of

some

old fortifi-

cations included a tower, in sufficient repair to allow

of

its

being ascended with the help of feet and hands

projections
for

and

the

of the

stones.

We
its

were recmagnificent
tiled

ompensed
prospect.
its

our trouble

by the most

The town

of Baylen, with
its

roots,
at

red

churches, and

white houses clustering

flock

the foot of the tower like a

of goats, formed

an admirable
passed

foreground
the

beyond, waves of shadow

cornfields,

over

golden

and

in

the

far
like

distance,

beyond many a mountain range, shone

a silver streak the distant crest of the Sierra Nevada.

The

lines

of snow, catching the

flashes,

light,

sparkled with
a

prismatic

and

the

sun,

like

vast

golden
like
all

wheel of which the

spokes
its

disc

was the hub,

sent out
filled

flaming rays through a sky

agate to aventurine.

with

shades from

The

inn where

we were

to sleep consisted of a large a chimney-place at

building containing one

room with

each end, a ceiling of beams blackened and varnished

by smoke, mangers on either

side for the horses, mules,

a

and asses, and for travellers

few small side-rooms,

containing a bed formed of three planks laid upon two

trestles

and covered with one of those

pellicles

of linen

217

TRAVELS
between

IN SPAIN
a

which are scattered

few

lumps of wool,

which innkeepers, with

tery,
like

their characteristic, cool effron-

claim are mattresses.

Nevertheless,

we

snored
into

Epimenides and

the

Seven Sleepers

rolled

one.

We

started very early to

avoid

the

heat,

and again

beheld the lovely rose laurel, bright as glory and fresh

as love,

which had delighted us the night

before.

Soon

our road was barred by the muddy, yellow waters of

the Guadalquivir.

We were
On

ferried across
left

and

started
in

on the road

to Jaen.

the

we were shown,

a blaze of light, the Torrequebradilla tower,

and before

long
tal

we

perceived the quaint outline of Jaen, the capi-

of the kingdom of that name.

A
skin,

huge ochre-coloured mountain, tawny

as a lion's

powdered with

light,

gilded

by the

sun,

rise;--

ibruptly in the centre of the town.

The

quaint and

picturesque lines of massive towers and the long zig-

zags of fortifications mark

dral, a vast

its

bare

sides.

The

cathe-

mass which from a distance seems larger

itself, rises

than the city

proudly, an

artificial

mountain

by the side of the natural one.

is in

The

cathedral,

which

the Renaissance style and boasts of possessing the

very handkerchief on which Veronica received the im-

~Ti8

.kj^k k 4-*

| l

!"

*4* ! !! 4*

4|j^^^#l*l*^*

ifr

tlbdb

GRANADA
print

of our Lord's face, was built by the dukes of

Cceli.
it

Medina

No

doubt

it

is

beautiful, but

we had

thought of
It

as older

and more remarkable.

I

was

at

Jaen that

saw the

greatest

number of
generally
silver
inlets,

national and picturesque costumes.

The men

wear blue
filigree

velvet
;

breeches
roncla

ornamented
adorned

with

buttons

gaiters

with

aiguillettes,

and arabesques of darker leather,

is

the most
top and

stylish

way of wearing them

as

to button

the

bottom buttons only, so

yellow or red
silk sashes,

to

show

the leg,

broad
a

an embroidered brown cloth

cloak, and a broad-brimmed,

jacket, a blue or

brown
velvet

pointed

hat

with

and

silk

tufts

complete

costume

which

resembles

the

traditional
is

dress of

Italian brigands.

Others wear what

called a sporting

costume made of tanned buckskin and green velvet.

few of the

women
show

of the lower classes wear red

the

cloaks which

brightly against

darker backthe

ground of the crowd.

The

strange dress,

sun-

burnt complexions, the flashing eyes, the strong faces,

the impassible and calm attitudes of these majos,

more

numerous than anywhere

else,

impart to the population

;

of Jaen an aspect more African than European

illusion
is

and the
climate,

greatly increased by the heat of the

219

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
the dazzling whiteness of the houses (which are white-

washed according

to

Arab

fashion), the

tawny colour

of the ground, and the unchanging blue of the heavens.

The
is

Spaniards have a saying about Jaen, "

;

The town
people
out at

ugly, and the people are wicked

"

with which no
us,

painter will

agree.
is

Here, as with
fine

most
laid

consider a

town

when

it

has streets
a sufficient

right angles,

and provided with

number of

lamps and townspeople.

On
is

leaving

Jaen we entered a valley which con-

tinues as far as the

arid
:

Vega of Granada.

At

the outset

it

barren

mountains, crumbling away with drytheir

ness, burn

you with
is

white glare like reflecting

a

mirrors

there
tufts

no trace of vegetation save

few

colourless

of fennel.
;

Soon, however, the valley

deepens and narrows

tion appears
;

springs begin to

show

vegeta-

coolness and shadow are again met with.

at the

The

Jaen River flows swiftly

bottom of the valley

it,

between the stones and rocks which obstruct

its its

and bar

way every moment.

windings, for
still

The

road follows

it

closely in

in

mountainous countries the torrents

in

are
line

the

most successful engineers

is

tracing

of road, and the best thing to do

to trust to their

guidance.

GRANADA
At one place
cliffs

the valley narrows gradually, and the

close

in

so as to leave

room

for the river only.

Formerly carriages were obliged to descend

travel

into
a

and

along the bed of the

torrent

itself,

rather

dangerous method on account of the holes and stones,

and the depth of the water, which

great deal.

in

winter rises a

To

remedy

this difficulty

one of the rocks

it

has been blasted, and a fairly long tunnel cut through

as

on a railway.

This somewhat important work

Beyond, the

is

only a few years old.

again, and the road
is

valley broadens out

no longer obstructed.

There

is

break of some miles in

the heat, which the

my

remembrances.

Overcome by

weather, that was

suffocating,
I
fell

becoming stormy, made absolutely

asleep.

When
in

awoke again

night,

which comes so
fallen.

swiftly

Southern

climates, had

entirely

furious

wind

raised whirlwinds of

burning dust.

That

wind must have been a near

sirocco,
stifled.

relative of the African

and

do not understand

why we were
its

not

The

shapes of things disappeared in

dusty

haze; the sky, usually so splendid on summer nights,

looked like the vault of an oven
see
;

it

was impossible
at

to

two
in

steps

ahead.

We

entered Granada
at

about
del

two

the

morning, and alighted

the

Fonda

4, 4- 4. 4 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4.

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Comercio,
a so-called

French hotel
slept
in

in

which there were

no

sheets,

and where we

our clothes on the

table; but these small troubles did not affect us

much.

We

were

in

Granada, and

in

a few hours

we should

see the

Alhambra and the Generalife.

first

The
receives

thing

we

did

was
is,

to
a

have our guide take

private house
to stay

us to a casa de pupilos, that

which

boarders

for

as

we proposed
fare

some

time

in

Granada, the

inferior

of the Fonda del

Comercio

did not suit us.

From
by a
trees
sort

the top of our house, which

was surmounted

of look-out,
crest

we

could see, through clumps of

hill,

upon the

of a

standing

out sharply

against the blue sky, the massive towers of the fortress

of the Alhambra, which the sun coloured with

the warmest and most intense red.
filled

tints

of

The

picture

was

out by two

tall

cypresses close to each other,

into the azure above the red
;

whose black
walls.

tops rose

You

never lose sight of these cypresses

whether
or

you climb the snow-striped slopes of Mulhacen,

whether you wander through the Vega or
Elvira,

in the Sierra

you always see them on the horizon, sombre

in

and motionless

the blue or golden vapour

which

distance casts over the roofs of the city.

4* ***

*-!

4 *4* ** *** i ***

,

*** *4* * * ** *= *t* *4

*** ***

GRANADA
Granada
Vega.
is

built

upon three

hills at

one end of the

The

Vermilion Towers, so called because of

their colour (JTorres Bermcjas'),

and which

it

is

claimed

are of

Roman

or even Phoenician
hills
;

origin, stand

on the

nearest and lowest of these

is

the Alhambra,

which
hill

a city in
its

itself,

covers the

second and highest

with
vast

square towers

connected

by high walls, and

their
limits
is

sub-structures

which contain within

gardens, groves, houses, and squares.

situated

The

Albaicin

upon
by
a

the

third

height,
full

separated

from

the

others

deep

ravine

of vegetation,

cacti,

colocynths, pistachios, pomegranates, and

rose laurels,
rolls

and a wealth of flowers, while

at

the

bottom

the

Darro with a current

as swift

as

an

Alpine torrent.
stream, traverses
bridges

The
the

Darro, which

is

a gold-bearing

town now under the open

they should

sky,

now under

so wide that
joins, in the

rather be

called vaults,

and

Vega,

at

a short distance
is

from the Ala-

meda, the Genii, which

bearing
city
is

satisfied

with being a silver-

stream.

The

course of the river through the

called Carrera del Darro, and

it

from the balconies

of the houses which line

prospect.

one enjoys a magnificent

eating

The Darro

is

constantly

away

its

banks, and causes frequent landslides.

223

j 4 i

"i

4' *

-i~

"4**4"^"4;tJ;^."^;^;^dld?il?^

~ tfcsi;

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
The
gardens called Carmenes del Darro, of which
in

charming descriptions are met with

Spanish

and

Moorish poetry,

lie

on the bank.s of the Carrera as you

go up-stream towards the Avellanos Fountain.

The

city

is

thus divided
lies

into

four main

quarters
hill,

Antequeruela, which

on the slopes of the

or
the

rather of the mountain

crowned by the Alhambra

;

Alhambra and
formerly a

its

annex, the Generalife

fortress,

the Albaicin,

vast

now

ruined,

uninhabited

quarter; and Granada proper, which

plain

stretches in the

around the Cathedral and the Bibarrambla Place,

and which forms a separate quarter.

Such, roughly,
nada, traversed
is

the topographical aspect of

Gra-

in its greatest

breadth by the Darro, sur-

rounded on one side by the Genii which bathes the

Alameda or promenade,
which one catches
which
is

sheltered by the Sierra

Nevada,
and

sight

of at every

street-end,

brought so close, owing to the clearness of the

it

atmosphere, that

seems

as if

one could touch

it

with

the hand from the top of balconies and look-outs.

The
the idea

general appearance of Granada

falls
it.

short of

which one has usually formed of

In spite

of having already suffered

many

a disappointment,

you

cannot bring yourself to remember that three or four

224

4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4-

4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4. 4; 4; 4j 4* 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. GRANAD A
of

hundred years and innumerable commonplace people

have passed over the scene
chivalrous actions
;

so

many romantic and

you think of a semi-Moorish, semitraceried spires

Gothic

city,

in

which

mingle with
;

minarets,

and cupolas alternate with terraced roofs

to see carved,

you expect

ornamented houses, with coats

;

of arms and heroic mottoes

stories projecting'

quaint buildings, with

one above the other, with protruding

beams and windows adorned with Persian carpets and

blue

and

white

pots,

in

word, an opera scene

realised

and representing some marvellous prospect of

the Middle Ages.

The

people you meet, dressed in modern costumes,

wearing stovepipe hats and frock coats, unconsciously

produce an unpleasant
than they are
;

effect

and appear more hideous

cannot go about
for

for they really

the

greater glory of local colour in albornoz. of the days of

Boabdil, or in iron armour of the times of Ferdinand

and Isabella the Catholic.

the
least

They

insist, like

nearly
in

all

townspeople

in

Spain, that they are

not

the

degree picturesque, and they seek to prove that

;

they are civilised bv wearing trousers with straps

is

that

their

main

idea.

They

are afraid of being taken for

barbarians and of being considered behind the times,

is

225

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
and when the wild beauty of their country
is

extolled

they humbly apologise for not yet having railroads and

steam-driven factories.

Granada, although
is

fallen

from

its

ancient splendour,

bright, gay, animated.

The

inhabitants have a

way

of reappearing and simulating in marvellous fashion a

numerous population.
and more numerous than
ity gives

The
in

carriages are

handsomer

Madrid.

Andalusian vivac-

to the streets a life

and animation unknown

to the

serious Castilian walkers,

who

are as noiseless

as their

own
del

shadows.
Darro, the

This

is

especially true of the

Carrera

Zacatin, the

Plaza

Nueva,

the Calle de Gomeres, which leads to the Alhambra,

the Theatre Square, the bridges, the Alameda, and the

main

streets.

The

rest

of the city

is

traversed in every

direction by labyrinthine lanes three or four feet wide,

which

are impassable to carriages, and accurately recall

the Moorish streets of Algiers.

there
is

The

only sound heard

the hoof of an ass or a mule striking sparks

from the

shining

paving-stones, or the
in

monotonous

hum

of a guitar strummed

some courtyard.
pots

The
and

balconies

adorned

with

blinds,

of flowers

shrubs, or vines, the fine tendrils of which climb from

one window to another, the rose

laurels

which spread

226

GRANADA
their

dazzling

blooms above the garden

walls,

the

strange play of light and shade which recall

pictures of

Decamps'
on the
around,

Turkish

villages, the

women

seated

thresholds, the half-naked

children tumbling

the asses which

tufts

come and go covered with plumes and

of

wool,

impart

to

these

lanes,

which

are

almost always steep and sometimes provided with steps,

a peculiar aspect

which does not lack charm, and the

unexpectedness, of which more than compensates for

their lack

of regularity.

Victor Hugo, in his charming " Orientates," says of

Granada
"

that

houses with the richest colours."

is

It paints its

The

remark

absolutely

correct.

The
in

houses of
quaintest
grisaille

even well-to-do people are painted

fashion with imitation
architectural
bassi-relievi.

the

features,
It is a

ornaments, and imitation

wealth of

panels, of scrolls, of bays, of flower pots, of volumes, of

medallions

full

of Burgundy roses, of ovals, of acanthi

all

of plump Cupids bearing

sorts

of allegorical utensils,
;

upon apple-green, fawn, or pale-rose backgrounds

a
is

in
It

word, the highest expression of the rococo

difficult

style.

at first to believe that

;

these painted facades

feeling that

are genuine dwellings

you cannot help

227

J, 4. 4. 4. 4- 4 4- 4> 4-

-i-

4* 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;

* 4;
had

TRAVELS
you
are

IN SPAIN
settings.

walking

between stage

We

already seen at

Toledo facades painted

below those of Granada

in this fashion,

but they are

far

as regards the

fancifulness of the ornamentation and the strangeness

of the colouring.
this fashion,

For
is

my own

part, I

do not object to

which

pleasant to the eye and contrasts

agreeably with
walls.

the chalky

tone of the whitewashed

We
the

spoke just

now of

the townspeople

who

dress in

French fashion, but

the

country

people

do not

follow Paris modes.

They have
somewhat

preserved the pointed

silk

hat with velvet brim adorned

with

tufts,

or the
;

lower
jacket

crown shaped

like

turban

the

ornamented with embroidery and

all

patches

of

cloth of

colours on the elbows, facings, and collar,

which has
girdle
;

a vaguely

Turkish look

the red or yellow

the trousers with facings fastened with filigree

;

buttons or pillar-pieces soldered to a hook

gaiters

the leather
;

open on the
is

side

and showing the leg

brilliant,

and the

whole costume

more

more ornamented,
more
laden

more embroidered, more

showy,

with

spangles and tinsel than in the other provinces.

are
also a

There
de

good

many costumes

called

vestldo

ca%ador or sporting-suits, of Cordova leather and blue

228

&* !

rfj.

*** -J *->

*&

* -i *

*-

9* . i r|* * S l

# rA #*

*^*ts?ta?

GRANADA
or green velvet with aiguillettes.
It
is

very fashionable
at

to carry a cane or white stick forked

feet long,

the end, four

on which you lean carelessly when you stop

to talk.
in

No

self-respecting

majo would dare to appear

public without his stick.

Two

bandanas, the ends

of which hang from the pockets of the jacket, and a

long navaja stuck in the belt, not in front, but in the

middle of the back, mark the very ideal of elegance

the popular
I

in

man

of fashion.
that the very
first

was so taken with the costume

I

thing

did

was

to order one.

was introduced

to

Don Juan
tion as a

Zapata, a

man who

enjoys a great reputa-

maker of national costumes, and who enter-

tained for dress coats and frock coats a hatred at least

equal to

my own.
felt

But Senor Zapata

dillac felt

towards
;

his clothes as

Car-

towards

his

gems

it

grieved him a great deal

to
try

hand them over to on

his clients.

When

he came to

my

costume, he was so dazzled by the brilliancy

of the flower-pot which he had embroidered upon the

brown

cloth in the centre of

my

back that he gave

himself up to
extravagance.

mad

delight

and indulged in the wildest

Then

suddenly the thought of having

to leave this masterpiece in

my

hands cooled

his hilarity

229

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
and
at

once turned him gloomy.

On

pretext of

some
in his

alterations to be

made, he wrapped the jacket up

it

bandana, handed
tailor

to

his apprentice,

as

for a
if

Spanish

would consider himself dishonoured

himself,

he carried
the
devil

bundle
after

and

went

off

if

were

him, casting on
next day he

me

a fierce

and ironical

glance.

The
that

came back

alone, and draw-

ing from a leather purse the

told

money

had paid him, he

to part with the

me

it

pained him too

to

much

jacket, and he preferred

It

give

me back my money.
fact that this cos-

was only when

I insisted

upon the

tume would

give a high, opinion of his talents and gain

let

him
it

a great reputation in Paris that he consented to

go.

The women
the mantilla,

have had the good sense not to give up

is

which

the most delightful headgear that

in

can

possibly

frame

Spanish

face.

They go

through the streets to the promenade without bonnets,

with a red carnation on each temple, with their black

lace arranged

around their

face,

and they glide along

the walls, using their fans with incomparable grace and

skill.

bonnet

is

a rare thing in
ladies

Granada.
in

It

is

true

that the

more elegant

have

some hidden bandin

box a yellow or crimson concern which they keep

230

a**!* *4> *h* * 4*

*4" 4*

^ #4*

JU JU

>?* *.t

! #i A

.ft*

#! cf *A**JU

GRANADA
reserve for great occasions
;

but thank

Heaven

such

occasions are very rare, and the hideous bonnets

in

show

the light of day only on the

Queen's

feast

day or at

the ceremonies in the high school.

May

our fashions

never invade the City of the Caliphs, and the terrible

threat contained in these

two words painted

in

black at

the entrance of a square, " Modista francesca," never be

carried out to insist
!

It

is

mistaking the meaning of creation

livery

upon imposing the same

;

on men

in all

climates

it

is

one of the innumerable mistakes com-

mitted by European civilisation.

The Alameda

at

Granada

is

unquestionably one of
It
is

the pleasantest places in the world.

del Salon

called Paseo

(the

Drawing-room),

-a curious

name

for a
trees,

walk.

Imagine a long avenue of several rows of

in

of a green unique

Spain, closed at each end by a

monumental

fountain, the basins of

which are upheld

formed and

on the shoulders of aquatic

delightfully

deities curiously

barbaric.

These

fountains,

unlike

most

such erections, pour out water in broad streams which

vanish in fine spray and moist vapour, casting around
a
delightful
in

coolness.

In

the side avenues

beds,

run, en-

closed

coloured- pebble

brooklets

of crystal
jets

transparency.

great flower-garden adorned with

231

.1.

4. l..l,

.i. -1, .1. .1. .i. .1,-1. l,,l.

J. J^^Url^^t..l^4>^l>

<|. vlir|

TRAVELS
of water,
full
all

IN SPAIN
Granada
flora, fills

of shrubs and flowers, myrtles, rose trees

the wealth of the

jessamine,

up

the space between the Salon and the Genii, and extends
as far as the bridge constructed
at the

by General Sebastiani

time of the French invasion.

in its

The

Genii comes

from the Sierra Nevada

marble bed through laurel

Glass and crystal are

woods of incomparable beauty.

too opaque, too thick by comparison to give an idea of the limpidity of the water, which but the night before
stretched in silver sheets
Sierra

upon the white slopes of the

Nevada.

It is a

torrent of molten diamonds.

In the evening between seven and eight, meet at the

Salon the fashionable people of Granada.

riages, usually

The

car-

empty, drive along the road, for Spanspite

iards

are very fond of walking, and in

of their

pride deign to take themselves out for a stroll.

Nothin

ing

is

more agreeable than

to see

coming and going

girls

small groups young

mantillas,
hair,

women
their

and young
natural

wearing
in

bare-armed, with
shoes on

flowers
in

their

satin

feet,

fans

their

hands,

followed at a short distance by their friends and lovers

for in

Spain

it

is

not customary to take a lady's arm.

The

habit of walking alone gives the

women

a freedom,

an elegance, and an ease of manner which our ladies,

232

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r|/

! rl,

jK

*! *1* !* !*!* l*i#f**l*#K*J*lv

#*! AJU#s

GRANADA
always hanging to some man's arm, lack.
stant separation of

This conpublic,

men and women,

at least in

smacks already of the East.

A
of
is

sight

which Northern people cannot have any idea

the

Alameda
crests

in

Granada

at

sunset.

The
city

Sierra

Nevada, the
side,
is

of which surround the

tints.

on that
all

bathed in the loveliest

All the scarps,

the summits, struck by the light, turn rose, but a dazzling

iris

rose, ideal, fabulous, silvered

over, rippled

with

and

opaline

reflections

which

would make the

look

purest

colours

on

painter's

palette

muddy

pearly gray

tones, ruby

gleams,

veins

of agate

and

aventurine which would challenge the fairy

the

gems of

"Thousand and One Nights."

Valleys, crevices,

projections, every spot

which the beams of the sun do

not reach, turn into a blue which matches the azure of

the sky, of
trast
ice,

of

lapis lazuli,

of sapphire.

The
to

con-

of tone between the light and the shadow has an

effect,

astonishing

the

mountain

seems

have
silk.

wrapped

itself in

changing, spangled, silver-ribbed

Little by little the rich colours die

violet
half-tints, the

away and melt

into

shadows invade the lower

slopes,

the light

withdraws to the highest summits and the

has long been plunged in darkness

whole

plain

when

233

!-!<*

^i* *4 *i"

*!-

*P.-*

*A* ^4*4**4i*iI' *!***** 4*fi<4*

TRAVELS
sky, glowing in the last

IN SPAIN
still

the silver diadem of the Sierra

sparkles in the clear

beam of

the setting sun.

People walk up and

down

few times more, and

at

then scatter, some to take sherbet and agraz

Don
in

Pedro Hurtado's cafe, where you get the best

Granada, others
their

ices

to

go

to

tertulia at the

houses of
brightest

friends or acquaintance.
in

This

is

the

and most animated time

shops
lighted
terns.

Granada.
ice-cream

The

open-air
are lan-

of

the

aguadores

and

venders

up with an

infinite

number of lamps and

The

street

lamps and the lamps lighted

in front

of the statues of the

Madonna
if it

rival the stars in

number

and brilliancy, and can

happens to be moonlight, you

;

easily read the smallest print

the light has turned

is

blue instead of being yellow, and that

all.

We
more
days

were soon well known

life.

in

Granada, and

led a

most delightful

It

is

impossible to be

welcomed
five or six

cordially, frankly,

and pleasantly.

In

we were

quite intimate, and according to Spanish

called

custom we were
nada
nio,
I

by our

first

names.

At Gra-

was Don Teofilo, my comrade was Don Euge-

and

we were

free

to

call

by their names Carmen,

ladies

Teresa, Gala,

etc., the

young

and

girls

in

the

houses in which

we were

received as guests.

This

234

GRANADA
familiarity

goes

very

well

with

the

most

polished

manners and the most respectful

evening

attentions.

So every

we went
to

to a tertulia in

one house or another

tertulias

from eight
the

midnight.

The

take place
its

in

alabaster-columned patio adorned with

is

jet

of

water, the basin of which

surrounded by flower-pots

and boxes of shrubs, on the leaves of which the drops of water

are
fall

with a pleasant sound.

Five or

six

lamps

hung along the

walls, sofas and straw

in

or wickeris

work

chairs are placed

in

the galleries, the piano

in

one corner,

another are the card-tables.

On
tress

entering, each guest greets the master and mis-

of the house,

who do
offer

not

fail,

after the usual

exchange of

civilities, to

you a cup of chocolate

is

which

it

is

proper to refuse, and a cigarette which

occasionally accepted.

Having

fulfilled

this duty,

you

go to the corner of the patio and join the group which

most
trecillo

attracts
;

you.

The

parents

and elders play

at

the

young

fellows talk with the girls, recite the

verses they have written during the day, and are scolded

and punished for crimes which thev may have committed the day before, such as having danced too often

with a pretty cousin or cast too bright a glance towards

a forbidden balcony.

If they have been very good, in

235

ri*

J*

*t*

rvi* r!-

..

-!* * #A% ft #A wJ*

-'-

"* U>

|U

A #1* ** * ** *!

TRAVELS
exchange
for the rose they

IN

SPAIN
hair,

have brought, they are given

a carnation

from the waist or from the

ami a

glance or a slight pressure of the fingers answers their

clasp

when

the

company ascends

to the balcony to hear

the band play the retreat.

Love-making seems
Granada.
three
that

to

be the only occupation of

You

have not spoken more than two or

girl

times to a

before the whole

city

declares

you

are

engaged, and chaffs you about your prein

tended passion
theless

the most innocent fashion, but neverdisquietingly, as

is
it

somewhat

calls

up visions of
real, for in

marriage.
spite

Gallantry

more apparent than

of languorous glances, burning looks, tender and

passionate conversation, sweet demonstrations, and the

"darling" prefixed

to

your name, you must not imagine

too readily that you are a lady-killer.

When
men

conversation begins to

fail,

one of the gentle-

takes

down

a guitar and begins to sing, striking

the strings with his nails and marking the rhythm with

the palm of his hand on the body of the instrument,

some

bright Andalusian song or

ays

some comic

stanzas,

mingled with produce

a

and

olas

quaintly modulated, which

singular

effect.

lady

sits

down

to
to

the

piano and plays a piece by Bellini,

who seems

be

236

4**4*

*-!

*}* ** *4* *1 *i* *i- 4* *^ ^ *! * !* -4 A* *4 4 *4 l*

d*

*& JU*|*

GRANADA
a favourite
ballad

composer among the Spaniards, or sings

Breton de
los

by

Herreros, the great ballad-

writer of Madrid.

The

evening closes with a

little

improvised dance,

but they do not dance, alas, the jota, the fandango, or

the bolero, these dances being left to the peasants, the
servants, and
rilles

the

gipsies.

Instead

they

have quad-

and rigadoons, and

occasionally

waltzes.

One
but
also

evening, however, at our request, two young ladies of

the family were kind enough
first

to

dance a bolero

they insisted

on having the windows and

the door of the mansion closed, though these usually

remained open, so greatly did they fear to be accused

of bad taste
generally

and

local

colour.

The

Spaniards

are

annoyed when spoken to about cachuchas,

castanets, majos, manolas,

fights,

monks, smugglers, and

really very

bull-

though
as

at

bottom they are

fond of
ask you,

them
with

national and
air

characteristic.

They

an

of annoyance, whether
as civilised as

you think that

so
far

they are

not

you,

has

the

deplorable mania for the imitation of the English and

the

French penetrated everywhere.

is

Spain

at

the pre-

sent day

inimical
to

to

all

colour and

poetry.

Of

course

it

is

be understood that we

are

speaking

237

*!-

<vf*

*i* #1 *J

#!/

#4*

!.*

A* *i *.( oA* *Lt *!* r t, rt, ri* J* #t rf* ** CM

TRAVELS
of the so-called enlightened
inhabit the
cities.

IN SPAIN
classes,

the

people

who

The
the

dancing over, you take leave of the masters of

the house, saying to the lady, "

los

pies de

I'd"

to

husband, " Boso

Vd

la

mano"

to

which
la

they

reply,

" Buenas

nocbes,"

and " Beso a

Vd

suya," and
''

on the threshold,
(Till to-morrow),

as a last farewell,

" Hasta manana

which

is

equivalent to asking you to

come

again.

While

quite familiar, the

common
rascals

peo-

ple themselves, the

peasants, and

the

practise

towards each other an exquisite politeness very different

from the coarse manners of our rabble.

a knife-thrust

It is

true that

may

follow on the heels of an offensive

It
is

word, which makes people very circumspect.

to

be noticed that French politeness, formerly proverbial,

departed since swords
against duelling will

ceased

to

be worn

the

laws
ill-

end by making us the most

the world. the

mannered people

in

On
and

the

homeward way you meet under

the

windows
in

balconies

young

gallants

wrapped
is,

their

cloaks and busy

in pilar la

pamha, that
the
last

in chatting

with

their

betrothed

through

gratings.
until

These

nocturnal conversations often

in

two and three

since

the

morning,

which

is

not

surprising

the

238

A*

*i*

w*

* *4

*"

"l" *

* *4* *s* *i *i* *=* "!* J ?* *** e* *

*=* *B* *

GRANADA
Spaniards

spend
also

portion

of the

day

in

sleeping.

You may
three or
alone,

happen upon a serenade composed of

it

four musicians, but usually

sings couplets,

is

the lover

who

accompanying himself upon

the guitar, with his sombrero pulled

down over
post.

his eyes

and one foot placed on a stone or a

Formerly
not

two serenades

in

the

same

street

would

have

tolerated each other; the first-comer claimed the right

to

remain alone and forbade any other guitar than

to strum in the silence of night.

his

own

The

claim was

maintained with the sword

or the knife, unless the

the

watch came along

then

two

rivals

joined

in

charging the watch, leaving

their

private

quarrel to
sere-

be settled

later.

The
much

susceptible character of

nades has been

scrape and

softened, and
is,

each

one

can

hum,
in

as the saying

under the window

of his

fair

perfect peace and contentment.

If the night happens to be dark, you have to be careful

not to step upon

some worthy hidalgo

in

rolled

up

in

his cloak,

which stands him

the

way of house,

bed,

and garment.

On summer

nights the granite steps of

the Theatre are covered with numbers of fellows

who
step,

have no other home.

