lish counties; yet, exclusively of the city, the whole consists of no more than 101 large farm houses, 77 smaller ones, 555 houses attached to the vineyards, 23 houses situated in olive grounds, and 55 houses in fruit and vegetable gardens. Such is the state of population in one of the best peopled districts of Andalusia, and perhaps in the finest climate and the richest soil in Europe; every thing has been done by nature, but the institutions of the government, and the indolence of the inhabitants, have effected nothing to improve the advantages she has bestowed.

The inhabitants boast of their patriotism and zeal in the cause of their country, and express their detestation of the French on all occasions. This detestation has been evinced in the most inhuman manner, by the murders committed upon several of the prisoners; nor would even those who are on their parole, and occupied in the labour of the fields be exempt from apprehension, if they ventured to mix with the inhabitants, or neglected the precaution of working in parties separate from the Spaniards. I was informed that Xeres had furnished 7000 recruits for the armies; a tale which I cannot believe, though asserted confidently by every one who has the means of information. It does not appear probable that 7000 men could be taken from a population computed at 40,000 souls, when all the married men, the only sons, and the numerous ecclesiastics, are exempt from the conscription: besides, had the whole of Spain furnished recruits in the same proportion, their armies would have amounted to at least two millions of men, but it is well known that they never exceeded one tenth of that number.

As I have promised to pass a few days here with the hospitable family of the Gordons, and have received pressing solicitations from other people to visit them on my return from Seville, I shall defer seeing the churches, the Roman antiquities, and the Convent of the Carthusian Monks till that time.

This evening is delightful; the twilight in this climate tinges the sky with a variety of beautiful colours, much resembling the warm hues of Claude, but of which no one can form an adequate idea who has not visited the South of Europe. The "moon walk. ing in brightness," the refreshing coolness of the breeze, and the soothing tranquillity of the scene, are truly enchanting; nor are the feelings rendered less agreeable by the occasional tinkling of the bells, attached to the numerous strings of mules, that pass under our

windows.

LETTER VIII.

COUNTRY AROUND XERES-CASTLE OF LEBRIXA—ITS ANTIQUITY-CONVENT— ITS LIBRARY-MASSACRE OF FRENCH PRISONERS- -SCULPTURE OF ALONSO CANO HISTORY OF CANO-ROMAN DESERTION.

LEBRIXA, SEPT. 1809.

WE left Xeres early this morning, and came to this place by a dusty track through fields lately covered with corn, but which, from the want of rain, are now converted into barren plains. The environs of Xeres on this side are pleasant, and abound in cultivated gardens and vineyards, inclosed within hedges of aloes and tuna. The face of the country is rendered still more agreeable by the'intermixture of olive trees, whose dark-green hue forms a pleasing contrast to the lighter shade of the hedges. We passed a number of farmers with their wives, mounted on horses, mules, and asses, going to a fair about seven leagues distant, near Medina. This fair, held in the Pueblo of St. Martin, continues three days, and is the most considerable cattle fair in Andalusia; it is remarkable for its horses, which are prized in Spain above all others; numbers of these animals are bred in the neighbouring plains by the Carthu sian monks, who thence derive considerable emolument, as well as from their agricultural pursuits. We passed over some extensive plains leaving the high mountains of Borno on the right hand, and

the Guadalquivir, at a considerable distance, on the left. We had a distant view of the city of St. Lucar, and, though we did not approach within two leagues of it, the clearness of the atmosphere was such, that the objects were more distinct than they would have appeared in England at the short distance of a mile.

Our first view of Lebrixa was very impressive. Near the town is a Roman camp situated on an eminence overlooking the surrounding country, from the centre of which rises a once magnificent castle, built in very remote times, and improved by the Moors; but which now lies partly in ruins, and partly converted into a convent for monks, conspicuous only for the solemnity it adds to the scene. The town is by no means well built, though some of the public edifices have the appearance of magnificence. There is a certain liveliness in the aspect of the place which is not a little improved by the brilliancy of the atmosphere. After a slight repast we went to view the castle, the prospect from which is very extensive. The lower part of the walls is very thick, and built with Roman bricks; the upper part is evidently of Moorish construction, from the horseshoe form of the arches, as well as from the materials of which it is composed. The Roman part, which is in some places thirty feet in height, gradually diminishes in thickness, each tier of bricks standing farther in than the one below it, so that the wall somewhat resembles a flight of steps; at the bottom it is so thick, that the excavated cells of the monks are about nine feet in length. I had no means of accurately ascertaining the thickness at the part where the work of the Romans ceases, and that of the Moors begins, but I conjecture it to be about five feet, and the Moorish addition

being perpendicular, of course continues the same thickness to the top;-in former times several ditches surrounded it, the remains of which are still visible.

The Spaniards, in general, feel a pride in tracing the origin of every thing belonging to them to high antiquity: this place is said to have been founded by Bacchus, but some derive its name from the Phoenicians, who certainly traded to this part of Spain at a very remote period. Whatever may have been its origin, there are no antiquities now remaining, prior to the time of the Romans. At the side of an archway, which leads to the castle, there is a marble statue of a female as large as life; and though it has lost the head, the rest of the figure is in tolerable preservation; the drapery discovers considerable ability, and it is undoubtedly a Roman work; though the pious Catholics of Lebrixa sanctify it with the name of the Virgin, or more familiarly, call it " Mariquita la Marmoleja."

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We visited the convent which is built within the antient castle the president, when he found we were Englishmen, treated us with civility and attention; he pressed us to take our dinner with him, which, however, we declined, and he piously expressed his gratitude to God, for having inspired the King of England with the resolution to support the cause of the Spaniards, declaring his confidence of success, because the holy Virgin was on our side. I was curious to see the library of the convent, as well as the private collections in the cells of the different monks: from inspecting a man's books, it is as easy to judge of the turn of his mind as from knowing his associates; to a monk, indeed, his books must be his most valuable