Novas, who had lately loft a near relation: the company appeared in mourning every female, on entering the affembly, after paying her refpects to the mistress of the house, went round the whole circle, took each lady by the hand, muttered fome compliments, of which they have great abundance, and then fat down. When all the company was affembled, fervants came in, dreffed also in mourning, with glaffes of iced water and fugar biscuits; afterwards with chocolate, cakes, sweetmeats, and, to conclude, more iced water. These refrescos are the chief entertainment of the natives, for the pleasures of the table are scarcely known amongst them: they seldom dine or fup together, except on a marriage, the birth of a first fon, or fome other festive occafion: the company fat and converfed together, for on thefe melancholy occafions, there is no card-playing, making little focieties of converfation till towards eleven o'clock, when they all retired; the ladies going through the fame ceremony on leaving as coming into the room. The etiquette of thefe affemblies, and indeed of all others through the country, are extremely tiresome; though they are polite enough to make allowances for ftrangers.

Thefe nobles have very coftly equipages, gaudy, and overloaded with ornaments; but they make their appearance only on gala or ftate days, which are ftrictly obferved here, as at court. Their carriages are drawn by mules, which come from La Mancha.

I was carried about two miles out of town, in the Marquis of Cabrignani's carriage, to the bishop's alameda*, which is fhewn as a great effort of human kill. The late bishop improved this fpot of ground, which may be about a mile in extent, by planting and inclofing it. It might have been made very beautiful, as it is on the banks of the Guadalquivir, where there is a gentle declivity to the river; but he has fhewn his tafte, in making long alleys of trees, clofed by high hedges; and fhutting out the water entirely, by planting and hedging clofer on that fide than any where elfe: at the extremities of the alleys, there is a fmall house, and near it there are a few ponds, with jets d'eau, though the river is within fifty yards of them; a labyrinth, and fome little parterres with myrtle trees cut out in various forms and shapes. On our arrival, we found the Bishop there, to whom I was prefented, when he defired I might make the house my own, as both it and the gardens were at my fervice: and here I must obferve to you, that this is a common Spanish compliment; for if a Spaniard's fword, watch, ring, or any thing elfe belonging to him be praifed, he immediately offers it with warmth, though nothing would difappoint him more than to accept of it.

Whilft we were walking in the gardens, the Marquis took out of his pocket a little bit of tobacco, rolled up in a piece of paper, making a cegar of it; and gave it to one of his footmen to light: the fervant took out his flint, fteel, and match, which every man carries about him, ftruck a light, took two or three whiffs, and then returned it to his mafter: it was afterwards offered to me, and the reft of the company; I declined the favour, but the others fmoaked

• Alameda is a walk planted with trees: though this place goes by the fame name, it is more properly a villa.'

about.

about. This is a common practice with every perfon, in almost every place.

On our return, before we got within the gates, the postilion took off two of the mules, as we could not drive in town with fix; no one but the Bishop having that privilege.

The theatre here was but very indifferent, and the actors bad: the piece I faw was wretchedly performed. The ladies go to the boxes in the French dress; but the men oftener appear in the capa and fombrero †, as they feem to be under a great reftraint in the other; and only wear it at tertullas, and the like formal occafions. Since the infurrection at Madrid in 1766, government has endeavoured to prevent the men from wearing the flapped hat and cloak; but it will be long before it can be accomplished in the provinces, as it is a convenient drefs for gallantry, and people will not readily give up what contributes to their favourite amufement. The women who are in the Spanish drefs, are lodged by themfelves in a gallery over the boxes, which is called the cazuela, where the men, during the reprefentation, are not allowed to go; but they have various figns, by which they communicate with each other at a distance, for intrigue is one of the great purfuits of both fexes. At church, in the fireets, and at public meetings, the fair carry the appearance of faints; but no fooner has the fun rolled down the beamy light, than all reftraint is thrown afide, and every bird feeks its mate: no fingle woman can appear abroad without her duena, who is an old woman, that generally affifts her in carrying on her amours.

'We have had two bull-feafts here, but they were very indifferent: the people are so paffionately fond of this diverfion, that they will even difpofe of their wearing apparel to get money to go to it: all the young men of fashion were dreffed in the Maxo I drefs, which is the fombrero, capa, and § redecilla petit maître, with long fwords under their cloaks. A gitana, or gipfey woman, fignalized herself by attacking one of the bulls; but he was thrown by him, and fomewhat bruifed, when the whole amphitheatre rang with applause: it is ever the custom to applaud the victor: however, to reward her refolution, the Marquis of Cabrignani called out, Viva la Louifa! and threw her a handful of hard dollars. All the fellows who were employed in fighting the bulls, attend the levees of the young men of fashion, where the modes of attack and defence are very learnedly difcuffed.