Every one has

his

own
is

which

is

like his

apartment, and where one

sure to

239

J.-i, a. ,1,4- 4

4 4 4 444j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4j 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4;

TRAVELS
find

IN SPAIN
of
for

him.
sky

Men
with

sleep there under the blue vault

stars

the

the

night-lights,

safe

from

insects and

from the

stings

of mosquitoes, thanks to

the

toughness of their

tanned skins bronzed by the

suns of Andalusia and as dark unquestionably as that

of the darkest mulattoes.

We

were

so passionately fond of the

Alhambra

that,

not satisfied with going there every day,

live there altogether;

we

desired to

not in the neighbouring houses,

which

are rented at very high prices to the English,

but within
tection

the palace itself; and thanks to the pro-

of our

Granada

friends,

we were

told

that,

though a formal permission could not be granted to

us, our presence there

would not be taken notice

in

of.

We
my

spent four days and four nights

the place, and

they were unquestionably the most delightful days of

life.

To
the

reach the Alhambra,

we

shall,

if

you

please,

cross the Bibarrambla Square, where the valiant

Gozul
of

Moor

formerly fought bulls, and the

houses
in

which, with their balconies and look-outs

joinerfish-

work, somewhat resemble chicken-coops.

'

The

market

is

in

one corner of the square, the centre of

which

is

an open place surrounded with stone benches

240

!*.*

#.1,

rl * 4

!-

*4* 4*

JUl**i**l*'l*k JU

A ! i* *4 ** *^*!?tjl?

GRANADA
full

of money-changers, vendors of alcarrazas (earthen

jars),
lets

watermelons, linen

stuffs,

ballads, knives, chap-

and other small wares.

its

The

Zacatin, which has

preserved

Moorish

name, connects
Square.

Bibarrambla

Square with the

to

New

In this street, parallel

which run

lateral

lanes and

which

is

covered with
is

sail-cloth

awnings, the whole business of Granada

carried
tailors,

on with much animation and noise.

Hatters,

shoemakers, bakers, and cloth-dealers occupy

the refine-

shops which are as yet unacquainted with

ments of modern luxury and

recall the old

all

shops of the
is

Market Place
a

in Paris.

At
;

hours of the day there

a

crowd

in

the Zacatin

now

group of Salamanca

students on a journey, playing on the guitar, the tam-

bourine, or castanets and triangles, as they sing songs

full

of

fun and

spirit

now

a horde of gipsies with

their
stars,

blue dresses with large

their long

patterns

spangled with

yellow shawls, their uncombed hair,

their

great
else

amber or coral necklaces around

a long
line

necks

or

of asses, laden with huge jars and

as

driven by a

Vega peasant

tanned as an African.

The

Zacatin opens into the Plaza Nueva, one side

is

of which

occupied

by the splendid palace of the

for
its

Chancery, noticeable
1

columns, of the Rustic

241

i***i<*

r.i <

'i'*

*i"

A*

r*

*^ *i* *=* ***=* "**tt? til ***tt?tl?

*** - ***

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
order,

and the severe beauty of

its

arcades.

Having

crossed the square, you ascend the Calle de Gomeres,

at

the end of

which you enter within the

jurisdiction

of the Alhambra, opposite the Granada Gate, called

Bib Alanjar by the Moors, with, on the
right,

the

Vermilion Towers,

built, say the learned,

on Phoenician

sub-structures, and to-day inhabited by basket-makers

and

potters.

Before going farther

we

ought to warn our readers

who may
lously

think that our description, though scrupufalls

accurate,

short

of their ideas

that

the

Alhambra, the fortress-palace of the former Moorish

kings,
is

not

in

the

least

like

what one imagines.

You

expect to see terraces rising one above another,

minarets

with

delicate

tracery,
is

and

perspectives of
all

innumerable
reality.

pillars.

There
all

nothing of

that in

From

the outside

you see are

great,

mas-

sive towers the colour of brick or dust, built at various

times by Arab

princes; inside a succession

of

halls

and

galleries

decorated

with

extreme
this

delicacy,

but

lacking grandeur.
shall

Having made

reservation,

we

go on our way.
the

Having passed through

Granada Gate, you enter

the precincts of the fortress and the jurisdiction of a

242

1* *4

JL *X

#J-

A%

!-

rl*

JU

#i-

!* c4 r U*l*Jt *J**l*t< ! r* *|*

ti?

GRANADA
separate governor.

Two

roads are cut through a high

wood
the

let

us take

the left-hand one which leads by

It
is

Charles

fountain.

the steeper, but

the

shorter

and

more

picturesque.

Brooks flow swiftly

the
trees,

down pebbly beds and water

almost
all

which are
is

Northern, and the green foliage of which

to

most delightful to behold so close

Africa.

The
sharp

murmur of running water mingles

singing of hundreds

with

the

of thousands of crickets, whose

in

voice
spite

is

never silent and which forcibly recalls you,

of the coolness of the place, to thoughts of the

its

South and
where,

torrid

heat.

Water bubbles up
of the
trees,
it

every-

under

the

trunks

through the
is,

courses of the old walls.

The
for

hotter

the

more

abundant

are

the

springs,

they are

fed

by the

mountain snows.
heat

The

mingling of water, snow, and

in

makes the Granada climate unparalleled

It
is

the

world.

a true terrestrial
it

paradise,

and without
are

being
in
is

Moor,

may be

said of us,

when we

sunk

deep melancholy, what the Arab proverb says, "

thinking of Granada."

He

At the top of the

road,

which keeps on ascending,

you come to the great monumental fountain which

forms a buttress and which
is

dedicated to the

memory

243

-i *4* *1 i

J*

-1 J/ #.K .! A X 4**1* * 4* 4* *!* ** #1* ** **+ *l* * *!

TRAVELS
German-Roman

IN SPAIN

of Charles V, with no end of mottoes, arms, figures of

Victory, imperial eagles, and medallions, in the rich and
dull
taste.

Two

scutcheons hearing
tell

the arms of the house of

Mondejar

that

Don

Luis

de Mendoza, Marquis of Mondejar, built this monu-

ment

in

honour of

the

red-bearded

Caesar.

The

fountain,

which

is

of solid masonry, upholds the slope

leads
to the
is

of the

stair

which

Gate of Judgment by

which the Alhambra proper

entered.

The Gate

of Judgment was built by King

Its

Yusuf

Abul Hagiag about the year 1348.

from the custom of the Moslems
at

name comes

to administer justice

the gate

of their palace, a most majestic fashion

which
for

did not allow

any one to enter the inner courts;

Royer-Collard's
in,"

maxim, " Private

life

should

be

walled

was invented centuries ago

in

the East,

the land of the sun,

whence

all

wisdom

springs.

The Moorish
square door,
arch,
istic

king's structure might

more properly
it

be called a door than a gate, for in reality

fairly high,

is

huge,

pierced by a great, horse-shoe

which acquires

somewhat

repelling and cabal-

look from the hieroglyphics of the key and the

hand caived on two separate stones.

venerated

The

key

is

symbol among

the

Arabs on

account of

244

4* *4* "f *

*! **-

*4

!- *-?

"!

*4* *** *4> ** ** *4* * %*

l-

*4* *^* *i* =* =

GRANADA
a verse of the

Koran beginning with

it

these words,
hieratical

"

He

has opened," and

ings.

has a

number of

mean-

The hand

is

intended to ward off the evil eye,

in

like the little coral

hands which are worn

Naples in

the

shape of a charm or a breastpin to protect one

the

against
that

same danger.

There was an
until

old

saying

Granada would never be taken

the

hand
it

seized the key.

To
Chico

the

shame of the prophet be

still

spoken, the two symbols are

.and Boabdil el
his

in

the

same

place,

(as

he was called on account of

the walls
suspiro
cliffs

small

stature)

uttered, outside that

historic
sigh,

of con-

quered

Granada
its

del

Moro,

which gave
Elvira.

name

to

one of the

of the Sierra

This

crenellated, massive tower, glazed with orange

and red, against a background of crude sky, with an

abyss of vegetation behind
it,

the city on a precipice,

and
a

in

the distance long mountain-chains veined with

tints like

thousand

African porphyry, forms a splendid

and majestic entrance to the Arab palace.

Under
ragged
Caliphs,

the gate

is

installed a
at

guard-room, and poor,

soldiers

sleep

the

same place where the

seated on

gold-brocaded divans, their black

eyes motionless in their marble faces, their fingers lost

245

'Jj

4^ 4*

*l-

4; 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 44* 4* 4- #1* U |<

rA #! #1*

4* 4* ''

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
in the flow of their silky beards, listened with

dreamy

and solemn looks to the complaints of the believers.

An

altar

surmounted

by an image of the Virgin

if

is

placed against the wall as

to sanctify at the very

outset this former throne of the worshippers of

Mavast
is

homet.

Having traversed the

las Aljibes, in

gate,

you enter a

square called
cistern

the centre of

which

enclosed

within a sort of wooden shed cov-

ered

with

esparto,

under

which

you

drink

for

cuarto huge glasses of water as clear as a diamond,

as

cold

as

ice,

and

of most exquisite

taste.

The

Quebrada,

Homenaje, Armeria, and

in

Vela

Towers,
the

the bell

the Vela

Tower announces

hour

of the distribution of water,

on

the stone parapets

of which you can lean and admire the marvellous prospect which
is

unrolled before you, surround the square

;

on three sides

the other

is

filled

up by the palace of
the time of the

Charles V, a vast
aissance,

monument of

Renbut

which would be admired anywhere

for

else,
it

which one curses here,

ers

one remembers that

cov-

an equal extent of the Alhambra, torn down purto

posely

make room

for

this

huge

pile.

Yet the

Alcala was designed

trophies, the

by Alonzo Berruguete, and the

and the
medallions

bassi-relievi,

of the

246

4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4. 4j 4. 4. 4. 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4.

GRANADA
facade

have

been carved

hy a

skilful,
its

bold,

patient

sculptor.
in

The

circular court with

marble columns,
is

which were

to take place bull-fights,

unquestionit

ably a magnificent

piece of architecture, but

is

out

of place here.

The Alhambra
corner of the

is

entered through a corridor in a

palace of Charles V, and after a few

turns, one reaches a great court called the Court of

Myrtles (Patio de

los

Arrayanes), or the Court of the

Reservoir (Albercd).
sage
into
this bright

On

emerging from the dark pasfilled

space

with

light,

it

seems

as if the

wand of an enchanter
some
four or
five

has carried you into

ago.

the

East

centuries
in

Time,
the

which changes everything, has

no wise

altered

aspect of the place, and one would not be in the least

surprised
did the

Sultana

Binder of Hearts and the

Moor

Tafi in his white mantle suddenly appear.

In the centre of the court has been dug a vast reservoir three or four feet

deep, in the shape of a par-

allelogiam bordered by hedges of myrtle and shrubs,

terminating
slender

at

each end

in a sort

of gallery with very

columns which

support

Moorish arches of

great lightness.

Basins with jets of water whi^h over-

flow into the reservoir by

marble gutters, are placed

247

*-4

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
under each gallery and make the decoration symmetrical.

On

the

left

are the
all

archives
is

and

the

room
to the

where, amid debris of

kinds,

relegated
it

shame of the people of Granada be

magnificent

said
feet

the
high,

Alhambra

Vase, nearly

four

covered with ornaments and inscriptions, a

monument

of priceless value which would alone be the

a

gem of

museum, and which Spanish

in a vile corner.

carelessness allows to

go to ruin

One
old

of the wings which

formed the handles was broken recently.

Passages
a

leading

to

the

mosque,

made

into

church

at

the time of the Conquest under the invo-

cation of Saint
this
side.

Mary
the

of the Alhambra, are also on

are the

On

right

dwellings

of the

keepers, where the heads of

servants, framed within
a

some brown Andalusian

Moorish window,

narrow
effect.

produce a very satisfactory

At the back, above

the ugly roof of round tiles which replaced the cedar

beams and
cally

gilded tiles of the

Arab

roof, rises majesti-

the

Comares Tower, the battlements of which

golden against the wondrously clear sky.
Hall of the Ambassadors,
the
la

stand

out

This tower contains the

and communicates
with

Patio

de los

Arrayanes

bv an atrium called Sala de

Barca on account of the

248

GRANADA
shape of the vaulting, which
a boat.
is

resembles the

hull

of

This antechamber
of
its

to the Hall

of Ambassadors
arcades,
the

worthy

purpose.

The

bold

variety
tions

and interlacing of the arabesques, the inscrip-

on the walls, the marvellous work of the stucco

vaulting,

which

is

as

ornamented

as

the

ceiling

of

a stalactite grotto, painted in blue, green, and red, of

which

the

traces

are

still

visible,

form

an

ensemble

delightfully

quaint and naive.

On

either side of the door

in the

which leads to the Hall

itself,

of Ambassadors,

very jambs of the arcade

tiles

above the revetment of enamelled

the

brilliant

coloured triangles of which adorn the lower portion

of the walls
chapels,

are hollowed out, in the shape of small

two

niches

of

white
Hall

marble

carved

with

wondrous
one of the

delicacy.

The

of the Ambassadors,

largest in the

Alhambra, takes up the whole

of the Comares Tower.

The

larch-wood roof pre-

sents the geometric combinations of

tects

which Arab archiare so arranged

infinite

were so fond.

All the

pieces

that the outer

and the inner angles form an

;

variety of designs

the walls
so
close, so

disappear under a netinextricably interlaced

to

work of ornament
that
it

may

best be

compared

numerous

pieces of

249

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
lace placed
ture, with

one on top of another.

its

Gothic architecits

lace-work of stone and

rose-window
of the charhas very few

tracery, pales by the side of this.

acteristics

One
that
it

of the Moorish style

is

salient

points and very few

flat

profiles.

All this ornahas not

It
is

ment extends over more than

tapestry

surfaces

and

much

four or five inches

relief.

a sort of

worked

out

on the wall

itself.

peculiar

characteristic

marks
It

it,

the use of writing as a decits

orative motive.

is

true that Arabic writing, with

itself

curves and mystic forms, lends

use.

admirably to such

The
built

inscriptions,

which are almost always suras

of the different
halls,

from the

Koran

or

praises

princes

who

and decorated
lintels

the

run

along the

frieze, the

of the doors, and round the arches

with flowers,
scrolls,

of the
all

windows, mingling

and

the wealth of

Arab caligraphy.

The
sing

inscriptions in

the Hall of Ambassadors

mean " Glory

to

God, power

and

riches to the believers," or

the praises of

Abu Nazar, who, " had he been

transported alive into

the planets
to

heaven, would have caused the stars and

to pale," a hyperbolical statement

which seems
praise

us

rather

too

Eastern.

Other

inscriptions
built
this

Abu

Abd' Allah, another sultan who

part of the

250

! 4* *4* *4* *4* *4* *4* 4* *4* *4* *~* = s* ** *?* *4* *g ** *** #!

GRANADA
palace.

The windows

are

covered

with

verses

in

honour of the clearness of the waters of the

reservoir,

the coolness of the shade of the shrubs, and the per-

fume of the flowers which adorn

which, as a matter of
fact,

the

Mexuar Court,

you catch a glimpse of

from the Hall of the Ambassadors through the doors

and the columns of the

gallery.

The
out

loop-holes, with internal balconies, pierced at

a great height

from the ground, the timber roof withthan

zigzags

other

decoration

and

interlacings

formed by the adjustment of the timbers, impart to

the Hall of Ambassadors a
that

more severe

aspect than

of the other halls of the

its

palace, and

more

in

harmony with
there
is

purpose.

From

the end

window

superb view over the Darro ravine.

this
:

Having completed
destroy
neither

description,
all

we have

to
is

another

illusion

this

magnificence

marble, alabaster, nor stone, but simply plaster.

fairy

This greatly upsets the idea of

luxury which the

in
is

mere name of the Alhambra awakens

the most
absolutely

commonplace imagination
true.

and yet

it

With

the exception of the columns, usually cut

is

out of one block and the height of which

scarce

more than

six

or eight feet, and of a few blocks in

251

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
the paving of the basins of the fountains and the small
niches, there
is

not a single piece of marble used in

It is

the interior of the Alhambra.

the

same with the

than
the

Generalife.

No
art

nation

has carried

farther

Arabs the
plaster,

of moulding, hardening, and

in

carving

which acquired
its

their

hands the hardness

of stucco without

unpleasant gloss.
are

Most of
moulds

these
re-

ornaments,
peated

therefore,

made

in

and

without

much

expenditure
for
it.

of

labour

every

time that symmetry

easier, therefore, than in

calls

Nothing could

be
hall

to that

reproduce accurately a

the

Alhambra

all all

would be necessary would

be to take casts of

the motives of ornamentation.

Two
in

arcades

in

the

Tribunal

Hall

that

had

fallen

were replaced by Granada workmen

in a

way

that

leaves absolutely nothing to be desired.

a
a

If

we were
to

millionaire,

one of our fancies would be

have

duplicate of the Court of Lions erected in one of

our parks.

From

the Hall

of Ambassadors

is

reached, through

a comparatively

modern passageway, the Tocador, or

This
is

Queen's dressing-room (Peinador).

small

building, situated on the top of a tower, from

which

one enjoys a marvellous panorama.

At the entrance

252

4. 4. 4. 4; 4; 4; 4? 4; 4; 4; 4? 4.4-

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db tfc ^? ik

&

tl:

GRANADA
rose

is

noticed a slab of white marble pierced with small

holes

through

which

the

smoke of perfumes
the

burned below

the floor.

On

walls

are

still

to

be seen the fantastic frescoes, the

de
Ragis,

work of Bartolome
la

Alonzo Perez, and

Juan de

Fuente.
inter-

Along
laced
is

the frieze, the

amid groups of Cupids, are

Isabella

monograms of
to

and

Philip

V.

It

difficult

imagine
this

anything

more
with

dainty
its

and

delightful

than
its

small

room

Moorish

columns,
of azure

semicircular arches poised above an abyss

the
foot

at

of which show the

to
it

roofs of

Granada, while the breeze wafts

of the Generalife, which
laurel
is

the

perfumes

like a

huge clump of rosehill,

bloom on the brow of the near

cry

and the

plaintive

of the
walls.

peacocks which

wander about
no
painting

the

dismantled

No

description,

can approach the brilliancy, the luminosity, the vigour

of the tones; the most ordinary tints acquire a richness equal to that of precious stones, and in the scale

of colours every thing

the
close

is

of the same value.

the sun
is

Towards

of day,

when

low, marvellous
like vast

effects occur.

The

mountains sparkle

heaps

of rubies, topazes, and carbuncles; the spaces between

are
filled

with a golden dust, and

if,

as often

occurs

253

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
in

summer, the peasants are burning- straw

wisps of

in

the

plain, the

smoke which slowly

rise

heaven-

ward are coloured by the rays of the

exquisite tints.
I

setting sun with

am
a

surprised that Spanish painters

rule

should
pictures

have

as

general

painted

such

dark

and have almost exclusively imitated Cara-

vaggio and other sombre masters.

The

paintings of

Decamps and

Marilhat, which represent only Asiatic

far

and African scenes, give a

of Spain than
all

more accurate
brought

idea

the costly

paintings

back

from the Peninsula.

We
Garden,
strewn

shall

traverse

without
is

stop

the

Lindaraja

which now

nothing

but

waste

ground
and

with debris, bristling with brambles;

for

we

shall enter

moment

the Sultana's baths

which

are covered with mosaic patterns, formed of varnished

earthen

tiles

embroidered
put
to

with

filigree

in

plaster

which would
madrepore.

shame
stands
wall.

the
in

most
the
it

complicated
centre,

fountain
in the

two
the

alcoves are cut

Here

was

that

Binder of Hearts and Zobeide used to recline on goldcloth carpets after having enjoyed the luxurious delight

of an

oriental
still

bath.

Some

fifteen

feet

above the

ground are

seen the tribunes or balconies

where

254

!.*-!- cfr

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*!-.

|. *( .| *(

riv*!**!**!**!**!**!* ft**!* !*&* |fl

GRANADA
stood the
are

players and singers.

The
cut

baths themselves

great

white-marble
in

basins

out

of a

single

block,

placed

small

vaulted

cabinets

lighted

by

round or star-shaped traceried windows.

The

English engravings and the numerous drawings

of the Court of the Lions give a very incomplete and

erroneous idea of
it
;

they are almost

all

lacking in

proportion, and on account of the minuteness rendered

necessary by the infinite detail of Arab architecture,

they

make

the
it

monument appear much more imreally

is.

portant than
is

The

Court of the Lions

ninety-two feet long by fifty-two feet wide, and the

galleries

which surround

it

are not

more than twenty-

two

feet high.

They

are

formed of one hundred and

in

twenty-four columns of white marble ranged

metrical disorder
in

symthree

groups

of

four

and

of

alternately.
capitals of

From
which

these pillars, the highly

ornamented

still

bear traces of gilding and colours,

spring stilted arches of extreme elegance and peculiar

workmanship.

On
tains

entering, at the end of the parallelogram stands

the Hall of the Tribunal, the vaulting of

which con-

an

artistic

work of

great rarity and inestimable

value in the shape of Arab paintings, the only ones,

255

4* *4* *i* x *|u

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ri#i*^U|i^*i**|*i*A#l*4* *4 ^*^|*

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
perhaps, which have
represents the

come down
of the

to us.

One
itself,
;

of them
the

Court

Lions

with

fountain easily recognisable, but gilded

some

figures,

which the

state

of decay of the painting does not allow

distinctly,

one to make out

seem to be engaged

in

joust or an assault at arms.

is

The

subject of the other

a sort of divan, at which are assembled the Moorish

kings of Granada.

Their white burnouses,

lips

their olive-

coloured faces, their red

are
are
still

and mysterious black eyes

paintings,
it

easily

seen.

These

is

claimed,

on prepared

leather pasted

on cedar panels, and

prove that the precept of the Koran which forbids the

representation of living beings was not always scrupulously observed by the
lions

Moors, even
this

did

not the twelve

of the fountain confirm

the
left, in

statement.

To
is

the centre of the longer portion of

the gallery, stands the Hall of the

the

Two

Sisters,

which

companion of the
the

Hall

of the Abencerrages.
slabs

Its

name comes from

two huge

of white

Machael marble, of equal

size

and exactly

alike,

which

are inserted in the pavement.

The

vaulting or cupola,

which

the
is

Spaniards
a

so

appropriately

term
;

" half
it

orange,"

wonder of work and

patience

is

something

like the

combs of

beehive or the stalactites

256

A. 4. 4.4- 4, 4, 4, 4- 4- 4 4j 4k 4; 4j 4; 4. 4; 4; 4 4; 4j 4; 4; 4;

GRANADA
of
a grotto, or a cluster

of soap-bubbles which children

blow with a
vaults or

straw.

These myriads of diminutive

domelets, three or four feet across, which

spring one from another, crossing and breaking their

edges,

seem rather the product of

than
the
still

a fortuitous

crys-

tallisation

work of

human

hand.

Blue,

red,

and green

shine in the hollows of the mould-

ings almost as brilliantly as if they had just been laid

on.

The

walls, like those in the

Hall of the

Ambasplaster

sadors, are covered

from the dado down with

embroidery of incredible delicacy and complexity; the

lower portion
green, and
pattern
is

covered with glazed

tiles,

the black,

yellow corners of which

form a mosaic

upon the white background.

in

The

centre of

the

hall,

accordance with the unchanging custom

of the Arabs, whose dwellings seem to be nothing but

great basins enriched,
is

occupied by a basin and a

jet

of water.

There

are four of these under the portico

of the Tribune, an equal

number under

the entrance

portico, another in the hall of the Abencerrages, with-

out counting the Lion Fountain, which, not satisfied

with

pouring water out of the mouths of

its

twelve

monsters, hurls towards heaven a torrent through the

bulb which surmounts
17
it.

257

?t!r

1* 4 !* *4 *4

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-4* !*** *|ii*i*i***l*f* *

TRAVELS
The
and
water from
all

IN SPAIN
is

these difFerent fountains

in

led

by gutters hollowed out

the
it

the pavement of the halls

court

to

the

foot

of

the

Lion Fountain,
This
is

where

empties into a subterranean vent.

assuredly a dwelling

where dust

will not trouble one,

and the wonder

in winter.

is

how such rooms

could be inhabited

No

doubt the great cedar gates were then

closed, the marble

pavement covered with thick

rugs,

and
the

fires

of fruit-pippins and scented

;

wood

lighted in

braseros

and

thus the
season,

inhabitants

awaited

the

return

of

the

warm

which

is

never

long

delayed in Granada.

We
which

shall not describe the Hall

is

of the Abencerrages,

very similar to that of the

its

Two

Sisters

and

has nothing remarkable save

gate,

old lozenged

wooden
In

which goes back

to the

time of the Moors.

is

the Alcazar at Seville there

another

in

exactly the

same

style.

The Lion
vellous

Fountain enjoys,
;

in

Arab

poetry, a mar-

reputation

there

is

no praise

too

great

for

these superb animals.

For

my

part, I

am bound
anything

to

confess that
like

it

would be
these

difficult

to

find

less

lions than

works of African fancy.

The

paws are more

like those

rough pieces of wood that

258

^r c?r

cSr ^4r

^^ ^r ^^ ^r

*^* *^* *^* *^* *^* *^* *^* *^* *^* *^* *^* *^* *^* *^^ *^* ^,

GRANADA
are

put

into

the stomachs of cardboard dogs to pre;

serve
bars,

their equilibrium

the

faces,

rayed with

cross-

no doubt intended to figure the moustaches, are

;

exactly like the mouths of hippopotami

the eyes are

of such primitive drawing that they

less

recall

the shape-

attempts of children
if

and yet these twelve monlions

sters,

considered

not

as

but

as

chimeras, as
the basin
effect

caprices

of ornamentation,

produce, with

which they upbear, a picturesque and elegant

which enables one

the
praise

to understand
in

their reputation

and
in

contained
lines

the

Arabic

inscription,

twenty-four

of twenty-two

syllables,
falls

engraved
the water

upon the

sides of the basin into

It

which
this

from the upper basin.

fell

was into

fountain that

the

heads

of the thirty-six

Abencerrages drawn
other Abencerrages

into the trap by the Zegris.

The

would
tion

all

have suffered the same

little

fate but for the

devo-

of a
life,

page,

who

hastened, at the risk of his

own

to

warn the survivors and

fatal court.

prevent

their

entering the

At the bottom of the basin

stains,

are pointed out great red

left

an indelible accusation
executioners.

by the victims against their cruel

Unfortunately, learned

men

pretend that the Abencer-

rages and the Zegris never existed.

On

this

point I

259

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
trust

wholly to the ballads, the popular traditions, and

novels of Chateaubriand,

the

and

am

firmly con-

vinced that the red stains are due to blood, and not to
rust.

The

Generalife
a

is

situated a short distance

from the
It
is

Alhambra upon

hump

of the same mountain.

reached by a sort of hollow road which crosses the los

Molinos ravine, bordered with

fig trees

with enormous

shining leaves, green oaks, pistachios, laurels, and rock

roses,
all

growing

with

incredible

richness.

The

ground on which you walk consists of yellow sand

permeated
with
is

water

and

extraordinarily

fertile.

Nothing

more

delightful

than

this

road,

which

seems to be cut through an American virgin

full

forest, so

of flowers and varied

is it,

so heavy

is

the perfume

of the aromatic plants. of the

tendrils

Vines grow out of the cracks

walls

broken-down
and
their

and

hang

their

fanciful

leaves,

outlined

like

Arab ornaits

ments, on every branch.

The

aloe opens out

tree

fan

of azure
trunk

blades,
clings

the
to

orange
the

twists

its

knotty

and

bricks

of the escarpment.
disorder full

Everything blooms and flowers

of delightful

in a thick

and

unexpected
its

happenings.

stray

branch of jessamine mingles

white

stars

with the

260

GRANADA
scarlet

flowers of the pomegranate, and a cactus

is,

on

one

side of the road

laurel

in spite

of

its

thorns,
left

embraced
herself,

by a

on

the

other.

Nature,

to

seems to become coquettish, and

to insist

on showing

how

far

behind her
art.

is

even the most exquisite and

consummate

It is a fifteen
is

minutes walk to the Generalife, which

a sort

of country house of the Alhambra.

is

The

exterior, like that of all Eastern buildings,

exceed-

ingly plain

high, windowless walls, surmounted by a

terrace, with an

arcaded gallery, and over

all

a small

modern look-out.

Nothing

is

left

of the Generalife

but arcades and great arabesque panels, unfortunately

overlaid

with

whitewash,

which

is

renewed
by

with
all

despairingly obstinate cleanliness.

Little

little

the
fairy

delicate

grace,

the are
is

marvellous modelling of this

vanishing,
filling

architecture

up and

dis-

appearing.
wall

What

now
piece

but

faintly

vermiculated

was formerly

of lace

as

delicate as the

sheets of ivory which

fans.

the patient

Chinese carve into

has

The

whitewasher's brush

destroyed
if

more
use
a

masterpieces than the scythe of

this
fairly

Time,

we may

mythological
well

and

worn-out comparison.
are to

In

preserved

hall

be seen a series of

261

J. 4- 4-

4^4-

4_. -1-

4 4-

4*4-4>4;4.X4^.44.4-4444'

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
smoky
portraits

of the kings of Spain, which have

that

no merit other than upon them.

which archaeology bestows

The
and
its

real

charms of the Generalife are

its

gardens

water-works.
of
the

marble-lined

canal runs the

its

whole length

enclosure,

and

full,

rapid

stream flows under a succession of arcades of foliage

formed

by colossal clipped yews

orange trees and

cypresses are planted on either bank.

At the

foot of

one of these cypresses, which

is

of monstrous size
of
to

and

which goes

back
if

to

the

time
is

the

Moors,

Boabdil's favourite,

the legend

be believed,

proved

many

a time that bolts and bars are but slight

guarantees of the virtue of sultanas.

certain
is

What

is

quite

that the

yew
is

tree

is

very large and very old.

The
jets

perspective

closed by a galleried portico with

like the

of water and marble columns

at

Patio de los

Arrayanes

the Alhambra.

The

canal turns, forms

a loop, and you

enter other enclosures adorned with walls

ponds, on

the

of which

are

the

remains

of

frescoes of the

sixteenth

century

representing

rustic

buildings and landscapes.

In the centre of one of these

ponds blooms,

like a vast

bouquet, a gigantic rose-laurel

of incomparable beauty and brilliancy.

