The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-09-02 00:00:00

Phiehommiz'd him ounces twenty ;

()Weed in lieu, one mince, good weight,
Magnesia Vitriolet
&betide gave, when faint c c sick, Sir,
My renovating Fen-Elirir.
Then clapp'd my parent plaster on,
,genuine Icthupharmacon.—
/father. sir. of vour practice we've no doubt,
LiJI C. tio much for Tench,—come hand him scat.
[To b*concluded to-morrow.]

I:LIMON/BLS INTELLIGRATE.

The Marquis of Salisbury left town yesterday for Hatfield.
Lard Melbourne Itas left town for Ead Cowper's seat, Paisangcr,
Herts.

The Dowager Alarchinness of Salisbury arrived In town yester.
day limn Lady De Roos's seat in Surrey.
The Earl and Countesit Spencer arrived yesterday at their seat at
Wimbledon. from the Isle of 11'ight.
Big Excellency Count Lieven, and his two sons, left town yester-
day for Brighton.
Sir George and Lady Woombwell left town yesterday fur their
seat in SulMk.

James Daly, Esq. M. P., has arrived at Fenton's lintel, St.
James's Place, from Ireland. Departures from do. ;—M r. and
Mrs. Gas ald for Paris; Wm. Dawkins, Esq. for Cheltenham.
Mr. and Mrs. M•Kay and family arrived yesterday it the Royal
Hotel, St. James's-street, from Ireland.
Colonel and Mrs. Grant have left town for Ramsgate.
Mr. and Mrs. Garrow have arrived in town from Worthing.
Departures from the Burlington Hotel :—.Sir Jenison Gordon,
Bart. for his seat in Lincolnshire ; Capt. and Mrs. Graham, far
Paris ; William Mills, Esq. for Cheltenham.
Mr. and Mrs. Campion and family lett Jordan's Hotel, St.
James's-street, yesterday, for Tunbridge Wells.
The Rev. Edward St. John and family have arrived at Gordon's
Hotel, Albemarle-stroet, from Boulogne.
General and the Countess Nershkin left the Pulteney Hotel,
Albemarle-street, yesterday, for Brighton.
D,:partures from Read's Hotel, Lower Grosvenor-street :—Lady
and Miss Fitzgerald, for the York Hotel, Bath ; I linde,
I.sq. fur his seat, Ellel Hall, Lancaster ; R. Vansittart, Esq. for
his seat in Berks.

The Duke of York arrived at his residence, Audley-
house, on Wednesday afternoon, from Chatsworth, Derby-
shire, the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, where his Royal
Highness had been staying on a visit to his Grace. The
Royal Duke left town in his travelling carriage and four
about two o'clock yesterday afternoon, for the Pavilion,
Brighton, where it is expected his Royal Highness will re-
main some time.
111. st toe E.—On Thursday last this place was honoured
by a visit from his Royal Highness the Doke of York, ac-
companied by her Grace the Duchees of Rutland, who
arrived in a coach and six of the Duke of Devonshire's,
(attended by six out-riders, who, with the coachman and
postillions, were in their dress liveries,) which set down at
the Museum. Next his Grace the Duke of Devonshire
arrived in his droschi, drawn by three remarkably tine
horses abreast, which was followed by a carriage and four,
with Lord and Lady Kinnaird, the Hon. Mrs. Wm. Caven-
dish, and Mrs. Lane' Fox. His Royal Highness greatly
admired the establishment, more particularly the black
marble and the fine vases of Derbyshire spar, which so
much engaged his attention that he remained an hour in
the Museum, and made considerable purchases. The Royal
and Noble party then honouredllr. Arkwright with a call
at Willersley, and after walking through the beautiful and
romantic pleasure grounds at that place, returned to the
boat house and were ferried to the steps•of the Museum
Garden, and then proceeded further up the river Derwent,
where they landed and entered the carriages in waiting for
them, amidst a large assembly of spectators. His Royal
Highness was in excellent health and spirits ; made many
inquiries respecting the manufacture of the vases; was ex-
tremely affable, frequently expressing his admiration of the
beautiful scenery, and his delight at having visited Mat-
lock. The Noble Party vied with each other in selecting
fine specimens for his Royal Highness's approhation.—
Derby Mercury.
The Duke of Clarence arrived on the 2&l at Bruges, on
his return from Italy. His Royal Highness has proceeded
on his way to London.
Mr. Secretary Peel has left his house at Kingsgste, and
is staying on a visit to Mr. Finch Hatton, at his residence,
Eastwell Park, Kent, on a shooting excursion.
The Marquis de Palmella, the Portuguese Ambassador,
transacted business at the Foreign Office, Downing-street,
yesterday afternoon.
Ma. Pi.uwx trr.—Killarney was illuminated on Mon-
day night, in compliment to the Attorney-General and his
family ; and another stag-hunt is getting up to entertain
the distinguished visiters.—lrish Paper.
" Naw Batonrotr."—A Company has been established,
consisting principally of English proprietors, for the pur-
pose of building a marine village, to be called New Brigh-
ton, between Seapoint and Dunleary. The ground is al-
ready taken, and plans, we imagine, are making out for the
buildings.—Dublin Freeman s Journal.

