place in some of the subsequent scenes of brother, mount!' said he, pointing to the horse; this journey. For example: 'I went with the Callee and her chabés to the village where the ro is in trouble; the chinobaro, however, seized them at once with their cattle, and would have laid hands also on me, but I set spurs to the grasti, gave him the bridle, and was soon far away. Mount, brother, mount, or we shall have the whole rustic canaille upon us in a twinkling.'"-p. 191. By-and-by they come in sight of Jaraicejo; but the missionary's friend declines to enter the town in company. "We dismounted, and entered what I now saw was a forest, leading the animals cautiously amongst the trees and brushwool. In about five minutes we reached a small open space, at the farther side of which, at the foot of a large cork-tree, a fire was burning, and by it stood or sat two or three figures; one of them now exclaimed, Quien vive? I know that voice,' said Antonio, and rapidly advanced: presently I heard an Ola! and a laugh. On reaching the fire, I found two dark lads, and a still darker woman of about forty; the latter seated on what appeared to be horse or mule furniture. I likewise saw a horse and two donkeys tethered to the neighboring trees, It was in fact a gipsy bivouac. Come forward, brother, and show yourself,' said Antonio; you are amongst friends; these are the very people whom I expected to find at Trojillo, and in whose house we should have slept.' And what,' said I, could have induced then to leave their house and come into this dark forest, in the midst of wind and rain, to pass the night? They come on business of Egypt, bro-with a dirty foraging cap on his head, and holdther, doubtless,' replied Antonio; Calla boca "Brother, we bad best pass through that town singly. I will go in advance; follow slowly, and when there purchase bread and barley; you have nothing to fear, I will await you on the despoblado.' Without waiting for my answer he hastened forward, and was speedily out of sight. I followed slowly behind, and entered the gate of the town, an old dilapidated place, consisting of little more than one street. Along this street I was advancing, when a man ing a gun in his hand, came running up to me: My ro is prisoner in the village yonder,' said the Who are you?' said he, in rather rough acwoman; he is prisoner for choring a mailla (dom- cents: 'from whence do you come?' From key); we are to come to see what we can do in his Badajos and Trojillo,' I replied; 'why do you behalf; and where can we lodge better than in this ask?" I am one of the national guard,' said forest, where there is nothing to pay? One of the the man, and am placed here to inspect stranstriplings now gave us barley for our animals in agers. I am told that a gipsy fellow just now large bag, into which we successively introduced their heads, allowing the famished creatures to regale themselves till we conceived that they had satisfied their hunger. There was a puchero simmering at the fire, half full of bacon, "The national measured me from top to toe garbanzos, and other provisions; this was emp- and then looked me full in the face with an extied into a large wooden platter, and out of this pression which seemed to say 'Likely enough.' Antonio and myself supped; the other gipsies In fact, my appearance was by no means calcu refused to join us, giving us to understand that lated to prepossess people in my favor. Upon they had eaten before our arrival; they all, how-my head I wore an old Andalusian hat, which, ever, did justice to the leathern bottle of An tonio.. I rode through the town; it is well for him that [ had stepped into my house. Do you come in his company?' 'Do I look a person,' said I, 'likely to keep company with gipsies?' from its condition, appeared to have been trodden under foot; a rusty cloak, which had perhaps served half-a-dozen generations, enwrapped my body. My nether garments were by no means of the finest description, and as far as could be seen, were covered with mud, with which my face was likewise plentifully bespattered: and upon my chin was a beard of a The sun was just appearing as I awoke. made several efforts before I could rise from the ground; my limbs were quite stiff, and my hair was covered with rime; for the rain had ceased, and a rather severe frost set in. I looked around me, but could see neither Antonio nor the gipsies; the animals of the latter had likewise disappear-week's growth. ed; so had the horse which I had hitherto rode, the mule, however, of Antonio still remained fastened to the tree; this latter circumstance quieted some apprehensions which were beginning to arise in my mind. They are gone on some business of Egypt,' I said to myself, and will return anon.' I gathered together the embers of the fire, and, heaping upon them sticks and branches, soon succeeded in calling forth a blaze, beside which I