Page images
PDF
EPUB

pleased me much, and which no where produces so striking an effect as on the Prado. Exactly at sun-set the bells of the churches and convents give the signal for repeating the evening prayer to the Virgin. In an instant the busy multitude is hushed and arrested, as if by magic. The carriages stop, the women veil their faces with their fans, the men take off their hats, and all breathe out, or are supposed to breathe, a short prayer to the protecting Power which has brought them to the close of another day. After a short, a solemn, and not an unpleasing pause, the men bow and put on their hats, the women uncover their faces, the carriages drive on, and the whole crowd is again in motion as before. This is one of the few Catholic customs which appears to partake of piety without superstition, and divest ed of altars, candlesticks, tapers, and images. I feel no reluctance to uncover my head among the crowd under so noble a canopy as the vault of Heaven, where some of the stars already begin to appear. Those around me mutter a petition or a thanksgiving to their favourite saint, or to the Mother of God; but I have only a heretic though heartfelt prayer to offer for those far distant from me, a parent, a brother, a sister, or a friend.

"The Manzanares, although in summer a mere rivulet, is yet of great importance to a large city, situated in the middle of an arid country, and in a warm climate. As the heat of the summer increases, it is carefully husbanded, and led into narrow channels, where several hundreds of washerwomen are constantly seen employed. In one of these channels square holes are dug, and little huts covered with mats erected over them. These are the baths of Madrid, and as the stream, though

small, keeps perpetually running through them, they may well supply the place of more elegant edifices. In the month of September these are struck, one after another, unless perhaps a solitary one remains until heavy rains among the hills swell the Manzanares into a torrent, and in a night's time sweep away all vestiges of these summer structures. These however seldom come unawares. For several days large clouds collect on the summits of the Guadarrama mountains, and announce by their thick darkness, and vivid flashes of lightning, the heavy rains which are falling near the sources of the river. The distant thunder is faintly heard to roll among the valleys, and a few drops of rain even reach as far as Madrid; but in the morning the air, which for several days has been oppressive, becomes cool and refreshing, and the inhabitants with some satisfaction desire a stranger to go and see their river, the Manzanares.

"The country around Madrid presents in summer a parched and barren appearance. Immediately after passing through most of the gates we enter as upon a desert, and look in vain, unless toward the Manzanares, for woods, or even trees, except near gentlemen's seats, farm-houses, or pleasant villages.-Of these last a few are seen at a distance in various directions; but of a dull and melancholy appearance. The towns and villages of Spain may be compared almost universally to islands in the midst of the ocean, where you travel from one to the other, without seeing any intermediate object that recalls the idea of human habitation. From Lisbon to Madrid, excepting two or three gloomy castles, there is not a gen tleman's seat visible on the road.--The ancient periods of internal war

and

The traveller toward San Ildefonso or Segovia beholds the ruins of immense mounds across the valleys destined as reservoirs; of, if at Madrid, may walk a few miles under the shade of trees, along the banks of a stagnant canal; and he has then seen all that exists of this mighty project, the advantages of which to Spain were to have been incalculable. A third walk is along the great road leading to Sau Ildefonso, and the Escorial. It runs for some distance along the Manzanares, shaded by trees; and, after walking a few miles, we arrive at a small wood, the only one near Madrid. Here the citizens, both men and women, resort on their holidays in great numbers, forming cheerful parties under the shade of the trees, where they come and eat their dinners with a better relish than at home. As the Spanish wo

and rapine seem to have left so strong an impression on the minds and customs of the people, that they are afraid to inhabit except near to each other, and in clusters for mutual protection. Hence there is scarcely a pleasant walk in the neighbourhood of Madrid. The most interesting is that on the north side; for although the country is perfectly open, yet the range of the Guadarrama mountains, the nearest of which are about twenty miles distant, presents at all times a grand object. If the sky is clear, we contemplate with pleasure their bold outlines, the deep shades which mark their valleys, and their prominent distant cliffs, enlightened by the sun. Their appearance is still more interesting when shrouded, almost to their bases, in clouds and rolling storms; and in winter their summits are covered with snowmen of all ranks are wholly free Of a different nature is a walk of a few miles along the borders of a canal planted with trees, and not >worthy of being mentioned, except as the only one of its kind near the city. This canal was begun with great eagerness and great magnificence. It was destined to open a communication between the capital and the eastern provinces; but particularly with the rivers which take their rise in the mountains on the borders of Arragon; namely, the Tagus running to the westward, and the Guadalaviar and Jucar which fall into the Mediterranean, opposite to the islands of Ivica and Majorca. Reservoirs were sketched out among the Guadarrama mountains, to collect and preserve the winter rains; several miles of the canal were dug, furnished with two or three locks, and planted along the borders with trees; but by some fatality, the project is still incomplete, or rather has been abandoned for a new one.

from reserve, they sing, and laugh, and joke with the passing stranger, whom they never fail to offer a share of their repast.