STtAY NAVIGATION BETWEEN DUBLIN and LITT:t-
root..—The number of passengers between this port and
Dublin has latterly increased to a height which never
could have been anticipated. At this moment there are
no less than eight large steam-vessels employed in the
trade, and many more are preparing. As the intercourse
is expected to increase yet very considerably, a London
Company have just taken an immense plot of ground,
situate on the banks of Dublin harbour, between the
city and Kingstown, which they purpose laying out imme-
diately, and building cottages on it, after the Brighton
fashion. This, with the assistance of another Company,
employed in erecting an establishment of hot and cold
baths contiguous thereto, must render Dublin, in addition
to its other attractions, a fashionable watering-place; and
we doubt not that many families will go to reside there in
the summer season, the communication being now reduced
to a certainty, and the vessels as comfortable as they possi-
,bly can be.—Liverpuol Courier.
The Princess Charlotte, of 140 guns, one of the largest
and finest first-rates aser built in England, will be
launched fiom Portsmouth in the course of the prig 'lit
'month.

BULL-FIGII:dT 3LID7trD.
We think Mr. MARTIN would entert.in a more favour-
able opinion of the humanity of the lower classes in Eng-
land,if he were, about this time, to set off for Madrid, and
to Witness the splendid cruelty of the Spanish 'Ball-fights,
which far outstrip any thing he has ever witnessed; or,
think God. is ever likely to-witness, in this country. It
is very difficult With off-pees, which although they tna-
nifest great tleprailty of feeling, and a very coarse and
brutal taste, do, nevertheless, not act against the visible
and immediate welfare of society. Whi:e the King is
among the .:)remost to patronize these shocking and dis-
graceful.speetaeles in his capital, the relish for them will
never lessen among his subjects. It is alike the duty and
the interest of a wise-and paternal government to discoun-
tenance amusements which brutify the character of its peo-
ple, and which tend to root out from among teem all
those feelings which make up the sum of social happiness.
We do not apply this consideration to FERDINAND. A
'scene of savage torture is fitted to him, and he is fitted to
the scene. We look to the future days, and to the future
Sovereigns of Spain. We look to a period—perhaps not
far distant—when a power shall arise willing to give, and
capable of giting an enlightened and manly direction to
the public mind, and of training it to the higher feelings
of religion and humanity. The attachment of the great
mass of the Spanish population to their bull-fights has
struck too wide and deep a root to be easily eradicated,
and the best Sovereign might risk his popularity by at-
tempting it; but we have no fear that the effort will
one day be successful, and the advantage gained to
the improved character and habits of the Spanish na-
tion will be incalculable. Charles the Third forbade them,
hut they were restored by Charles the Fourth, who again
forbade them in 1805. Joa4rit BONArARTIL re-established
them, with a view to obtain the popular favour, and on
the same principle of policy they were continued by the
CORERS. On the return of FIRDINAND, in 1814, it was
contemplated again to abolish them, but it was not thought
safe to go against the stream of popular infatuation; and
within these few years it seems this passion has so com-
pletely possessed the whole Royal Family, that the KING
and the I N FANTAS, not content with the public exhibition,
which they never miss, and most munificently support,
have begun to have private entertainments of Gull:fig/as
at which. Nuldemen enter the lilts; so that they now seem
to he more firmly established, and in greater favour than
ever.