When

saw

262

*.!

JU

*f* *! rli rl* 'i l" 4 !*

JU#l|#It *#* ! #*** *! !

GRANADA
it, it

looked like an explosion of flowers,

like a

bouquet

of vegetable fireworks, a splendid and vigorous mass

of noisy freshness,

if

such a word

may

be applied to

colours which would cause the most brilliant rose to

pale.
Its

lovely

flowers

bloomed

out

with

all

the
;

ardour of desire towards the pure light of heaven

its

noble leaves, designed expressly by nature as a crown

for gladiators,

were laved by the spray of the

like

jets

of

water

and

sparkled

emeralds

in

the

sunshine.
sensation

Nothing

has ever given

me

such

deep

of beauty as that rose laurel in the Generalife.

The
Upon

water

is

brought to the gardens by a sort of

very steep slope with side walls that serve as weirs.

it

are

laid

runlets formed of great hollow

brightest

tiles,

down which
most
lifelike

the brooks rush with the

ripple.

and

On

every terrace numerous jets

spring from the centre of small basins and

crystal

throw

their

aigrettes

up into the thick

foliage of the laurel

wood, the branches of which are entwined above them.

The mountain
spring

streams with water on every hand, a

at

wells

up

every
of

step,

and you constantly

hear the near

its

murmur
feed
tree.

some brooklet turned from

or
to

course
to

to
a

fountain

bear
the

refreshart

ments

The

Arabs

carried

of

263

Ji* *i

r.%%

w&*

*J.-

**% * #i* #JU ** *& !* JU # & #!< *X| X 1* X> # <jA ** rl* rii

TRAVELS
testify to a

IN
;

SPAIN
their hydraulic
civilisation,
its

irrigation to a very high degree

works
it

most advanced stage of

that

and

is

to these

works

Granada owes
it

position as the

paradise of Spain and that

enjoys eternal spring in an

African temperature.
flected

branch of the Darro was desix miles

by the Arabs and brought more than

to the hill of the

Alhambra.

From

the look-out on the Generalife the plan of the

its

Alhambra, with
and
the
its

bold, reddish,

half-ruined

tower^

walls

which ascend
of
the
hill,

and
be

descend,
plainly
is

following
perceived.

outlines

can

The

palace of Charles V, which

not visible from

the city, stands out, a square and robust

mass gilded
Sierra

by the sun, against the damask

sides

of the
in

Nevada, the white

outline
projects
tions.

crests

of which show

startling

against
its

the sky.

The

spire of Santa

Maria

Christian lines above the Moorish crenella-

A
all

few

cypresses

grow

in

the

crevices
in

or

the walls, their dark

foliage

confronting one
like

the

midst of
in a

that light

and azure

a sad

thought

joyous play.
the

The
ravine

slopes of the

hill

towards the
in

Darro and
an

of
It

los
is

Molinos disappear
one of
the

ocean

of verdure.

loveliest

prospects that can be imagined.

On

the other side,

264

! -!

. U J, ,1, ,1, ,i, ,1. J, J, i**!**!**!**!**!**!**!**!* i*i* v 9* lii* -h *N*MMiT*(TiAiWN* -r -r- * ** * {w *S* MM -m * vu>
**<*

GRANADA
by

way of

contrast

to

this

fresh

beauty,

rises

bare, burnt,

tawny mountain, spotted with ochre and

is

sienna tones, which

called the Silla del

its

Moro, from

the remains of buildings upon

summit.
the

Thence
cavaliers

it

was

that

King Boabdil watched

the Christian
is

Arab

tilt

in the

Vega with

knights.

The remem-

brance of the Moors

still

living in

Granada.
that

One
they

would

think

that

it

was
if

only

yesterday

quitted the city, and

left

one may judge by what they

pity that they did so.

behind,

it

is

a great
is

What

southern

Spain needs
for

African, and
is

not

European

civilisation,

the

latter

not
the

in

harmony with
which
it

the

heat

of the climate and

passions

inspires.

Monte
discovered

Sagrado, which
crypts,
is

contains

the

miraculously
It
is

not

very

interesting.

convent
the

with
are

commonplace church, under which

dug
;

crypts

nor

do

the

crypts

make any
narrow

strong

impression.

They

consist

of small,

passages seven or eight feet in height.

Within niches

made

for

the

purpose are placed altars adorned with

taste.

more devotion than

gratings, are

In

these

niches,

behind

placed the reliquaries and the bones of

I

the holy personages.

looked

for

subterranean,

265

(**-! *t *ii"

*4* ! 4* *4 ** *>lfi**l*ii*l**it**i**i* #* 4* !*

TRAVELS
obscure,

IN SPAIN
terrifying

mysterious,

almost

church,

with
dis-

squat pillars and low vaulting, lighted

tant

by a dim,

lamp,
;

something
I

resembling the ancient catasurprised

at

combs

and

was

greatly

the

clean,

coquettish aspect of this whitewashed crypt lighted by

air
lics

holes like a cellar

for

we

rather superficial Cathofeeling.

need the picturesque to attain to religious

devotee does not think

The

much of

the play of light

and shade, the more or

architecture;

less correct

proportions of the

he

knows
are

that

under that
the

somewhat
of a saint

shapeless

altar

concealed

bones
is

who
him.

died for the faith he professes: that

enough

for

The

Carthusian convent, emptied of

its

monks

as all
its

Spanish convents

now
its

are,

is

superb building, and

is

withdrawal from
table.

original

purpose

most regret-

We

have never quite understood what harm

could be done by cenobites, cloistered in a voluntary

prison and living an austere, prayerful
a
life,

especially in
is

country like Spain, where certainly there

no lack

of ground.

The

portal

of the church

is

reached

by a double

staircase.
in

It is

ornamented by
is

a statue

of Saint Bruno

white marble, which

rather fine.

The

decoration

266

J.

*4' ~t- '4 A'

J- J~ 4-

-4 !

alx!. Jt.A4>4"4l{Ui

j!j!;

GRANADA
of the church
is

curious.

It

consists

of stucco ara-

besques absolutely marvellous for the variety and the

invention of the
architect had

motives.
to

It

seems
in

as

though the
style

intended

repeat

different
in

the lightness and complexity of the lace-work

the

Alhambra.
in

There

is

not a place the size of the hand

is

that vast

nave which

not

flowered, damascened,
It
is

foliaged, lined,

and enriched.

enough

to

drive

mad anv one who

drawing of
it.

should attempt to
choir
is

make an

accurate
precious
paintings

The

covered with
indifferent

porphyry and marbles.

are

few

hung here and there along the

walls,

and make you

regret the portions they conceal.

The

graveyard

is

near the church.

In accordance

with Carthusian use, no tomb or cross marks the place

where sleep the dead.

The
trees,
I

cells are
little

ranged around the

In a plot of
as a

cemetery, and each has a

garden.

ground planted with

which no doubt served

walk

for

the

monks,

was shown

a sort of a fish-

pond with
dozens of

sloping

stone

margins, on

which

some

turtles

were awkwardly dragging themselves,

sunshine

drinking in the

and

quite

happy

at

being

henceforth

safe

from the stewpan.

The

Carthusian
is

rule forbids the eating

of meat, and the turtle

con-

267

k a ~k "k "k k : * db *: k &&&:: :fcdb:lr!fc4? d: ** TRAVELS IN SPAIN

sidered
a
fish

by casuists.

These were used

to

feed

the

monks; the Revolution saved them.

Since

we

are busy visiting convents,

let

us,

if

you

please, enter the

monastery of Saint John the Divine.

in the in

The
bad

cloister
taste.

is

most peculiar, and

walls,
in

very worst of
represent

The

painted
the
life

fresco,

different

fine

actions
in

of Saint

John the

Divine, framed

grotesque and fantastic ornaments

which surpass the most extravagant and curious deformities of Japanese monsters
figures.

and Chinese grotesque

There
their

are

sirens

playing

on

viols,

female

apes

at
;

toilet,

miraculous
look
like

fishes

in

impossible

waves

flowers

that
;

birds,

and birds that

look like flowers

mirrors in the shape of lozenges,

china plaques, love-nets,

labyrinth.

in a

word, an indescribable

The
is

church, which happilv belongs to another age,

all

gilded almost

over.

The

reredos, supported by
a rich

columns of the Salomonic order, has

tic effect.

and majes-

saw

in

this

church

a striking

spectacle,

an old

woman
altar.

crawling on her knees from the gate to the

Her arms were

stiffly

extended

like the

arms of
so

a cross, her head

thrown back, her eyes turned up

268

GRANADA
much
lips

that

only the whites of them were visible, her

teeth, her face of a shining lead-

drawn over her

in

colour; she was

point

state

of ecstasy carried to the

did

of catalepsy.

Never
and
fuller

Zurbaran paint anyShe

thing

more

ascetic

of feverish devotion.

was

fulfilling

penance
eight

imposed

upon
it.

her by her

confessor, and had

more days of
Jeronimo,

The
into
a

convent of San

now

transformed

barracks, contains a Gothic cloister with

two

stories

of arcades of remarkable character and beauty. of the

pillars are

The
tastic

capitals
foliage

ornamented with fan-

and animals of charming invention and

exquisite

workmanship.

The

profaned

and

deserted

church has the peculiarity that the architectural orna-

ments and
being
real.
is

reliefs

are painted

in

grisaille

instead

of

Gonsalvo de Cordova,
buried here.

called

the

Great

Captain

His sword was formerly preit

served in this place, but recently

for

was stolen and

the
is

sold

two

or three

douros,

about
hilt.

worth of the

silver

ornaments of the

It

in this

way

that

many

things precious and valuable as souvenirs or as

art

works of

have disappeared without greater

profit to

the thieves than the pleasure of wrong-doing,

to

seems
iini-

me

that

our revolution might surely have been

269

4; 4; 4; 4^ 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4j 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. jg. 4.

TRAVELS
tated in

IN SPAIN
its

something

else than

stupid vandalism.

This

was impressed on me
of Saint Dominic
in

as I

visited the

former convent

Antequeruela.

The

chapel

is

decorated with an incredible excess of

gilding.

gewgaws and

Everywhere

are twisted pillars, volutes, acan-

thus leaves, veneering of coloured breccia, glass mosaic,

parquetry of mother-of-pearl, crystals, bevelled mirrors,

radiant suns, transparencies,

in a

word,

all

that

the
dis-

unsettled
like

taste

of the eighteenth century and the

of the straight line can inspire in the way of disor-

derly, deformed, eccentric,

and misshapen.
preserved,

The

library,

which has been

folio
title

contains
in

almost exclusively

and quarto volumes bound

written
in

white vellum, the

black

or red ink.
disserta-

Most of
tions

the books are treatises on theology,

on casuistry, and other scholastic works not very

to

interesting

mere men of

letters.

In the convent

has also been brought together a collection of paintings

drawn from monasteries closed or destroyed,

save for
that

in

which,

some
to
is

fine ascetic

heads and a few martyrdoms

seem

have been painted by executioners, so

the
is

remarkable

knowledge of tortures which they

;

display, there

nothing particularly worthy of note

but

it

proves that the devastators were experts in paint-

270

*i+*4.*

~fti ri-.

!* *^

!-*

4* *i 4l**|4l*4l**il**l*l<*l'

3**8?*^*

GRANADA
ing,

for they

knew

very well

how

to

keep for them-

selves

whatever was good.

The

courts and cloisters

are admirably cool, and

flowers.

adorned with orange trees and

everything
in

How wonderfully

them conduces
a pity that

to reverie, meditation, and study, and

what

the convents were ever inhabited by

poets
!

monks

instead of

The

gardens,

left to

themselves, have assumed

luxuriant vegetation

a wild and

picturesque aspect, a

invades the walks, nature everywhere resumes possession of

its

rights.

It

replaces every stone that

tuft

falls

by a clump of grass or a
noticeable
laurels,

of flowers.
is

The

most

thing

in

the

gardens

walk of huge

which form an arbour, paved with white marble

a

slabs

and provided on either side with

inclined

long marble
placed at

bench with
intervals,
vault,

back.

Jets of water,

maintain

coolness

under

this

thick,

green

from the end of which one has a magnificent

prospect in the direction of the Sierra

a charming Moorish look-out

Nevada through

which forms part of the

remains of an old Arab palace enclosed within the convent.

This look-out communicates,

it

it

is

said,

with the

Alhambra, from which

subterranean passage. deeply rooted
in

is

rather distant,

by a long
is

The

belief in such passages

Granada, where the most insignificant

271

*!*<*

S*

*<**

*-f*

VN w*

#T

^.l*
."p-

*J *E* * #* fA* #1* ** ^l* r* *1* *&* pi* #!* **& J* *JUA
**# ti

ww

* -'* *fr*

** ** *

"-f*

* * *<*

***

**-

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Moorish ruin
is

always believed to possess fifteen -or

eighteen miles of underground passages, and a hidden

treasure

which

is

defended by a

spell.

We
This

often repaired to Santo

Domingo

to

sit

down

in

the shade of the laurels and bathe in the piscina.

is

about

all

that

is

worth seeing during a stay

of a few weeks in Granada.

theatre
is

Museums
summer;
;

are few

-,

the

closed during

the

the

bull-fight

arena

is

not

regularly

used

there are

no casinos,
papers

no public establishments; French and

are to be found only at the

foreign

Lyceum,

the

members of

which have meetings

are

at

stated times,

when speeches
comthe

made, verse
usually

is

recited or sung, or comedies,

posed

by some

young poet belonging

to

society, are performed.

Every

one

is

conscientiously

occupied

in

doing

nothing; love-making, the smoking of cigarettes, the

composing of

quadrilles
fill

and stanzas, and

life

especially
is

card-playing suffice to

pleasantly, and there

no sign of that furious hurry, of the need of moving,

of bustling around, which possesses the people of the

North.
sophical
;

The

Spaniards strike

me

as being very philo-

they attach but slight importance to material

is

things, and comfort

a matter of profound indifference

272

dbdbdb^rct?

^t;

4:- *!'

1* iju^|*ii*i#i*iii4itil*l*

GRANADA
to

them.

The

innumerable

factitious

needs

which

Northern
puerile

civilisation has given birth to

appear to them

and troublesome.

Of
What

course, not

having to

contend with

a climate, they

do not envy the comforts

of the English
the

home.

do they care whether

windows

are tight,

when

they would willingly open

them and
of
it ?

create a draught if they could only get hold

Favoured
its

by

lovely

climate,
;

they

have

reduced living to

simplest expression

their sobri-

ety and moderation

give them

great

liberty,

they

have time to

live,

and we can scarcely say as much.

not

The
work

Spaniards
first

do

understand

why one
;

should

in

order to rest afterwards

it

they prefer to

do the opposite thing, and

wiser
reales

does appear to
has

me
a

the

course.

A
his

workman who

earned

few

throws

handsome embroidered jacket over

goes to dance or

his
flirt

shoulder, takes his guitar and

with the majos of

left
;

his

acquaintance until he has

not a penny

then he goes back to work.

luxuriously upon
that

An
four

Andalusian

can

live

three

or

pence a

day.

With

he can

have very white

bread, a huge slice of watermelon, and a small glass of

anisette;
his lodging costs his

him nothing but

the

the trouble

of stretching
.8

cloak

on

ground

under some

273

4;

4; 4. 4; 4* 4; 4; 4j 4j 4j 4; 4. 4. 4; 4. 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Generally Spaniards

portico or the arch of a bridge.

look "upon
free

work

as

humiliating and

unworthy of

man,

a very natural and very reasonable

idea in

my opinion, since God, when He sought to man for his disobedience, found no greater
his

punish
penalty

than to compel him to earn his bread by the sweat of

brow.

Pleasures

won,

as ours, by dint of labour,

fatigue,
far

tension

of mind and assiduity seem to them

too costly. of

Like

all

primitive people

close to

state

nature, they

have a clearness of judgment

which makes them despise conventional enjoyments.

To men who
ish,

have just come from Paris or London,

those two whirlpools of devouring activity and feverover-excited

it

life,

existence at
leisure,

Granada

is

a strange

spectacle:

is

all

filled

with conversation, of the

is

walking,

music,

dancing.

The happy calm

the appearance

faces, the tranquil

dignity of

sur-

prising

no one has the busy look which passers-by

streets

wear on the

of Paris

ever)'

one goes gently

along, choosing the shady side, stopping to chat with

his

friends,

and

in

no hurry to reach

his

destination.

The
all

certainty that they can

make no money
to

destroys

ambition.

No

career

is

open

young men.

The

most adventurous go to Manila or Havana or enter

274

GRANADA
the army, but

thanks

to the

wretched condition of

the finances, they remain sometimes for

many

a year
useless-

without getting any pay.

Convinced of the

ness of effort, they do not attempt impossible fortunes

and spend their time

in

a delightful idleness which the

beauty of the country and the

greatly
I

warmth of

the climate

favour.

have not had

is

much

experience of Spanish pride.

There
is

nothing so deceitful as the reputation which

I

given to individuals and nations.

found the Span-

iards,

on the contrary, extremely simple and kindly.

is

Spain
haps,

the true country of equality, not in words, perin

fact.

but

The

meanest

beggar lights his

cigar from the cigar of the nobleman,

to

who

allows him
;

do so without the

least affectation

of condescension

the marchioness smilingly steps over the bodies of the

rascals sleeping across

her door, and

when

travelling

she does not object to drinking out of the same glass

as the

mayoral, the zagal, and the escopetero

Strangers find
familiar
it

who

are
fall

conducting her.
in

very difficult to

with

these

ways, especially the

English.

Servants are treated with a gentle familiarity far different from our affected politeness,
at

which seems

to recall

every word the

inferiority

of their position.

Of

275

l**i* f '" !* *4 *! *i~ *4* ^f l**|#i|l*viiilci**i *I*#*|

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
course these remarks, like rules, are subject to numer-

ous exceptions

no doubt there are many

all
is

active, hard-

working Spaniards who enjoy

life
;

the

refinements of

but the impression stated

the one which a travin the

eller receives after a stay of

some time more

country,

an impression which
of a native observer, of manners.

is

often
is

correct than that

who

less sensitive to the novelty

276

4. 4; 4; 4; 4^ 4. 4. 4. J. 4. 4; 4.4. 4. 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4;^d:

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
4, 4. 4. 4^ 4. 4. 4. 4. 4> 4. J. 4.4. 4^4. 4; 4j 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4.4.

MALAGA
APIECE
Granada
of news well
city

calculated

to

excite

whole Spanish

had suddenly spread through

of the
dilettanti.

to the great delight

The
having

new

circus at

Malaga was

at

last finished, after

cost the contractor five million reales, and in order to

inaugurate

it

solemnly by fights worthy of the finest

period of the art, the great

Montes of Chiclana had

and was
the
to

been engaged with

his quadrille,

perform on

three successive days,

in

Montes,

first

swordsman

Spain, the brilliant successor of

Romero and Pepe

bull-

Illo.

We
but

had already been present at several

fights,

we
his

had not been fortunate enough to see

political

Montes,

opinions prevented his appearto leave

ing at Madrid,

and

Spain without having

seen

Montes

is

just as inexcusably barbarous as to leave

Paris without having seen

Rachel perform.
itinerary,

Although
resist

Cordova was next on our

the temptation to

we

could not

make

a dash to

Malaga,

in spite

of

the bad roads and the short time at our disposal.

277

4. .!* JU 4. 4. 4. 4. 4* 4* 4 4 44. 4; 4; 4. 4. 4; 4. 4- 4j 4; 4; 4"* ** *" " *** * * "" *"" """ ? * * fc- * w *

,r

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
There
and
is

no stage-coach plying between Granada

;

Malaga

the

only transport

consists

of

galleys

or mules.
quicker, for

We

chose the

latter as

being surer and

we were

to take to cross-roads at

Alpu-

jarras in order to reach

Malaga on the very morning

of the bull-fight.

Our Granada
driver called

friends

told

us of a cosario or train-

Lanza, a handsome fellow, a very honest

the bandits.

man, and most intimate with

this

In France
it

would be a poor recommendation, but

is

quite

otherwise beyond the Pyrenees.

Muleteers and galley

strike

drivers are acquainted with the brigands,

bar-

gains with them, and in consideration of a tax of so

much
train,

per head

on each

traveller or so

much

for a

according to circumstances,

they

have a free
are scru-

passage and are not stopped.

pulously kept by both sides.

These bargains

When

the leader of the

band submits and

sells

is

amnestied, or for any other reason

else the stock
in

out to

some one

trade and good-

will of his business,

he takes care to

officially

introduce

to his successor the cosarios

who

are paying blackmail

to him, so that they

may

not be inadvertently troubled.

In this way travellers are assured of not being robbed,

and the bandits avoid the

risk

of an attack and a

fight,

278

i *J * *it

nJ-*

4 *4* !-

* i'

* ** *4* *=* *4 * ** * * !

*-S

*l* *4* ^i* *1* *i

MALAGA
which
is

often

dangerous.

Everybody

benefits by the

arrangement.

One
his

night,

between Alhama and Velez, our cosario

the neck of his

was dozing on
train,

mule

at the

tail

end of

when suddenly
trabucos

shrill

cries

awakened him.

He saw

gleaming
it,

by the roadside.

There

could be no doubt about Greatlv surprised, he

the convoy was attacked.

off his

sprang

mule, threw up

with his hand the muzzles of the muskets, and spoke

his

name.

" Oh, forgive

us,
;

Senor Lanza,"

said

the

brigands, very

much ashamed

" we did not recognise

incapable of such
to take

you.

We

are

worthy people and

have too

indelicacy.
single cigar

We

much honour

even a

from you."

If you do not happen to be travelling with a

man

who

is

known on
armed
to

the road, you must have a

numerous

escort

the

teeth

which

is

expensive and

much

less safe, for

generally the escopeteros are retired

brigands.
It
is

customary
and

in

Andalusia,
a

when

travelling
to

on

horseback
national

going to
;

bull-fight,

wear the

costume

so our

little

caravan was quite picwell as

it

turesque and looked

nada.

uncommonly
this

left

Gra-

Joyfully seizing

opportunity

of putting

279

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
on a fancy dress outside of Carnival time, and of abandoning
for a season the

French costume,

had donned

my majo

dress, pointed hat,

filigree

embroidered jacket, velvet

silk

waistcoat with

buttons, red
leg.

sash,

knee-

breeches and gaiters showing the

My

companion
leather.

wore

his

costume of green velvet and Cordova

Others wore the montera, a black jacket, and black

breeches embroidered in silk of the same colour, with

yellow cravat

and

sash.

Lanza was remarkable

for

the splendour of his silver buttons, which were reale

pieces soldered to a hook, and for the
his
flat silk

braid of

second jacket which he carried on

his shoulder like

a hussar's dolman.

The mule which

as

had been given to

me was
its

clipped

half-way down, which enabled conveniently as

if
it

me

to study

anatomy
saddle

were skinned.

The
the

was composed of two

so as to

striped
as

blankets folded double

possible
asperities

diminish as

much

of the vertebrae and the slope of the backbone.

either of
its

On

sides

hung, by way of stirrups, a couple

of wooden troughs, looking very

Its

much

like rat traps.

tufts,

headgear was so laden with

that
it

pompons,

and

gewgaws

was

difficult

to perceive through the

maze

the harsh, discontented profile of the ill-tempered

4. 4 4> 4* 4 4 4* 4* 4- 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4j

& ik ^T ^
Spaniards
off
all

M A LAGA
animal.
It
is

when
old

travelling

that

the

assume
imitation

their

characteristics

and

throw

of foreign ways.
in
its

The
cannot

national

character

reappears
the

entirety

in

those trains which cross

mountains
the

and

which
that

be very
the

different

from

caravans

traverse

desert.

The

roughness of the track, the wild grandeur of the landscape, the picturesque costumes of

the arrieros, the

quaint harness of the mules, the horses, and the asses

walking

in

long

file,

take you

thousands of miles

away from
real

civilisation.

Then

travelling

becomes a
part.

thing, an action in

which you have a

not a man,
is

In

a stage-coach

you

are

you are merely

not

an inert object, and really there ence

much

differ-

between

your trunk and

yourself.
is

You
all;

are

thrown from one

might just
of
as

side to the other, that

you

well
lies

remain at home.
in
difficulty,

The
and

pleasure

travelling

fatigue,
in

danger

even.

What

pleasure can

there be

an excursion

when you

are always sure to reach the end, to find

all

horses ready, a soft bed, and

the comforts

which

you can enjoy

at

home
life
is

One

of the great draw-

backs of modern

the lack of unexpectedness

is

and

of adventures

everything

so

well

regulated,

J <J-

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J.

rl *4* *4* *= *=* *=* * "4* L

!"

JU #1*

,1-5

TRAVELS
of chance
is

IN
With

SPAIN
another century of
will

so well arranged, so well conducted that the element

eliminated.

improvement, every one of us

from
to
his

be able

to to
will

see

birth

everything that will

his

happen
will

him
be

the day

of

death.
;

The human
will

entirely

annihilated
virtue,

there

be

no

more crime,
origi-

no more
nality.

no more individuality, no more

No

one will be able to distinguish a Russian

from a Spaniard, an Englishman from a Chinaman,

a

Frenchman from an American.

to

People will

not

even be able
will
fall

recognise one another, for everybody

look

alike.

Then

an

immense weariness
suicide will

will

upon the universe, and

decimate the
life,

population of the earth, for the chief motive of

curiosity, will

have been extinguished.

journey

in

Spain

is

still

a perilous and romantic enterprise.

You
;

must run

risks,

be

brave,
life

patient,
at

and strong
;

you
least

have to venture your

inconveniences are

every step
of
to
all

the

privations

sorts,
;

the lack

of things most
roads,
else

indispensable

life

the dangerous
for

which are absolutely impracticable

muleteers
;

any one
;

but Andalusian

the

infernal heat
;

sun which nearly burns up your brain

tion

and

in

addi-

you have to contend with a whole

rascally race

MALAGA
of rebels, robbers, innkeepers, whose probity
ated
is

gradu-

according
;

to

the

number of

rifles

which you

have with you

precedes you.
ble,

danger surrounds you, follows you,

hear whispered around you terri-

You

mysterious

stories.

Yesterday the bandits supped

has been carried

in that

posada

a caravan

away

into
;

the

mountains by
is

the
at

brigands

to

be

ransomed

Palillos

in

ambush
doubt

such a place where you must

is

pass.

No
when

there

much
you

exaggeration,

yet,

incredulous as one
little

may

be,

have

to

believe

at

every turn of the road you see

inscriptions

wooden

crosses

with

such as

" Aqui mataron a

un hombre."

"

Acqiii

murw
in

dc manpairada."

We
travel

left
all

Granada

the evening and

we were
its

to

night.

Soon the moon rose and

;

silvery

rays

fell

upon the slopes

fell

the shadows of the rocks

grew longer and

in

strange shapes upon the road

poetical

which we were following, producing singularly

effects.

We

could hear the bells of the asses which with

had started
distance, or

earlier

our

luggage tinkling in the

singing
a

the mozo

de mulas

love song

in the prolonged
at

notes which are always so poetical

night in the mountains.

We

soon passed Cacin, where

we

forded a prettv

2S3

*i

rX-, rjh*

** rJU d.*

r|/

JL ** -it ** 1

3*9* *=* *=* "fc 3PSE?*** *** ***!

TRAVELS
torrent
a

IN SPAIN
depth, the
clear

few inches

in

waters of

which shimmered over the sand

a fish,

like

the scales of
silver spangles

and rushed

like

an avalanche of

down

the steep mountain-slope.

Beyond
mules sank

Cacin

the

road

became

atrocious.

Our

in the loose stones

up to the

girths, strik-

ing sparks every time they put

down

their feet.

We
edge

kept

ascending and

descending,

following

the

of precipices, winding along or taking short cuts, for

we were

in the Alpujarres, inaccessible solitudes, steep,

it

dread mountains, whence the Moors,

is

said,

were

never completely expelled, and where, concealed from

all

eyes,

live

to

this

day some

thousands

of their

descendants.

We were greatly startled at a turn in We saw in the bright moonlight seven

draped
in

the
tall

road.

fellows

long

mantles

in

the centre

of the road.
turned up
the

Our
in

long expected adventure had at

last

the

most

romantic
us

fashion.
politely

Unfortunately
with
the
a

bandits

saluted

very

respectful

"

God

be with you."

They were
was

very opposite

of robbers, being a detachment of constabulary.

Oh,

what a

bitter

deception

it

for

two

enthusiastic

young

travellers

who would
284

willingly have

paid

for

1<4* *i, #J* r| X*

r*

#|f

*i

JU #J> #|* r| *A ! !* ! #| #| ! Ma W*g

MALAGA
an adventure at the cost of their luggage
to
!

We

were
like

sleep

in

a small

town

called

Alhama, perched

an eyrie on the summit of a

are the

cliff.

Most picturesque

sudden turns of the road leading to the Falcon's

it

eyrie, as

winds through
at

the uneven ground.

We
jars

reached
thirsty,

Alhama

about two o'clock in the morning,

out.
thirst,

hungry, and tired

Three or four
our

of water
peased

quenched
a

our

hunger was
considering
feathers.

apit

by

tomato

omelet

which,

was

in

Spain, did not contain too

mattress, not

many

pretty stony

unlike a

bag of walnuts,
to rest us.

was stretched on the ground and undertook

In

two minutes
imitated

slept

and

my companion
attitude, as

care-

fully
just.
less

me

the

sleep said to be that of the

Day found

us in the

same

motion-

as bars of lead.

The
threw

heat

was

frightful

nevertheless,

bravely

my

jacket on

my

shoulder and went for a turn

through the streets

of Alhama.

The

sky was
if

like

molten metal, the paving-stones shone as

they had

been waxed and polished, the whitewashed walls sparkled like

mica.

pitiless,

blinding

light

penetrated

everywhere.

Shutters and doors cracked, the ground

like

was creviced, the vine branches were twisted

285

green

4, 4; 4, 4; 4; 4.4; 4; 4^ 4*4. 4. 4. 4; 4.4j 4; 4.

&; sb:fe

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
wood
in

fire.