again placed the puchero, with what remained of the provision of last night. I waited for a considerable time in expectation of the return of my companions, but, as they did not appear, I sat down and breakfasted. Before I had well finished I heard the noise of a horse approaching rapidly, and presently Antonio made his appearance amongst the trees, with some agitation in his countenance. He sprang from his horse, and instantly proceeded to untie the mule. Mount, "Have you a passport?' at length demanded the national. I remembered having read that the best way to win a Spaniard's heart is to treat him with ceremonious civility. I therefore dismounted, and, taking off my hat, made a low how to the constitutional soldier, saying, Senor nacionál, you must know that I am an English gentleman, travelling in this country for my pleasure. I bear a passport, which, on inspecting, you will find to be perfectly regular : it was given to me by the great Lord Palmerston, minister of England, whom you of course have heard of here; at the bottom you will see his own handwriting; look at it and rejoice; perhaps you will never have another opportunity. As I put unbounded confidence in the honor of every gentleman, I leave the passport in your hands whilst I repair to the posada to refresh myself. When you have inspected it, you will perhaps oblige me so far as to bring it to me. Cavalier, I kiss your hands.' I then made him another low bow, which he returned with one still lower, and, leaving him now staring at the passport and now at myself, I went into a posada, to which I was directed by a beggar whom I met. "I fed the horse, and procured some bread and barley, as the gipsy had directed me; I likewise purchased three fine partridges of a fowler, who was drinking wine in the posada. He was satisfied with the price I gave him, and offered to treat me with a copita, to which I made no objection. As we sat discoursing at the table, the national entered with the passport in his hand, and sat down by us. "National.-Caballero! I return you your passport; it is quite in form: I rejoice to have made your acquaintance; no doubt you can give me some information respecting the war. "Myself. I shall be very happy to afford so polite and honorable a gentleman any information in my power. him, nor did I meet with a single human being. Antonio found presently that he had no chance of escape except in quitting the high road altogether. Our living Polyglott therefore proceeds in solitary state. But near Talavera he is overtaken by another horseman, a grave, well clad man of middle age, with whom he jogs on for a few minMyself. No tenga usted cuidao, Senor na-utes. The stranger speaks good Castilian; cionál. You have heard of the legion which my Lord Palmerston has sent over? Leave the mat “National.—What is England doing? If she pleased, she could put down the war in three months. 66 ter in their hands. Myself. I believe not; but he has sent over, to head the fighting men, a friend of his, who is thought to be nearly as much versed in military matters as himself. but in a moment of excitement an exclamation escapes him which betrays the Moresco. Mr. Borrow caps him Arabic. "The man walked on about ten paces, in the same manner as he had previously done; all of a sudden he turned, and, taking the bridle of the burra gently in his hand, stopped her. I had now a full view of his face and figure, and those huge features and Herculean form still occasionally revisit me in my dreams. I see him standing in the moonshine, staring me in the face with his deep calm eyes. At last he said, "Es usted tambien de nosotros." Mr. Borrow could scarcely answer before the man signified that he knew him to be English. They explain to their mutual satisfaction. "National.--Io me alegro mucho. I see that the war will soon be over. Caballero, I thank you for your politeness, and for the information which you have afforded me. The despoblado out yon“It was late at night when we arrived at Talader has a particularly evil name; be on your guard, vera. We went to a large gloomy house, which Caballero. I am sorry that gipsy was permitted my companion informed me was the principal to pass; should you meet him, and not like his posada of the town. We entered the kitchen, at looks, shoot him at once, stab him or ride him the extremity of which a large fire was blazing. down. He is a well-known thief, contrabandisto,Pepita,' said my companion to a handsome girl, and murderer, and has committed more assassinations than he has fingers on his hands. Stay; before I go I should wish to see once more the signature of the Caballero Balmerston. "I showed him the signature, which he looked upon with profound reverence, uncovering his head for a moment; we then embraced and parted. "I mounted the horse and rode from the town, at first proceeding very slowly; I had no sooner, however, reached the moor than I put the animal to his speedy trot, and proceeded at a tremendous rate for some time, expecting every moment to overtake the gipsy. I, however, saw nothing of "El Serrador, a Carlist partisan, about this period much talked of.". who advanced smiling towards us; 'a brasero and a private apartment: this cavalier is a friend of mine, and we shall sup together.' We were shown into an apartment in which were two alcoves containing beds. After supper, which consisted of the very best, by the order of my companion, we sat over the brasero and commenced talking. "Myself. Of course you have conversed with Englishmen before, else you could not have recognized me by the tone of my voice. "Abarbenel.