'There are some few gaudy and rich churches here, but without tafte. The cathedral is a great curiofity; it was anciently a mofque, faid by Mariana to be built by Abderrahman king of Cordova in 786; it is imagined the columns that are in it were originally taken from the temple of Janus, and other Roman buildings: Roman fculpture is as vifible in their capitals, as Moorish in the fuperftructure; they are of jafper, and various other fine marbles, placed, as I was told, for I was not at the trouble to count them, in forty-fix ranks, croffed by twenty four. The Moors had fo much veneration for Geca, which was the name it bore; whence that speech of San

+ Cloak and large hat.'

In English, pronounce Maho.'

§ Net for the hair.' chos

cho's in Don Quixote, Dexadnos de andar de Ceca en Meca; that they ufed to come on pilgrimage to it from Barbary, and the other parts of Spain they inhabited, as the Turks now go to Mecca. There are twenty canons belonging to this cathedral, who have confiderable

revenues.

This town is famous for fine horfes: the king keeps ftallions, and breeds for his own ufe; there were between thirty and forty colts in his ftables, which were to fet out for Madrid in a few days. The Barbary breed, which is peculiar to this province is ftill preserved by focieties of gentlemen, called Maeftranza, formed into communities at Seville, Granada, Ronda, and Valencia; each fociety having a different uniform, which is worn on ftate days, &c.

Every man of fortune has a riding-houfe, where he amuses himfelf an hour or two every day; for the Spaniard delights much in horses.

The Alcazar, or Moorish palace, is ftill extant: it is now made ufe of for the inquifition.

This town has been famous for its leather, whence the English word cordwain from Cordovan : there is alfo a confiderable filk manufacture carried on here.'

CITY AND COURT OF MADRID.

• Madrid is fituated on several little hills, at the foot of which runs the Manzanares, a poor rivulet, at this time almost dry.

The town is furrounded with a kind of mud wall, with gates at different avenues; it is inclofed, with a view to prevent the introduction of the various articles of fubfiftence, &c. without paying the impoft.

I rode round the town, at two different times, and thence conclude it to be about feven miles in circumference: it is what the French call bien percée: fome of the ftreers, fuch as the Calle de Atoche, Carrera de San Geronimo, Calle de Alcala, &c. are fpacious and handfome; particularly the latter, the entrance of which is near two hundred feet broad; they are kept perfectly clean, are well paved and lighted, lamps being placed at every fifteen or fixteen yards.

The police, upon the plan of that of Paris, is well regulated: the town is divided into a number of diftricts, each district being again fubdivided into many inferior ones; there is a fupreme magiftrate to each fuperior district, who decides and punishes all frivolous difputes and fmaller crimes.

The new palace must be efteemed a magnificent building, though connoiffeurs fay it is heavy: it is a large, fquare ftone edifice, fituated on a rifing ground, at the weft end of the town; in the defign there are two wings, but they are not yet begun, nor, moft probably, ever will: the approach to it is very indifferent, as it is not feen till close upon it: the entrance and ftair-cafe are handfome the great faloon of ftate is a moft fumptuous room, about ninety feet by thirty-fix; the cieling is painted in fresco, with figures as large as life; the walls hung with crimfon velvet, embroidered elegantly with gold, adorned with large mirrours: in the apartments is a collection of paintings by the firit mafters: the famous Mengs, who has painted many of the ceilings, &c. is now employed by the

King, with a great falary: the numerous noble performances here are well worthy the attention of the curious. The chapel is a moft complete and elegant piece of workmanship; in it is fome of the fineft marble in the country.

The Retiro is at the east end of the town, but is an indifferent palace: there are ftill fome good paintings remaining in it; but the beft have been removed. The gardens are fpacious, a great part of which is inclofed, and kept entirely for the King's fport; there is little worth notice in them, except a fine equeftrian ftatue of Philip IV. and a large piece of water, which being on a height, has been brought there at a confiderable expence.

The Casa del Campo, across the Manzanares, about a mile out of town, is but a hovel for a prince; and there is nothing ftriking in the park or inclosure, which is kept for the King's fport.

In the King's armoury are many ancient weapons of war, and fuits of armour, kept in great order. In his library, every perfon has free accefs, may call for what books he pleafes, and the moit profound filence is kept, to preferve the attention of the readers.

