letters-第31节

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ng；　in　one　no　less　than　six　orators　were　haranguing　at　the　　same　time　on　the　state　of　the　country；　and　the　probability　of　an　　intervention　on　the　part　of　England　and　France。　　As　I　was　listening　　to　one　of　them　he　suddenly　called　upon　me　for　my　opinion；　as　I　was　　a　foreigner；　and　seemingly　just　arrived。　　I　replied　that　I　could　　not　venture　to　guess　what　steps　the　two　Governments　would　pursue　　under　the　present　circumstances；　but　thought　that　it　would　be　as　　well　if　the　Spaniards　would　exert　themselves　more；　and　call　less　on　　Jupiter。　　As　I　did　not　wish　to　engage　in　any　political　conversation　　I　instantly　quitted　the　house；　and　sought　those　parts　of　the　town　　where　the　lower　classes　principally　reside。

I　entered　into　discourse　with　several　individuals；　but　found　them　　very　ignorant；　none　could　write　or　read；　and　their　ideas　respecting　　religion　were　anything　but　satisfactory；　most　professing　a　perfect　　indifference。　　I　afterwards　went　into　a　bookseller's　shop；　and　made　　enquiries　respecting　the　demand　for　literature；　which　he　informed　　me　was　small。　　I　produced　our　24mo　edition　of　the　New　Testament　in　　Spanish；　and　asked　the　bookseller　whether　he　thought　a　book　of　that　　description　would　sell　in　Cadiz。　　He　said　it　was　exceedingly　　beautiful；　both　in　type　and　paper；　but　it　was　a　work　not　sought　　after；　and　very　little　known。　　I　did　not　pursue　my　enquiries　in　　other　shops；　for　I　reflected　that　I　was　not　very　likely　to　receive　　a　very　favourable　opinion　from　booksellers　respecting　a　publication　　in　which　they　had　no　interest。　　I　had；　moreover；　but　two　or　three　　copies　of　the　New　Testament　with　me；　and　could　not　have　supplied　　them　had　they　given　me　an　order。

That　night　I　became　very　unwell；　and　was　apprehending　that　I　had　　been　seized　with　the　cholera；　as　the　symptoms　of　my　complaint　were　　very　similar　to　those　which　accompany　that　disorder。　　I　was　for　　some　time　in　most　acute　pain；　and　terribly　sick；　I　drank　oil　mixed　　with　brandy；　and　in　some　degree　recovered；　and　for　the　two　　succeeding　days　was　very　feeble；　and　able　to　undertake　nothing。　　　This　attack　was　the　cause　of　my　not　writing　to　you　from　Cadiz　as　I　　had　fully　intended。

Early　on　the　24th　I　embarked　for　Seville　in　the　small　Spanish　　steamer　the　BETIS。　　The　morning　was　wet；　and　the　aspect　of　nature　　was　enveloped　in　a　dense　mist；　which　prevented　my　observing　　surrounding　objects。　　After　proceeding　about　six　leagues；　we　　reached　the　north…eastern　extremity　of　the　bay　of　Cadiz；　and　passed　　by　Saint　Lucar；　an　ancient　town　close　by　where　the　Guadalquivir　　disembogues　itself。　　The　mist　suddenly　disappeared；　and　the　sun　of　　Spain　burst　forth　in　full　brilliancy；　enlivening　all　around；　and　　particularly　myself；　who　had　till　then　been　lying　on　the　deck　in　a　　dull　melancholy　stupor。　　We　entered　the　mouth　of　the　'Great　River；'　　for　that　is　the　English　translation　of　QUED　AL　KIBER；　as　the　Moors　　designated　the　ancient　Betis。　　We　came　to　anchor　for　a　few　minutes　　at　a　little　village　called　Bonanca；　at　the　extremity　of　the　first　　reach　of　the　river；　where　we　received　several　passengers；　and　again　　proceeded。　　There　is　not　much　in　the　appearance　of　the　Guadalquivir　　to　interest　the　traveller：　　the　banks　are　low　and　destitute　of　　trees；　the　adjacent　country　is　flat；　and　only　in　the　distance　is　　seen　a　range　of　tall　blue　sierras。　　The　water　is　turbid　and　muddy；　　and　in　colour　closely　resembling　the　contents　of　a　duck…pool；　the　　average　width　of　the　stream　is　from　150　to　200　yards。　　But　it　is　　impossible　to　move　along　this　river　without　remembering　that　it　has　　borne　the　Roman；　the　Vandal；　and　the　Arab；　and　has　been　the　witness　　of　deeds　which　have　resounded　through　the　world；　and　been　the　　themes　of　immortal　song。　　I　repeated　Latin　verses　and　fragments　of　　old　Spanish　ballads；　till　we　reached　Seville　at　about　nine　o'clock　　of　a　lovely　moonlight　night。