"The air of Madrid is remarkably pure and healthy, arising from its being situated at a much greater height above the level of the sea than any other capital in Europe.Nothing can exceed the delightful coolness of the mornings, or the brilliancy of the stars at night. The moonlight evenings above all are delicious, almost beyond what we can form an idea of, even from the finest frosty nights of England. It is on such nights that the soul of the stranger is filled with a secret pleasure, whilst he beholds so mild a light, and breathes so pure an air. It is on such nights that the lover places himself beneath the window of his mistress, and to his tinkling guitar sings his hopes and fears, the pangs of jealousy, or the pleasures of mutual affection. If she be not

unkind,

unkind the casement is opened and shut at intervals, to shew that he is heard, and even this slight proof of regard delights him.

"The whole population of Madrid, consisting of about two hundred and fifty thousand souls, may be said to be merely an appendage to the court, the absence of which is immediately and sensibly felt. In order to break, or rather to prevent the reviving of the ancient feudal spirit, the crown insists upon the whole of the Spanish nobility residing in the capital; and what was at first a political institution has now become so much a fashion, that a banishment to the country is considered as a most grievous punishment. From this great concourse of nobility, the manners even of the lower classes partake of much urbanity, yet in some parts mixed with an attention to punctilios. If two porters meet, they do not fail to salute each other with the title of senor and cavallero; but all ranks are jealous of giving the wall in walking the streets, and duels have not unfrequently taken place on this account. Assassinations are however less frequent, considering the population, than in most of the other great towns in Spain.

In their diet the citizens are temperate and uniform. The universal and regular dish for all ranks is the pucheiro, a kind of stew of meat and an excellent species of large pea, which grows in the utmost perfection near San Ildefonso: with by far the greater part, this forms the whole of the dinner, and is truly a national dish, being regularly served every day at the king's table, as well as at that of the poorest mechanic. In most of the other articles of their cookery oil is greatly used, and that in general of a very indifferent quality; indeed they use the

1908.

same for their kitchens as for burning in their lamps. The oil of Valencia is excellent, but that is never met with on the roads, and an Englishman is astonished to find that, except at Madrid, he cannot obtain, at any price, such good oil as is commonly used in London.There are some landlords that draw their wine and their vinegar from the same cask; but all of them draw the oil for their lamps and their ragouts from the same jar; with such oil, water, vinegar, garlick, and bread, cut small and mixed up cold together, a Spaniard forms a mess, with which he appeases his hunger for the whole day. On the road from Lisbon, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, made us relish these kinds of bread and water sallads, but when placed before us at Madrid, although made of better materials, we hardly deigned to look at them. Two other great ingredients in Spanish cookery are, the tomata or love apple, and the green pepper pod.The former stewed, and the latter boiled, and eaten with bread, form in their seasons very material articles of the food of the lower classes. The tomata is indeed in general use over all the countries of the Levant; although pulpy, and possessing very little nourishment, and general y unpleasant in the taste to strangers. It may here be observed, that the markets of Madrid are scantily enough supplied with meat, but plentifully with vegetables and fruits; of the latter, the grapes melous, peaches, and cherries, are delicious. In their great entertainments, they are fond of bringing in one dish after another; reserving what they esteem the best to the last, as if they delighted in taking their guests by surprise; enticing, and in a manner forcing them to eat more, after being already satisfied. L

During

During dinner they drink plentifully enough of wine diluted with water, and a few bottles of French wines terminate the repast. After rising from table, coffee is served round, and the party breaks up. Most of the guests retire to their siesta or afternoon's nap, universal throughout Spain; and in the evening fresh parties are again formed, either for cards, the Prado, or the theatre. As the pucheiro is the general dinner, so a single cup of chocolate, with a little bread, is the universal breakfast of the Spaniards; after which they drink a glass or two of cold water. Whenever they travel they carry chocolate with them, and when they can procure nothing else, with a little warm water and some bread, they make a kind of meal with which they are contented, Yet I have had many occasions to remark, that their temperance is perhaps, in general, more constrain ed, than constitutional or voluntary, At all public tables I have seen that a Spaniard eats full as much as the foreigner by his side. In the use of wine they are certainly temperate, and a drunken Spaniard, even of the lowest class, is scarcely ever seen in the streets of Madrid. To atone for this, they smoke immoderately, and at all hours, from their first rising to their hour of going to bed. They do not use pipes, but smoke the tobacco leaf itself rolled up, or cut small and wrapped in a slight covering, such as paper, or the thin leaves of maiz. Great quantities of tobacco thus prepared are imported from the Havannah, under the name of cigars, in slight cedar or mahogany boxes, containing a thousand cach. Those wrapt in the leaf of maiz are called pachillos, or little straws, and are chiefly smoked by the women, for whose use also others are formed of white paper,

