CONTENTS.

LETTER I.-A Floral Exhibition at Paris.-Beautiful Arrangements-A Fou-
tain and Brook.-Tropical Plants.-Black Swans.-New Roses-M. Vatte-
mare.-Persian Visitors.-Delaroche's Paintings.-His Queen Elizabeth-
His three Portraits of Napoleon......

LETTER II.-The Pauper Colonies of Holland.-Their Origin.-The Dwellin
of the Paupers.-Their Neatness.-Begging Propensity of the Inmates
Their Manufactory.-Their Schools.-Mode of Compensation for ther i
bor.-Numbers of the Colonists....

LETTER III-The Swiss Industrial Exhibition.-Ingenuity of the
Their success in Manufactures.-Freedom of Trade.-Natuni: Advanta
for Manufactures.-Iron Articles.-Swiss Watches, Porcelan G
Woollens, Embroidery.-Carvings in Wood.-Skins of Birds-er
of the Confederation.-Swiss Paintings.....

LETTER IV.-Bagnères de Luchon.-Geneva.-Lyons-

Nimes.-New Buildings.-Toulouse.-Beauty of Lucie

Village. The hs.-The Cours d'Etigny-Sights in the

I

8

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Oria.-Treatment of Trees.-A Basque Peasant.-The Chestnut Crop.-

Woollen Mills.-A Showy Country House.-A Manufacturing Village.—

Tolosa.-Night Travelling.-A Member of the Civil Guard.-Vergara.-

Neatness of the Hotel.-The Deva.-A Basque Girl.-The Cantabrian

Mountains.-Salinas.-The Roads.-Beggars.-Arrival at Vitoria..................

LETTER VIII.-Spanish Politeness.-Public Grounds at Vitoria.-The Alame-

da.-Thriving Appearance of the Town.-Sights in the Streets.-The Ca-

thedral.-Ribera's Dead Christ.-Country about Vitoria.-The Arquillos,.-

Winter at Vitoria.-Pigs and Women.-A Fair.-The People.-Their Ani-

mals.-The Pig Market.-Public Schools.-Departure from Vitoria.-A

Castilian Coachman.--Miranda de Ebro.-Swarms of Beggars.-Entrance

into Castile.-Custom-House.-A Castilian Traveller.-The Pass of Pan-

corvo.-Briviesca.-Dreary Region.-Arrival at Burgos...

LETTER IX.-Aspect of Burgos.-Spanish Courtesy.-The Alameda.—The Ca-

thedral.-Beauty of its Architecture.-Its Oriental Character.-Side Chap-

els.-Tomb of the Condestable.-Chapel of Santa Tecla.-A Spanish Ordi-

nary.-A Public Walk.-Students Designed for the Church.-A Spanish

Beauty.-A Drive into the Country.-Convent of Las Huelgas.-A Lady

Abbess.-Chant of the Nuns.-Chant of Priests..

LETTER X.-The Cartuja.-Monuments of Isabella the Catholic and her Broth-

er.-Cells of the Monks.-The Burial-Ground.-Poverty of the Secularized

Monks.-A Bull Fight.-The Amphitheatre.-Procession of the Combat-

ants.-A Tame Bull.-Dogs brought to Attack Him.-He is Killed.-A

Savage Bull.-The Banderilleros.-Horses Killed.-Another Bull Despatch-

ed.-Men Tossed in the Air.-Commercial Panic of 1858..

LETTER XI.-Courts of Justice in Burgos.-Handmaidens at the Inn.-De-

parture from Burgos.-A Night Journey.-Singing of the Coachmen.-Ler-

ma.-Quintanilla.-A Spanish Breakfast.-People on the Road.—Vineyards.

-The Vintage.-Grape Gatherers.-Aranda.-A Dirty Town and Inn.-

Fleas.--Boceguillas.-A Grove of Evergreen Oaks.-Jenny's Tavern.-A

Genteel Family in a Cart.-Somosierra.-Buitrago.-A Spanish Venta.-

The Lozoya.-Beautiful Scene.-What Becomes of the Donkeys.-Strange

Rocks.--Cabanillas and its Inn.-A Hired Mule.-Alcobendas.-Mambrino's

Helmet.-First Sight of Madrid.-Hotels...

LETTER XII.-Madrid.-Imitation of the French.-The Prado.-Costumes of

the Ladies.-Nature of Spanish Hospitality.-Social Customs.-Late Hours.

-The Amphitheatre for Bull Fights.--The Theatres.-The Puerta del Sol.

-Idlers.-Gossip.-A Revival of Religion.-Galiano.-The Royal Museum.

-Richness of the Collection.-Raphael's Pasmo de Sicilia.-Modern Span-

ish Paintings.....

LETTER XIII.-Engraving in Spain.-Martinez.-Private Galleries.-Medraza's
Collection.-Making of a Doctor of Laws.-Address of Emilio Castelar.-
The Degree Conferred.-Feast of All Saints.-Burial Places.-Ceremonies

65

78

91

102

109

124

of Commemoration.-Reservoir and Aqueduct.-Newspapers of Madrid.—

Liberty of the Press.-The Spanish Ministry.-A Railway.-Railway Pro

jects.-The Future of Spain.-Recent Political Changes and their Effect.-

Kindness of the Madrileños.-The American Minister....

LETTER XIV.-Departure from Madrid.-A Hermitage.-The Tagus.-Aran-

juez.-Villasequilla.-La Mancha.-Dreary Absence of Trees in Spain.-

Aspect of the Country.-Albacete.-Spanish Daggers.-Almansa.-A Car-

rito.-Unpleasant Conveyance.-A Murcian Driver.-Villena.-A Murcian

Inn.-Garlic.-Scarcity of Water...