In addition there was the reflection'

like

from the neighbouring rocks, which

rors

burning miryet.

sent back the

sunbeams more burning

To
feet.

complete

my

torture, I had

on thin-soled shoes, through

soles

which the pavement scorched the

of

my

There was not

a bit of down.

a breath of air, not enough to

move

Nothing gloomier, sadder, and wilder

can

be

imagined.

As

wandered

at

haphazard

through the deserted

streets, I

saw chalky walls pierced

with few windows, closed with wooden shutters most

African
is

in aspect.

reached the main square, which

quaintly picturesque, without meeting, I will not say

It
is

a soul, but not even a body.

spanned by the

stone arches of an aqueduct.

plateau cut out of

it ;

the summit of the mountain forms the face of has no other pavement than the rock
itself,

it

which

is

grooved to prevent slipping.

The whole

of one side
bottomless

of the square
abysses,

is

precipitous and looks

down

where one catches a glimpse of groups of

which looks
like

trees and of mills driven by a torrent

soapsuds so fiercely does

it

froth.

The
make

caravan started again along stretches of most

picturesque roads on which mules alone could possibly

their

way.

let

the bridle

lie

upon

my

animal's

286

J JU 4, 4j 4. J, . 4. 4; 4; 4* 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; <; 4; 4; J;

MALAGA
neck, thinking
itself,
it

was more capable of taking care of

it

and trusting entirely to

to get

through

difficult

places.

We
The
three

were travelling through a regular

Campo

Santo.

crosses in

memory of murders became

certain

frightfully

frequent.

In
four

places
a

we counted

as
It

many

as

or

within
it

hundred yards.
cemetery.
in It

was no

longer a road,
fessed,

was
if

must be con-

however, that
the

we had

France the habit of

violent

perpetuating

remembrance of

deaths

by

means of
could

crosses, there are certain parts of Paris

which

rival

the

Velez-Malaga road.
dates
'

Several

of these
all

sinister

monuments bore
a

already

old;

the

same they keep

traveller's

imagination

on tentersound.

hooks and make him attentive to the

slightest
is

He

remains constantly

on the watch and

never

bored for a moment.

Having

passed

through
rarer.

the

defiles,

the

crosses

became somewhat
a

We

now

travelled through

mountain

landscape
in

of grand,
vast

severe

aspect;

the

summits
the

hidden

archipelagoes
;

of

vapour

country

entirely

deserted

no

human dwelling

save the reed

is

hut of a

brandy
in

seller.

The
glasses

brandy
filled

colourless,

and

is

drunk

long

287
,

TRAVELS
with water which
it

IN SPAIN

turns white, as eau de Cologne

might do.

The
had

weather was heavy and stormy, and the heat

suffocating.
fallen

few

drops

the

only

drops

which

for four

months from
thirsty

that implacable, lapis-

lazuli

sky

its

spotted the

ground and made

rain could

it

look like a panther's skin.

The

not

make
vault

up

its

mind

to

come down, and

serenity.
stay
in
I

the

sultry

resumed

changeless

The

sky
I

was so
find in

constantly blue during

my

Spain that

my

note

book
as
if

this
it

remark, "

have seen a

white

cloud "

were something worthy of note.

We
stant

Northerners, whose mist-laden skies offer a con-

change

of form

and

colour,

where

the

wind
it

builds cloud-mountains,

islands,

and palaces, which

incessantly destroys to rebuild

them elsewhere, cannot

have any idea of the deep melancholy caused by an

azure as uniform as eternity, which
one's
is

ever spread over

head.

In

small

village

that

we

traversed

everybody was out of doors to enjoy the

rain, as
it.

with

us people go in doors in order to keep out of

The

night

had

come on without any

it

twilight,

almost suddenly, as
could not be very

does

in

hot countries, and

we

far

from Velez-Malaga, the place

M ALAG
where we were
to sleep.

The
ended

slopes of the mountains

in

became

less

steep and

small, pebbly

plains

traversed by brooks fifteen or twenty yards wide and a

foot in depth, edged with giant reeds.

Of

a truth, the
for

place
It

is

wondrously lonely and well adapted

ambush.

was eleven

when we reached

Velez-Malaga,

where every window shone brightly and which was

full

of songs

and the

sound

of guitars.

Maidens

seated on balconies sang couplets which their betrothed

accompanied from below.

With

every stanza

came
Other

bursts of laughter, shouts, and endless applause.

groups were dancing the cachucha, the fandango, and

the jota at the

corners of the streets.

bees,

The

guitars

buzzed
clinked
;

low
all

like

the

castanets
It

clattered

and
as

was joy and music.

were
the

would seem
thing

though

pleasure
;

only

serious
it

with

Spaniards

they give themselves up to

with admi-

rable freedom, ease,

and

spirit.

No

nation seems less

it

unhappy, and
believe,
political

stranger
is

really

finds

difficult

to

when he

traversing the Peninsula, that great

it

events are happening, and to imagine that

is

a country desolated

and ravaged by ten years of

civil

war.

Our

peasants are far from possessing the happy

carelessness, the jovial airs, and the elegant

costumes of

*!<

*J> -|% ! *Jt 4 L

!-

*J* *4 l*4*i*#i*l**i*!**!*a4*i**A'

!-

4*J

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
the Andalusian

majos.
all

They

are

greatly

inferior

in

education.

Almost

Spanish

peasants

can

read,

and know by heart poetry which they

without changing the time; they are
all

recite or sing

thorough horserifle.

men and

skilled

in

handling the

knife and the

It is true that

the

wondrous

fertility

of the

soil

and the

perfection of the climate save

them from

that brutalis-

ing labour

which

in less

favoured countries reduces

man

to the condition of a beast of burden or of a machine,

and robs him of those

It

gifts

of God, strength and beauty.

that I fastened

was with deep pleasure

posada.
all

my mule
most

to

the wall of the

Our

supper was

simple.

All the maids and

the boys of the inn had

satisfied

gone to the dance, and

a simple
tion.

we

had to be
a

with

gaspacho.
is

This deserves

special

descrip-

Water
is

poured into a soup tureen, a drop of

with
garlic,

vinegar
pieces,

added,

onions

cut

into

four

slices

of cucumber, a

few

bits

of pimento,

a pinch of salt.

Then

slices

of bread are allowed to

soak

in this

delectable mixture,

which

is

served cold.

With
to

us any decent dog

it

would refuse

to put his nose

such a mess, yet

is

a favourite dish

with the

An-

dalusians, and the prettiest

women

do not hesitate to

swallow

in

the evening great

platefuls

of

this

infernal

290

M A LAGA
soup.

The

gaspacho

is

stated to be

very refreshing,
;

an opinion which seems to us somewhat bold

strange as
it

but,

may seem

the
it

first

time you taste

it.

it,

you

end by getting used to

and even by liking

had, to

By

compensation of
this

Providence we

wash down

meagre

repast, a great carafe full

of excellent dry
to the

Malaga wine, which we conscientiously drank

very
last

drop, and which restored our strength, ex-

hausted by nine hours' travelling over atrocious roads

anti in a heat like that

of a lime-kiln.
train started again.

At three o'clock the mule

sky was
zon.
sea,

The

cloudy, and a hot mist concealed

air

the hori-

A damp

gave token of the nearness of the

like

which soon showed against the sky

a cold

blue streak.
there,

few flecks of foam showed

fine

here and

and the waves rolled on the

sand in great,
cliffs.

regular curves.

To
left

our right rose high

Some-

times the rocks

barred

us free passage, sometimes they

our

path and
line
is

we had
not

to

ride

around them.

The

straight

much employed on Spanish

it

roads; obstacles would be so difficult to remove that

is

better to turn than to

overcome them.

The famous

saying, linea recta brevissima,

rate here.

would be wholly inaccu-

291

4**X* t, *|*

J. JL JU

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4^ *!**! A->* *J* i, *JU r| !> | vl^^*

TRAVELS
As
the sun rose
it

IN SPAIN
if

drove away the vapours as

they

were smoke.

The

heavens and the sea resumed their

it

rivalry in blue, in

which

may be

said

that

neither

is

superior.

The

clitfs

began to take on their burnished

gold, orange, amethyst, and

smoky topaz

tints

the

sand turned to dust and the water shimmered under the

intense light.
five
sail

Far, far away, almost on the horizon,

fishing-boats
fluttered

of

in

the

wind

like

doves' wings.
tler slopes little

Here and there showed upon the genhouses white as sugar, flat-roofed and

with
at

a sort of peristyle

formed by an arbour supported

pillar,

each end by a square

and in the centre by a

massive

Egyptian-looking

pylon.
;

The
still

aguardiente

shops were becoming numerous

but
better-looking,

built

of reeds,

with whitewashed
a

counters

on

which were daubed

few

red

streaks.

The

road,

now

following a distinct line, was edged with a border

of cacti and aloes, broken here and there by the gardens of houses, in front of which
ing nets and playing with
little

women were mendas

naked children, who,

they saw us pass by on our mules, shouted after us,

" Ton

toro !

"

Our majo costumes

caused us to be
or for toreros of

mistaken for owners of ganaderias

Montes'

quadrille.

292

J, 4. 4. 4. 4. 4, 4- 4; 4; 4. 4j 4j 4; 4. 4; 4; 4j 4; 4j 4; 4; 4j 4j 4;

MALAGA
Chariots dragged by oxen and
files

of donkeys betraffic

came more and more numerous.

always met with
in the

The
sides
for

which

is

neighbourhood of a great city

was already
mules

evident.

From

all

came
the

trains of
bull-fight.

bearing

spectators

bound

Aficionados are, as regards their vehement enthusiasm,

as far above dilettanti as a bull-fight
atic
is

above an oper-

performance.

Nothing can stop them, neither

trip.

heat nor obstacles, nor the dangers of the

Pro-

vided they can get there and have a place near the
fence, so as to be able to strike with their hand the

quarters of the bull, they consider themselves repaid

for their fatigue.

Where

is

the tragic or comic author

?

who can

boast of proving such an attraction

Nothing

more picturesque and strange

:

than

the

environs of Malaga can be imagined

African.

they are almost

The

dazzling whiteness of the houses, the

dark blue colour of the sea, the blinding intensity of

the
light,
all

combine to produce the same

of the road
rise

illusion.

On

either side

huge

aloes,

waving

their

blade-like leaves, gigantic cacti with broad, verdigrised

palettes

and misshapen trunks twisted

like the

hideously like

monstrous boas,
lot.

backbone of a stranded cachashaft of a

Here and there the

palm springs up,

293

I* |*

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*4* ** *A* *! *4

*!'''

*4> *l5*i**l*lt4* *io#l#i*#l*#l*

JU JU5

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
spreading
its

lovely

crown of
at
its

foliage

by the side of a

European
at
its

tree

amazed

neighbour and troubled

at

seeing the
feet.

mighty African vegetation growing

A
the

slender white tower

sky.
It

showed against the blue of

;

was the

Malaga lighthouse

we

had

reached our destination.

It

was about

eight o'clock in the morning, and

:

th*"

town was very busy

sailors

coming and going,

load-

ing and unloading ships anchored in the harbour, with

an

animation
their

rarely

met with
and

in

Spanish town

women,
scarlet

heads

busts covered
set

with great

shawls which admirably

off their

Moorish
a
child

faces,

were walking

swiftly, dragging
in

along
:

either

naked or clothed merely

their

a shirt

the men,

draped in

cloaks, or

their

jackets

over their

shoulders, hastened their steps, and everyone

in

was going
bull-fight.

the

same

direction,

in

that
this

is,

to the

What

most struck

me

motley crowd was six

negro galley-slaves dragging a chariot.

gigantic stature, with
so
I
little

They were

of

monstrous

faces, so savage

and

human, marked with such

bestial ferocity, that

if I

was

terrified at the sight

of them as

had met six

tigers.

The

sort

of linen

gown which

thev wore jrave

294

J J A- JU

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J, J,

-! .!

MALAGA
them
I

^4*^*^**1**1? dbtl? &?%% 3*9?25

still

more

diabolical

and fantastic appearance.

know

not

why

they had been sent to the galleys, but

should have sent them there for the mere crime of

having such faces.

We

stopped at the Three Kings Parador,

in

com-

paratively comfortable house,

shaded

by

beautiful

vine the leaves of

which clustered on the iron-work of

the balcony, and provided with a great the hostess sat china, quite as
if in
it

room

which

state

behind a counter laden with

cafe.

were a Paris

very pretty

maid, a delightful specimen of the beautiful

women

of

Malaga, who are famous throughout Spain, showed us

to our rooms, and

caused us lively anxiety for a

us that every seat

mo-

ment by
was
sold,

telling

for the bull-fight

it

and that

we

should find

very

difficult

to

obtain any.

Fortunately

our cosario, Lanza,

seats,

found

us a couple of reserved
it

on

the sunny side,

is

true,

but

we

did

not care for that.

We

had

long since sacrificed our complexion, and one

layer of tan

more

upon our brown and yellow faces would

matter

little.

The

fights

were
first

to

go on for three successive days.

a

During our
students

breakfast

number

of

travelling

came

in.

There were four of them, and they

295

ti-4-4;4;4; 4.4- 4^

4^4*4^4; 4; 4^4*4^4; 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4.
1

TRAVELS
divinity students,

N SPAI N

resembled more the models of Ribera and Murillo than

so ragged, unshod, and filthy were

they.
selves

They
on

sang comic songs, accompanying themtambourine,

the
triangles,

the

and

the

castanets.

The
but

bull-fight

was appointed

to begin at five o'clock,

we were

advised to go at about one, because the

passageways would soon be crowded and

unable to reach our
so
stalls,

we

should be
;

although these were reserved

we

ate

our lunch

in haste

and

started for the Plaza

tall,

de Toros, preceded by our guide Antonio, a

thin
tight,

chap whose bright red sash, pulled exceedingly

still

further set

off"

his

extreme thinness, which he

comically attributed to disappointed love.

The

streets

were

filled

with a crowd that grew denser as

we

ap-

proached the circus.

Aguadores,

sellers

of iced cebada,
sellers, drivers

vendors of paper fans and parasols, cigar

of calesas

all

combined

to

make

a terrific crowd.
city

vague rumour hovered over the

noise.

like

a cloud of

After

many

twistings and turnings

in

the narrow,

labyrinthine streets,
place,

we

at

last

reached the wished-for

which

is

in

no wise handsome externally.

had great
difficulty in

detachment of

soldiers

keeping

296

4**4*1* rJ

J*

-i !*

*!-.

1* I*

4*^4il*4*l|**i*i*i* *

MALAGA
back the crowd.

Though

it

was scarcely one o'clock

from top
fists

the benches were already

it

filled

to bottom,

and

was only by

dint of using our

in

and our tongues

that

we succeeded
is

reaching our

stalls.

The Malaga

amphitheatre

of a size which really recalls the great

;

amphitheatres of antiquity
fifteen

it

can contain twelve or

rises to

thousand spectators and

the height of a

five-story dwelling.

This suggests what the Roman

arenas must have been, and the attraction of those terrible

games

in

which men fought against wild beasts

before a whole people.

spectacle

No

stranger and

more gorgeous
vast

can be

imagined than these

benches

covered with an impatient crowd, which sought to allay

the weariness of waiting by
all

sorts

of jokes of the

most piquant

originality.

Modern

dresses

were very
received

infrequent, and

those

who wore them were

;

with shouts of laughter, roars, and hisses

so the view

was

greatly improved, for the bright-coloured jackets

scarlet

and sashes, the

shawls of the

women, and

the

green and yellow striped fans saved the crowd from that
dull,

dark aspect which

it

always has with

us.
I
is

There was
noticed

a fairly large

number of women, and

many very

pretty ones.

Malaga woman

known by

the uniform golden pallor of her complexion,

297

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,

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
her cheeks being no more coloured than her brow, by
the long oval
face, the rich

redness of her

lips,

the

delicate outline of her nose,

and the brilliancy of her

be supposed painted with

Arab eyes which might

easily

henna, so delicate and long are the eyelashes, especially

towards the temples.

do not

know whether
in

the

stiff
is

folds of the red drapery

which frames

their faces

the cause of their serious and passionate look, which

smacks so much of the East, and which the

daintier,

more

graceful,

more coquettish women of Madrid,

of Granada, and of Seville do not possess, these being

always somewhat preoccupied with the

duce.
types,

effect

thev pro-

At Malaga
which would

saw most
offer to

beautiful heads, superb

artist

an

of talent a series

of entirely

new and

valuable studies.
it

From

our point of view

at

seems strange that

women
life
is

should be present
imperilled
at

a spectacle

where

a man's

every

moment

where blood flows

In

pools
their

where wretched, ripped-up horses stumble over

own

entrails.

One
be

might

easily

imagine that
violent
did
in

such

women must
;

bold-eved

vixens,

gesture

but

it

would be a mistake.
faces,

Never
eyes,

more

Madonna-like

more

velvety

and

more
sue-

tender smiles bend over an infant Christ.

The

j* 4* *t. i* *4*

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dh^^h

M A LAGA
cessive phases of the bull's death are
attentively
fol-

lowed by pale and charming creatures

pe
t

whom

an elegiac
;

would be only too glad

is

to

have for Elviras

the

merit of the strokes

that

discussed by such

pretty lips
love.

one could wish to hear them speak but of

Because they look with dry eyes upon scenes of carnage which would cause our sensitive Parisian ladies to
faint,
it

would be wrong
;

to

infer that they are

cruel

and lack tenderness

it

does not prevent their being

good, simple-hearted,

and

sympathetic;

but

habit

is

everything, and the bloody side of a bull-fight which

most

strikes strangers

is

what

least

occupies Spaniards,

who
dealt

pay attention to the

skill

with which blows are

and the cleverness shown by the toreros,

at first

who do

not run such great risks as one might

It

fancy.

was yet but two o'clock, and the sun poured

a deluge of fire

down

upon the

side of the circus

upon

which we were
ones

seated.

How we

envied the fortunate

who were

enjoying the coolness of the shade cast

by the boxes above.

After having ridden ninety miles

through the mountains, to remain a whole day under

the African sun

was

a pretty fine thing for a

poor

critic

who

had, for once, paid for his seat and did not wish to
it.

resisn

299

4 X

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^ *|*i*,A^^^ri* 4*

** *&4* **!*

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
The
catching
tip

people

who

occupied the shaded seats chaffed

sent water-sellers to prevent our
at the

us incessantly.
fire
;

They

they begged us to light our cigars

of our noses, and they suggested that

we might have

a little oil in order to

complete the stew.

We

replied

as well

as

we

could, and

when

the shadow,

moving

with the day, gave up one of them to the rays of the

sun, there broke out
endless

laughter and applause.

Thanks

to

few

jars

of water, several dozens of

oranges, and a couple of fans constantly kept in motion,

we

avoided being burned up, and

we were

not quite
sat

cooked or struck with apoplexy when the band

down
clear

in

its

gallery

and the cavalry patrol began to

the arena,

which

was

full

of muchachos and
not

majos,
general
there

who

disappeared, I

know

how, into the

speaking,

throng,

although,
for

mathematically
;

was not room

another person
is

but

under

certain circumstances a

crowd

wonderfully

elastic.
fif-

An immense
about to be

sigh of satisfaction arose from the

teen thousand people,

fulfilled.

whose expectations were

at last

The members

of the ayunta-

miento were saluted with frantic applause, and when

they
entered
their
I

box the orchestra

a

began to play

national airs, "

who am

Smuggler," and " Riego's

300

MALAGA
March," which the whole company sang together with
clapping of hands and stamping of
feet.

We
we
did
shall

do not intend to describe here the bull-fight;

so
carefully

during our stay

in

Madrid

we

merely relate the chief events, the remarkable

features of this fight during

which the same combatants

rest,

performed for three days running without

when

twenty-four bulls and ninety-six horses were

slain, al-

though no accident happened

ping up of a man's

to the
in

men

save the rip-

arm

wound

no wise dangerous,

which

did not prevent his reappearing the following day

in the arena.

At

five o'clock

sharp the gates of the arena were

opened,

and
in

the

company which
around
the

was

to

perform

marched

procession

circus.

At

its

head were the three picadores, Antonio Sanchez and

Jose Trigo, both from Seville, and Francesco Briones

from Puerto Real, hand on hip, lance

as
tol.

erect, as

grave

Roman
The

generals ascending in triumph to the Capisaddles of their horses had the

circus

name of
nails.

the

owner of the

marked with

gilded

The

capadores, or chulos, wearing their three-cornered hats

and
Close

wrapped
behind

in

their

brilliant

mantles,

followed.
in

them were the banderilleros

301

their

-i *&- #,U

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JU -l rfi^ *A* *Ij *jb jP'SBflK

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Figaro costume.

At the end of the procession, alone

and majestic, the two matadores, the swords, Montes

de Chiclana and Jose Parra de Madrid.

Montes had

with him

his

faithful quadrille, a

most important mat;

ter for the security of a

bull-fight

for in these times

of

political dissensions

it

often happens that Christino

toreros

toreros

will

not help

Carlist

when

they are

in danger,

and vice versa.

The

procession was closed

to

by the significant team of mules intended

off the horses

carry

and

bulls.

The

fight

was about

to

begin.

The

alguazil,

in

civilian dress,

who was
toril,

to carry to the attendant the

keys of the
spirited
farce.

and

who
the

rode very
tragedy

unskilfully

horse,

prefaced
lost

by

an amusing

He

first

his hat his

and then

his stirrups, his

trousers

came up

to

knees in the most grotesque

fashion

and the gate having been maliciously opened

he

for the bull before

had time

to
still

withdraw from

the arena, his

terror

made him

more

ridiculous
in

through the contortions which he indulged

horse.

on

his

Nevertheless, he was not thrown, to the great

disappointment of the rabble.

the torrent of
light

The

bull,

dazzled by
did not

which flooded the arena,

let

at first perceive

him, and

him go without charging

302

4. 4. 4. 4, 4. 4. 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4. 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4' 4; 4;

MALAGA
him.

So

it

was

in the

midst of an immense Homeric,

that the fight

Olympic burst of laughter

soon silence
fell,

began; but
first

the bull

having ripped up the

picador's horse and

thrown the second.

but
at

We
popular
in
at

could
all

look

Montes, whose

name
is

is

over

Spain, and

whose prowess

sung

thousand

marvellous

tales.

Montes was born

a

Chiclana, near Cadiz.

He
of

is

man of

forty

to

forty-three years of age,

somewhat above
quiet

the average
pale,

height,

serious-looking,

mien,
about

olive

complexion, with nothing

the mobility of his eyes,

noticeable
in his

him save

which
life.

impassible face

alone
rather
his

seem endowed with

than
robust,

He
his

appears

supple
to

and

owes

success

more

coolness, to his wonderful eye, and to his thorough

art,

knowledge of the

than to his muscular strength.

As soon

as a bull
it

has stepped into the arena,

is

Montes
whether

knows whether
it

short or long
it

sighted,
is

is

frank or cunning, whether

it

light or heavy,

whether
it

will close

its

eyes as

it

gores or whether

will

keep them open.

as swift

Thanks

to these observations,
is

which are

as thought, he as

always ready to

defend himself.
to

However,

he carries cool rashness

extremes, he

has during the course of his career

33

-!*! *i, (- ,! *{, ,1,

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#1* 1^ i-**jU<4 **i

!-&

#-Ui**i<A r| 1 4*J

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
been gored more than once, for he bears
a

cicatrice

on

his

cheek, and on more than one occasion he has

been carried off dangerously wounded.

He wore
for

that

day a costume of apple-green

silver,

silk

embroidered with

exceedingly rich and elegant

if

Montes

is

wealthy, and
is

he

still

takes part

in

bull-fights,

it

from love of the

his

art

and the need

of excitement, for
fifty

fortune amounts to more than

if

thousand douros, an enormous sum

the
cost

one bears
matadores
fifteen

in

mind

of the costumes which

a complete suit costing
francs,

have to wear,

from
the

hundred

to

two thousand

and
city

inces-

sant trips which they

make from one

to another

accompanied by

their quadrilles.

Montes

is

not content, like other espadas, to simply

slay the bull

when

the death signal has been given

he watches the whole arena, directs the combat, goes

to

the rescue

of the imperilled

picadores or chulos.
his
life

More

than one torero has

owed

to his inter-

vention.

bull,

which was not to be drawn away

before

by

the

capas

agitated

him,

was goring the

horse which

he had overthrown, and was trying to

sheltered

gore

the

rider,

by the
fierce

body of

his

steed.

Montes got hold of

the

beast

by the

tail

and

34

J *4*
i

!-*

*i 'I' *4

'

? * 4"*

*4*

*4"

** *4

~ * ** = 4* ** * *** *l

i*

"*

MALAGA
swung
disgust,
it

around

two or three times

frantic

to

its

intense

amid the

applause of the whole

to

com-

pany, and

thus gave

time

pick
right

up the picador.
in

Sometimes he plants
bull, his

himself

front

of the

arms crossed,
suddenly,
cold
as a

his eyes fixed

upon him.
the
clear

The
glance,

brute

stops

daunted

by

sharp and

sword-blade.

Then
and

break out

indescribable

shouts
feet

and

howls

vociferations,

stamping of

and

explosions

of bravos.

Every-

body goes crazy, the thousands of spectators, drunk

with brandy, sunshine, and blood, become absolutely
hysterical; handkerchiefs

are

waved, hats one

calm
deep

thrown

in

the

air,

and

Montes, the
enjoys
like

individual

in

the

multitude,

silently

his

satisfaction,

and bows
deeds.
his
life

slightly

man

capable of far greater

We

can understand that a

man

should
It
is

risk

every

minute
it.

for

such applause.

not

paying too dear for

Oh

golden-voiced singers,
all

oh

fairy-footed dancers, actors of

kinds, emperors,

poets,

who

imagine you have excited enthusiasm, you

have never heard Montes applauded.

Montes'
accuracy
stroke.

fashion
for

of slaying
the
all

is

remarkable

for

its

and

certainty

and

felicity

of

his

In his case

thought of danger vanishes

20

305

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*^* *^* *^* *^* *^* *^ sis

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
he
is

so

cool,

so thoroughly

master of himself, he
fight

seems so certain of success that the

be
but
a

appears to
itself
is

pastime.

Even
it

the
is

excitement
to

somewhat diminished;
his life;

impossible

fear

for

he will strike the bull

when he

pleases,

where
of

he pleases, and
such
a duel

how he
too

pleases.

The
The

chances
least

are

unequal.

skilful

matador sometimes produces a greater

the
risks

effect

through

and

chances

which
as

he

takes.

This

no

doubt

may

strike

some

very refined barbarity, but

dilettanti,

or

those

who have
over a

seen
bold,

bull-fights

and
will

have become excited

easily

brave

bull,

understand
last

us.

An

episode

which

occurred

on the

day of the fight will prove the truth of

our assertion, and to what a degree the Spanish carry

impartiality towards

man and
bull

beast.

A
arena.

superb

black

had just

been

let
it

into

the

From
the

the abrupt

way

in

which
formed
It

emerged
the
all

from
highest
points

toril

the

connoisseurs
its

very
the

opinion

of

bravery.
:

united

of a

fighting

bull

its

horns were
its

long and

sharp, the

points

well turned

limbs,
its

clean, fine,

and muscular, promised great speed;

heavy dewlap

and thin, strong flanks gave proof of mighty strength.

306

-! *\*

r&r*

4* i 4* #A 1* *i* *l*4'l- !** l* el*

!-

A A *i*

3c a? SB

M A LAGA
In
the
the

herd

it

was known

as

Napoleon, that being

to
its

onlv

name which answered

Without the
least

unquestioned
it

superiority.

hesitation

charged

the picador posted

near the gates, threw him

killed

down

with

his

horse,

which was

on the spot, and

luckier,

charged
there

the second

who was no

and

whom

was scarcely time

his fall.

to pass over the fence, bruised

and crushed by

In

less

than fifteen minutes

seven horses were lying on the sand.

The

chulos

waved
did

their coloured

capas, but from

a distance, and
sades,
as

not go very far from

other
as
side
if

the

pali-

springing on the

of them as soon
in

Napoleon even looked

he would move

their direction.

Montes himself appeared somewhat

his foot
in

agitated,

and once even he put

on the ledge
of alarm

of the fence ready to spring over

case

and of too rapid pursuit,

thing which

he had not

done on the preceding days.

The

spectators' delight
flat-

was expressed by noisy acclaims, and the most

tering

compliments were showered upon the

bull

from

all sides.

further proof of the animal's prowess car-

ried

enthusiasm to the highest degree of exasperation.

picador's understudy

hors de combat

for the two chief men were was waiting, lance the charge
in rest,

37

!*! *4

**

!'

*&+ *l #l|*i**|*|i|*|*l*|*l4*

#* JA

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
of the terrible Napoleon, which, heedless of the
in the shoulder,

wound

caught the horse under the belly, with

fall

one jerk made him

of the
fence, and

on

his fore legs

upon the edge

his

with a
his

second,

raising

hind

quarters, sent
side

him with
in

master flying on the other

of the barrier

the flagged

passageway which

runs around the arena.

This

feat

was welcomed with thunders of applause.

trav-

The
ersed

bull
like

was master of the arena, which he

a conqueror,
in

amusing
over

himself for lack of

tossing

adversaries

turning

and

the

body

of the horse which he had ripped up.

victims
left

The

stock of

was exhausted, there were no more horses

the circus stable to give to the picadors; the

in

banderilleros

were

astride
their

of the

fence, afraid

to

go

down
whose

to

worry with

darts that terrible gladiator,

fury unquestionably did

at

not need to be excited.

wait, shouted for the

The

spectators, irritated
to

the
into

banderillas, and

throw

the

fire

the

alcalde
sign

because he did not give the order.

At

last, at a

from the Governor of the

city, a banderilleio left

in

the

group and planted two darts

dened beast, fleeing
fast

the neck of the

mad-

as fast as

he could, but not quite

enough, for the horn touched his arm and ripped

38

i* ***

**

fX< !* rl* l* !* *JU #Ai j! #!

J* ! #! #!* JU t ? e|

i JUrll

MALAGA
up
his

sleeve.

Then,
people,

in

spite

of

the

howls and
the

shouts
signal,

of

the

the

alcalde
to

gave
his

death

and signed
in

Montes
all

take

muleta

and

sword,

spite

of
a

the

rules

of

the

bull-fight
at

which

insist

that

bull

shall

have received
it

least

four pairs of banderillas before

is

given up to the

sword of the matador.