Before　entering　upon　more　important　matter　I　will　say　a　few　words　　respecting　Seville　and　its　curiosities。　　It　contains　90；000　　inhabitants；　and　is　situated　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Guadalquivir；　　about　eighteen　leagues　from　its　mouth。　　It　is　surrounded　with　high　　Moorish　walls；　in　a　good　state　of　preservation；　and　built　of　such　　durable　materials　that　it　is　probable　they　will　for　many　centuries　　bid　defiance　to　the　encroachment　of　time。　　The　most　remarkable　　edifices　are　the　cathedral　and　Alcazar　or　palace　of　the　Moorish　　kings。　　The　tower　of　the　former；　called　La　Giralda；　belongs　to　the　　period　of　the　Moors；　and　formed　part　of　the　Grand　Mosque　of　　Seville。　　It　is　220　ells　in　height；　and　is　ascended　not　by　stairs　　or　ladders；　but　by　a　vaulted　pathway；　in　the　manner　of　an　inclined　　plane；　this　path　is　by　no　means　steep；　so　that　a　cavalier　might　　ride　up　to　the　top；　a　feat　which　Ferdinand　the　Seventh　is　said　to　　have　accomplished。　　The　view　from　the　summit　is　very　extensive；　and　　on　a　fine　clear　day　the　ridge　called　the　Sierra　de　Ronda　may　be　　discovered　though　the　distance　is　upward　of　twenty…two　leagues。　　　The　cathedral　itself　is　a　noble　Gothic　structure；　reputed　the　　finest　of　the　kind　in　Spain。　　In　the　chapels　allotted　to　the　　various　saints　are　some　of　the　most　magnificent　paintings　which　　Spanish　art　has　produced。　　Here　are　to　be　seen　the　far…famed　'Angel　　of　the　Guard；'　by　Murillo；　his　'Saint　Anthony　at　Devotion；'　the　　celestial　spirits　hovering　around　him；　and　Saint　Thomas　of　Villa　　Nueva　bestowing　Charity'；　there　are　also　some　pictures　by　Soberan　　＇？　Zurbaran＇　of　almost　inestimable　value。　　Indeed；　the　cathedral　at　　Seville　is　at　the　present　time　far　more　rich　in　splendid　paintings　　than　at　any　former　period；　possessing　many　very　recently　removed　　from　some　of　the　suppressed　convents；　particularly　from　the　　Capuchin　and　Franciscan。

No　one　should　visit　Seville　without　paying　particular　attention　to　　the　Alcazar。　　It　is　perhaps　the　most　perfect　specimen　of　Moorish　　architecture　which　is　at　present　to　be　found　in　Europe。　　It　　contains　many　splendid　halls；　particularly　that　of　the　Ambassadors；　　so　called；　which　is　in　every　respect　more　magnificent　than　the　one　　of　the　same　name　within　the　Alhambra　of　Granada。　　This　palace　was　a　　favourite　residence　of　Peter　the　Cruel；　who　carefully　repaired　it；　　without　altering　its　Moorish　character　and　appearance。　　It　probably　　remains　in　much　the　same　state　as　at　the　time　of　his　death。