-I was a young lad when the war of independence broke out, and there came to the village in which our family lived an English officer in order to teach discipline to the new levies. He was quartered in my father's house, where he conceived a great affection for me. On his departure, with the consent of my father, I attended him through both the Castilles, partly as companion, what I am; but as I conform outwardly in most partly as domestic. I was with him nearly a year, when he was suddenly summoned to return to his own country. He would fain have taken me with him, but to that my father would by no means consent. It is now five-and-twenty years since I last saw an Englishman; but you have seen how I recognized you even in the dark night. respects to their ways, they do not interfere with me. True it is that sometimes when I enter the church to hear the mass, they glare at me over the left shoulder, as much as to say-What do you here?' And sometimes they cross themselves as I pass by; but as they go no further, I do not trouble myself on that account. With respect to the authorities, they are not bad friends of mine. Many of the higher class have borrowed money from me on usury, so that I have them to a certain extent in my power; and as for the low alguazils and corchetes, they would do any thing to oblige me in consideration of a few dollars which I occasionally give them; so that matters upon the whole go on remarkably well. Of old, indeed, it was far otherwise; yet, I know not how it was, though other families suffered much, ours always enjoyed Myself. And what kind of life do you pursue, and by what means do you obtain support? "Abarbenel.-I experience no difficulty. I live much in the same way as I believe my forefathers lived; certainly as my father did, for his course has been mine. At his death I took possession of the herencia, for I was his only child. It was not requisite that I should follow any business, for my wealth was great; yet, to avoid remark, I have occasionally dealt in wool; but lazily, lazily-as I had no stimulus for exertion; I was, however, suc-a tolerable share of tranquillity. The truth is, that cessful in many instances, strangely so; much more than many others who toiled day and night, and whose whole soul was in the trade. “ Myself.—Have you any children? Are you married? "Abarbenel.—I have no children, though I am married. I have a wife and an amiga, or I should rather say two wives, for I am wedded to both. I however call one my amiga, for appearance sake, for I wish to live in quiet, and am unwilling to offend the prejudices of the surrounding people. "Myself. You say you are wealthy. In what does your wealth consist? our family has always known how to guide itself wonderfully. I may say there is much of the wisdom of the snake amongst us. We have always possessed friends; and with respect to enemies, it is by no means safe to meddle with us; for it is a rule of our house never to forgive an injury, and to spare neither trouble nor expense in bringing ruin and destruction upon the heads of our evil doers. 66 66 Myself.-Do the priests interfere with you? "Abarbenel.-They let me alone, especially in our own neighborhood. Shortly after the death of my father, one hot-headed individual endeavored "Abarbenel.-In gold and silver, and stones of to do me an evil turn, but I soon requited him, price; for I have inherited all the hoards of my causing him to be imprisoned on a charge of blasforefathers. The greater part is buried under-phemy, and in prison he remained a long time, till ground; indeed, I have never examined the tenth he went mad and died. part of it. I have coins of silver and gold older Myself--Have you a head in Spain in whom than the time of Ferdinand the Accursed and Jez-is vested the chief authority? ebel; I have also large sums employed in usury. We keep ourselves close, however, and pretend to be poor, miserably so; but on certain occasions, at our festivals, when our gates are barred, and our savage dogs are let loose in the court, we eat our food off services such as the Queen of Spain cannot boast of, and wash our feet in ewers of silver, fashioned and wrought before the Americas were discovered, though our garments are at all times coarse, and our food for the most part of the plainest description. "Myself. Are there more of you than yourself and your two wives? "Abarbenel.