The following very curious and interesting particulars,
which bring this extraordinary c:•:hibition actually before
the eyes of the reader, are transcribed hum the last number
of the American Review:—

" The bull-fights take place only in summer, and during
the season when the heat isnot extreme, though certainly
when, in Madrid, it is excessive, for they are omitted only
(hiring August and a small part of July and September.
They happen always on Monday, and are given both
morning and afternoon ; in the morning with six, and the
afternoon with eight balls; but each part of the day, if
the royal family be present, which now rarely fails,
' the people demand an extra victim, and it is uniformly
granted.
" Great prepatations are made long beforehand. Fine
bulls are collected from all parts of the kingdom, and pas-
tured a few miles from Madrid ; the hest and fiercest coin-
ing from La Mancha, Navarre, and Andalusia. Two
days before the festival they are driven in, to the great dis-
may of any person who may chance to be on the road, for
they do not always treat those they meet as civilly as they
did Don Quixote near Saragossa. On their arrival they
are shut up in a pasture near the amphitheatre, and on
Sunday evening vast crowds of the common people go out
to see them, as if it were a great show, and amuse them-
selves in speculating, with touch shrewdness and humour,
on the different degrees of courage and skill the different
victims will exhibit in the arena.

" At length the long-desired day arrives, and, for all
purposes of business, Madrid is like a Protestant Sunday.
The whole city throngs to the circus, or at least the whole
of that floating population which gives life to the streets
and shops. Fourteen thousand can obtain admission, but
many mote remain waiting on the outside, merely to hear
and repeat the shouts and stories that come from within.
The amphitheatre itself is built of wood, hut almost pre-
cisely like the Roman, except that, round its top is a row
of covered boxes, in which the principal persons sit, in-
stead of sitting below, near what was anciently called the
podium. Those, who have fixed places, are admitted in
the same way they were admitted at the Colosceum, by a
ticket indicating the door where they are to enter, and the
bench on which their scat is reserved; but those who have
no fixed places, that is the poorer classes, go very early,.
at six or seven o'clock in the morning, to contend for the
best to which they obtain access.
• " The clock strikes ten, and, punctual to an instant, be-
cause
the people, which truly feels the power of a people
b
to-day,
as it did in the spectacles and games of Constan-
tinople, long after such free feeling was elsewhere entirely
su ued,—punctual to an instant, the CORREGIDOR, 111110
is Me chief police officer of Eke city, enters on a superb
horse., richly caparisoned, but himself dressed in a suit of
plain black velvet, and followed by four officers ofjustic2;
and making his way through the crowd that still fills the
arena, advances respectfully to the royal box, and stops he-
'math it. There the royal permission to celebrate the les-
tival is solemnly given, by throwing down to him a key to
open the enclosure containing the victims, after which be
rides slowly round the amphitheatre, to drive out the mul-
titude, stopping before each of its four entrances, which he
causes to be closed and fastened, and going out at the last
himself. .

