and with the skill of the brave general Elliott and his valiant troops, resisted the united attack of France and Spain. Gibraltar derives its name from a Moorish chief of the name of Tarek, which compounded with the Arabic word Gebal, signifying mountain, Gebel Tarik became in time by corrup tion, Gibraltar. From Gibraltar they proceeded to Grenada.

SECTION VIII.

JOURNEY THROUGH SPAIN.

"WHEN we have dined we will visit the Alhambra, said Dr. Walker, as they partook of their first repast in Grenada, the most perfect, though according to historical accounts, not the most splendid of the Moorish palaces. There was one in the neighbourhood of Cordova, called the palace of Zehra, which surpassed all description. The Moors to this day put up prayers daily for the restoration of this part of the kingdom. When the last Moorish king caught sight of its glittering domes and turrets, he burst into an agony of tears, exclaiming, O God omnipotent!' his mother who was with him, indignantly replied, You do well to weep as a child, for what you could not preserve as a man.' Grenada is indeed a most delicious spot, and worthy the regrets of a monarch.

Upon entering the oblong court of the Alhambra, which is 150 feet long and 90 broad, they were struck by the sin-gularity as well as beauty of the scene. In the middle was a marble bason of water 100 feet long, surrounded by a flower border. From this court they passed into that of the lions, so called because the fountain in the middle is supported by thirteen lions. It is adorned with a colonade of 140 marble pillars. The royal bed-room has two alcoves, adorned with columns, and a fountain between them in the middle of the room. Adjoining to this are two hot-baths. The great hall is about forty feet square and sixty in height, with eight windows and two doors, all in deep recesses. All the apartments have fountains and are paved with tiles or marble in chequers.

"The idea of the ceilings is evidently taken from stalactites," observed the Doctor. "Look, Edward, that roof

reminds me of many we have seen in natural caverns." The view from this palace is exquisitely beautiful; vineyard and olive gardens surround it on every side; it stands in a luxuriant plain, which is bounded by hills; beyond which to the south, the Sierra Nevada lifts its venerable head, and forms a grand outline to the scene.

From Grenada our travellers proceeded to Cordova, formerly the capital of one of the Moorish kingdoms.

Cordova has several superb palaces and churches. The neighbouring mountains produce groves of citron, orange, fig, and olive trees. The best horses in Spain are to be met with here. It trades in wine, fruits, silk and Cordovan leather.

There is a stone bridge over the Guadalquiver of sixteen arches, built by the Moors, and the remains of a Moorish palace, which is now converted into stables.

EDWARD." What a transition."

Dr. Walker." There are some in Paris which are more striking than this metamorphosis."

Quitting Cordova they continued their journey in a north eastern direction, and passing through Bayleu, where the French were so completely beaten by the patriots of Spain; they at length entered the parched and arid plains of La Mancha, so celebrated for the exploits of the renowned Don Quixote.

DR. WALKER. "Can you not almost fancy, Edward, you see the knight of the woeful countenance mounted on his Rozinante, and his doughty squire Sancho Panza, and his favourite Dapple, traversing those cheerless plains?" "Almost," replied his pupil. "I am always sorry for Don Quixote and Sancho too, they get treated ill."

so very

"All persons," observed Dr. Walker, "who step so completely out of the usual track of human life must expect it; so I would advise you not to attempt any kind of knighterrantry, and studiously to avoid all singularity."

Our travellers now continued their journey without stopping at any place, until they came to Toledo, and here they resolved to stay a short time. Toledo is situated among rocks, eminences, and precipices, which are adorned with luxuriant spots of vegetation; the mountains of Toledo they had traversed previous to their reaching the city, were indeed bleak, barren, and sterile; and the doctor and his pupil were not a little rejoiced at taking up their quarters in a tolerable

inn, and enjoying those comforts which are seldom to be met with in the villages of Castile. The cookery of the Spaniards, such as they have received from their forefathers, is liked by very few strangers. Their palate requires high seasoning. Pepper, pimento, the juice of the tomata, or love apple, saffron, &c., colour or infect almost all their dishes. A single one has found favour with foreigners, which is called in Spain olla podrida, and is a kind of pot-pourri of all sorts of meat boiled together. The Spanish cooking is seldom plain, but with obscure families who are attached to ancient customs. French cooks have in many houses entirely supplanted the natives and our travellers more than once had reason to rejoice at this innovation, for to them these highly seasoned dishes of the country were very disagreeable. The cathedral of Toledo is particularly magnificent, and the treasures contained in one of its chapels, that called Sagiario, are almost incalculable, at least they were so formerly. Several of its gates are bronze, and it stands in the middle of the city, adjoining to a handsome street. Toledo contains many religious houses, some hospitals, and a great number of churches.