-Not exactly. There are, however, certain holy families who enjoy much consideration; my own is one of these the chiefest, I may say. My grandsire was a particularly holy man; and I have heard my father say that one night an archbishop came to his house secretly, merely to have the satisfaction of kissing his head. "Myself.-How can that be? what reverence could an archbishop entertain for one like yourself or your grandsire? Abarbenel. More than you imagine. He was one of us, at least his father was, and he could never forget what he had learned with reverence "Abarbenel.-There are my two servants, who in his infancy. He said he had tried to forget it, are likewise of us; the one is a youth, and is about but he could not; that the ruah was continually to leave, being betrothed to one at some distance; upon him, and that even from his childhood he had the other is old: he is now upon the road, follow-borne its terrors with a troubled mind, till at last ing me with a mule and car. Myself. And whither are you bound at pre sent? "Abarbenel.—To Toledo, where I ply my trade occasionally. I love to wander about, though I seldom stray far from home. Since I left the Englishman my feet have never once stepped beyond the bounds of New Castille. I love to visit Toledo, and to think of the times which have long since departed; I should establish myself there, were there not so many accursed ones, who look upon me with an evil eye. "Myself-Are you known for what you are? Do the authorities molest you? "Abarbenel.—People of course suspect me to be he could bear himself no longer; so he went to my grandsire, with whom he remained one whole night; he then returned to his diocese, where he shortly afterwards died, in much renown for sanctity. Myself. What you say surprises me. Have you reason to suppose that many of you are to be found amongst the priesthood? "Abarbenel.--Not to suppose but to know it. There are many such as I amongst the priesthood, and not amongst the inferior priesthood either; some of the most learned and famed of them in Spain have been of us, or of our blood at least, and many of them at this day think as I do. There is one particular festival of the year at which four dignified ecclesiastics are sure to visit me; and then, when all is made close and secure, and the fitting ceremonies have been gone through, they sit down upon the floor and curse. "Myself. Are you numerous in the large towns! "Abarbenel.-By no means; our places of abode are seldom the large towns; we prefer the villages, and rarely enter the large towns but on business. Indeed, we are not a numerous people, and there are few provinces of Spain which contain more than twenty families. None of us are poor, and those among us who serve do so more from choice than necessity, for by serving each other we acquire different trades. Not unfrequently the time of service is that of courtship also, and the servants eventually marry the daughters of the house." "We continued in discourse the greater part of the night; the next morning I prepared to depart. My companion, however, advised me to remain where I was for that day. And if you respect my counsel,' said he, you will not proceed farther in this manner. To-night the diligence will arive from Estremadura, on its way to Madrid. Deposit yourself therein: it is the safest and most speedy mode of travelling. As for your Caballeria, I will myself purchase her.'" -pp. 226-235. Mr. Borrow follows the sensible advice that concluded this very extraordinary conversation. On reaching Madrid (February, 1836) he takes lodging in the house of a fat old woman from Valladolid, whose son, a tailor, is one of the most profligate little fellows wearing the uniform of the national guard. We must give a bit of one of his dialogues with this high-reaching knight of the thimble; and a short but pithy description of one of the Madrid lions seen by our author under Baltasar's auspices. leros, but on the hands of stout gallant nationals like myself and friends, Don Jorge. "Myself. I am sorry to learn from your lady mother that you are strangely dissipated. "Baltasar.