Montes, instead of proceeding as usual to the centre

of the ring, stood some twenty steps from the fence
for safety
in

case of misfortune.

He was

very pale,
coquetries

and

without

indulging in
his

any tricks and

scarlet

of courage, he unfolded

muleta and called

upon the

bull,

which

did not

need to be asked twice.

four
passes
at

Montes

performed

three

or

with

the

muleta, holding his sword

horizontally

the height
if

of the beast's eyes, which suddenly by lightning, and

expired
after

fell

as

struck

convulsive

bound.

The sword
a stroke

had entered his brow and struck the brain,

is

which

forbidden by the laws of tauromachy;

is

for the

matador

bound

to

pass his sword between

it

the horns

of the animal and to strike

between the
for

shoulders,

which increases the danger

slight

the

man

and gives a

chance to

his

adversary.
for
it

When

the stroke

was understood, 39

had been

-| * #A

-J.

*A * el*

*lr* *l =

* ** =**

*K * ** ** * *4 *4* *

*f*

m* *"l*

TRAVELS
indignation arose from
all

IN SPAIN
parts of the circus
;

delivered with the quickness of thought, a shout of

a storm

of insults and hisses broke with incredible tumult and

noise.

"Butcher!
!

assassin!
!

brigand!

thief!

galley

slave

executioner

" were the mildest of the expres!

sions used.
alive
!

"

To

Ceuta with Montes

!

" " Burn him

"
!

" Set the dogs on him

"

"

" Death to the

alcalde
I I

sounded from
I

all

the

seats.

Never have
a

seen

such fury, and

it.

confess with

blush that

shared

Presently

shouts were insufficient, and

the

poor devil was assaulted with fans, hats, sticks,

jars full of water,

and pieces of the benches which

the spectators tore up.

to be slain, but
its

There was

still

another bull
in

death

passed unperceived
it

the

midst of this horrible bacchanal, and

the

was Jose Parra

second espada,
for
his

who

slew
livid,

it

with a clever stroke.

rage.

As
bit

Montes, he was
lips

green with

He
to

to

the blood, although

he

attempted

appear very calm and leaned with affected grace upon

the hilt of his sword, the

ensanguined point of which

all

he had
slight
is

wiped
one's

in

the

sand, against
popularity
!

rule.

How

hold
the

on
day

No
the

one could
day before

have imagined
that, that so

before, and
artist,

consummate an
310

one so thoroughly

4. 4. 4; ^4; 4; 4:4; 4? 4; 4; 4^4.4. 4; 4; ^rd:^:^:^^:^^;

MALAGA

master of

his public as

Montes, could be so rigorously

of the rules, no
necessity
in

punished for a breach

mitted

doubt com-

through

imperious

view

of the

extraordinary agility, vigour, and power of the animal.

The

fight

over, he got into a calesa, followed by his

quadrille,

swearing
I

that

never

again

would
he

he
kept

set

foot

in

Malaga.

know

not whether
the
insults

his
last

word and remembered longer

of the
I

day than the triumphs of the preceding two.

think that the public of
the great

now

Malaga was unjust towards

Montes de Chiclana, every one of whose

been superb and

strokes had

who

had given

proof

on dangerous occasions of cool heroism and admirable

skill,

so that the people, delighted, had presented

all

him

with

the bulls

which he had
their ears

slain,

and had allowed

him

to

cut

off

as

mark of ownership,

so that they could be claimed neither by the Hospital

nor by the contractor.

Dazed,

intoxicated,

filled

with

violent

emotions,

we

returned to our parador, hearing as

we went

along

the streets nothing but praise for the bull and curses
against
tigue, I

Montes.

That

very evening, in spite of fapass without

went

to the theatre, wishing to

transition

from the bloody realism

3 11

of the circus to

-|

J*

#>.!-.

.K #1* |

J,

,1.

*.!-

,1, A*l*i*-i*#i*l**l*|*ri#l#>f* #f* *l*l*

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
the
intellectual
striking.

emotion of the stage.

In the one place
a

The

contrast
noise,

was

crowd and

in the other loneliness

and

silence.

The

theatre

was
sat

almost
here

deserted,

and a few scattered

spectators
;

and

there

upon

the

empty benches

and

yet

the play

was " The Lovers of Teruel," a drama by

Eugenio Hartzenbusch, one of the most remarkable

works of the modern Spanish school, written

and
style
in

in

prose

verse.

As

far as a stranger

can judge of the

of a

language which

he can never thoroughly

appears
in

know, the verse

superior
to
to
his

of

Hartzenbusch
His dialogue

to

me

prose.

prose seems

me
is

imitated from the

modern French melodramas

pomp.

and
its

marked by heaviness and

With
is

all

defects of

" The Lovers of Teruel "

liter-

ary

work much

superior to the adapted and misadapted

at

translations

of our boulevard plays which

in

present

are

met with

every

theatre

in

Spain.

comic

saynete followed the serious play.

The
is

saynetes re-

semble our vaudevilles, but the plot

and
they

less

complex,
detached

often

consist

merely of

few

scenes like the intermezzo of an Italian comedy.

The

performance was closed by a national dance,

in
fairly satis-

performed by two couples of dancers

312

4. -U 4; 4> 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4. 4; 4. 4. 4; 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4.

MALAGA
factory fashion.

The

Spanish dancers, although they

accuracy, the style of French
I

have not the

finish, the

dancers, are greatly

superior,

think, in

grace and

charm.
like

They

look like
is

women who
different
to that

dance, and not

thing.

dancers, which

a very

Their

method has no
school.

relation
latter,

whatever

of the French

In the
are

immobility and uprightness of

the bust

expressly

recommended, and the body

;

scarcely ever shares the motion of the legs

in

Spain

the feet rarely leave the ground

it

is

the body that

dances, the back that curves, the hips that yield, the
waist that
or
is

twisted with the suppleness of an almeh

an

adder.

In

some of
touch

the

poses

the shoulders

of the

dancer almost

the

ground, the

arms,

limp and dead, are as flexible and soft as an untied

scarf, the

hands seem scarcely able to clap the ivory

with
their

castanets
in

golden

tressed
like

cord

and

yet

another

moment bounds

those

of a

young

jaguar follow the voluptuous languor, and prove that

the
bodies, soft
steel.

as

silk,

are

provided with
still

muscles
to
this
las-

of

The Moorish almehs

of the
torso,

cling

method.

Their dance consists of harmoniously

the
hips,

civious undulations

and the

back, the arms

being

thrown back over the head.

3J3

*i*4* *i

!-

*& l *!* *4 *A* 1 i*A**f**j***li**|*#iJ* ri *

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Arab
traditions

have been preserved

in

in

the Spanish

national steps, especially

Andalusia.

The
the

Spanish male dancers, although mediocre, have

air

a bold, cavalier, gallant

tasteless

which

greatly prefer

to

and

equivocal graces

of

ours.

They

appear to think neither of themselves nor of the public

;

their every glance, their every smile

is

addressed

to their

partner, with

passionately in love,

whom they always and whom they are

They
is

seem to be
prepared to
a
sort

defend

against

all

comers.

possess

of

fierce grace

and insolent pose which

quite peculiar

to them.

If they were to wipe off their rouge, they

would make excellent banderilleros, and could spring

from the stage into the arena.

The

Malagueiia,
poetic.

the

Malaga
cavalier
his

national
first

dance,

is

charmingly

The

appears,
in

his

sombrero pulled down over

scarlet cloak
like

eyes,

wrapped

his

hidalgo in

search of adventures.

The

lady enters draped in her mantilla, fan in hand,

airs

with the

of a

woman who

is

going for a turn on

the Alameda.

The
;

cavalier tries to see the face of the

mysterious siren

the coquette handles her fan so well,

so exactly at the right time, turns
it

opens and shuts

it

so promptly up to her pretty face, that the disappointed

3H

MALAGA
gallant withdraws somewhat and bethinks himself of

another stratagem.

He

begins clinking his castanets

lady listens, smiles,

under his cloak.

her

At the sound the

bosom heaves, she

shoe
;

beats time with the tip of her

little satin

in spite

of herself she throws away her

in brilliant

fan and her mantilla and appears

dress,
in

dancing-

sparkling with spangles and ornaments, a rose

hair,

her

a great tortoise-shell

comb

at the

back

of her
his

head.

The

gallant throws off

his

mask and

cloak, and the

two

perform

dance delightfully

novel.

As
its

came back by

the seaside, which

reflected

on
I

burnished steel surface the pale orb of the moon,

thought of the striking contrast between the crowd

at

the circus and the solitude at the theatre, of the eager-

ness of the multitude for brutal

facts

and

its

indiffer-

ence to the works of the

envied
action
the gladiator
for
;

intellect.

As
to

a poet, I again

regretted

have
in

given
the

up

reverie.

The

night

before

same

theatre had been given a play by

Lope de Vega, which

had not attracted

more people than the work of the

young writer

so both the genius of the past and the

talent of the present

age are not considered equal to

!

one sword-stroke of Montes

3!5

.(.

j.

,i. ,|, .(, .t.

j,

.i.

4*-t"A<*J>*i>>Jj4j Jj4; tjb?fc^S?db '.?r*Jb

TRAVELS
The
than that
at

IN SPAIN
the
is

other theatres in Spain are not better attended

Malaga, not even

del

Principe at

Madrid, where nevertheless there

Julian

a very great actor,

Romero, and an
old Spanish

excellent actress, Matilda Diez.

The

dramatic vein seems to have been

a
fuller

exhausted forever, and yet never did

stream

flow in so broad a bed, never was there such prodigious,

inexhaustible
vaudevilles
fertility.

Our most

facile

writers

of

are

yet a long

way from Lope de Vega,

and whose works
is

who had no
numerous
there
is

co-workers,

are

so
that

that the exact

number

unknown and

scarcely
la

a complete edition of them.

his unrivalled

Cal-

deron de

Barca, apart from

comedies

de capa y espada (dramas

of cloak and sword), wrote

a
sort

innumerable
Mysteries,
in

autos

sacramentales,

of Catholic
sin-

which strange depth of thought and

gularity of conception are joined to enchanting poetry

and

to the

most flowery elegance.

It

would take

folio

catalogues to enumerate merely the

titles

of the works

of Lope de Rueda, Montalban, Guevara,

Tirso, Rojas,

Quevedo,

Moreto, Guillen de Castro, Diamante,

It
is

and

many

others.

impossible

to

realise

how

many

plays were written for Spain during the sixteenth

;

and seventeenth centuries

it

would be

as easy to

count

"2l6

4* *4* *!* rl'

*4 * *~*

~*

*** *

* * ** ** '- ** l* *'

ej* *J cj

MALAGA
the leaves in the forest and the sand on the seashore.

Most of

these plays are written in

octosyllabic verse
in

mingled with assonances, and printed

two columns

on cheap quarto paper, with a coarse engraving by way

of frontispiece.
leaves.

They form pamphlets

full

of six or eight
of them
;

The

booksellers' shops are

thou-

sands are seen suspended pell-mell amid the ballads and

the
versified

legends sold at the

addressed

open-air

bookstalls.

The
his

epigram

to a too fertile

Roman

poet,

who was burned

after his death

on

pyre formed of

own works, might without

most Spanish dramatists.

exaggeration be applied

to

They have
in

a fertility of

invention, a

way of crowding
it

events and complicat-

ing the plot, which

is

impossible to give any idea of.

Spaniards invented the drama, long before Shakespeare;

their theatre
is

Romanticist in the

fullest sense

of the

word.

Apart from some puerile exhibitions of erudiplays

tion, their

owe nothing

either to the

Greeks or
"

the Latins, and, as

Lope de Vega
I

says in his

New
with

Art of Writing Plays," "

seven keys."

lock up the

rules

Spanish dramatists do not appear to have troubled

much
one

about depicting character, although

in

every scene

comes upon

piquant and
3
J

delicate

observations.

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
Man
is

not

studied
in

philosophically,

and one

does

not often meet

figures so

their
in

dramas with those individual

frequent

the

work of

the great English

dramatist,

which are copied from

life,

which help on
purpose
is

the action but indirectly, and

represent one side of the

whose

sole

to

human

soul,

an original per-

sonality, or else to reflect the

poet's thought.

With

the Spaniards the author rarely shows his personality

except

at

the end

of the drama,

when he

begs the

spectator to pardon his faults.

The
to

principal motive
is

in

Spanish plays

is

the point
is

of honour, which
the

to the Spanish play

Its

what Fate
its

Greek

tragedy.

inflexible

laws,

cruel

consequences, easily give

highest interest.
ion, with
far
its

rise to

dramatic scenes of the

sort of chivalric religits

El pundonor, a
its

code of laws,

statutes,

refinement,

is

superior to the

rf6.yu.Kv-,

to the Fate of antiquity,

whose

blindly dealt strokes

fall at

haphazard upon both

often rebels,

the guilty and the innocent.

One
at

when

reading the
hero,

Greek

dramatists,

the situation of the

who

is

equally criminal whether he acts or does

Castilian point of
in

not act.

The

honour

is

always perBesides,
it

fectly logical
is

and

agreement with
all

itself.

onlv the exaggeration of

human

virtues carried to

3'8

MALAGA
the highest degree of susceptibility
;

the hero

always

preserves a noble, solemn attitude, even in the midst of

his

most horrible outbursts of anger and

It
is

in

his

most
lo\
-

atrocious vengeance.
alt}',

always in the

name

of

of conjugal

faith,

of respect for

ancestors,
its

of

the integrity of his name, that he draws from

his great

sheath

sword with the iron shell-guard, even against

he loves with
all

those

whom

his

soul and
slay.

whom

an

imperious necessity compels him to

in

The

interest

most of the plays of the old Spanish drama, the

of

touch

sympathetic

interest

so

keenly

felt

by the

spectators,

who, under

similar

circumstances would

have acted exactly

as the characters in the play, springs

from the struggle between passions and the point of

honour.

With

so

fruitful

motive,

one so deeply

rooted in the manners of the time, the prodigious fertility

of the old dramatists of the Peninsula

is

easily

understood.
est lies
in

Another no

less

abundant source of inter-

virtuous actions, in chivalrous devotion, in

in

sublime renunciation,

unchanging

fidelity, in

super-

human
best-laid

passion,

in

ideal

refinement, which resist the

plots 'and

the most

complicated ambushes.

In

this case the

poet seems to intend to exhibit to the

spectators a complete

model of human perfection.

All

3'9

Jj .U 4. 4, 4, 4. 4. 4; 4j 4? 4; 4; 4; 4; 4. 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4j

TRAVELS

IN SPAIN

the qualities he can think of he bestows upon his prince

or his princess; he makes them more anxious to preserve their purity than
is

even the white ermine, which

its

would rather

die than stain

snowy

fur.

A
in its

deep Catholic and feudal feeling breathes through

all this

drama, which

is

absolutely national in

its

origin,

matter, and

in its

form.

The
is

division into three

days adopted by Spanish authors

unquestionably the

most reasonable and

and the termination,
of
every
well

logical.

The
is

exposition, the knot,

such
it

the natural distribution

action,

understood dramatic
in

and

we

should be wise to adopt

into five acts,

place of the old division

are so often useless, the

two of which
fourth.
It

second

and

the

should not, however, be

if

supposed that the old Spanish plays were nothing

sublime.

not

The

grotesque, that indispensable element of

mediaeval
gracioso,

art, is

introduced into

it

in the

person of the

of the bobo (clown),

who

enlivens the serious

less

situation or action

by more or

risque jokes

and

pleasantries,

and produces by the

side of the hero the

same

effect as

those deformed dwarfs with variegated

jackets, playing
selves,

with

greyhounds

taller

than

them-

which

are represented

by the side of the king

in

or prince in the old portraits

the galleries.

320

.1*

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! 4* #4* ! 4* *4* *! ?* *!* *

MALAGA
Moratin, the author of the "
Si

de

las

Ninos," and

"

el

Cofe," whose tomb

is

is

in the

Pere Lachaise ceme-

tery in Paris,

the last representative of the Spanish

the old painter
last

dramatic

art,

as

Goya, who died

at

Bordeaux

in

1828, was the

descendant of the great

Velasquez.

Nowadays Spanish
lations

theatres give

little

else

than trans-

of French
the

melodramas and

vaudevilles.

At

Jaen, in

heart of

Andalusia, they were playing

"The
two

Bell-ringer of Saint Paul's"; at Cadiz, within

steps of Africa,

"

The

Street

Boy of

Paris."

The
local

saynetes, once so gay, so original, of such

marked

savour,

are

now

only imitations borrowed

from the

repertory of the Theatres des Varietes.

Leaving out

Martinez de

la

Rosa and Antonio Gil y Zarate, who

recent
period, Spain counts,
talent

already belong to a less

nevertheless, a

number of young men of

and

promise
is

but popular attention in Spain as in France

in

drawn

another direction through the seriousness

of events.

Hartzenbusch, the author of

;

"The

Lovers

of Teruel "

Castro y Orozo, the author of " Frey

Luis de Leon, or the

Age and
el

the

World "

Zorillo,

whose drama, " Fl Rey y

cessful
21
;

Zapatero," was so suc-

Breton de

los

Herreros, the

Duke

of Rivas,

321

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TRAVELS
Larra,

IN SPAIN
;

who

killed himself for love

Esproncedo, whose

death has but recently been announced, and

into his

who

put

work
his

a force and

passionate energy sometimes

worthy of

model, Byron, are

alas

of the

latter

two we must say were

writers full of merit, ingen-

ious, elegant, facile poets,

who might

be placed side by

side with the old masters if they did not lack

all

what we

lack,

certainty, a firm starting-point, a stock of

ideas shared

with the public.

The
is

point of honour

and the heroism of the old plays

stood or seems ridiculous, and

no longer underbeliefs are not

modern

yet sufficiently formulated for poets to express them.

So
the

we must

not blame overmuch the crowd which in

the circuses and seeks emotions
It
is

meantime invades
are to

where they

be found.

not the people's

fault, after all, if the theatres are

it

not more attractive;

is

so

much

the worse for the poets, if they let the

gladiators conquer them.

On

the whole

it

is

better for the

mind and the heart

heaven

to see bold

men

slay a wild beast in the face of

thin to hear an actor without talent singing an obscene

vaudeville
or

chattering

wretched

literature

behind

smoky

footlights.

322

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
'
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CORDOVA

UP
family,
pleted

to this

time

we had made acquaintance with

;

two-wheeled galleys only

we were now

to

learn something of the four-wheeled galley.

One

of

these pleasant

vehicles, filled
to
start

already with a
for

Spanish

was about
the load.

Cordova.

We

com-

Imagine a

fairly

low cart provided

with open-work side-straps, and having for flooring an

esparto net in which are heaped up trunks and pack-

ages

without

much

care for

the

projecting and re-

entering

angles.

On

top

are

thrown two or three

mattresses, or, to speak

more
a

accurately, linen sacks in

which have been inserted

wool
;

few lumps of uncarded

transversely,

upon these mattresses, stretched

the poor travellers, in an attitude

may
very
feet

we
like

be forthat of

given

the

dreadful

comparison!

calves carried to market.

Their

are

not bound,
cart,

but their position

ered

is

scarce improved.

The
is

covby a

by a stout awning over hoops,

driven

mavoral and drawn by four mules.

323

A* &*

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J* ^* * *! "I* "!^ *!*

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
The
of
family with which
fairly
It

we were

travelling

was

that

an engineer,
easily.

well

instructed

and

speaking

French

was accompanied by
formerly

a tall rascal of
in

uncouth mien,

who had

been a brigand
a

Jose Maria's band, and

now was

mine

inspector.
in
belt,

He

followed the galley

holster.

on horseback, knife

carbine on
great
deal

The

engineer seemed to think a

his

of him, and praised

probity as

if

his

former profession inspired him with no uneasiness on

the
subject.
It
is

true that
said of

when speaking
that he

of Jose
a worthy, to us
is

Maria he repeatedly
honest man.
slightly

him

was

This opinion, which would appear

applied
to a

paradoxical as
in

highwayman,

shared

Andalusia by the most honourable people.

Spain has remained African in this respect, and bandits

are easily accepted as
less

heroes,
at

a curious

connection
in

strange
;

than

seems

first

sight, especially

France
is

because where the imagination of the people

so highly impressionable,

contempt
audacious

for death, bold-

ness, coolness,

prompt
sort

and

decision, skill

and strength, the

of grandeur which attaches to a

society,

man

in

revolt

against
act

are

not

all

those
little

qualities,

which

so

powerfully

on

minds

civilised, the very

traits

which form great characters;

3 24

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i**l|*r|*|*f|#l*>t*l<lvf l*l*c

CO.RDO V A
and are the people so very wrong
ergetic natures, although
to

admire these en-

the use
?

to

which they turn

them

is

worthy of condemnation
road along which
in rather

The

we were

travelling climbed

up and down,
sected by
hills

abrupt fashion, a district inter-

and narrow valleys, the bottom of which

full

formed dry river-beds

of huge stones, which jolted

us atrociously and drew sharp cries from the

women
The
with
a

and children.

On

the

way we

noticed

some remark-

ably poetic and richly coloured

distant

sunset effects.

mountains

turned

purple

and

violet,

golden haze of extraordinary warmth and intensity over

all.

The complete

absence

of vegetation

gave

to

the

landscape, composed

solely

of

soil

and sky, an
barrenness,

appearance of

grand

nudity
is

and

fierce

the equivalent of which

with,

nowhere
have

else to

be met
in

and

which

painters

never succeeded

reproducing.

We
to take

halted for a

few hours

at

nightfall
rest the

in

little

hamlet of three or four houses, to

mules and

some nourishment.
started again,

At about one
in spite

in the

morn-

ing
jolts

we

and

of the extraordinary

and the children of the mining engineer,

who

rolled

over us, and the way our heads were bumped

325

A* *! t,

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!.-.

wna

*! !* #&!* #4* ** 4
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*

***! ^ " ^l* !& * * ** *" * "" w *"" *** *" **

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
against the sides,

we were

not long
us,

in

going to sleep.
Caratraca,

When

the sun

awakened

we were near

an insignificant village which was not marked on the

map and
are very
this

is

known

only for
in

its

sulphur springs, which

;

efficacious

skin diseases

they attract to
lot

lonesome place a suspicious-looking

of people
in contact.
it

with

whom

it

would be unhealthy
frightfully,

to

come

These people gamble

yet very
early, the

and although

was

cards and the gold-pieces were al-

ready flying over

the

table.

It

was

hideous to see
hide-

these earthy, greenish-faced patients

made more

ous

still

by rapacity, and the convulsive fingers slowly

put out to seize their prey.

The

houses of Caratraca, like those of every Anda-

lusian village, are whitewashed,

which with the bright-

coloured

tiles

and the leaves of the vines and shrubs

air

which surround them, gives them an

of comfort

and ease very different from the opinion which most

people in Europe have of Spanish filthiness, an opinion

which

is

widespread but which can have arisen only

in

through some wretched hamlets

Castile, of
in

which
and
at-

we

have more than

In
the

the equivalent

Brittany

Sologne.

courtyard

my

glances

were

tracted by coarse frescoes representing in most primi-

326

.( *i *.K

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CORDOVA
tive

fashion

scenes

from
in

bull-fights.

Around the

paintings

were stanzas
quadrille.

honour of Paquirro Montes

and

his

After
nessed
place

we
to

had had our

galley,

siesta, the

mules were har-

the
the

each

one of us

resumed

his

upon

mattress, the

escopetero climbed on

his little

mountain-horse, the mayoral collected pebbles

to throw at his animals, and

we

started

again.

The

country

we were
:

traversing

was wild without being

stony torrent-beds like

picturesque

bare, rough hills,

in

cicatrices cut
rains,

the ground by the devastating winter

olive
trees, the pale

woods of
with
;

foliage of

which,

covered
coolness

dust,

suggested no idea of verdure or

there

here

and

on

the

gullied

banks

of

chalk or tufa ravines, a clump of fennel turned white

by the heat

on the dusty road the tracks of serpents

all

and vipers; over

breath

a sky as

hot

as

an oven, not a
gray sand
dead.

of

air,

not

puff of wind,

the
fell

thrown
sun
fit

up by the hoofs of the mules

to

A
the

heat

iron

white-hot beat

down upon

awning of our
ing like

galley, inside of
glass.

which

we were

ripen-

melons under

From

time to time

we

alighted and walked for

some

distance, keeping within

cart,

the

shadow of the horse or the

327

and climbed back

TRAVELS

IN SPAIN
we
could only reach our

with unstifFened legs into our place, stumbling over the

children and the mother, for

corner by crawling on all-fours under the low arch of

the galley hoops.

By

dint of crossing ravines

and quagmires and cut-

ting across fields to shorten the way,

lose the road.
it,

we managed

to

Our
as
if

mayoral, in hopes of coming across

went on
;

he were quite sure of where he was

going

for cosarios
lost

and guides will never confess that

very
last

they are

until the
fifteen

moment, when they

miles ofF the road.
lose this

have taken you

It
is

or eighteen

true

that nothing

was

easier than to

astounding

road,

scarcely beaten, cut every

moment
with

by ravines.

We

were

in the

midst of great

fields

scattered, stunted olive trees with twisted trunks, with-

out any trace of

human

dwelling or of living beings.

Since morning

we

had met but one half-naked mu-

chacho

driving

before

him,

in
fell.

cloud

of dust, a

dozen black porkers.

troubles, there

Night

To

complete our

was no moon, and we had nothing

Every few
felt

but the faint light of the stars to go by.

minutes the mayoral got down from his seat and

the ground with his hands to
ascertain if there

was

not

road, or

wheel-track which

might lead us

328

4. 4* 4 4; 4 4; 4? A; 4; 4j 4j 4j 4.

A 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4j

CORDOVA
back to the road
and
;

but his investigations were useless,

much

against his will he

was compelled
did not
it
;

to

tell

us that he had lost his

way and

know where

he

was.

He

could not understand

he had travelled

twenty times along the road and could have gone to

Cordova with

his

eyes shut.

However,

after

having wandered

at

haphazard for
distance

two
a

or three hours,

we

perceived far in the

like

light

shining

through branches

a
star

glow-worm.
and drove
the

We
in

immediately
its

made
as

it

our polar

direction

straight as

possible,

running

risk of upsetting at
in
all

every step.
it

Sometimes a hollow
sight,

the ground concealed

from our
;

and then and

nature seemed a blank

then
last

it

reappeared,

our hopes rose again.

to a

At

we

got close enough

farm to make out the window, the heaven whence

star in the

shone our

shape of a brass lamp.

Ox-wag-

gons and agricultural implements scattered here and

there

wholly reassured

us,

for

we might have
some
smugglers'

fallen

upon

some

cut-throat

place,

den.

The
came
night

dogs, having scented us, were barking loudly, so

that very

soon

the
in

whole farm
hand,
to

was
the

up.

Peasants

out

gun

learn

cause of the

alarm,

and

having

ascertained

that

we were

3 29

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TRAVELS
honest travellers

IN SPAIN
lost

who

had

their

way, they

politely

asked us to
It

come and

rest in the

farmhouse.
old

was

their supper time.

An

woman, wrinkled,

tanned, and almost mummified, was preparing in a red

earthen jar a huge gaspacho.

Five or six

tall

grey-

hounds, thin loined, broad chested, with splendid heads,

worthy of being

in

a royal

pack, followed the moveatair

ments of the old woman with the most sustained

tention

and

the

most

melancholy and admiring

imaginable.
for
is

But that delightful meal was not intended

in

them

Andalusia

it

is

men, not dogs,

to

whom
Cats

served a soup of bread crusts soaked in water.

tail,

deprived of ears and

for

in

Spain these orna-

mental superfluities are cut

off,

and

who

looked like
a

Japanese monsters, also watched, but from

distance, the appetising preparations.

greater

We

were given

for guide

young fellow who was

thoroughly acquainted with the roads, and

who

took u9

without

difficulty

to

Ecija,

which we reached about

ten in the morning.

The

approach to Ecija
at

is

rather picturesque.

It

is

reached by a bridge,

one end of which stands a

monumental arcaded
which
is

gate.

The

bridge spans the river,

the

Granada Genii, obstructed by the ruins of

33

**

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*4* ** ** *i* * *rU *i

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-"*

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-

* I*

CORDOVA
antique arches and mill-weirs.

At the other end one

and adorned with
is

enters a square planted with trees

two monuments

in

poor

taste.

The one
pillar of

gilt statue

of the Virgin placed upon a

which the holornamented

lowed out base forms a

with pots of
pith,

sort of chapel,

artificial flowers,

ex votos, wreaths of elder-

and
is

all

the

gewgaws of Southern

devotion.

The

other

a giant Saint Christopher, also in gilt metal,

leaning upon a palm tree, a stick proportionate to his

height, and carrying

on

his

shoulder with the most pro-

digious contraction of muscles

and with

efforts

which

would

suffice to

lift

a house, an exceedingly small Child

its

Jesus, delightful in

delicacy and daintiness.

This

colossus, attributed to the Florentine sculptor Torregiani,

who

broke Michael Angelo's nose with a blow

is

of

his fist,

perched upon a column of the Salomonic

the

order (that

is

name given here

to twisted

pillars)

in pale rose granite, the spiral

of which ends half-way

up
I

in

extravagant volutes and foliage.

like Very

much

statues thus placed

they are more

effective

and can be seen from a greater distance and

more advantageously.

Ordinary pedestals are usually

massive and heavy, and thus diminish the lightness of

the figures they upbear.

33 1

X* 4* ~! !*

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** * ** *=* *4^

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f =*

TRAVELS
Ecija, although

IN SPAIN
beaten
is

lying

outside of the
little

track

of tourists and consequently

less a

known,

neverthe-

most interesting town, very original and charac-

teristic.

The
of
its

steeples,

which form the most striking

are

feature

silhouette,

neither

Byzantine nor

Gothic nor Renaissance; they are Chinese, or rather,

Japanese.