It is said the inhabitants have recovered the art of hardening sword-blades, for which they were formerly so famous, and which had been lost for many ages. The manner of trying these blades, was by striking them several times with great force, against an iron head-piece; if they received the smallest notch by this operation, they were considered imperfect. Our travellers passed through Aranjuez, where there is a royal palace, on their way to Madrid, and where they arrived full of expectation, and eager to take a survey of the palace and stately buildings which generally adorn the capital of an extensive kingdom; they were in some degree disappointed, for the houses are chiefly built of brick, and have rather a mean than a splendid appearance. It has however fifteen gates of granite, above one hundred churches, and a noble bridge over the Mançanares, which in the suminer is but an insignificant streamlet; when however it is swelled by wintry storms it becomes a rapid river. The viHere are cinity is a large plain, surrounded by mountains. royal manufactures of tapestry, cards, saltpetre, and chiña. The new palace first engaged their attention, to which they advanced by a steep ascent.

It stands detached upon an eminence, without a terrace,

a park, or a garden, and bears a greater resemblance to a citadel, than to the habitation of a monarch. But, on a nearer survey, the opinion of this palace will be greatly changed. It is of a square form; spacious porticoes encompass the inner court. The offices and apartments assigned to the principal persons attached to the court, occupy the ground-floor. You ascend by an elegant marble stair-case, the balustrade of which is highly ornamented. The royal apartments are of the most magnificent dimensions. The hall in which the throne is placed, denominated et salon de los reynos, extorts admiration even from those who have seen the gallery at Versailles. Tiepolo, a Venetian, has depicted the different costumes of the Spanish monarchy on the ceiling. Beautiful vases, little statues, and antique busts, are arranged on all the tables. Almost the whole of the furni ture is of Spanish manufacture; the mirrors, perhaps the largest in Europe, and the glass of the windows came from St. Ildefonso. The tapestry was made in a manufactory near the gates of Madrid. The various quarries of the peninsula furnished the marble for the tables and walls.

The palace of Madrid is entirely new. The former palace, occupied by Philip V. having been consumed by fire in 1734, that Prince was desirous to have it rebuilt in the same place. A Piedmontese architect presented a magnificent plan, the model of which is preserved in a neighbouring building. Philip V. startled at the magnificence of the design, adopted one more simple, which, however, proved equally expensive in the execution, and is not yet finished. For more than twelve years past, they have been employed in building two additional wings to the palace, which will give it a less massive uppearance, but will likewise hide the principal front.

On your way to this front, you traverse a large irregular place, at the extremity of which, is the armeria, or arsenal, comprizing a collection of ancient and foreign arms, disposed in fine order, and preserved with great care. The armour, said to belong to the ancient American warriors, is more worthy of attention than the wrought armour set with precious stones, or the complete suit of mail of some of the kings of Spain, and in particular of St. Ferdinand.

The sword of Francis I. which was so long exhibited in this place, as one of their proudest trophies, was seized by Bonaparte and it is now in Paris.

The collection of paintings in this new palace, is one of the most valuable in Europe.

Dr. Walker was contented with viewing the outside of the palace of Buen Retiro, for never had a royal residence less the appearance of a palace. It is a very irregular building, and exhibits nothing majestic in any one point of view. It comprehends, however, a long suite of apartments, which at a small expence might be made commodious. The gardens which they over

look are ill supplied with water, are in a ruinous condition, and serve at present for a public walk. It contains one picture among many which deserves to be noticed: it is an accurate representation of the Auto da Fé, held in 1680 in the Plaza Major at Madrid, in the presence of the whole court of Charles II. The balconies are crowded with spectators, attracted by motives of pious curiosity. The tremendous tribunal appears elevated in the middle of the square. The judges there await their victims, who with haggard and disfigured countenances, being dressed out in the emblems of their punishment, approach to hear their doom. Some are attended by monks, who administer their last exhortations; others are seen staggering and fainting on the steps of the tribunal.

"Shall we go and see this picture," said the Doctor to his pupil ?" "No, Sir," replied Edward. "I have not the least wish to look upon any thing so horrible."

DR. WALKER.- "Have you any objection to hear the history of one of its victims?"

EDWARD." None at all, Sir, if he were not burnt; but really I cannot endure the recital of the barbarous cruelty exercised by that dreadful tribunal."

DR. WALKER." He was not burnt, but died in his own country, in the year 1803. So I presume I may begin my story."

SECTION IX.

JOURNEY CONCLUDED IN SPAIN.

"Don Publo Olivadé, a native of Peru, had been raised by his abilities to fill one of the most important offices in the kingdom, that of Intendant of the four kingdoms of Andalusia, and Assiente of Seville. The distinction he acquired by these high dignities excited a considerable degree of envy, but the king (Charles IV.) convinced of his abilities, gave him a further opportunity of signalizing his patriotic zeal.

"Charles IV. had conceived a plan to bring into cultivation, and people that part of the Sierra Morena, through which passes the road from Madrid to Cadiz, a district formerly inhabited and cultivated, but now overgrown with wood, and become the haunts of robbers and of wild beasts. This district, is now infested by bands of guerillas in such vast numbers, that they threaten almost to subvert the government. This commission he intrusted