" Five alguazils now come in on foot to see if all be
quiet, and examine the whole arena; but as they are the
lowest officers of justice, and its executioners, the popu-
lace usually begins the exercise of its prerogatives for the
day, by hissing and hooting them out. IVhen they arc
gone, two of the gates of the arena are opened, and a num-
ber of bulls are driven across and out again, that all may
see before hand how fitly the games have been furnished.
But from this moment the barbarities of the festival com-
mence, for as soon as these devoted animals arrive in the
stalls where they are kept, an iron barb, or spike, with a
riliband attached to it, whose colour indicates the province
from which the bearer cotnes, is driven in between the
shoulders of each bull; and it may serve as an indication of
the state of manners at court to know that the wife of the
Infante, Don Casio', has often boasted that she has
unused herself wills driving in those very iron:, ti hose chic
object is to exasperate the victim, by the torments Noy
inflict.
"In the meantime, while measures are taking to excite
the bulls to the necessary degree of ferocity, which is
plainly enough announced to the eager crowd without, by
their enraged bellowings, the Corregidor comes in leading
two of the Picanoits, or those who, fight on horseback, and
places them on each side of the gate by which the bulls
must enter. These Picanoas, it should be noted, like all
who mingle in the games, first confess themselves in a
chapel built and consecrated for the purpose in the grounds of
the amphitheatre, where the sacred tapers are kept constantly
burning, and a priest and the host constantly ready to ad-
minister the sacrament, and extreme unction, to any who
may be mortally wounded,—a practice singularly charac-
teristic of that union of gross superstition with vulgar
guilt and brutality, which is often found among the ban-
tlitti and smu•elers of Spain, and of which very striking
descriptions are given in many works of Spaniel' fiction ;
but especially in the tale of the jealous Estramadurian, by
Cervantes.

" But to return to the games; the Corregidor, after
having placed the two men on horseback at their posts,
gallops out ; but returns an instant afterwards with a
key, which he gives to the keeper of the gate by which
the bull must enter, with permission to open it; and then
hastens out again for the last time, humbly saluting the
royal box, in sign of having fulfilled all his duties. Thus
far, the splendour of the ceremonies, the animation of the
crowd, composed more than half of women in their pic-
turesque national costume, and the grand effect of a com-
pact tassv of fourteen thousand people, the whole of which
can be taken in at one single glance, make the bell-fights,
probably, the most exciting and imposing spectacle of
modern times.

" The festival, as it is called, now begins in earnest. A
Isignal is given oni the royal box; a flourish of trumpets
instantly follows, accompanied by the shouts of the whole
multitude, within and without the amphitheatre; the doors
of the den where the bull is confined spring open, and he
bounds into the arena, goaded to fury by the irou driven les
;betwtyn his shoulders. Sometimes he makes an instant
' and furious attack on one of the Picaveas ; sometimes he