They might

be

mistaken

for

some miao

consecrated to Confucius, Buddha, or Fo, for they are

covered

all

over with

porcelain

or

china

tiles

most

brilliantly coloured, ribbed

with green, and white var-

nished

tiles

laid

checker-board wise, which have the

possible.

most peculiar appearance

architecture
is

The

rest

of the

no

less fantastic,
its

and the love of the grolimit.

It

tesque

is

carried to
gildings,
if

utmost

consists of a

maze of

incrustations, breccias

and coloured

marbles used as

they were stuffs; wreaths of flowers,

all

love-knots, puffy angels

painted and rouged, of intaste.

conceivable richness and in sublimely bad

The

Calle de los Caballeros, where live the nobility

finest

and on which are situated the

lous in this respect.
in It
is

hotels,

is

marvelis

hard to believe that one

real street,

between houses inhabited by actual

not a straight line
friezes,
in
it
;

beings.
its

There

is

its

balconies,

iron-work,

its

everything
33 2

is

twisted and

4; 4; 4; 4; 4* 4;

^ 4; 4; 47 4; 4. 4. 4; 4. db^;^;^:^

it*

sktk

CORDOVA
turned, and blooms out into flowers, volutes, and foliage.

There

is

not a single inch which

is

not hatched, fesAll that rococo

all

tooned, uilded, embroidered, or painted.

can produce of most rocky disorder,

taste,

that

French

even

at
is

the worst times, has always

known how

to

avoid,

here most luxuriant.

style

This Pompadourone
in

Dutch-Chinese
lusia.

amuses and
houses

startles

Andaof a

Most of

the

are

whitewashed

dazzling whiteness which stands out against the dark

blue of the sky, and their
flat

roofs and

their

small

windows and look-outs made

idea confirmed

us think of Africa,

an
is

by the heat of ninety degrees, which

the average temperature of the place in cool summers.

Ecija
is

called

the Andalusian Frying Pan, and never

its

did any place better deserve

name.
hills

Situated on

low
off

ground
the

it

is

surrounded by sandy
reflect

which keep

wind and

the rays of the sun.

Man

lives

there in a state of constant

stew.

Nevertheless,

we

bravely traversed
breakfast.

it

in

every direction while waiting for

is

The

Plaza Major

very striking, with

its

its

pillared houses, its rose

windows,
inn

arcades and pro-

moting balconies.
and

Our

was

rather

comfortable,

we were
with

served a most decent

meal, which
after

we

enjoyed

pardonable

sensuality

our

many

333

.,

4 -t.

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4~ 4 4

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4 ^^ijtfctsbdbdbilrdb dbtfctfcrlbtfcdb

TR AVELS IN SPAIN
privations.

long sleep in a well closed, well dark-

ened, well watered

room

fully rested

us,

and when

at

about three o'clock

we climbed back

into the galley,

we looked

quite serene and resigned.

The

road from

Ecija to Carlotta, where

we were

to sleep, runs through an uninteresting district, barren

and dusty
and
it

at least, so
left

it

appeared to us

at that

season,

has

no particular mark on our remembrance.

From time
green
spread

to time a

few clumps of olive

here

trees or of

oaks
their

showed

and

there,

and the

aloes

bluish foliage,

which always produces a

striking effect.

Carlotta,

where we stopped

for the night,

is

is

hamlet

of no importance.

The

inn

an old convent which

is

was
case

first

used as a barracks, as times

almost always the

life

in

of revolution, military

being that

which most
for

easily adapts itself to buildings constructed

life.

monkish

Long

arcaded corridors formed an

sides

open gallery upon the four

of a court.

In the

centre of one of these yawned the black mouth of a

huge well, very deep, which promised us the delightful

treat

of clear, cold water.

interior

As

bent over the edge,

saw that the

liest

was hung with

plants of the lovinterstices of the

green, which had

grown
334

in the

4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4, 4. 4;

4j 4? 4. 4j 4; 4; 4j 4- 4; 4; J; 4; 4j 4; 4.
in

CORDOVA
stones
;

and

it

was

wells, indeed, that

one had
heat

to

look

to find

verdure and coolness, for the

in the

was
fire.

comparable to that

neighbourhood of a great

The

temperature of a hot-house in which tropical plants

it ;

are raised can alone give any idea of

the very air was

fire

burning, and the puffs of wind seemed to carry

with them.
\(Ve
left

Carlotta

at

about

three o'clock

in

the

afternoon, and in the evening

gipsy
hut,

we

halted at a wretched

the

roof of which

consisted

merely

of

branches of trees, placed like coarse thatch upon cross

poles.
I

After having drunk

quietly

few glasses of water,

lay

down

in

front of the door, and while

I

looking into the

deep azure of the sky

was not
if I

long in sinking into a deep sleep, just as

lying

were

on the

softest

of beds.
robe

Never
the

did
in

lovelier
its

and

more serene night

earth

blue

velvet mantle.
again,

At about midnight the

galley started

and

at

dawn we were

within

half

league

of Cordova.

The
from

description of our halts and our days' journeys

might lead to the belief that

Cordova
had

is

a long

way
an

Malaga,

and

that

we

travelled

over

enormous extent of road, during the four days and

335

A*JU i *t* rL% #j*

*!-*

*i 4* A*4*4*4*i, *=^*4o*l* #** JU ******

TRAVELS
a half, yet the

IN SPAIN
is

distance traversed

only about twenty

;

Spanish leagues, or about ninety miles

riage

but the car-

was heavily

laden,

the

road

abominable, and

there were no the

intolerable

relays

of mules ready.

Add

to

this

heat,
if

which would

have
out

killed

both

men and
sun was

beasts
high.

we had

ventured

while the

We

look back pleasantly upon that

Swift travelling
is

slow and toilsome journey.

of charm.

devoid

You

are carried along as in a whirlwind

and you have no time to see anything.

to

If

you

are

get

to

the end

of your trip
at

at

once, you
I

might
is

just as well

remain

home.

What

enjoy

the

travelling itself and

not the arrival.

Cordova
across the
place.

is

entered from the Ecija side by a bridge

is

Guadalquivir which

fairly

wide

at

this

Close by are to be seen the ruins of an Arab

aqueduct.
great

The
recent

end of the bridge

is

defended by a

square, crenellated tower flanked

by casemates
gates were

of more

construction.

The

city

not yet open.

majestic,

multitude of ox-teams, enormous,

adorned

with

tiaras

of esparto;
;

of mules

and white donkeys laden with cut straw

of peasants

with sugar-loaf hats, wearing cloaks of brown wool,

falling

before

and

behind

like

priest's

cape, and

33 6

i* *4 r\t ri * rkt

*J-

i ! *A

*A rl J* ** -A #A

*!

* ** * -!

i*

CORDOVA
which are put on by passing the head through a hole
cut in the centre of the piece of stuff, were waiting
for

the

opening of the gates with

the

phlegm and

patience usual to Spaniards,

in

who
at

appear never to be
the gates of Paris

hurry.

similar
a

crowd

would have made

in insults

horrible noise,

and have indulged

and invectives.

In this case no sound was

heard but the trembling of a copper bell on a mule's

collar
its

and the

silvery

tinkle of a
its

leading ass changing

position

or resting

head upon the neck of a

long-eared brother.

We

profited

by the halt to

examine
gate,

leisurely

the
a

situation

of Cordova.

fine

looking

like

triumphal arch of the Ionic order and in such good

taste that
it

might have been thought to be Roman,

majestic
I

formed

the

entrance

to

the

city

of

the

Caliphs, though

should have preferred one of those

beautiful horse-shoe
in

Moorish arches such

rises

as

one sees
the

Granada.

mosque-cathedral
city,
its

above

walls

and the roofs of the

temple, with

resembling a citadel

rather than a

high walls broken by

the

Arab battlements and the heavy Gothic dome

upon
its

resting

eastern

platform.

These
an

wlls,

it

must be confessed, are washed

with

abominable

337

3? * *- * tw

*? l*i*i
rw vra

S.

.r*

4^ 4^ 4* 4*^ 4> ^ ^ * '^ t ' * * * * w wrw *t<# *<* vtu

t*

ft> <li *i *!#!

fU *n

wi tAU

<u>

TRAVELS
yellow
colour.

IN SPAIN
being

Without

of

those

who

are

particularly

fond of mouldy, leprous-looking buildings,

we

entertain a peculiar horror for this hideous squash-

colour, which so delights priests, vestries, and chapters

in
all

countries,

for they

never

fail

to

use

it

upon

the marvellous cathedrals which are intrusted to them.

Buildings must be painted and always have been, even

in

the

most

artistic

days,

only

the

shade

and

the

kind of wash should be selected with extreme care.

At

last

the gates were opened, and

we

had

first

the

exciting pleasure of being searched pretty minutely by

the

custom-house

officers,

after

which we were

left

free to repair with

our trunks to the nearest inn.

Cordova has more of an African look than any

other Andalusian city
:

its

streets, or rather,

lanes,

the disorderly paving of which resembles the dry bed

of a
falls

torrent,

strewn
load;,

with

the short

straw which

from the
the

carried by the asses, in

habits

no wise

recall

manners and

of

Europeans.
a

You

walk between endless chalky walls with

and barred windows
sive
face,
;

few grated

you meet
in

beggar with repul-

devotee

her black hood, or a majo

riding swiftly by

upon

a white-harnessed,

brown horse
it

which

strikes

sparks from the stones as

goes.

If

338

JL

*!'*

! *' *J

*!*

*i- *!

** *! ***=**=**=***** y *4* 4 *l* 4 *=*-

CORDOVA
the
alter

Moors were

to

return,

they

would not have

to

much

before settling down.

that
it

The
has
is

idea that

one

may have of Cordova,

traceried

spires

and houses with Gothic windows,

entirely incorrect.

The
to

universal use of whitewash gives a uniform tone

all

the

buildings,

filling

the

cavities,

concealing

the tracery and preventing one guessing at their age.

Thanks

to

whitewash, a wall

built a century

ago cannot

be distinguished from one finished yesterday. of yore the wonder of Arab civilisation,
a
is

Cordova,

now

only

mass of

little

white houses divided

into blocks by

narrow lanes which would not give passage to two

mules abreast
;

above

rise a

few Indian

fig-trees,

with

metallic-looking foliage, and feathery palms.

Life seems to have abandoned this great body, so

animated

in

the time of the Moors.

It

is

now

but

a whitened and glistening skeleton.

Cordova, however,

has preserved
novel, even

its

mosque,
travellers

unique monument, entirely

to

who have

already

had

an

opportunity of admiring the marvels of Arab architecture

at

Granada or
In spite of

Seville.
its

Moorish appearance, Cordova

and
is

is

good Christian

city,

placed

under the special

protection of the Archangel Raphael.

From

the bal-

339

4, 4; 4; 4; 4; 4j 4; 4; 4j 4j 4; 4*4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; j;

TRAVELS
in

^ 4; 4; 4; IN SPAIN
The
archangel
at

cony of our parador we saw the curious monument

honour of

this

divine patron.
in

the top of his

column, sword

hand, wings outspread,

glistering in gold,

seems to be eternally watching over

to
his

the city

intrusted

keeping.

The column,

of

gray granite with a Corinthian capital in gilded bronze,

rests

on a small tower or lantern

is

in

rose granite, the

lower portion of which

formed of rock-work, upon

which
a

are grouped
fantastic

horse, a palm tree, a lion, and

most

mirine

monster.

Four

allegorical
is

statues complete

the ornamentation.

In the base

enclosed the coffin of Bishop Pascal,

for his piety and
his

who was famous

"I swear

devotion to the holy archangel.

is

The
to
to

following inscription

cut on a scroll:
I

you by Jesus Christ that

am

the

Angel Raphael,

whom God
You may

has given

this

post for the guarding

of this city."
ask,

how

it

is

known

that

the

Archangel
city

Raphael happened to be the patron of the old

of

Abd-er-Rhaman and
find

not

some one

else.

You

will
at

the answer in a ballad, printed

at

by

permission
in

Cordova
Street.

Don

Raphael Garcia Rodriguez',

Liberty

This

precious

document has

at

its

head

woodcut representing the archangel with

outspread

340

4. 4. 4, 4. 4. J, 4; 4; 4;

^ 4? 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; db sb
his

jfc db

CQRDOV
wings, a halo around
his
fish in

head, his travelling-stick and

his

hand, majestically placed

between two

superb pots of hyacinths and peonies, with an inscription

which

reads

thus
his

" Truthful

Account and

curious
angel,

Legend of

Lordship Saint Raphael, ArchPest,

Advocate of the

and Guardian of the City

goes on to state

of Cordova."

The document
and
of

how

the blessed archangel appeared to

a

Don
of

Andreas Roelas,
and
addressed
the
first

gentleman

priest

Cordova,

to

him

in
is

his

room

speech

which

sentence

that

which has been engraved upon the

the

column.

The

speech, which

legends

have prea half, the

served, lasted for

priest

more than an hour and

and archangel being seated opposite each other,

each on a chair.
in

The

apparition took place

it

May
of

7
it

the year of grace

1578, and

is

in

memory

that this

monument

has been erected.

The
observe

esplanade, surrounded

by an iron-work fence,
one to

stretches

around the monument, and enables

it

from every
and
beauty

side.

Statues thus
greatly

placed gain

elegance

which

please

me

and

which wonderfully conceal the bareness of a terrace or

a public square, or of too large a court.

The

exterior of the cathedral had not attracted

us

341

A JU

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"**ab

TRAVELS
greatly,

IN SPAIN
to

and

we

feared

be

bitterly

disappointed.

Victor Hugo's lines,

. . .

"
Has
its

Cordova, besides

its

old houses,

mosque,
to

in

which the eye roams amid marvels,"

;

seemed

us in advance too flattering

but

we were
It

soon convinced that they were

entirely justified.
first

was the Caliph Abd-er-Rhaman who

laid

the

foundation of the Cordova mosque towards the end of

the eighth century.

The work

proceeded with such

at

speed that the building was completed

the beginning

of the ninth century.

Twenty-one

years were suffi-

cient to erect that gigantic building.

that a thousand years ago a

When we
in

reflect

work

so admirable and of so short a

such colossal proportions was carried out

time and by a people

who have
is

since fallen into the

refuses to
is

deepest state of barbarism, one

believe

amazed and

in the so-called doctrine

;

of progress which

current to-day
trary

one

is

even tempted to adopt the concountries formerly occu-

opinion

when

visiting

pied by civilisations
part,
I

which have disappeared.

For

my

have always greatly regretted that the Moors

did

not

remain masters of Spain, which has certainly

loss

incurred

only through their

expulsion.

Under

their rule, if

we

are to believe the

popular exaggera-

342

-I-

4-

-1-

&

*J: :!

i:

-i-

- -k

CORDOVA
fifty

-kki: kJhd: d:zl:^:l:'i: '}: d:'J:

tions so seriously collected by historians,

Cordova had

two hundred and

thousand houses, eighty thousand

palaces, and nine hundred baths, while twelve thousand

villages

formed

its

suburbs

now

it

has not even forty

thousand inhabitants and appears almost deserted.

Abd-er-Rhaman wished

to

make

the

Mosque of

Cordova the object of pilgrimages, the chief temple of

Islam
next to that in which
I

rests

the

body of the
at

Prophet.
but
I

have not yet seen the Kasbah

Mecca,

question

whether

it

equals

in

splendour and
latter

extent the Spanish

mosque.

In the

was

pre-

served at one time one

of the original copies of the

relic,

Koran, and

still

more precious

bone of the

arm of Mahomet.

The common

people even
still

now

claim that the Sultan of Constantinople

ute to the

pays trib-

King of Spain

in

order that mass

may
to

not
the

be said in that portion

Prophet.
the

specially
is

consecrated

This chapel

ironically called

by devotees

Zancarron, a term of contempt which means

"The

bare bone."

The mosque

of Cordova has seven gates, which have

;

nothing monumental about them

ciple of the building
is

for the very prin-

opposed to

it

and does not allow

of the majestic portal imperiously required by the reg-

343

*: ::

~Jk

& "k *b &

:f?

**

"J.*

d*

:?; :* 'i: db

j t!; :i* :i* tt ti*

:*: d;

TRAVELS
ular plan
fore,

IN SPAIN
Nothing, therefor

of the Gothic cathedrals.

on the exterior prepares one

the

wondrous

spectacle of the interior.

Patio de
los

We

shall

pass through the

Naranjos, a vast and splendid court planted

with huge orange-trees, contemporaries of the Moorish

kings, surrounded by long galleries with marble-flagged
arcades, on one of the sides

of which

rises a spire

in

mediocre
as

taste,

an unskilful imitation of the Giralda,

we

later

ascertained in Seville.

Under the paveit

ment of
cistern.

this great court there exists,

is

said, a vast

In

the

time of the
los

Ommiyads one
straight

passed
the
the

from the Patio de

Naranjos

into
off"

mosque
view on

itself,

for the hideous wall

which cuts

this

side

was

built later.

The
ing
in
is

best idea that

to say that
it

we can

give of that strange build-

resembles a huge esplanade closed

pillars.

and surrounded by groves of

is

This espla-

nade

four hundred and twenty feet wide and four

hundred
eight

and

forty

feet

long

the
is

columns number
but
half of the

hundred and

sixty.
it

There
said.

original

mosque

left,

is

The
ancient

impression sanctuary

made on one on
of
Islam
is

entering

this

indefinable

and

has

no resemblance

to the

emotions usually produced by

344

A. 4.

,.

4* 4, 4, 4. 4, 4>4>^;^;ti:t^^;^:^;^:4;4;44;^;4;

CORDOVA
architecture.

One

seems

to

walk through a

ceiled

forest rather than

through a building.

Whichever way
lines

one turns, the glance wanders down

of

pillars

which cross and

stretch as far as the eye can reach like

a marble vegetation

which has spontaneously sprung

mysterious twilight which reigns
to the
illusion.

from the
in this

soil.

The

stone

forest adds

There

are

nineteen naves in the direction of the breadth, thirtysix in the other,

is

but the opening of the cross arcades

is

narrower.

Each nave

formed of two ranks of

superimposed arches, some of which cross and interlace

like

ribbons,

producing

the

quaintest

effects.

The

pillars,

which are cut out of

single blocks of stone, are

not more than ten to twelve feet in height to their capital,

which

is

in a strong

and delicate Arab-Corinthian

style recalling the

African palm rather than the Greek

are of precious marbles,

acanthus.

The

pillars

por-

phyry, jasper, green and violet breccia and other precious materials
;

there

are even
it is

some antique

pillars

among them, which come,

a former temple of Janus.
different religions has

said,

from the ruins of

So the worship of three

this site.

been celebrated on

Of

these three religions, one has disappeared forever in the

abyss of the past with the civilisation which

it

repre-

345

4 4; 4. 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; -ij 4; 4j 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; J. 4; 4; 4;

4;

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
sented
;

the has

other has

been

driven

out

of

Europe,

where

it

now

but a foothold, to the very confines

of Oriental barbarism; the third, after having reached

its
is

apogee,

now mined

by the

spirit

of investigation,
in those countries

growing weaker day by day even

it

where

formerly reigned as absolute

sovereign

and
long

perhaps Abd-er-Rhaman's old mosque

may

last
its

enough

to see a fourth creed

installed

under

arches,

celebrating with another ritual and with other

hymns

the

new god,

or
with

rather the

new

prophet, for

God

never changes.
In
the days
filled

of the

Caliphs, eight
oil

hundred

silver

lamps
naves,

aromatic

lighted

up these long
jasper of the

made

the porphyry and polished

again,

columns

flash

studded with spangles

of

light

the gilded stars of the ceiling, and

showed through the

the verses

shadows the

crystal
in

mosaics and

of

the-

Koran
these

interlaced

arabesques and flowers.

bells

lamps were
taken

the
the

of Santiago

Among de Comand
sus-

postello,

by

Moors.

Overset

pended from the ceiling by

the
at

silver chains, they illumined his prophet,

temple of Allah and

much

surprised

having turned into Moslem lamps

bells.

after

having been

Catholic

In those days the glance could roam

346

% i *t. rju #A.

ju j^

a, ri* #4* mi% *#i* l* *4* *4* !* !* ! !* !

d* ** !

C
freely along the vast

ORDOVA
colonnades and discover from one
the

end
the

of the temple

orange trees

in

bloom and
in

upspringing

fountains
all

of the

court

flood

of light which was

the the

more dazzling by
interior.

contrast

with
this

the

twilight

of

Unfortunately,

magnificent

prospect

is

now

obstructed

by the
in

Catholic church, a huge

building, set heavily

the

very centre of the Arab mosque.

Retables, chapels,
the general

and

sacristies

encumber and destroy

parasitic

symstone

metry.

This

church,

monstrous

mushroom, an
on the back

architectural

wart

which

has

grown

of the Arab building, was constructed

is

from the designs of Hernan Ruiz, and

merit in
but
it

not without
;

itself;

anywhere

else

it

would be admired
that
it

is

forever to be regretted
it

should
in

have
spite

been placed where

stands.

It

was

built,

of the resistance of the municipal authorities, by the

chapter, in consequence of a decree obtained surreptitiously

from the Emperor Charles V, who had not

Visiting
I
it

seen the mosque.

few
the

years later, he
facts,
I

remarked
never

"

If

had
the

known
old

should

have

allowed

work

to

be

touched.
in

You

have put what may be seen anywhere

is

place

of what

to

be

seen

nowhere

else."

This well

347

i*i-.

ri-% |-

J- .1, 1

|^

l* 4* 4*^4-4^l-?U

.-ft*

*!*!* i #1* #1* #i**J*

TRAVELS
deserved

IN SPAIN
evil

reproach

shamed the chapter, but the

was done.
In the choir there
is

a vast

piece of carved

wood-

work

in

massive mahogany, which represents subjects

drawn from the Old

Testament, and which

is

the

work of Pedro Cornejo, who

life

spent ten years of his

seen on the
a

in

this vast

labour, as

may be
lies

tomb

of the poor

artist,

who

asleep
of*

short

distance

from

his masterpiece.

Speaking

tombs,

we

noticed

a curious one set into the wall, in shape like a trunk

and closed with three padlocks.

Until the middle of the eighteenth century the old cedar and larch ceiling of Abd-er-Rahman had been
preserved, with
ental beauty;
it

its

sunken panels,

its

lozenges and Ori-

has been replaced by vaults and semitaste.

cupolas

in

mediocre

The

old

pavement has
raised

been replaced by a

tiled

pavement, which has

conceals the

the level of the floor and

pillars,

base of the

and thus makes more striking the general defect

is

of the building, which

too low for

its

size.

All these profanations do not prevent

the

Mosque

of Cordova from being even

marvellous buildings
us feel
in

now one

of the most
if to

the world, and as

make

more

bitterly the

mutilation which the rest has

348

CORDO

VA
integrity.
its

undergone,, a portion, called the M'irahb, has been preserved as

if

by a miracle with scrupulous

The
their

carved

and

wooden
stars, its

ceiling,

with

media

naranja studded with

gratings
its

traceried

windows with
soft
light,

that

give

passage to a

the

gallery with
lines

trefoil, the
in

coloured-glass mosaics, the

crystal
letters

of the Koran
in

gilded,

which

wind

and out through the most complicated and

graceful ornaments and arabesques,

fairy richness, beauty,
is

form

work of
of which

and elegance, the

in

like

to

be

found

only

the

" Thousand and

art.

One
Never
better

Nights," and which need not envy their

were

lines

more

judiciously

chosen,
artists,

colours
in

combined.
delicate

Even

the

Gothic

their

most

fancy, in their most precious goldsmith-work

exhibit

something

sickly,

emaciated, and thin which

art.

recalls the

barbarism and the infancy of

of the
to
its

On

the

contrary, the architecture

civilisation

Mirahb

exhibits

which has attained

culminating point;
;

beyond there can only be decadence

ing of proportion,

nothing

is

lack-

harmony, richness, and grace.

enters
a

From

this

chapel one

small

and
is

highly

ornamented sanctuary, the ceiling of which

posed of a single block

comshell

of marble cut into a

349

! * *l

>!

!*

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JU

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JU i *A ,1. * *l% #L> *| !* #f%

cA !

J*

TRAVELS
shape and
probably
place

IN SPAIN
infinite

carved with
holy

delicacy.

This was
and
sacred

the

of

holies,

the

dread

where the presence of God was more manifest

Another chapel, the Chapel of the
said their prayers also
it

than elsewhere.

Moorish Kings, where the Caliphs

apart

from the multitude of

interesting and

believers,

presents

some
been

delightful details, but

has not

as fortunate as the

Mirahb, and

its

colours have

vanished under an ignoble layer of whitewash.

The

sacristies
set

overflow

with

treasures

dazzling

monstrances

with precious stones, silver reliquaries

large as

of enormous weight and wondrous work, as

small cathedrals,

candelabra, golden crucifixes, gold-

embroidered copes,
luxury.

of

Asiatic and

more than

regal

As we were about
us
led

to leave, the beadle to

who guided
corner

us

mysteriously

an

obscure

and

exhibited

to us as the
said

greatest curiosity the crucifix

which
nails
at

is

to

have been carved with his finger-

by a Christian prisoner upon a porphyry column

foot of

the

which he was chained.

of
his

By way of
us the
ofF.

proving
statue

the

truth

story,

he showed
little

of the poor captive standing a

way
is

Without being more of an unbeliever than

proper

350

?*

*! *- *r*

*=r* rl*

*4* *s* ** ** *i * e*

*!"*

** i* **

J*

*?-

#-frl

CORDOVA
in

matters of legend,
those days either

could not help thinking that

very hard finger nails

in

men had
soft.

or

porphyry

was very
is

Nor

is

this

the

only

crucifix; there

second one upon another column

done.

but

much

less

well

The

beadle also showed

us a huge ivory tusk suspended from the ceiling of a

cupola by iron

chains, like the hunting-horn of

some
it

Nimrod of
is

a vanished

world.

The

tusk belonged,
in

said,

to

one of the elephants employed

hauling

the material during the building of the mosque.

On
the
else

leaving

the

cathedral,

we

stopped

for a few'

moments

before a pretty Gothic portal which forms

facade
it

of the

Foundling

Hospital.

Anywhere

would be admired, but the imposing neighin

bourhood

which

it

is

placed eclipses

it.

Having
occupy us
pleasant.

visited
in

the cathedral, there

in

was nothing

to

Cordova, a stay

which was not very

of a stranger
is

The

only amusement
or

to

bathe

in

the Guadalquivir

to be

shaved

in

one

of the numerous barber-shops around the mosque, an

help
operation

the

performed

most dexterously, with

of a

huge razor, by a small individual perched

in

upon the back of the great oaken armchair

you are seated.

which

351

A* *i

*-4

I*

*-*

*JU

' ~* *"

**

**"*

*S* *po "** ***

?;

r* w*

:/**

**

**

** **

TRAVELS
Andalusia to burn the
in,

IN

SPAIN
it

The heat was unbearable, for The harvest was just over, fire.
in

was increased by
it

and

is

the custom
the

stubble

when

sheaves
fertilise

have been brought

the

so that the ashes

may
for

ground.
miles

The

country

was blazing

ten

or

twelve

around, and the wind passing over this

ocean
that

of flame

brought

us a

puffs

of

air

as

hot as
like

which escapes

from

furnace.

We
a

were
circle

scorpions

whom

children

surround with
fire,

of

shavings to which they set

to

and which are obliged

make

a desperate sortie or to

commit

suicide by

stinging themselves.

We

chose the former method.

The

galley by

which we had come took us back by where we asked

driver,

the same road

to

to Ecija,

for a calesa

go to

Seville.

The

having

seen

the

two

of us together, thought that

we were
series

too

tall,

stout,
:

and heavy to take, and raised a

of objections
it

our trunks, he said, were so very heavy that

take four
his

would

men

to raise them,

and would break down

carriage.

We

at

once

removed

this

objection

by picking up and

putting

the slandered trunks up-

on the back of the calesa.

further objections
to
start.

The

rascal,

having no
his

to offer, at last

made up

mind

352

i* ** *** * rJ -

ri-,

#4* 4 * "A* *4* !*

hj !* * *i* HP

* * **

CORDOVA
Flat or slightly undulating ground planted with olive
trees, the gray colour

of which

is

made

paler by the
to time

dusty, sandy steeps on

which shows from time

blackish verdure,
for

these were the only things

we saw

many

a mile.
all

At Luisiana
at

the

inhabitants were
in

stretched out

their doors, snoring

the starlight.

Our

carriage

forced the lines of sleepers to rise and press

against
all

the

walls,

grumbling
the

and

lavishing

on

us

the

riches
at

of

Andalusian

vocabulary.

We

stopped

an ill-looking posada, with more guns and muskets

than cooking-utensils.

Dogs of monstrous
ours

size

fol-

lowed

every

movement of
sign

with

attention,

and

seemed

to wait but a

to tear us to pieces.

The

quiet voracity with

which we despatched our tomato

surprise

omelet
she

seemed

to

our

hostess

extremely

appeared to consider the repast

superfluous
profit
us.

and

to regret the food

which would not

Howplace

ever, in spite of the sinister appearance of the

we

did

not

have

our

throats
to

cut,

and
to

the

people

were

clement

enough

allow

us

continue

on

our way.

The

ground became more and more sandy, and the

soil.

wheels sank up to the axles in the soft

2 3

Then we

353

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
understood
weight.

why our

driver

was

so worried

by

our

To

relieve the horse

we

got

down, and about

a

midnight, after having travelled along

road

which
reached

ascended the steep slopes of a mountain,

we

Carmona, where we were

over the

to

sleep.

Lime-kilns cast

rocky slope long, reddish reflections which

wonderfully
strong, picturesque
efFects

produced
light

of

and shade.
cacti

Beyond Carmona the

and aloes which had

bristling

for-

saken us reappeared fiercer and more

ever.

than

The

landscape was less bare, less red, and more

diversified; the heat

was

also

somewhat

less

intense.

We soon
its

reached Alcala de los Panaderos, famous for

bread,
as
its

excellent

name
to

indicates,

and

its

novillos-fights

(young

bulls),

which the aficionados

of Seville repair during the intermission of bull-fights

in that city.

The town
sheltered by a

is

admirably situated

at the

bottom of a small
river.
It is

valley, through
hill

which meanders
rise the

on which were

ruins

of an old Moorish palace.