ornamented with a kind of gold wire. I have seen women of some rank playing at cards, and smoking these pachillos. The great Duchess of Alva, one of the most sensible and noble spirited women that Spain has produced for many years, was fond of using them.

"The amusements are now much the same as in other parts of Europe, and contain little that is national, since the suppression of the bull-fights by the present king. Humanity was the motive alleged for this suppression; but it is said to have been occasioned by the people loudly expressing their dissatisfaction at some orders given by him relative to the management of a fight where he was present. The murmur was called a mutiny: despotism was alarmed; and either to shew his fears, or his power, the king at once forbade this favourite diversion of a great people. The heat of the climate discourages athletic exercises; walking on the Prado, riding in carriages, cards, smoking, and billiards, are therefore the principal amusements of the inhabitants of Madrid. Their theatres are seldom thronged but on the representation of a new piece; and the public taste is certainly here not very correct, and often applauds not merely buffooneries, but indecency. Translations from Kotzebue and the German dramatists have also found their way to the Spanish boards; and, although favourably enough received, have not been crowned with that madness of applause which some years ago disgraced the public taste of England. They are fond of dramas, taken from their own history, and I have seen a Spanish audience kindled into a mo mentary enthusiasm by the representation of the brave actions of a Cortez, or a Pizarro, or melted

into tears at the sight of Columbus in chains, whilst he related what he had done for his country, and reproached an ungrateful court for his unrewarded services and unmerited sufferings. The play is generally followed by a dance of one or two persons, and is either the Fandango or Bolera. The former is not very decent; but the latter, in which the dancers keep time with their castanets, is pleasing. The people are astonishingly fond of both, and, although the dance lasts but a very short time, appear to derive more pleasure from it than the whole of the play. The dress of the female dancers is that of the Andalusian women, carried to excess in ornaments, spangles, and fringes, but producing a rich and seductive effect. "During my residence in Madrid, I saw and heard but little of the Holy Inquisition, once so formidable in Spain, and which still remains anxious to prevent the rapid progress of knowledge. A Spaniard, however, of undoubted veracity, assured me that instances sometimes occurred of its exerting a portion of that enormous power which it still nominally holds. Returning home late one evening, in passing a large building, his ears were struck with deep groans, which seemed faintly to pierce the thick walls of the building. He anxiously stopped to listen; but scarcely had he inclined his ear, when two men, who by their dress he knew to be the servants of the Inquisition, suddenly issued from underneath a dark gateway, and in stern language of dered him to be gone; a mandate with which he did not fail instantly to comply.

One part of the duty of this Institution consists in the inspection of all books brought to Madrid: an inspection which is rigorously pet

formed. When my little portmanteau arrived by the carrier from Lisbon, I was requested to attend at the Custom-House, with the key, thất its contents might be examined.Two reverend ecclesiastics of the Inquisition were present, and at the sight of their stern countenances I trembled for the fate of my Lucre tius, the constant companion of all my travels. Their mode of opera tion, however, was very short. Before them lay a thick quarto volume, containing a list of all the books prohibited by the Inquisition, alphabetically arranged. To this they referred, and as Lucretius, Livy, and Euclid, were not amongst the num ber proscribed, I was charged a trifling duty, and my books were allowed to pass. The two Inspectors freely allowed me to examine the list where, amongst others, I was astonished to find the English Spectator. The Spectator a prohi bited book in the metropolis of Spain, and Lucretius licensed! But the authors of the Spectator were English heretics, and Lucretius was only an atheist._'

[ocr errors]

With respect to the public buildings of Madrid, it does not enter into the plan of this hasty jour nal to enuinerate them. Suffice it to observe, that there is scarcely a church or a convent that does not contain some peculiarity of architecture, some picture, statue, or column worthy of being seen. The palace of the Retiro, and still more the new palace, contains many cu riosities, and valuable paintings.The latter, like many great Spanish undertakings, remains unfinished": if completed, it would certainly be the most magnificent palace in Enrope; and its situation on the brow of a bill, fronting the Manzanares, adds an effect still more imposing. Above all, the Royal Museum must

« PreviousContinue »