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hesitates a motnent, startled et we aililtte at crowd r
and sometimes he pauses in the centre, with an air el coo .
ness and dignity, as if he were not insensible to the ague.
:tiny of his persecution. The two Picadors begin the
attack. Like all who fight in the games, they are very
fancifully and very richly dressed hi the ancient Andalu-
sian costume, which is partly of Arabic origin, and displays
their fine persons to gfeat advantage. It may in some
respects be called a splendid dress, and the people are
greatly offended at the smallest want of exactness or show
in this ancient national costume, to which they are greatly
attached, and to winch indeed they associate some of the
fondest recollections of their earlier greatness.
" These Pt canons are always mounted on hotsebaek, wish
peculiar saddles resembling the Mameluke saddles, and
with stirrups that cover nearly the whole foot; but except
a very imperfect protection for their }cgs, their whole per-
sons are exposed, and they have nothing to defebd them-
selves but a long pole called a garrocha, at whose extre-
mity a sharp spear point is fixed ; but so guarded, that it
cannot enter above an inch and a quarter. Qty Vicar:ma
only can maintain the contest at a time, audibe Joel must
attack him, and not he the bull, or else, as in all other cases
of the combat, very great risk, is run. The PICADOR en-
deavours, therefore, to place thuself in.ftont of the victim,
but a little to the left hand ; and the *foment the bull sees
him in a threatening position, he stoops his bead for a
blow, shuts his eyes instinctively,And runs in full career
at his adversary. The horseman, at. The same moment,
advances to meet him ; turns his 'tone, by a aught motion
of the bridle-hand, to the left, in order to receive the at-
tack on his own right, and then endeavours to strike the
bull about the shoulder, where, if the blow takes good
effict, it is sufficient to push him quite off to the right,
and wound him so severely as to make it almost impossible
he should still urge his attack. If all this succeeds, as it
generally does, the I'icador puts spurs to his horse, gallops
triumphantly to the opposite side of the arena, and then
returns to meet another assault. If however the blow is ill
struck, or if the bull has the courage still to press on, he
comes of course within the spear point of his enemy, who,
being now without defence, his horse must Inevitably be
wounded or killed oa the spot. This is necessarily a mo-
ment of great apparent danger; for the rider falls of course,
with his horse, arid for an instant is at the mercy of the
enraged animal he has so cruelly provoked. Accidents,
however, as they are called, are commonly prevented in
this, as in all cases during the combat, by a simple, but
very ingenious contrivance. In the arena and in a passage
or space that runs quite round it, and is separated from it
by a barrier about five feet high, are stationed, perhaps
a dozen men on foot, with large pieces of cloth several
yards long, generally scarlet or blue, and called cepa:, be-
cause they were originally the cloaks of the combatants.
Tina or three of these persons, the instant there is
any danger to the Picador, hasten towards the contest
completely unarmed, and even come quite near the
bull, and play and shake these cloaks before his eyes. lie
at once leaves his object, however great may be his fury,
and from an instinct of his nature, follows the colour
that has dazzled him. The person who carries the
croak he pursues, lets it fall, and the bull generally stops
and tears it with his feet and horns; but if he advances,
the dexterous individual who has ee'uded him and
drawn him away springs over the barrier into the passage
way, and is safe. Sometimes, indeed, the e asperateds ani•
teal is of force sufficient to leap this barrier, and pursue
hit enemy into the space immediately below the lowest row
of the spectators. A bull of great power and ferocity has
been known to do this repeatedly. But there is no danger
from it, for those who arc in the passage have merely to
spring back into the arena, where their enemy can follow
them only by one of the regular gates, through which he
is, indeed, immediately driven back again to the contty,
amidst the shouts of the spectators, who thus honour has
' rare courage, as if he were sensible to their applause.
" A bull of good spirit will continue to attack the Pi-
cadors, until lie has received ten, and sometimes fifteen
blows of the lance, dexterously bestowed; but, by that
time, lie finds the contest is more unequal than he at first
suppoeed ; his spirits fail, and he stands at hay in the centre;
perfectly secure, since the attack must always come front
himself, as it is then only, lie so stoops his head and closes
his eyes, as to give his adversaries the necessary advantage
in the contest. This part of the fight, however, is mere
distressing and loathsome than any other, from the horrid
sights of cold blooded cruelty it necessarily offers. 04
this point, indeed, the bull-fights are worse than the shows
of the gladiators ; for in the Roman amphitheatre, courage
and success saved the victim, but here, no courage, ne
coolness, no address, can save him, since it is the very prin-
ciple of the contest, that the bulls should be the most bold
end ferocious in the kingdom, and its very entertainment,
that when these exasperated animals have defended them-
selves with a perfect bravery, and killed a large number of
unresisting horses, they too should be sacrificed. el siggie
ball has been known to kill fear horses in ten minutes. But
this is not the worst ; for such is their barbarous economy
in the lives of these unfortunate animals, that horses are
constantly spurred on to sustain another attack, when !ergs
portions of theirfiesh have ,been torn out, while others, who
have been so ripped open by the horns of the bull, that ',gel(
bowels are seen hanging down, and literally and visibly
marking Me arena with blood every step they advance, are-
yet compelkd to go on, until they sink downs in 14e ag.nties
and convulsions of death. And these, it should be remem-
bered, are both of them ordinary circumstances in the ex.
hibition, and constitute no small portion of its excitement.
" At last, then, the wearied victim stands at bay in the
centre ; and when it is seen that he will no longer be pro.
yoked, by gesture or menace, to attack the Picador, the
people express their indignation in loud murmurs, if he
has yielded too soon, or applaud hint with shouts that may
be heard for miles, if he has continued the fight long and
obstinately. Formerly there were three punishments for a
bull who showed that he wanted the proper ferocity so
early in his trial ; to hamstring him, to give him over to
the dogs, and to put squibs and crackers on his back. The
first, which was a kind of ignominious death, is nu longer
used ; the second, which is extremely cruel, especially to
the dogs, is of rare occurrence ; but the last, whose pairs
pose is to exasperate the animal's fury, is not very un-
common, though permitted only when the multitude wia
not otherwise be appeased. The cry for fire, or for the
dogs, is one of the most appalling shouts of the ate-
phitheatre, and is uttered in tones peculiarly sharp and
savage.