We
its

.near Seville,

and

before long the Giralda showed against the sky,

traceried

first its

lantern,

and then

square tower.

few

hours later

we were

passing under the

Carmona Gate,

the arch of which

framed

in

background of dusty

354

*J

rl

..0

|t

A l

wM*

*-

*A * #1* #4* *

1* !* 1 ** * ! ! !

CORDOVA
light, in

which moved through a mist of golden vapour

and ox-waggons, some going and
massive arches of a superb aque-*

galleys, mules, asses,

some coming.
duct of

The

Roman
side

aspect

showed on the

left

of the road

on the other
together.

rows of houses,
in Seville.

set closer

and closer

We

were

355

J*4- *!* ! *4* *I* 'I* *jr< *4* *1* l*l-J.-*|**|' >ri*.|'i !-#* * i*l
,

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
*#jt**.f* j| !* #1* J-. 4* #|* JU

JU *4s A*. J* ** |* *i *4* *4-> *A* r4

jU*l*c|

SEVILLE

A
vel.

SPANISH
he

proverb very often quoted says that

who

has not seen Seville has not seen a marthat this proverb
if
it

We

humbly confess more accurate

would ap-

pear to us

applied to

Toledo or

Granada than
particularly

to Seville, in

which we found nothing

marvellous save the cathedral.

is

The

city

situated

on the banks of the Guadal-

quivir, in a broad plain

whence
in

it

derives

its
flat

name of
ground,"

Hispalis,
if

which means

Carthaginian "

Arias

Montano and Samuel Bochard

It
is

are to be becity,

lieved.

large,

wide-spreading

quite

modern,

bright,

gay,

animated, and which no doubt

as

must
trast

strike Spaniards

charming.
be
found.

No

greater conis,

to

Cordova could

Cordova

as

already said, an ossuary of houses, a catacomb under the open sky, over which loneliness scatters
dust.
its

whitish

The

stray inhabitants

who show

at

the corners

of the streets look

time.
Seville,

like ghosts that

have mistaken the

all

on the contrary, has

the excitement

356

SEVILLE
and bustle of
life
;

a
;

rumour hovers over

it

it

at

every

moment of
its

the day
it

scarcely takes time to

still

enjoy
less

siesta

is
it

not troubled by yesterday,

is

by

to-morrow,

wholly given

up

to the

present.

Memory

and hope constitute the happiness of unfortubut Seville

is

nate places
itself,

not unfortunate
sister,

it

enjoys

whilst Cordova,

its

seems

in

silence and

solitude to

dream of Abd-er-Rahman and of the Great

all its

Captain, of
in the night

vanished splendour
it

lights

gleaming
left

of the past, of which

has naught

but

the ashes.

To
are

the great disappointment of travellers and anti-

quarians, whitewash reigns

supreme

in Seville.

Houses

whitewashed three or four times a year, which

kept, but

makes them look clean and well

\

which pre-

j its

one tracing the remains of Arab and Gothic

sculptures which formerly adorned them.

i;ure

Nothing
streets

is

monotonous than the network of

which

exhibit but
a.ij the

two shades, the indigo blue of the heavens

fall

chalk white of the walls, upon which

of"

the
in

blue

shadows

the

neighbouring buildings;

for

these hot countries the

shadows are blue instead of

being gray, so that objects seem to be lighted on the

one

side

by moonlight and on the other by sunlight.

357

TRAVELS
liness

IN SPAIN
results in

However, the lack of dark shades

and gaiety.

much

live-

Gates closed by gratings allow you

columns,

to catch

glimpses of courts adorned with

mosaic pavements, fountains, pots of flowers, shrubs,

and paintings.

As

for the exterior architecture,

it

is

in

no wise remarkable.

The

buildings are rarely

more

than two stories high, and scarcely a dozen facades

artistically interesting are to
is

be found.
as
in
is

The pavement
Spanish towns,

composed of small pebbles

all

but by

way of pavement

there

laid a

band of

fairly

wide,
file.

flat

stones on which the crowd walks in Indian

Ladies are always given the right of way, with

that exquisite politeness

to the lowest class.

which

is

natural in Spain, even

The
beauty.

Seville

women

-justify
all

their

reputation
is

for

They

are almost

alike, as

the case with

large

pure races of characteristic type.

eyes furnished with long,
effect
a

They have

brown

lashes
in

which have an

of black and white

unknown

France.

When

woman

or maid passes near you, she lowers her eye-

lids,

then suddenly opens them and flashes straight at

that

you a glance so dazzling

you cannot sustain

it,

gives one turn to her eyes and again lowers her eyelashes.

We

have no expression to describe

this fashion

358

44*t>4'4~ 4- 44 4* 44444 4j44j 4; *4; 4; 4; .|j 4-4j

SEVILLE
of using the eyes;
oj ear is

lacking in our vocabulary.

These sudden and

bright glances,

which almost

em-

barrass strangers, have

cast indifferently
will look

no particular meaning and are

upon anything.

young Andalusian
at

with that passionate glance

its

a passing cart,

a dog trying to catch

fighting.

tail,

children playing at bull-

The

eyes of Northern people are dull and

;

dead in comparison
flections
in

the sun has never

left

these re-

them.

Teeth, the incisors of which are

very sharp and which are as bright as those of a young

Newfoundland dog, give

Seville

to the smile of the

women

of
is

a touch of

Arab and of strangeness which

is

very striking.

The brow

high, rounded, and polished,

aquiline, the lips richly

the nose delicate and

coloured.

somewhat

Unfortunately, the chin sometimes ends with

too sharp a curve the oval outline so admirably begun.

The

only imperfection which the most fastidious

is

artist

could find in the Seville ladies

that

their shoulders

and arms are somewhat thin

hands and
feet leave

the joints,

the

small

nothing to be desired.

Without

any poetic exaggeration, one would easily find

the Seville

among
its

women

feet

which

a child could hold in

this,

hand.

The

Andalusians are very proud of

and

are very careful of the kind of shoes they wear.

They

359

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
arc

usually ot satin, and barely cover the toes.

Un-

fortunately, Seville ladies are Spanish and remain Spanish only as far as their feet

and

their

heads are concerned,

as far as the shoe

in

and mantilla go.

to
prevail.

Coloured dresses cut

French fashion begin

like
tailor's

Men

are dressed

up

patterns.

Sometimes, however, they

wear

short,

white-duck jackets and white trousers with

;

a red sash and an Andalusian hat the costume itself

It is
is

but that

is

rare

and

not very picturesque.

del

on the Alameda between the

by

Duque, where one takes

the

air

acts at the play

for the theatre

is

close
that
it

and

especially at
see,

the

Paseo de

Cristina,
eight,

is

delightful to

between seven and

prettv
Sevillians
in

parade

and

coquette

the

small

groups of three or four accompanied by their actual

or prospective gallants.

There
gait, so

is

something

light

and

springing

about their

that they prance rather

than walk.

The

swiftness with which they open and

close their fans, the brilliancy of their glance, the as-

surance of their
figure, give

gait, the

undulating suppleness of their

distinctive
air.

them

most

There may

be more perfectly and more regularly beautiful

in

women

England, France, or
prettier or

Italy,

but certainly there are

none

more

piquant.

These

Sevillians pos-

360

^4. 4; 4.^. 4. 4.4; J. u. 4; 4. 4; 4. 4:4.4; tb db tfc t*r :fc :: &

SEVI LLE
sess in a high degree
difficult

what the Spaniards

it

call sal.
:

It
it

is

to

give

an idea of

in

conversation

is

composed of nonchalance and

vivacity, of quick replies

it

and childish ways, of a gracefulness as piquant as

is

savoury, which need not accompany beauty, but which

is

often

preferred to

it.

So

in

Spain they say to a

are
!

woman, "
ment
is

How

salt (salada)

you

" and no compli-

greater than that.

The

Paseo de Cristina

is

a superb

promenade upon

the banks of the Guadalquivir, with a Salon paved with

large slabs, surrounded by a white-marble

bench with an
and with

iron back, shaded

by Oriental

plane-trees,
all

a maze, a Chinese pavilion, and

trees,

sorts

of Northern
excite

ash, cypress, poplar, willow,

which

the

admiration of the Andalusians, just as aloes and palms

would excite

that of Parisians. to the

At the approaches
cord steeped
offer a
light
in

Cristina there are bits of

sulphur and rolled around posts, which

is

always ready for smokers, so that one

freed

from the nuisance of the boys who carry coals

!

and pursue you, shouting out, " Fuego

the Prado at Madrid so unbearable.
Pleasant as
the river
is

" which makes

this

promenade, nevertheless

prefer

bank

itself,

which
361

offers

an ever-varied and

Jt #A< *

*-!'

i* 'I" *4* *5* "4* 4* *l ** f* I *!* s "* * ! * JL

TRAVELS
animated spectacle.
the water
is

IN SPAIN

In the centre of the river where

deepest are anchored the trading barks and

schooners with their airy rigging, the lines of which

show

so clearly against the light

swift boats cross

background of the sky.

in

The

and recross the river

every

direction,

sometimes bearing a company of young men

and young

women who go down

stream playing on the

guitar and singing couplets,

which are scattered around

by the breeze, and which the people on shore applaud.

The Torre

del

Oro, a

sort of octagonal

tower with three

its

stories, crenellated

after the

Moorish fashion,

base

bathed by the Guadalquivir near the landing-place, and

which springs up
forest

into the

blue

sky

from amidst

of masts and rigging, bounds admirably the prosthis side.

pect

on

This tower, which

is,

so the learned

insist,

of

Roman

construction, was formerly connected

with the Alcazar by walls which have been taken

for

down
it

the construction

of the Paseo de Cristina, and

held at the time of the

Moors one of

the chains which

barred the river, the other one of which was fastened

opposite to counterforts of masonry.

it

Its

name comes,
brought from

is

said,

from the

fact

that

the gold
it.

America by galleons was

Every evening

stored in

we

used to go to walk there and

362

4; 4. 4, 4; 4; 4; 4~ 4. 4; 4> 4. 4; 4; 4. 4; 4; 4; 4; 4k 4j 4; 4. 4; 4;

SEVI LLE
watch
situated
tree

the

sun

setting

behind

the
river.
if

Triana

suburb,

on the other side of the

its

noble palm-

spread

disc

of leaves as

to salute the set-

ting sun.

have

always greatly loved

being

palm

trees,

and
into

can never see one without

poetic

carried

ofF

and

patriarchal

world, into

the

midst

of foreign scenes of the East, of the splendours of

the Bible.

A
unites

bridge
the

of boats suburbs
to

connects
the city.

the

two banks and

have to pass

You

over
the
the

it

to visit, near Santiponce, the remains

of

Italica,

native

place of Silius Italicus, the

poet,

and of

emperors
still

Trajan,

Hadrian,

and

Theodosius.

There

exists

a ruined

amphitheatre, the outline

of which
beasts
ators

is

quite plain.

The

dens in which the wild

were kept, and the dressing-rooms of the gladiare

easily
seats.

recognised,
It
is

as

well

as

the

corridors

and

the

built

of cement

mixed

with

stones.

The
off

stone

revetments

have

probably
for

been
Italica

carried

for

more modern
as
a

buildings,
for

has

long

served

quarry

Seville.

few

rooms have been cleared out and serve

as

a shelter

during the heat of the day for troops of blue porkers,

which

bolt

with a grunt between the

363

visitors'

legs,

J* ****

*&/*

* ** -i "4* ** *! *f 'J'*J ^ *
J

JU *At !<* rl f* *z

J Jir"

TRAVELS
Roman
city.
all

IN SPAIN
old

and constitute to-day the only population of the

The most
that

complete

and
is

interesting
a

remains of

vanished

splendour

mosaic
walls,

of great size which has been surrounded with

and which represents the Muses and Nereids.

water has been poured ever
they
to
it

When

to revive the colours,

show very
the

brilliantly,

although cupidity has led

some of

most precious portions being carried

also

away.

There have

been
in

found
fairly

in

the

debris

some fragments of
there
in
is

statues

good

style,

and

no doubt

that

intelligent
Italica
it

search would result

lies

important

discoveries.
Seville,

about

four or

five miles

from
easily

and
the

is

an excursion which
afternoon

one can by taking

gist

make

in

course of an
is

a carriage, unless

one

a fanatical archreoloafter another, all the

and

insists

on examining, one

old stones suspected of bearing inscriptions.

The
and
is

Trajan Gate

is

also claimed
It
is

to

be

Roman

named

after the

emperor.

of monumental
in

aspect,

of the

Doric

order, with

columns

pairs

adorned with the royal arms and surmounted bv pyramids.

for
It

has

its

own

alcalde,

and

is

used as a prison
del

knights.

The

gates del
at.

Carbon and

Aciete
is

are well

worth

looking

On

the Xeres

Gate

36+

Jk

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JU *l* *

*fi

*| *

SEVILLE
the following inscription
:

" Hercules

built

me

Julius
;

C:esar encircled
Saintly

me

with walls and lofty towers

the

King won me with Garci Perez de Vargas."

is

Seville

surrounded by a girdle of crenellated walls,

flanked at intervals by great towers, several of

which
filled

have
up.

fallen

into walls,

ruins,

and moats

now wholly
useless
their

The

which
have,

would
thanks

be
to

against

modern
Arab

artillery,

dentelated
Julius

crenellations, quite
is

a picturesque effect.

Cssar
built

said to

have

built

them,

as

he

is

said to

have

every wall and

Cristina,
Italica,

camp

that exists.

The
Duque,

the Guadalquivir, the

Alameda

del

and the Moorish Alcazar are no doubt

marvel of Seville

very interesting things, but the real

is

its

cathedral,

which

is

indeed a surprising building,

even after the cathedrals of Burgos and Toledo, and

the
it

Cordova Mosque.

The
its

chapter which
in

ordered
:

to be built,

summed up

intention

these words

" Let us erect a

to think

monument which

shall

lead posterity a broad and

full

that

we were mad."

That was
So, having

well

drawn up programme.
artists

powers,

the

performed

prodigies,-

and

the

canons, in

order to hasten the completion of the building, gave up

their

whole income, keeping only what was absolutely

365

i* A rf- *Xt !

J*

*J ** A> A *s* 4* *

* * t A *JL* .A*

(J,* -i,

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
necessary to sustain
life.

thrice

holy canons,
in

may

you sleep gently under your

slabs

the

shadow of

your beloved cathedral, while your souls are enjoying

themselves
in paradise in stalls

probably less beautifully

in

carved than those which stand

your choir.

The

mightiest

and most amazing Hindoo pagodas

It
is

do not approach the Seville Cathedral.

a
in

hollow
Paris
is

mountain, a

valley

overset.

Notre-Dame

could stand in the centre of the nave, which

of

dizzy height
they seem

the pillars, as
slender
that

large as

towers, though

so

they

make you

shudder,

spring from the ground or hang from the ceiling like

the

stalactites

of a

giant
lofty,

grotto.

The
the high

four

lateral

naves, although less

their steeples.
its

could

hold churches with

altar,

The
its

retable and

with

staircases,
rising

superimposed

stories,
in

its

lines

of

statues

one above another, are

themselves a

vast edifice, ascending almost as high as the vaulting.

The
mast,

Paschal

candle,

which

is

as

tall

as

vessel's
;

weighs

two

hundred

and

fifty
it

pounds
is

the

bronze

candlestick

which supports

like

the

column of the

Place

Vendome.

It

is

copied
as

from
it

the candlestick of the

Temple

at

Jerusalem

is

represented on the bassi-relievi of the

Arch of Titus.

366

j|j Aff

* 4k

4 .1* 4*#i*#J**irl*Lri*i*-lr4*X* i

<x.,,-f

SEVI LLE
Everything
there are
is

on the same grand

in

scale.

Every year

consumed
and

the cathedral twenty thousand

pounds of wax
sacramental

an

equal quantity
to

of

oil

the

wine amounts

the terrifying

quantity
pints.

of eighteen thousand seven

It is true that

hundred

and

fifty

every day there are five hundred masses

said

at

eighty altars.

The

catafalque
is

which
"

is

used

during Holy

Week, and which

called

The MonuThe
organs,

ment,"

is

nearly one hundred feet high.

like

of gigantic size, look

gal's

the basalt columns of Fin-

Cave, and yet the storms and thunders which

the size of siege

escape from their pipes, which are

guns, sound
birds,
like

melodious

murmurs, warblings

of

and song of seraphs under those colossal arches.

are eighty-three painted

There

windows

after cartoons

by Michael Angelo, Raphael, Diirer, Peregrino, Teobaldi

and Lucas Cambiaso

the oldest and finest are

a

the

work of Arnold of Flanders,

glass; the
latest,

famous painter

on

which bear the date of 1819,

art

show how
glories

greatly the

has

degenerated

since the

of the sixteenth century, the climacteric epoch

of the world,
flowers and

when

the plant called

fruits.

Man

bore

its

finest

its

most savoury
is

The
turrets,

choir, in the
spires, tra-

Gothic

style,

ornamented with
367

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
ceried niches, figures, and
foliage,

a vast
is

and minute
unintelligible
in

work which appals

nowadays.

the imagination and

One

remains

thunderstruck

the pres-

ence of such
vitality
is

work and

wonders

uneasily

whether
the aging

diminishing

every

century with

of the world.

This prodigy of
its

talent, patience,

and

genius at least bears

author's

name, and admiration

one of the panels on
:

knows upon what

the gospel side
sculptor,
this
is

to settle.

On
in

the inscription

" Nufro Sanchez,

whom God
1475."

have

His holy keeping, made

choir in

To
one

attempt to describe the riches of the cathedral

after another
it

would

be madness

it

would take

a year to visit

thoroughly, and then one would not

;

have seen everything

whole volumes would not be

Stone, wood, and silver sculp-

sufficient for the choir.

tures

by
;

Juan de Arfe, Juan Millan, Montanes, de

paintings by Murillo, Zurbaran,

Roldan

Campana, de

Roelas, Luis de Villegas, Herrera the elder and Herrera

the younger,
sacristies,

Juan Valdes, and

and

Goya

litter

the
feel
;

chapels,

chapter-houses.

You

crushed

by the splendour, drunk

not

with
;

masterpieces

you
yet

know

which way

to

look

the desire and

the impossibility of seeing everything gives you

368

J^tt^.Krli

,t,

-K

rl> ri. .1*

-i-

JU rK 1 rU 4* r U ,1. ,.t, i rf

*|* *f**fe

SEVILLE
a feverish vertigo
;

you wish not

to

forget

anything,

and every moment a name escapes you, a lineament

becomes dimmed, one painting takes the place of another.

You

appeal desperately to your

;

memory, you
the least
rest,

order your eyes not to waste a glance

the time given to meals and to sleep,

seem

thefts, for

imperious necessity drags you on.

You have

to go,

the

fire

is

already lighted

under the boiler of the

steamer, the water hisses and boils, the funnels belch

out their black smoke,

to-morrow

you

will

leave

all

these marvels, never again, no doubt, to see them.

As
with

cannot speak of everything,

I shall

be

satisfied

mentioning the "Saint Anthony of Padua" by

Murillo, which adorns the Baptistery chapel.

has the power of painting been carried farther.
saint in ecstasy
is

Never

The
cell,

kneeling
of

in

the centre of

his

the

main

details

which are rendered

with

that

vigorous realism characteristic of the Spanish manner;

through the half-open door

white, arcaded
cloisters

is

seen one of the

to

long,

so

favourable

meditation.
pale,

The

upper

portion

of the
light,

painting, full of a

transparent,

vaporous

holds

groups

of ideally
prayer, the
is

beautiful angels.

Drawn by

the force of

Child Jesus descends from cloud to cloud, and

2+

about

369

*| * I

-t *

l* * 4- J^ r

I'* *JU #4 *** *~* = ** * A _ "

_'* * V

^N

!*

*4

'

**

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
to rest

on the arms of the holy personage, whose head,

is

bathed in radiant effluvia,

thrown back
place
this

in a

spasm
paint-

of
ing

celestial

delight.

We
"Saint
in
all

divine

above that of
is

Elizabeth

of

Hungary,"

which

to

be seen

the

Madrid Academy, above

Children of

the " Moses," above

the Virgins and

the master, however beautiful and exquisite they

be.

may

He who

has

not

seen the " Saint Anthony of

Seville

Padua " does not know the highest work of the

painter.
It is like

those

who

fancy they

know Rubens

and have never seen the Antwerp " Magdalen."

All styles of architecture are found in the cathedral

of Seville, the
style

severe
the
is

Gothic, the

Renaissance, the
silver-

called

by

Spaniards

plateresque, or

work, and which

marked by an

incredible wealth of

ornaments and arabesques, the rococo, the Greek, the

Roman,

none
is

are lacking, for every age has built a

its

chapel or a retable in the taste which was

the building not
yet entirely finished.

own, and

Several of

the statues which stand in the niches of the portals,

representing patriarchs, apostles, saints, and archangels,

are in terra cotta merely, and
ally.

placed there provisionlos

In the direction of the Court de

Naranjos,

on the top of the unfinished

portal, rises the iron crane,

370

4; 4;

^ 4. 4; :l^ 4; 4j 4; 4j 4j 4; 4; 4; 4; 4; J; 4; 4j & & SEVI LLE

tfe is

a'symbol that the building

be continued
later.

not yet finished and will

A
a

similar crane stands also

;

on top

of Beauvais Cathedral
that the weight of

but

when

will the

day

come

stone slowly hauled up through

will

the air by

workmen,

make

its

pulleys, rusted for

;

centuries past, creak again.

Never, perhaps

for the

upward flow of enthusiasm has stopped, and the sap

which caused
the soil

this

bloom of cathedrals

to

emerge from
the
stro-

no

longer rises through the trunk and

branches.

Profound
these

faith
in

had written the

stone and granite
to
finish

first

phes of

all

poems

reason,

which

doubts, has

not dared

them.

The
Titans

architects of the

Middle Ages were

religious

who heaped

Pelion upon Ossa, not to

overthrow the

God

of Thunders, but to admire from a nearer point

the gentle face of the Virgin

Mother smiling upon

the

Child Jesus.
ficed

In our days,

when

everything

is

sacri-

to

coarse

and

stupid

comfort, one

no longer
soul
in

understands

these

sublime

upspringings of the

towards the
steeples, in
to

Infinite,

which expressed themselves

spires, in finials, in

arches, which upraised

heaven their arms of stone joined over the heads of

the prostrate people like giant hands folded in supplication.

All these treasures, buried without bringing in

37 1

ft* - **

*A ** * l **

"'"

** *jv *B *1* ** ** **

J"

4 * **

t 2 f J*

TRAVELS
anything,
pity
;

IN SPAIN
their shoulders with
to calculate the

make economists shrug

even the people begin

;

worth of

the gold of the cup

raise

the people

who

of yore dared not

their eyes to the white sun

of the Host,

now

reflect that bits

of crystal might perfectly well replace

the

the

diamonds and gems on

monstrance.

The

churches are scarce frequented save by travellers, beggars,

and

hideous old

women.

Spain

is

no longer

Catholic.

The

Giralda, which serves as a campanile to the

all

cathedral and rises high above

is

the spires of the city,

an old Moorish tower built

by an

Arab

architect

named Djabir
which he gave
original.

or Gever, the inventor of

his

algebra, to

name.

It is

very effective and very

The
it

rose-coloured brick and the white stone

of which

is

built

impart to

it

an

air

of brightness and

youth which contrasts with the date of the building,

which goes back to the year iooo

a matter of fact, built

(the Giralda was, as

1 1

from

1 1

84

to

96), a very respectitself to

it

able age, at

which a tower may indeed permit

and no longer
is

be ruined

fresh.

The
fifty

Giralda, as

stands to-day,

three hundred and

feet in height

and

fifty feet

broad on each face.

The

wall

is

smooth

up

to a certain height,

where

begin- stories of

Moorish

372

A*

i-i*

*4* ** *

*lr*

** *v" *** *s* ** *4* ** * 4 !*

*"

''

? * '

c*|*

SEVILLE
windows with
balconies, trefoils, and slender

columns
lozenge-

of white marble framed in great

panels of

shaped of by

bricks.

The
tiles

tower formerly ended

different

in a

roof

varnished
a

of

colours,

surmounted
balls

bar

of iron
prodigious
in

adorned
size.

with

four

of

gilt

metal

of

This upper portion

architect

was

destroyed

1568 by the

Francisco Ruiz,
light
its

who

sent one hundred feet higher into the pure

of heaven the tower of the

Moor Gever,

so that

bronze statue

might look over the Sierras and talk

familiarly with the angels

who

pass by.

To

build
in

steeple

on top of a tower was to conform

with the
intentions

every

point

of

the

admirable

chapter

whom we
in the eyes

have mentioned as willing to pass for mad

of posterity.

The work
first

of Francisco Ruiz
is

consists of three stories, the

of which

pierced by

windows
bells
;

in

the

embrasures of which are hung the

the second, surrounded by a traceried balustrade,

bears on each face of the cornice the words, " Turris

fortissimo nomen

Domini "

the third

is

a sort

of cupola
in

or lantern
gilded

on which turns a giant figure of Faith

in

bronze, holding a palm

one hand,

standard

in the other,

which serves
to

as a

vane and explains the

name Giralda given

the tower.

The

statue

is

by

373

 4; i: i? -]b-kik'Jh ::&'}: -k.h TRAVELS IN SPAIN

Bartolome Morel.
tance,
It
it

is

seen from a very

long disin

and when
it

shines

through the blue

the

rays of the sun,

in

really looks

like a seraph floating

the

air.

The
out

Giralda

is

ascended by a series of slopes with-

steps,

so easy

and so gentle that two

ride

men on
summit,
Seville

horseback

could

easily

abreast

to

the

whence one enjoys

lies

wondrous

panorama.
its

at

one's

feet,

sparkling white, with

in

steeples

and towers which

vain try to rise as high as the

rose-brick girdle of the Giralda. the

plain, through

Farther
the

off"

stretches

which

gleams

Guadalquivir;
are
visible
;

Santiponce,
in

Algaba,

and other

villages

the farthest distance shows the chain of the Sierra

its
is

Morena with

outline clear cut

in

spite

of the

dis-

tance, so great
in

the transparency of the atmosphere

this

wonderful
de

country.

On

the other side rise

the

Sierras

Gibalbin, Zara, and

tints

Moron, coloured
and amethyst.
flooded with

with the

richest

of

lapis

lazuli

marvellous prospect,

filled

with

light,

sunshine, and of dazzling splendour.

great

number of

shafts

of

pillars

cut

down

to

the size of stone

posts and
left

connected by chains

the

save a few spaces

free

for traffic

surround

374

SEVILLE
cathedral.

Some of

these columns

are

antique, and

come

either

from the ruins of

site

Italica or the

remains

of the old mosque on the

of which the present

is

church was

built,

and of which' nothing

left

but

the Giralda, a few trees, and

one or two arches, one

of which serves as a gateway to the Court of Orange

Trees (de

los

Naranjos).

The Lonja
perfectly

(Exchange), a great
built

square

building,

regular,

by

the

heavy, dull
to

Herrera,
are
in

the

architect

of

boredom,

whom we

in-

debted for the Escorial, the gloomiest building

the

world,
cal

isolated
is

on

all

sides

and showing four

identi-

facades,

situated

between the cathedral and the

Alcazar.
the
letters

There
of

are preserved the

American

archives,

Christopher

Columbus, Pizarro, and

Fernando Cortez.

The

Alcazar, or old palace of the Moorish kings,

its

though very beautiful and deserving of

has nothing
striking
It

reputation,

when one has

already seen the

Alhambra.

has the same slender columns of white

marble with gilded and painted capitals, the horseshoe

arches,
the

panels

filled

with

arabesques

interlaced

with verses of the Koran, doors of cedar and larch,

cupolas

hung with

stalactites,

fountains

embroidered

375

^t? ~*2

d?

*J* ct? tlj ds?

*^*

*lr tl?

*^* *^**^*

fcsfcsfcsSrdbdb^rtilf Asfcife

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
with
carvings

of

which

no description can express

the infinite detail and minute delicacy. the Ambassadors,

their
at

The

Hall of
in

whose magnificent doors remain

perhaps finer and
richer

entirety,

is

than that
to

Granada.
to turn to

Unfortunately, the

idea

came

some

one

account the spaces between the slender

ceiling to

pillars

which bear up the

of the
the

hang up a

series

of portraits
distant

kings

of Spain

from the most

days to

present.

Nothing can be more

ridiculous.

The

so-called baths of

Maria

Padilla, the

morganatic
lived in the

wife of King Alcazar, are

Don
still

Pedro the Cruel,

as

who

they were

in

the time has

of the
underhas
at
left

Arabs.

The

Hall of Vapour Baths

alteration.

not

gone the
in

slightest

Charles

V
his
in

the Alcazar, as

he did in the Alhambra

Gra-

nada,

much
Alcazar
taste.

too

numerous

traces
laid

of
out

passage.

The

contains

gardens

the old

French

To
to

be

done with architecture,

la

let

us pay

visit

the

famous Hospital de

Caridad,
is

founded

by

the famous Juan de Mafiara,

who

not a fabulous

personage, as might be supposed.

tains

The

Caridad con-

most beautiful Murillos

" Moses striking the

376

SE VI
compositions

LLE
;

Rock," the " Miracle of the .Loaves," which are vast

admirably wrought

" Saint

John

the

Divine," carrying a dead

angel,

man and

supported by

an

which

is

a masterpiece of colour
is

and

light

and

shade.

Here
as

also

the

painting

by

Juan Valdes

known

"

The Two

Bodies," a strange and terrible

picture by the side of

which Young's gloomiest con-

ceptions are joyful pleasantries.

The

bull-fight arena

was

closed, to our great regret,

for dilettanti

maintain that the Seville bull-fights are

the most brilliant in Spain.

Our

hopes being dashed,

there

was nothing

left

but to go to Cadiz by steamer.