LETTER XV.-Departure from Villena.-Narrow and Muddy Streets.-Sax.-

Picturesque Country.-Elda.-An Accident.-Foul Roads.-Four Corners'

Tavern.-Good Fortune.-A Railway.-Civility of the Superintendents.-

Arrival at Alicante.-The American Consul, Mr. Leach.-Quijano.- His

Humane Labors, Death, Funeral, and Monument..

LETTER XVI.-Departure from Alicante.-A Spanish Galera.-Cigarritos.--

Matches.-Elche and its Palms.-The People of Elche.-Morning Cup of

Chocolate.-Spanish Sobriety. Curiosity of the Inhabitants.-Orange

Groves.-Orihuela.-Dialogue with a Landlady.-Language of the South

of Spain.-Olive Groves.-Olive Gatherers.....

LETTER XVII.-Arrival at Murcia.-Mosquitoes.-The Cathedral.-Starers.-

Variety of Costumes.-Departure from Murcia.--Cheerful Fellow-passen-

gers.-Aspect of the Country.-Cartagena.-Hotel of Four Nations.-Pic-

turesque Site of the Town.-The Harbor.-Arrival of a Steamer.-Depart-

ure from Cartagena.-Almeria.-Its Port and Rocky Shores.-A Rough

Night.-Arrival at Malaga...........

LETTER XVIII.-Malaga.-Aspect of the Town.-Narrow and Crooked Streets.

-The Protestant Burial-Ground.-Decline of Fanaticism.-Tropical Plants.

-Monuments.-The Public Cemetery.-Robbers.-Death of a Bandit.-A

Boy made Captive.-Statuettes of Baked Earth.....

LETTER XIX.-Journey to Grenada.-Aspect of the Country.-Colmenar.-

Loja.-The River Genil.-Beauty of Grenada.-The Alhambra.--Beauty of

its Architecture.-Restoration of the Buildings and Removal of the Spanish

Additions.-Garden of the Moorish Kings.-Cathedral of Grenada.-Tomb

of Ferdinand and Isabella.-Grenada in Spring.-Ugliness of the Town.-

The Gypsies.-A Spanish Visitor.-Women of Grenada.-A Castilian's

Opinion of the People.-Return to Malaga....

LETTER XX.-Departure from the African Coast.-Softness of the Climate of

Malaga.-Collision of our Steamer with Another.-The Spanish Language

in the East.-View of the Spanish Shore.-Pirates of the Barbary Coast.-

Landing at Merz-el-Kebir.-A Spanish Boatman.--Spanish Colonists at

Oran.-Custom-Houses.-Beauty of the African Shore.-Oran.-Its Motley

Throngs of Inhabitants.-An Effect of the Commercial Panic.....

137

152

164

173

182

192

201

215

10

CONTENTS.

PAGE

LETTER XXI.-Principal Mosque at Oran.-Its Interior.-Worshippers at

their Devotions.-An Arab Village.-An Arab Beauty.-Group of Native

Youths. The Surrounding Country.-A Troublesome Visitor.-Castles and

Fortresses.-Spaniards Living in Caves.-Return to Merz-el-Kebir and Re-

embarkment.-Arrival at Algiers.-Lower Part of the Town.-Its French

Character.-Upper Part of the Town.-Its Strange Aspect.-Silent Popula-

tion.-A Beautiful Sunset....

226

LETTER XXII.-The Great Mosque at Algiers.-A French Public Garden.-

Moslem Cemetery and Chapels.-Women at the Graves and Tombs.-A

Crazy Man.-A Woman Asking Alms.-The Casbah.-A Native School.-

A French Girls' School.-A Moorish House.-The Kabyles.-Public Mar-

kets.-Negro Women.-Departure from Algiers.-The Colony.-Its Euro-

pean Population.-Health of the Country.-Decay of the Native Popula-

tion in the Towns.-Slow Growth of the Colony.-An Accident.-Arrival at

Marseilles...
289

LETTER XXIII.-Late Discoveries of Antiquities at Rome.-Excavations in

the Campagna.-Sepulchral Chambers and Sarcophagi.-Throng of Visitors.

-Two Cardinals.-Excavations at Ostia.-Changes for the Better at Rome.

-American Artists.-Death of Bartholomew the Sculptor...

253

LETTER XXIV.-Aix les Bains.-Florence and its Changes.-Bologna, its

Burial-Place and New Arcades.-Ferrara.-Venice and its German Popu-

lation.-Turin.-Exhibition of Manufactures.-Sardinian Silks.-Watches.

-Inlaid Wood.-Lithographs.-The Waldenses and their Worship...... 261

LETTER XXV.-A Death at Naples.-Climate of that City.-Nervous Com-

plaints.-Enervating Effect of the Air.-A Caution....

273

LETTERS FROM SPAIN

AND OTHER COUNTRIES.

LETTER I.

THE FLORAL EXHIBITION AT PARIS-DELAROCHE'S PAINTINGS.

PARIS, June 11, 1857.

THERE are some things which can only be done in Paris, or at least can only be done by Frenchmen, and one of these has furnished for the last fortnight a most attractive spectacle for the people of this place and those who visit it. The French not only delight in scenic effect, but produce it with a dexterity, despatch and success which find no parallel elsewhere.

A few weeks ago the interior of the Palais de l'Industrie, the Crystal Palace of France, built among the trees of the Champs Elysées, was a bare and empty space, with a floor of dust and gravel, and rafters streaming with cobwebs. The order for an exhibition of flowers was given, and in three or four weeks the dusty waste was transformed into a fresh and beautiful garden. I went to see it the other day-a hot day for the season. We passed from the entrance to the garden