'Notwithstanding the amazing fortunes of fome of the nobility, there are few houses that have a splendid external appearance. The Duke of Medina Cœli has a most extenfive palace; but there is neither magnificence without, or elegance within; the apartments are low, badly decorated, and Gothicly furnished; indeed, there are fome very handfome mirrours from the King's fabric at San Ildephonfo: he has an armoury, in which are many valuable pieces of ancient armour, and antique bufts: he has alfo a public library, which is open for a certain number of hours every day.

The houses here are chiefly brick; thofe of the nobility are plaiftered and painted on the outside: the veftiges of jealousy are still to be feen; rejas, or large iron grates, are placed at every window. Some of the houses are very lofty, five, fix, or seven stories, particularly in the plaza major, which is a large square, where the roval bull-feats are held; at other times, the green market, &c. The middling people live on feparate floors, as at Edinburgh, which renders the one common entrance to many families very dirty and dif agreeable: the portals are the receptacles for every kind of filth; and as the Spaniard has more mauvaise honte than Madame de Rambouillet, he performs the like offices of nature concealed behind the gate of the portal, that the openly did in the fields: this is a ftrong remnant of Moorish manners. When a houfe is built, the first floor belongs to the King, but for which the owner generally compounds.

The cuftom-house and post-office are new and handsome buildings.

The churches here, as in every other part of the country, are tawdry, and overloaded with ornament; befides, there are ftrong remains of Moorish taste throughout; little pires and diminutive domes disfigure all their temples. The Capuchins, though a beggarly race, are building a molt enormous church, that has, and will, coft an immenfe fum. The clergy by fop, and the prince by florm, pillage and plunder the whole commonalty. The convent of the Salezas has a neat little chapel; the altars of fine marble, and ele

gant

gant fculpture. There are about thirty-fix convents of men, and as many of women here.

There are two churches in this town, that are afylums for rogues, thieves, and murderers: this was a point the clergy carried, when the fame privileges were taken from every other church.

Though the clergy must have confiderable power in this, as well as every other country, yet it has been much reduced of late years. The edict to prevent the admiffion of noviciates into the different convents, without fpecial permiffion, has, and will reduce the monaftic orders. It is computed, there are now 54,000 friars, 34,000 nuns, and 20,aco fecular clergy in the kingdom.

The environs of Madrid are not very agreeable: there are no villas or country houfes; no places of recreation around it: the Padro, a public walk, planted with trees, at the east end of the town, is the chief fummer evening's amufement; a great deal of company affemble there every afternoon, both in carriages and on foot.

I was feveral times at court, during its refidence here: all the royal family dine publickly in feparate rooms; and it is the etiquette to vifit each apartment whilft they are at dinner; a moft tiresome employ for thofe who are obliged to be there, and it would be thought particular, if the foreign ambaffadors were not conftantly to attend: Don Luis, the King's brother, who is the lowest in rank is first visited; he is the ftrangeft looking mortal that ever appeared, and his dress is not more peculiar than his perfon; ever fince he was a cardinal, he has detefted any thing that comes near his neck, fo his taylor has been particularly careful, to bring that part, which fhould be the collar of his coat, no higher than half way up his breast; this prince is of a most humane difpofition, and is univerfally eftecmed. The next in turn, is the Infanta Dona Maria, who feemed to be a very inoffenfive little woman. Then to the two Infantes, Don Gabriel and Don Antonio: at the King's library, I faw an edition of Salluft, in Spanish, said to be tranflated by the former; the type, in imitation of manufcript, and the engravings very fine. Thence to the Prince and Princefs of Afturias, the latter is of the houfe of Parma, and feems to be very affable: the Prince looks like an honest, plain man; it is faid, he has an utter aversion to every perfon and thing, Italian or French; but the Princess having contrary fentiments, it is most likely, in the end, the will prevail on him to change his mind: as an inftance of his diflike; the French ambaffador exclaimed loudly, that the Prince converfed with him in Spanish; it coming to the Prince's knowledge, he asked the Frenchman, in what language the Dauphin fpoke to the Spanish ambassador at the court of Verfailles? On being told, in French, he continued, without taking any further notice, to converfe with the ambassador, as before, in his own tongue. The laft vifit is to the King, who has a very odd appearance in perfon and drefs; he is of diminutive ftature, with a complexion of the colour of mahogany; he has not been measured for a coat thefe thirty years, fo that it fits upon him like a fack; his waistcoat and breeches are generally leather, with a pair of cloth fpatterdafhes on his legs. At dinner, pages bring in the different dishes, and prefenting them to one of the lords in waiting, he places them upon the table; another nobleman kands on

the