377

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
J*
*-!.

rl,

rJ/ .f

JU

! '"

** * *^

ri-s

A rA* *1*

JU #A% *4* *1 fit

*!

cl

CADIZ GIBRALTAR

THE
cal
in

paddles, aided

by

the current, carried

Seville

us

rapidly towards

Cadiz.

was already

sinking in the distance astern, but by a splendid optiillusion,

as

the roofs of the city seemed to sink the straight

lines

the ground and to mingle with

of the distance, the cathedral grew and assumed enor-

mous
size.

proportions; then

first

grasped
not

its

enormous
above the
its

The
As

highest
for

steeples

did

rise

nave.
rose

the Giralda, the distance cast over

tints

brickwork
statue
a golden

of

amethyst

and

aventurine.
its

The
like

of

Faith

shone
of

on
tall

top of
grass.

summit
turn
in

bee on top

the river soon concealed

the city from us.

at least

The
to

banks of the Guadalquivir,

sea,

on the way

the

do not have the delightful aspect which

I

poets and travellers attribute to them.

know

not

where they
and

have seen

the

woods
they

of

orange trees
their

pomegranates with
;

which

perfume

romances

in

reality

one sees but low, sandy, yellow

378

*** "I*

"'

*.'*

**-

-'

*l* ***** #I*JL A *L & JL* (X* el-*

Tf

.<(

CADIZ GIBRALTAR
banks, and turbid yellow water, the earthy colour of

which cannot possible be due

scarce in
this

to

rain,

which'

is

verv

country.

had already remarked this

muddiness of the water

in the

Tagus.

It

may

be due to

the great quantity of dust which the

it

wind

carries into

and to the

friable

character

of the

soil

the river

traverses.

The

intense blue of the sky also has

it,

some-

thing to do with

causing the tones of the water,

always

less brilliant, to

appear somewhat dirty.

in

The

sea alone
blueness.

can

rival

such a sky

transparency and

The

river

became broader and broader, the

and
the

banks lower and

flatter,

general appearance

of the landscape recalled closely the Scheldt between

Antwerp and Ostend.

in

This recollection of Flanders

is

the

heart

of Andalusia

the

quainter

because

of the Moorish
recollection

name of

the Guadalquivir, but the

came

so naturally to

my mind
real,

that
for
I

the

resemblance

must have been

I

very

can

swear

that

was not thinking much

either

of the

Scheldt or of

my

trip to

Flanders some six or seven

little

years ago.

There was very

traffic

on the

river,

and as much as
the
is

we

could see of the country beyond

uncultivated

banks

appeared

and

deserted.

It

true that

we were

then

in

the dog days, a season

379

J- *i* *&* *X* X*

*i-

..

* X> *i* #A ** #A #JL A* #*

5.-

-Ii r 1% * 1 *J*

#.1*

TRAVELS
during which

IN SPAIN
much
else

Spain

is

not

than

a great

heap of ashes without vegetation or greenness.

only living beings were herons and storks, one

The
leg

tucked up, the other half-plunged in the water, waiting for the passage of a fish, in such complete
bility that

immowooden

they might have been mistaken for

sticks.

decoys stuck on

Boats with lateen

sails

as;

cended and descended the river with the same wind

a

phenomenon which
it

have never thoroughly underexplained

to

stood, although

has been

me

several

times.
sail

Several of these vessels carried a third small

in

of triangular shape placed

the vacant space

sails.

between the two divergent points of the great

This
It

rig

is

very picturesque one.

was pitch-dark when we reached Cadiz.

of the vessels anchored
stars in the
in

The

lights

the roads of the city,

and the

heavens studded the lapping waves

fiery sparkles.

with millions of gold, silver and

In the
it

calmer spaces the reflection of the

lengthened along the sea, long
effect.
fiery

lights

traced, as

columns of magical

The

huge mass of the ramparts loomed grimly

through the dark shadows.

As you

will

readily imagine,

we
is

rose with the day.

To

enter a strange city by night

one of the things

380

ri % ^1

* ri-% fit J'B r i

#4* *S*

*4'>

*=* *- *4*

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CADIZ GI BRALTAR
which most
irritates a traveller's

curiosity.

The
its

next

morning the

city

appears to you suddenly, in

en-

tirety, just like a stage-setting

when

the curtain

rises.

Neither

painters

nor writers

possess a

choice of

colours bright

enough and "luminous enough to render

the dazzling impression

that glorious

which Cadiz made upon us on

morning.

Two

principal tints struck the

glance, blue and white; the blue

in

was the
city.

sky,,

repeated

the

sea,

the

white was the

Nothing more

radiant,

more

sparkling, of a luminosity
at

more

diffused

and more intense

imagined.

one and the same time, can be

The

houses

in

Cadiz are much higher than

in

the

other Spanish

cities.

This

is

due to the configuration

islet

of the ground, the city being built upon a narrow

joined to the main land by a slender neck of land, and

also to the desire of the inhabitants to

have a view of

the sea.

Almost

all

the terraces have at one corner a

turret or a belvedere,

sometimes covered with a small

look-outs

cupola.

These

aerial

adorn with innumer-

able irregularities the sky line of the city, producing the

most picturesque

efFect.

Everything

is

whitewashed,

and the whitened facades are further brightened by long

vermilion lines which separate the houses and mark off

4* 44. 4-4- 4- 44> 'i"4'44"'!'4>4j4;4;4;4;4;4jlj4j^;

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
the stories.

The

balconies,

which project considerably,

red

are enclosed in a sort of glass cage adorned with

curtains
streets

and

filled

with

flowers.

Some
seem
are
to

of the cross
vanish into
in their

end

in

nothingness, and

heaven.

These glimpses of sky

charming

unexpectedness.

Aside from this gay, living, and luis

minous aspect, there

Its

nothing remarkable
sixteenth-century

in

Cadiz.
al-

cathedral,

huge

building,
is

though lacking neither nobility nor beauty,

in

no

wise remarkable, after the prodigies of Burgos, Toledo,

Cordova, and

Seville.

It is

something

like the cathe-

drals of Jaen, of Granada, and Malaga, of classical

architecture with

more slender and

delicate proportions,

such as the Renaissance

artists loved.

Cadiz
a second
assaults

is

enclosed in a narrow girdle of ramparts, and

girdle

of reefs and rocks

protects

it

from

and storms.

On

the glacis of the ramparts,

provided at intervals with stone sentry-boxes, one can

walk

right

around the

city,

one gate of which alone

in the

opens towards the main land, and one can see

offing and in

the roads, sweeping in or out in graceful

curves, crossing, tacking, and veering like albatrosses,

boats, feluccas, and fishing-boats,

which

in

the distance

look

like

the pinion feathers of a dove carried off by a

*KI* JU

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CADIZ GIBRALTAR
mad wind.
charming.

The

prospect

is

most animated,

lively,

and

On
bustle

the breakwater near the

is

Custom-house Gate, the

unparalleled.

The

motley crowd, comprising

representatives of every part of the world, constantly

surges around the

columns surmounted by

statues

which
is

adorn the quay.

to be found there,

Every variety of the human race

from the

fair-haired, white-skinned

Englishman
passing
coloured,

to

the
the

woolly-haired,

bronzed
shades

African,

through

intermediate

of coffeethe roads,
frig-

copper, and

golden
lie

yellow.

In

somewhat
ates

farther away,

the three-masters and

to the beat of the

which every morning,

drum,

hoist the ensigns

of their respective nations.

The mer-

chant vessels and steamers whose funnels belch forth

bi-coloured vapour,

come

nearer the quay on account

this

of their

less

tonnage, and form a foreground to

great naval composition.

The

appearance of Cadiz from the sea

is

charming.

When

one sees

it

sparkling white between the azure of

it

the sea and the azure of the sky,

looks like a great

crown of

silver

filigree

the cathedral dome, painted

;

yellow, resembles a golden tiara placed in the centre

the pots of flowers, the

volutes and the turrets

which

33

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
top the houses, vary the sky line infinitely.

Byron has
in

admirably reproduced the appearance of Cadiz

line,

one

"
Fair Cadiz, rising o'er the dark blue sea."
is,

Nevertheless, pleasant as Cadiz

the thought that

one
sea

is

shut up within the ramparts, and closed in by the

its

within

narrow bounds, inspires you

it.

with

desire to leave

One
that

fine

morning
letter

my companion
of introduction

and

remembered

we

had a

from one of our Granada friends to

his father, a rich

wine-merchant
following terms

at
:

Xeres.

The

letter

began

in

the

" Open your

heart,

your house, and

your

cellar

to

the
a

two gentlemen herewith."

steamer, on
the

We
even-

climbed

on board

cabin wall of
for that

which was stuck a poster, announcing

ing a bull-fight, with comic

interludes, at Puerto de

Santa

Maria.
like
all

Xeres,

small

Andalusian towns,

is

white-

washed from top

able in the
cellars,

to toe,

and possesses nothing remarkits

way of

buildings save
tiled

bodegas or wine-

huge places with

walls.

roofs and long, white,

windowless

The

person to

whom we
was
cellars.

were

recommended was

absent, but the letter

effective

and we were immediately taken to the

Never

384

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CADIZ GI BR ALTAR
did a

more

splendid sight strike a toper's eyes.

five

We
rows
of

walked between walls of barrels four and

high.

We

had to taste of every kind, or

kinds
kinds
;

at least,

the principal

and

there were a great

the

number
scale,
like

of principal

we went down

whole

from the eighty-year-old Xeres, dark, thick, tasting

muscat and having the strange colour of Beziers green

wine,

down
flinty

to dry

sherry, the

colour of pale straw,

like
is

with a

bouquet and rather

sauterne.
a

Be-

tween these two extreme points there

whole

register

of intermediate wines of the colour of gold, burnt topaz,

or orange skin, and extremely varied they are
all

in

taste

only,

more or

less

mixed with alcohol, especially

those intended for the English market, for they would

not be considered strong enough without.

The

steamer

"Ocean" was

lying in the roads, kept

past.

back by the bad weather for some days

We
at

went on board with

in

a feeling of deep satisfaction, for

fights

consequence of the
the

which had occurred

Valencia and

disturbances
in a state

which had
of siege.

followed,
sea

Cadiz was somewhat

still

The
was

was

rather rough, although the weather

air

splendid.

The

was

so clear that

we

could distinctly perceive

the African coast,

*5

Cape

Spartel,

and the bay

at

the

385

,t.|. #i. ri* -A *i *4*

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TRAVELS IN SPAIN
end
of

which

stands
visit.

Tangier, which

we

regretted

being unable to
like clouds,
bility,

So that

chain of mountains
its

and

differing

from them only by

immo-

was Africa, the land of wonders, of which the

said,

Romans

" Quid novi fert Africa ? " the oldest of

continents, the cradle of Oriental civilisation, the birthplace of Islam, the black world where the shadows,

gone from the sky, are to be found on faces alone

the

mysterious laboratory, where nature, in seeking to pro-

duce man,

first

transforms a
it

monkey

into

a negro.

To

see

it

and pass

by was a refinement of the torture

of Tantalus.

Opposite Tarifa,

town whose chalky

an
island

walls

rise

upon

steep

hill

behind
Africa

of

the

same
as

name, Europe and

if
is

draw near each other

they would exchange a kiss of amity.

so

The
are

strait

narrow

that

the

two continents

seen

at

once.

The
the
left

prospect

was marvellously magnificent.

their

On
lilac

Europe, on the right Africa, with

in
tints

rocky coasts which distance clothed

of palebefore

and

rose,

like

shades of changing silk;

ever widening
;

us

the

boundless
;

horizon

above us

a turquoise sky

beneath us a sapphire sea, so trans-

parent that

we

could see the hull of our vessel, as well

386

-i. *i* (X* *j <4- *4* *4* *i *

- * *= =* *=* "^ *^* *=* '*

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*-

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,:

CADIZ GIB R ALTAR

as the keels of the ships that passed near us,

and which
floating

seemed

to be

flying

through

air

rather than
light,

on water.

We

were bathed

in brilliant

and the

only sombre tint within sixty miles was that of the long

plume of dense smoke which we

steamer
is

left

behind

us.

A
Its

unquestionably a Northern invention.

fire,
its

ever-burning
last

boiler,

its

funnels which will at

blacken heaven with their soot, harmonise wonmoisture

drously well with the

and vapours of the

South
it

North
stain.

in

the

splendour

of the

is

like

Nature was happy.

Great seabirds,

as

white
fishes

as

snow, skimmed the water; tunnies, dolphins,

all

of

kinds, shining, gleaming,

sparkling,

leapt
sail,

and
white

flashed

amid the waves.

like

Sail

followed

and swelling
ing above
fantastic

the

full

breasts

of a nereid

showin

the waters.

The

shores were
scarps

bathed

colours
in

folds,

gullies,

caught

the

sunbeams

way

that

produced the most amazing

and unexpected
prospect.

effects,

and offered an ever-changing

in

At about four o'clock we were

sight

of Gibraltar.
Gibraltar
is

absolutely amazing.

One knows
Imagine
a
feet high,

neither

where one

is

nor what one sees.

huge rock,

or rather a mountain, fifteen

hundred

which

37

TRAVELS
flat

N SPAI N
Nothing presages
it it

abruptly springs from the sea from ground so low and

that
is
it

is

scarcely perceived.

there

no apparent reason
It
is

for it;

forms part of

no chain.

monstrous monolith thrown from

heaven, or possibly a piece of a fractured planet which

fell

there in the course of an astral battle, a fragment

of a broken world.
Eternity alone
effect

Who

placed

it

there
still

God and
to the

know.

What
is

adds
its

more
It

of this strange rock

shape.
size,

looks like

huge granite sphinx of gigantic

such as might

have been carved

side

by a Titan sculptor,
flat-nosed

and by the
of Karnak

of which

the
like

monsters

and Giseh look

stretched

mice by an elephant.

The

out-

paws

form

what

is

called
is

Europa
turned

Point.

The

head,

somewhat
it

flattened,

towards

Africa,

which

seems

to

gaze

upon with deep,

dreamy

attention.
lies at
its

The town
in the mass.

foot,

almost imperceptible,

lost

The

three-deckers at anchor in the bay

look like

German
are
in
is

toys, like

miniature models of ships

;

such

as

sold in

seaports

the barques

like

flies

drowning

milk; even the fortifications do not show.

And
tion
;

yet
it

it

dug out, mined, warrened

in

every direc;

is

full

of cannons and howitzers and mortars

388

CADIZ GIBRALTAR
it

is

replete

with

munitions of war

it

is

the
it

very

luxury and coquetry of the impregnable

to the eye

but

shows

merely as a few imperceptible

lines

mingling

with the wrinkles of the rock, a few holes through

which the guns show

furtively their

bronze muzzles.

In the Middle Ages Gibraltar would have bristled with

donjons, towers, and crenellated ramparts
;

instead of

being

at

the foot, the fortress would

have escaladed

the mountain and have been placed like an eyrie the topmost crest.

upon

The modern
which
is

batteries are

on the

sea level of the strait,

so narrow at this point

impossible.

that they render the passage almost

raltar

Gibis,

was

called

by

the

Arabs

Giblaltah,

that

the

Mount of Entrance.
Its

Never was

name

better

deserved.

name

in

antiquity
is

was Calpe.

Abyla,
side

now

the

Monkey Mountain,

on the African
which
is

close to Ceuta, a Spanish possession

to

the

Peninsula what Brest and Toulon are to France, and

where the worst of the

could
perfectly
its

galley

slaves are sent.

its

We

discern the shape of

escarpments
spite

and

crest,

capped

with

clouds, in

of the

serenity of the rest of the heavens.

Like Cadiz, Gibraltar, situated upon a peninsula

the entrance to a bay,
is

at

connected with the mainland

JU4*

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TRAVELS
possession on that side

IN SPAIN
lines.

by a narrow tongue of land called the Neutral Ground,

on which are the Custom-house

ish
is

The

first

Spanis

San Roque.

Algeciras

exactly opposite Gibraltar.

The
effect.

appearance of the town produces the quaintest

At one

step

you go more than

five

hundred

leagues, rather
his

more than Jack the Giant

Killer with

famous
;

boots.

A moment

since

you

were

in

Andalusia

now you

are in England.

We

took a turn upon a beautiful promenade planted

full

with Northern trees and flowers and

of sentries and

guns, where you can see carriages and

in

riders exactly as
is

Hyde Park
as to

all

that

is

wanting

the statue of

Wellington
been unable

Achilles.
soil
is

Happily the
or darken

English
the

have

the sea

heavens.

This promenade
towards that
keys.
It
is

outside the city, near Europa Point,

side of the

mountain inhabited by mon-

the only point

on our continent where

and multiply
in a

these amiable
state.

quadrumana

live

wild

As

the wind changes, they pass from one side

of the mountain to the other and thus act as barometers.

kill

It

is

forbidden, under very severe penalties, to

I

them.

did not see

any myself, but

hot

the

tem-

perature

of the

place

is

enough

for

the

most

390

CADIZ GI BR ALTAR
warmth-loving monkeys to develop there without the
need of stoves and furnaces.
coast, possesses, if

Abyla, on the African

its

we

are to believe

modern name,

a similar population.

The
we

next day

we

left

this artillery

park and centre

of smuggling, and were

sailing

towards Malaga, which

seeing again

already knew, but which

its

we enjoyed
its

with

tall,

white, slender lighthouse,

its

harbour

full

of ships, and

continuous bustle.

Seen from the

sea,

the cathedral appears larger than the city, and the ruins

of the old Arab

effect

fortifications

produce a most romantic

upon the rocky

next day

slopes.
at

The
lost

we were

sea again, and as

we had

some time,
at

the captain resolved to pass by Almeria

and push on
closely

once to Cartagena.
sight of

We
its

coasted Spain
shores.

enough never to lose

in

The

African coast,

consequence of the broadening of the

Mediterranean basin, had long since vanished from the

horizon.

On

the one hand, therefore,

we

beheld long

stretches of bluish cliff with curious scarps and perpen-

dicular
that

fissures, spotted

here and there with white dots

;

were

villages,

watchtowers, and custom-houses

on

the other the open sea, sometimes

shimmering and cov-

ered with lace-work by the current or the wind,

some-

391

TRAVELS
times a dead

IN SPAIN
else

and dull azure, or

transparent

as

crystal, or again sparkling like a dancer's bodice, or

an
in-

opaque, oily gray like mercury or molten lead,

an
all

conceivable variety of tones and aspects which would

drive to despair painter and poet.

procession of red,
sizes
it

white, and cream-coloured

sails,

of vessels of

and of every

flag,

enlivened the scene and deprived

infinite solitude.
in

of the melancholy of

Cartagena, called Cartagena de Levante

distinguish
it

order to

from the African Cartagena,

in

is

at the foot

of a bay, a sort of rocky funnel

which

vessels are

thoroughly sheltered from every wind.

is

The

sky line

not very picturesque.

The

most

distinctive features

impressed

on our minds are two windmills standing

out against the light background of the sky.

The
so

aspect of Cartagena

is

entirely different
is

from

that of Malaga.
is

As Malaga

bright, gay, animated,

Cartagena dismal within

dry
as

its

girdle of bare, sterile

hills

rocks, as

those Egyptian

on the slopes

of which the Pharaohs dug their royal tombs.

The

whitewash has
their

disappeared, the

walls

have

resumed

sombre

tint, the

windows

are grated with compli-

cated iron-work, and the houses,

that

more

repellent,

have

prison look

which

is

characteristic

of Castilian

392

j. .1. .(, .(. J, a, J. a. 4- !- *

^ A i- ^ i A tt
are

-J; -i: *! ;!;

d" d'

CADIZ GIBRALTAR
manors
;

nevertheless,

we

bound

to

say that

we
and

saw

at

these well-grated

windows only

lovely faces

angelic features.

From Cartagena we went

sequence of a
line in

to Alicante,

which,

in

con-

Victor Hugo's " Orientales,"

steeples,

"Alicante mingles minarets and

find

had imagined possessed an

infinitely
at
least,

picturesque sky

line.

Now
to
I
;

Alicante,

to-day

would

it

difficult

mingle steeples with minarets, a mingling

to
it

which
resque

acknowledge
first

be

very desirable and pictu-

because

has no minarets, and second

it

because the only steeple which

a very

possesses consists of

low and not very apparent tower.

is

What

does

mark Alicante

huge rock which

is

rises in the

centre

of the town, which by

a

topped by a fortress and flanked

in

watch-house

hung

the boldest fashion over

it

the abyss.
the
best

The

City Hall, or to give

is

local

colour,
in the

Casa Consistorial,
taste.
is

charming building
flagged

The Alameda,
number of

throughout

with

stone,

shaded by two or three lines of trees which

leaves for Spanish trees the roots
in

have a

fair

of which are

not sunk

a well.

The

houses

rise

higher and have more of a European look.

393

i-

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TRAVELS
From
Alicante
to

IN SPAIN
shore
cliffs

Valencia, the

con-

tinued to exhibit
pects.

strange

shapes and

unexpected asa

We

were shown

at the

summit of

mountain

a square cut which seemed to be the

work of man.
anchor before

On

the

following

morning

we

cast

Grao, the name given

Valencia, which
sea.
is

to the

port

and suburb of

a mile

and a half distant from the

high, and

The

swell

was

fairly

we

reached the
a tartana.
;

landing-place pretty wet.

There we took

The name

tartana
is

is

usually applied to a vessel

the
oil-

Valencian tartana

a carriage

body covered with

cloth and placed on a couple of wheels without any

springs.

This vehicle appeared

to us effeminately lux-

urious by comparison with the galleys.

Valencia, as far

as

picturesqueness goes, does not

come up
of
it.

to the idea
is

romances and chronicles give one

town, irregular
in

It

a great, flat, scattered

plan and deprived of the advantages which the irregularity

of buildings gives to old towns built upon steep Valencia

is

ground.
in

situated in a plain
fields

called

Huerta,

the centre of gardens and

in

which constant
in Spain.

irrigation

keeps up a verdure very rare

The
in

climate
the

is

so mild that palms and orange trees

side

grow

open ground

by side with Northern plants.

394

.-

4* -!

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CADIZ GIB RALTAR

The
Guadalquivir, spanned

by

five

handsome stone

bridges and bordered by a superb

promenade, sweeps

by the town almost under the ramparts.

The numer-

ous drains made upon

tion

its

waters for the sake of irriga-

make

its

five

bridges merely luxurious ornaments

for three-fourths of the year.

The Gate

of the Cid,

through which one goes to the Guadalquivir Promenade,

lated
is

flanked

by

great and

rather striking crenel-

towers.
streets

The

of Valencia are

narrow, bordered

by

houses of cheerless aspect, on some of which

may be

made out some rough, mutilated

coats of arms, frag-

ments of chipped sculptures, clawless chimeras, noseless

women,

armless knights.

Renaissance window,

lost in

a hideous wall of recent

masonry, draws from

regret
in
;

afar the artist's eyes

and makes him sigh with

but these few remains have to be sought for

corners and in back yards
cia
;

dark

they do not prevent Valen-

from having a very modern look.

architecture,
in

The
its

cathedral,
a

of hybrid
gallery of

spite
is

of
in

apse with

Romanesque

arches,

no wise

interest-

ing to a traveller after the marvels of Burgos, Toledo,

and

Seville.

few richly sculptured

retables, a paint-

ing by Sebastian del Piombo, another by Spagnoletto, in

395

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4I-'J

TRAVELS
his softer

IN SPAIN
tried

manner, when he
only
notable

to

imitate Corregio,

are

the

things.

The

other

churches,
in

though enormous and

that strange

rich, are built

and decorated

style of rocaille

ornamentation which

we

have already described several times.

these various
so

On

beholding

extravagances one can only regret that

much

talent

and cleverness should have been so

absolutely wasted.

The Lonja
is

de Seda, the Exchange,

on the market-place
its

charming Gothic monument

great hall, with the vaulting supported by rows of

is

columns, the ribbing of which

twisted

into spirals

of extreme lightness, has an elegance and a brightness

rarely
fitted
It
is

seen

in

Gothic

architecture,

which

is

better

generally to express melancholy than

in

happiness.

the

Lonja

that

in

Carnival time take place

balls.
is

entertainments and masked

The
to

real attraction

of Valencia
that

its

population, or,

speak

more

accurately,

of the

surrounding
a

Huerta.

The

Valencian

peasants

wear

strangely

characteristic

costume,
the

which

cannot

have

changed
is

much

since

Arab

invasion,

and

which

but

slightly different

from the peasant costume of African

Moors.

It

consists of a shirt, loose trousers of coarse

linen held by a red sash, a waistcoat of green or blue

39

!* #1*

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4 *4*

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CADIZ GI BRALTAR
velvet, adorned with buttons

made of

silver coins;

the

legs are provided with a sort of knemids, or gaiters, of

white wool with a blue tape border, which leave the

instep

and the foot bare.

On

their

feet

they wear

alpargatas, or sandals of plaited cords, the sole of

is

which

about an inch thick, and which are fastened on by

ribbons like the

Greek cothurn.

They
Over
hat

usually have

their heads shaved in Oriental fashion

in
is

and envelop them

the bandana

bandanas of
placed
a

brilliant

colours.

small,

low-crowned

with

turned-up

brim, adorned with velvet, tufts of

shining ornaments.

silk, spangles,
stuff,

and

piece

of striped

called

capa de muestra, adorned with rosettes of yellow ribbons

and thrown over the shoulder, completes

characteristic

this

noble and
his

costume.

Within the corners of

capa, which he arranges in a thousand different ways,

the Valencian keeps his

money,
it

his bread,

his water-

melon, and

his

navaja

serves

him

at

once

as a

bag
full

and a mantle.

Of

course

we

are describing

the

costume, the dress worn on

days,
a

feast days.

On

ordinary
little

when working,
and
his

the

Valencian wears
his

but

shirt

trousers.

Then, with
face,

huge

black
his

whiskers,

sun-tanned

his

fierce

look,
like a

bronzed legs and arms, he looks absolutely

Bed-

397

4* *4 *4

*$/+

*4*

4*

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*A *** * *" ** * *= *i * * $ 4* <J* *I *

TRAVELS
ouin,
if

IN SPAIN
close-

he unties his bandana and shows his

skull.
it

shaven blue
Catholicism,
these

In spite of Spanish pretensions to

is

always

difficult for

me

to believe that
It
is

Valencians are not

to

Moslems.

probably

owing

their fierce

look that Valencians have the

in the other provinces
in

evil reputation

which they enjoy

of Spain.

was

told
if

score of times that

rid

the

Valencian Huerta,
there

you wished to get

of any one,

was no

difficulty in finding a

peasant

who would

do the job

for five or six

I

douros.

That

strikes

me

as

an absolute slander.
side

have often met

in the

country-

most rascally-looking fellows who always bowed

very politely.
finally

to

me

One

evening
in

we had
the open

lost
air,

our
the

way",
city

and we
gates

had to sleep

being closed

when we

returned
it

and

yet

nothing happened to us, although

had long been

pitch-dark and Valencia and the neighbourhood were

in

the throes of a revolution.

By

a singular contrast, the

fair,

women
like

of these European

Kabyles are pale and

the

Venetians; they
blue glance.

have a sweet, sad smile and a

tender,

No

greater contrast could be imagined.

paradise of the

The

black

demons of the
angels to wife.

Huerta
is

have white

Their lovely

hair

kept up with a

4, 4* 4- 4; 4- 4; 4; 4* 4~ 4; 4; 4j4 4. 4j 4; 4; jj; 4; 4. 4;

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CADIZ GIBRA LT A R
great

comb, or traversed with long pins with

Formerly the Valencian

silve r

or glass heads.
a

women wore
recalled
it

charming

national

costume

which

the

Albanian dress; unfortunately, they have given

for the

up

hideous Anglo-French costume.

We
for

had been for some ten days

in

Valencia waiting

another steamer, for the bad weather

had

upset
curi-

departures
osity

and
sated,

interrupted

connections.

Our
to

was

and we only cared

to return

Paris

to

see our
;

relatives,

our friends, our beloved bouleforgive

a

vards

believe,
to

Heaven
at

me

that

secretly a

wished
civilised

be present

vaudeville.

In

word,

life,

forgotten for six months, called us back

imperiously.
to

We
our

wanted

to

read

the

newspapers,

sleep

in

own
At

beds, and to indulge a thousand

last

Boeotian fancies.
Gibraltar which

there

came

a steamer from

took us

to Port-Vendres, calling at

Barcelona,

where we
is

remained

only

few

hours.

Barcelona

like Marseilles,

and Spanish characteristics

are scarcely visible.

lar,

The

buildings are dull and reguvelvet trousers and the

and but
red

for the full blue

great

caps

of the

Catalans,

one

might

fancy

one's self in France.

In spite of the Rambla planted

straight streets, Barcelona

with trees, and

its

handsome

399

TRAVELS IN SPAIN
has a

somewhat
within

stiff

look, as

have

all

towns closely

confined
is

their

fortifications.

The

cathedral

very

handsome, especially the

interior,

which

is

sombre, mysterious, and almost terrifying.

are of Gothic

The

organs

manufacture, and are enclosed

in great

painted

panels.

A
the

Saracen's head grimaces

it.

treacher-

ously under the pendentives which support

Charmlike

ing

coronae, of

fifteenth

century,

traceried
vault.

reliquaries,

hang from the groining of the

church one enters
a

On

leaving

the

beautiful cloister of

the

same

period,

dreamy and

silent,

the

half-round

arches of which have the gray tones of old Northern

buildings.

The
earrings

street

De
large

la

Plateria dazzles the eye with

its

shop windows
as

brilliant

with gems, and especially huge

as

bunches

of grapes,

of heavy,

massive richness, somewhat barbaric but quite majestic

in

effect,

which are purchased

chiefly

by well-to-do

peasant

women.
next
day,
little

The

at

ten
at

in

the
foot

morning we were
of which
Shall I

entering the

bay

the
in

spreads

Port-Vendres,

we were
I

France.

acknowlof

edge

it?

-as

stepped on
filled

my

fatherland, tears

regret, not

of joy,

my

eyes.

The

golden towers,

400

CADIZ GIBRALTAR
the silvery peaks of the Sierra Nevada, the rose laurels

of the Generalife, the long, moist, velvet glances, the

blooming carnation
hands,
that
to
it

lips,

the

small
to

feet,

the

small

all

these
to

came back

my mind
where
I

so vividly

seemed

me

that France,

was going
I

meet

my

mother, was a land of exile into which

was entering.

My

dream was ended.

401

^\

.22