" When it is certain the bull will no longer turn on the
horsemen, a signal is given from the royal box tbd
trumpets sound again; and five or six men called Ramie-
rdleros, all on foot, and all as fancifully and richly
dressed as their predecessors, advance into the arena,
armed only with two sticks about 18 inches long, called
Banderdlas, or little flags, because they are-gaudily deco-
' rated with ribands and painted paper; Their expetnitiffis
end in very sharp barbs, and every Banderillero carries one
of them in each hand. A single individual; thns arrne.l,
now goes in a provoking manner towards the bull, who
sfeing but one enemy, and that one so feeble, rushes furl.
ously upon him; but, at the instant he stoops his head
and shuts his eyes to strike, his cool and dexterous adver.
sary plunges these barbed points into his neck, and he in:-
vitably shrinks from the suffering they produce. His rage
now knows no bounds, for his agony has become intolei.
able. The blood from his wounds runs down his sides
the foam falls at every breath from his nostrils, he titters
piercing cries, tears tip the sand, and attacks what-
ever he secs, from the undistinguishing fury producea
by the acuteness of his torments. The prodigious dex.
tent), of his adversaries, however, trifles rlike with Ws
strength and his rage; and every attack he makes on then,
only leaves two more of these insupportable torments in has
flesh. By the time, however, that six or eight have bean
left hanging by their barbs from his neck, he is no longer
in a condition to receive any more ; and exhausted, breath-
less, and almost deprived of the power of resistance, be
stands again at bay in the centre.
- - - "

" Again the trumpets sound, and the third and last form
of the fight is begun. The MATADOR (killer) comes slowly
into the arena, dressed in a superb suit of black. velycl.
and holding only a naked sword in one hand, and a Malt
scarlet flag in the other. He presents himself beneittb thi
royal box, and there kneeling, receives an order toll*,
the sufferings of the noble animal, whose force and ebutao:
have been of so little avail to depend himself. l'irboia t)itt.
MATH DOR has received this order, he turas instated?, bill
with great cahnners, towards tha bull, who, soh de.
ceived by rho appasubt weakness of his adversary, *ad in.
iexpreasibly irritated by the acsrlet colour, which, to the
last, retains its power to arouse his ferocity, culleett all his
strength for one desperate effort of revenge; but misled by