-Ho, ho, Don Jorge! She has told you that, has she? What would you have, Don Jorge ? I am young, and young blood will have its course. I am called Baltasar the Gay by all the other nationals, and it is on account of my gaiety and the liberality of my opinions that I am so popular among them. When I mount guard, I invariably carry my guitar with me, and then there is sure to be a funcion at the guard-house. We send for wine, Don Jorge, and the nationals become wild, Don Jorge, dan cing and drinking through the night, whilst Baltasarito strums the guitar, and sings them songs of Germania:- Una romi sin pachi Le peno á su chindomar,' &c., &c. This is Gitáno, Don Jorge; I learnt it from the toreros of Andalusia, who all speak Gitáno, and are mostly of gipsy blood. I learnt it from them; they are all friends of mine, Montes Sevilla and Poquito Pan. I never miss a funcion of bulls, Don Jorge. Baltasar is sure to be there with his amiga. Don Jorge, there are no bull-funcions in the winter, or I would carry you to one, but happily to-morrow there is an execution, a funcion de la horca; and there we will go, Don Jorge.' "We did go to see this execution, which I shall long remember. The criminals were two young men, brothers; they suffered for a most atrocious murder, having in the dead of night broken open the house of an aged man, whom they put to death, and whose property they stole. Criminals in Spain are not hanged as they are in Eng land, or guillotined as in France, but strangled upon a wooden stage. They sit down on a kind an iron collar with a screw; this iron collar is of chair with a post behind, to which is affixed made to clasp the neck of the prisoner, and on a certain signal it is drawn tighter and tighter by means of the screw, until life becomes extinct. After we had waited amongst the assembled multitude a considerable time, the first of the culprits appeared: he was mounted on an ass, with"Baltasar.--Would it were so ? There are out saddle or stirrups, his legs being allowed to some amongst us, Don Jorge, who are no better dangle nearly to the ground. He was dressed than they should be: they are few, however, in yellow sulphur-colored robes with a highand for the most part well known. Theirs is no peaked conical red hat on his head, which was pleasant life, for when they mount guard with shaven. Between his hands he held a parchthe rest they are scouted, and not unfrequently ment, on which was written something, I believe cudgelled. The law compels all of a certain the confession of faith. Two priests led the anage either to serve in the army or to become na-imal by the bridle; two others walked on either tional soldiers, on which account some of these Godos are to be found amongst us. "Myself. Are there many in Madrid of the Carlist opinion? "Myself. Of course none but persons of liberal opinions are to be found amongst the nationals? side chanting litanies, amongst which I distin guished the words of heavenly peace and tranquillity, for the culprit had been reconciled to the church, had confessed and received absolution, "Baltasar.-Not among the young people; and had been promised admission to heaven. the greater part of the Madrilenian Carlists ca- He did not exhibit the least symptom of fear, but pable of bearing arms departed long ago to join dismounted from the animal and was led, not the ranks of the factions in the Basque provinces. supported, up the scaffold, where he was placed Those who remain are for the most part grey- on the chair, and the fatal collar put around his beards and priests, good for nothing but to as-neck. One of the priests then in a loud voice semble in private coffee-houses, and to prate commenced saying the Belief, and the culprit treason together. Let them prate, Don Jorge; repeated the words after him. On a sudden the let them prate; the destinies of Spain do not executioner, who stood behind, commenced turndepend on the wishes of ojalateros and paste-ing the screw, which was of prodigious force and the wretched man was almost instantly a ye caleseros of Valencia! who, lolling lazily corpse; but, as the screw went round, the priest against your vehicles, rasp tobacco for your pabegan to shout 'Pax et misericordia et tranquili-per cigars whilst waiting for a fare. Hail to tas! and still, as he shouted, his voice became you, beggars of La Mancha! men and women, louder and louder, till the lofty walls of Madrid who, wrapped in coarse blankets, demand charity rang with it; then stooping down, he placed his indifferently at the gate of the palace or the prismouth close to the culprit's ear, still shouting, on. Hail to you valets from the mountains, mayjust as if he would pursue the spirit through its ordomos and secretaries from Biscay and Guipcourse to eternity, cheering it on its way. The uscoa, toreros from Andalusia, riposteros from effect was tremendous. I myself was so excited Galicia, shopkeepers from Catalonia! Hail to that I involuntarily shouted "misericordia !" and ye, Castilians, Estremenians, and Aragonese, of so did many others. God was not thought of; whatever calling! And lastly, genuine sons of Christ was not thought of; only the priest was the capital, rabble of Madrid, ye twenty thousand thought of, for he seemed at that moment to be manolos, whose terrible knives, on the second the first being in existence, and to have the pow-morning of May, worked such grim havoc er of opening and shutting the gates of heaven amongst the legions of Murat! or of hell, just as he should think proper. A striking instance of the successful working of the Popish system, whose grand aim has ever been to keep people's minds as far as possible from from God, and to centre their hopes and fears in the priesthood. The execution of the second culprit was precisely similar; he ascended the scaffold a few minutes after his brother had breathed his last.'