On　the　right　side　of　the　river　is　a　large　suburb　called　Triana；　　communicating　with　Seville　by　means　of　a　bridge　of　boats；　for　there　　is　no　permanent　bridge　across　the　Guadalquivir　owing　to　the　violent　　inundations　to　which　it　is　subject。　　This　suburb　is　inhabited　by　　the　dregs　of　the　populace；　and　abounds　with　Gitanos　or　Gypsies。　　　About　a　league　and　a　half　to　the　north…west　stands　the　village　of　　Santo　Ponce；　at　the　foot　and　on　the　side　of　some　elevated　ground　　higher　up　are　to　be　seen　vestiges　of　ruined　walls　and　edifices　　which　once　formed　part　of　Italica；　the　birth…place　of　Silius　　Italicus　and　Trajan；　from　which　latter　personage　Triana　derives　its　　name。　　One　fine　morning　I　walked　thither；　and　having　ascended　the　　hill　I　directed　my　course　northward。　　I　soon　reached　what　had　once　　been　bagnios；　and　a　little　farther　on；　in　a　kind　of　valley　between　　two　gentle　acclivities；　the　amphitheatre。　　This　latter　object　is　by　　far　the　most　considerable　relic　of　ancient　Italica；　it　is　oval　in　　its　form；　with　two　gateways；　fronting　the　east　and　west。　　On　all　　sides　are　to　be　seen　the　time…worn　broken　granite　benches；　from　　whence　myriads　of　human　beings　once　gazed　down　on　the　area　below；　　where　the　gladiator　shouted；　and　the　lion　and　leopard　yelled。　　All　　around　beneath　these　flights　of　benches　are　vaulted　excavations；　　from　whence　the　combatants；　part　human；　part　bestial；　darted　forth　　by　their　several　doors。　　I　spent　several　hours　in　this　singular　　place；　forcing　my　way　through　the　wild　fennel　and　brushwood　into　　the　caverns；　now　the　haunts　of　adders　and　other　reptiles；　whose　　hissings　I　heard。　　Having　sated　my　curiosity；　I　left　the　ruins；　and　　returning　by　another　way　reached　a　place　where　lay　the　carcase　of　a　　horse　half…devoured。　　Upon　it　with　lustrous　eyes　stood　an　enormous　　vulture；　who；　as　I　approached；　slowly　soared　aloft　till　he　alighted　　on　the　eastern　gate　of　the　amphitheatre；　from　whence　he　uttered　a　　hoarse　cry；　as　if　in　anger　that　I　had　disturbed　him　from　his　feast　　of　carrion。

And　now　for　another　subject。　　You　are　doubtless　anxious　to　know　　what　are　my　projects；　and　why　I　am　not　by　this　time　further　　advanced　on　my　way　to　Madrid；　know　then　that　the　way　to　Madrid　is　　beset　with　more　perils　than　harassed　Christian　in　his　route　to　the　　Eternal　Kingdom。　　Almost　all　communication　is　at　an　end　between　　this　place　and　the　capital；　the　diligences　and　waggons　have　ceased　　running；　even　the　bold　ARRIEROS　or　muleteers　are　at　a　stand…still；　　and　the　reason　is　that　the　rural　portion　of　Spain；　especially　this　　part；　is　in　a　state　of　complete　disorganisation　and　of　blackest　　horror。　　The　three　fiends；　famine；　plunder；　and　murder；　are　playing　　their　ghastly　revels　unchecked；　bands　of　miscreants　captained　by　　such　…　what　shall　I　call　them？　…　as　Orejita　and　Palillos；　are　　prowling　about　in　every　direction；　and　woe　to　those　whom　they　meet。　　　A　few　days　since　they　intercepted　an　unfortunate　courier；　and　after　　scooping　out　his