V

-41~

_lPMWSecesiteMpeapegeoperalilegeagleMpess
his very instinct, his Attack falls upon the flagt, and not the
?flatmate his horns pan inevkably within a hair's
breadth of the life of his ativevsary, who, confident in his
own skill, at the very instant turns lightly on one foot,
levels his sword at the junettue of the neck and shoulder
blade in front, and holds it firmly till the fury of the boll
has drives Ann full upon it, and left it to the hilt in his'
body. *ben he falls, amidst the exulting shouts of the
amphitheatre; but almost always so slowly and so nobly,
that It seems as if, like Pliny's Roman Gladiator, be were
detennined to die with composure and dignity.
" As soon as the bull is dead, three mules harnessed
abreast, superbly decorated with rich caparisons, and with
a Sag mounted on the collar of each, are brought into the
seem, sod a rope attached to the bull's horns, by which
they drag him out at a full gallop, accompanied by a grand
Sourish of trampets, and another shout of the people.
Regular shambles are very near, where the carcass is im-
mediately sot up by public butchers, and the meat sold at
a low rate to the inferior classes, while, in the mean time,
the great den of the amphitheatre is again thrown open,
and soothe, victim is contending vainly for life, with the
same afivereiviett, and amidst the same ceremonies and
hot rots.
" This is the amusement of the King, the Court, and a
large portion of the people of Madrid, from ten o'clock
till one, and from three till seveneduring the season when
it is possible to enjoy it in the open air. The passion
with which it is sought is most inconceivable, and would
he emnidered a new phenomenon in human nature, if we
had wet the histories of the games of Rome and Constanti-
nople Deere us. It begins with the earliest years of the
people of Spain, and is as thoroughly inbred as education
flan snake it. Children, not more than five or six years old,
may be seen everywhere in the streets imitating bull fights,
in the mockery which Gongora has described with such
happy simplicity, ite one of his most beautiful ballads.
Afterwards, they are every day seeing the representations
of them, with which the walls of their houses are often
painted, and hearing them the subject of continual conver-
sation and universal interest ; so that the boys, not fourteen
years old, may be found in the amphitheatre, who have
already. impaired all the pretensions and pedantry of
hardened amateurs.
" But the moral effects of the bull fights are more fatal yet.l
The extreme interest the common people take in whatever
relates to them rises afterwards, at every moment of excite-
:sent to radon and guilt. Quarrels grow up about a fa•
'owns indite or Banderillero, that are never appeased ;
thedetaila acme of these shows become the occasions of
family bitterness for life ; they are among the causes of the
e=t assassinations in Madrid ; and, in 1818, a man
his own brother in open day, in one of the most pub-
lic streets of the city, so that be fell instantly dead, in con-
sequence of a difference that had thus arisen in the ample!-
, theatre in the morning.
" These are certainly very extraordinary facts, well enough
known in Spain, bit little known ante tchere else; such as
asonot he recollected by those strangers, who have wit-
ornate' them, without horror, nor be read by others with-
out astonishment, and perhaps incredulity. It must be
curious, then, to inquire for a moment, what there is in the
bull fights, of power, thus to excite and inflame the
pessions of a whole people ; and thus to take, for a
tune, from such vast multitudes, some of the high-
est and best attributes of our nature. In the first
plat" there is the animation of the crowd, divided into
parties that take sides with the bulls according to the pro-1
vines from which they come, as indicated by the ribands
on their necks ; and contir.ually excited and exciting ;
sontinually passing from one strongemotion to its opposite t
now murmuring at a Picador, because his blow was not
well struck ; now crying out to have fire put upon the
hull's back to exasperate his failing rage ; and now waving
their hats, and handkerchiefs, and fans, and shouting
" bravo !" till the heavens seems to echo it again, because,
goaded to desperation, he has left his eighth horse dead in
the arena. Now, setting aside the cruelty of all this, as
those who are accustomed to it really do, and recollecting
and seeing only the immense population so gracefully ar-
rtnled round the amphitheatre, and constantly bursting
forth with such varied and passionate feeling, it is not easy
to imagine a spectacle more splendid and magnificent. In-
deed, it is mainly true, that the power of human em-
pathy will not sulfm any man entirely to resist it.
" It is curious anti interesting too, under &despotism like