—p. 247 Our readers will be pleased to have this much-travelled gentleman's general impressions of the Spanish capital. "I have visited most of the principal capitals of the world, but upon the whole none has ever so interested me as this city of Madrid, in which I now found myself. I will not dwell upon its streets, its edifices, its public squares, its fountains, though some of these are remarkable enough; but Petersburg has finer streets, Paris and Edinburgh more stately edifices, London far nobler squares, whilst Shiraz can boast of more costly fountains, though not cooler waters. But the population! Within a mud wall, scarcely one league and a half in circuit, are contained two hundred thousand human beings, certainly forming the most extraordinary vital mass to be found in the entire world; and be it always remembered that this mass is strictly Spanish. The population of Constantinople is extraordinary enough, but to form it twenty nations have contributed-Greeks, Armenians, Persians, Poles, Jews, the latter by the by, of Spanish ori gin, and speaking amongst themselves the old Spanish language; but the huge population of Madrid, with the exception of a sprinkling of foreigners, chiefly French tailors, glove-makers, and peruquiers, is strictly Spanish, though a considerable portion are not natives of this place. Here are no colonies of Germans, as at Saint Petersburg; no English factories, as at Lisbon; no multitudes of insolent Yankees lounging through the streets, as at the Havannah, with an air which seems to say the land is our own whenever we choose to take it; but a population which, however strange and wild, and composed of various elements, is Spanish, and will remain so as long as the city itself shall exist. Hail, ye aguadores of Austria! who, in your dress of coarse duffel and leathren skull-caps, are seen seated in hundreds by the fountain-sides, upon your empty water-casks, or staggering with them filled to the topmost stories of lofty houses. Hail, "And the higher orders--the ladies and gentlemen, the cavaliers and senoras; shall I pass them by in silence? The truth is, I have little to say abont them: I mingled but little in their society, and what I saw of them by no means tended to exalt them in my imagination. I am not one of those who, wherever they go, make it a constant practice to disparage the higher orders, and to exalt the populace at their expense. There are many capitals in which the high aristocracy, the lords and ladies, the sons and daughters of nobility, constitute the most remarkable and the most interesting part of the population. This is the case at Vienna, and more especially at London. Who can rival the English aristocrat in lofty statue, in dignified bearing, in strength of hand, and valor of heart? Who rides a noble horse? Who has a firmer seat? And who more lovely than his wife, or sister, or daughter? But with respect to the Spanish aristocracy, I believe the less that is said of them on the points to which I have just alluded the better. I confess, however, that I know little about them. Le Sage has described them as they were nearly two centuries ago. His description is any thing but captivating, and I do not think they have improved since the period of the immortal Frenchman. I would sooner talk of the lower class, not only of Madrid, but of all Spain. The Spaniard of the lower class has much more interest for me, whether manolo, laborer, or muleteer. He is not a common being; he is an extraordinary man. He has not, it is true, the amiability and generosity of the Russian mujik, who will give his only rouble rather than a stanger should want; nor his placid courage, which renders him insensible to fear, and, at the command of his Tsar, sends him singing to certain death. There is more hardness and less self devotion in the disposition of the Spaniard: he possesses however a spirit of proud independence, which it is impossible but to admire. He is ignorant, of course; but it is singular that I have invariably found amongst the lower and slightly educated classes far more liberality of sentiment than amongst the upper. It has long been the fashion to talk of the bigotry of the Spaniards, and their mean jealousy of foreigners. This is true to a certain extent; but it chiefly holds good with respect to the upper classes. If foreign valor or talent has never received its proper meed in Spain, the great body of the Spaniards are certainly not in fault. I have heard Wellington calumniated in |