the Spanish, to see the people, when, from their union in
a great mass, they for a moment feel their own strength,
and from their excitement are disposed to use it ; when, in
fast, they feel themselves to be what they are, and become
free in consequence of it. Royalty is little respected es
If rndays is Madrid ; and, therefore, whatever the people
persist in demanding at the amphitheatre is granted to
them, to avoid disagreeable consequences. The entire free
don which thepopulace taketo tbemaelves,on these occasions,
and seems to constitute not a little of their excitement, is
often very remarkable, and, under other circumstances,
wou!d be found offensive and dangerous. In one in-
etance, when a particularly brase and collected bull
had cleared the arena of his adversaries, a number
of young men, in the King's presence, shouted re-
perrelly, that he war fit to be President of Me Cortes ;*
and of another, who shrunk from the contest after receiving
et:ly two blows of the PIC•DDII, apparently the same per-
eons kept crying out, amidst the general expressions of dis-
appointment and rage, that 'he ran away from danger like
et king.' In a third instance, on the same day, a hull was
eery difficult to kill from his great coolness; so that at last
he had two swords in his neck, neither of which had in-
flicted a mortal wound. A young man, in die throng,
amused himself with clapping his hands and crying out,
es if much pleased with his own wit, that he looked
like a Ma:er dotorosa,' alluding to the image, so common
in Catholic countries, of the Virgin with several swords in
her bosom.* Now, under so severe a government of the
church, as exists in Spain, and under a tyranny so timid
and crud, nothing could well be more obnoxious than
sacA eon/F./intents to republicanism, such ribaldry ogainst
royalty, end such blasphemy in a molter of religion; andl
if these same phrases bad been shouted in time same manner'
in any other mob, there On be little doubt the imprudent
individual would have been safely lodged in the linen'•
cition within twenty-four hours afterwards. The bull-
fights at Madrid are, indeed, an apology and warrant for
all sorts of licentiousness in language, just as the games
avere at Constantinople, when the factions in :the circus
,divided eke Ince ; and, what would perhaps-be no less cu-
rious, the Spanish amphitheatre might now furnish, as the
Roman tepee didean anthology of.popular wit, which would
no doubt be vulgar enough, but would hardly fail to be
eery characteristic and amusing.
"Another source of the pleasure, and the chief source of
the strong emotions excited at the bull-fights is, the great
apparent danger overcome by still greater dexterity. There
it some real danger. Few bullfighters, who persevere in
the occupation, and especially very few who rise to be Ma-
tadors, die out of the atena ; but still many of them live it
a tolerable tillage. Hardly onea year is killed at Madrid,
and not mote than two or three wounded ; but, yet, there
I;.) absolute safety in any degree of skill, for 1110, the
most accomplished bull-tighter Spain has produced for fifty
years, perished like the rest from a bull that was as cool
as himself. But though the danger may be really small,
ieseerirs every moment, to one little practiced in such things,
imasioent and inevitable. Thus, for instance, when the
bull bursts into the arena, and rushes on the neenaa,
sad horse and rider are alike overthrown in an instant,
there seems to be no hope of escape, and even when the I'i-
cedar has been laved by the delusion of the mantle, it
seems only as if the victim were changed, but not es
if the horrid sacrifice were to be spared. Then, again,
when the Itesurattetao, armed only with the barbs, ad-
vances alone into the arena, and defies the bull, who in-
stautly rushes upon him in full career, so near do his
'soros ne:essarily come, before he feels the points that
turn him aside, that it often seems as if they had actually
teetered. the bosom of his adversary. And, finally, when
tLe Matador comes out with a single naked sword for his
only defence, •he • seems to offer himself up to the ungo-
verned ferocity of his exasperated foe, who yet in an in-
stant fslls deed at Lis feet. Now in all these cases there is
such an obvious disproportion between the force of the'
Lill and that of his adversaries ; there is such a striking
victory, obtained by dexterity and self-possession, over
mere phyetcalstren gth, that, though one unaccustomed to f
heel. eahibitious might turn pale with horror, as lloblioueel
rays Lord Byron did, or faint as many others have done,l
yei to a regular frequenter of the amphitheatre, who fears:
• Thu fancy is founded en a whimsically Literal Interpretituon of
■ les au the 2d chapter of Luke.

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