The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-08-02
: ---.---- -
0RANADA.

power and splendor Is the A'hamora
.The external appearance OF 'hi@ tt
nowoed palace s as iemn kaole ael
meaness and deformi'y as i's io'erns
structure is for richness and grace.
is precisely what Swinburne describes
-, heap Of as ugly hni'drnes as can well
be seen, all huddled together, seemingly
without the least ,nteal,on oil torming
one habiishun oui OF them. The rooi
is covered with deeply channeled 'llr
The walls are built in a slovenly man.
.ner, and coarse y plasiercd. There Is
not Ihe slighest auempi at external or
nsmenl-~no Symptom OF regularity o.
design: so that the whole mass look
like a confused heap Of coarscly hnlshed
barns snd graoaries. ! knowno' wheth
er ,he external ugliness Of Moorish pal
aces is the result Of design, and in order
TO increase The effect by contrast OF IN,
taste, beauty, richness, aud symmetry
within. Certsinly The effect thus pro
duced, is absolutely starting, and NE
surprise ore experiences on entering
literally bewildering The suddennes'
of The change sppesrs like enchsnimen'.
BY and obscure and rudely finished
door, and through dead wall, the con
-struc,ion of which would discredit 3
sfsrmyard, we are ushercd into palace
which might rival The most brilliant de-
scripton Of eastern romance. shall
not attempt 10 describe this singular ed
ifice. No description, indeed, can con-
vey the slightest idea OF the building,
either 10 The errangeme IT Of its sparl-
ments or ip iis decorations. They are
altogether unlike any thing with which
.the eye is fsmiliarised in European ar
,chileeture; and the very names by
which we should be forced 10 dislin-
guish the different ompartmenis,w would
convey false impression
of their appearance. To describe The
ornaments aad decorations Of this fairy
pslace, would especially be hopeles:
task. The exqisie symmetry OF the
various courts and halls. the singular
lightness and'elegance Of the slender
marble pillars, with their fanciful CAPT
tails and richly ornamen,ed arches, the
gorgeous colpring on root and cupola,
the tasteful minuteness ofsirrcco Lace
work on walls and ceilings, the pleasing
variety Of Mosaic patterns, and the sin
gular airy loveliness and most graceful
richness Of the whole, are things OF
which neither pen or pencil,can convey
any correct idea. The fresh loyeiiness
Of the brilliant decorations of The Al.
hambra, seems to mock the faded glo.
ries Of its ancen, lords. The perfect
symmetry ot the apartments, and the
exquisite haemony Of their decorations
delrac, much from their apparen, size.
But though actually of larger dimensions
than they appear. they are by no means
OF grert size. Beauty. and not gran
deur, is the object aimed at by the
Moorish architect; and the dimensions
of The various apartments are admirably
proporlioned 10 The peculiar style OF
decoration. The light and elegsu, pill
lars, with their endless variety of CAPT
tai; the fricsl and yet most graceful
minuteness OF The fretwork which sdorns
the wall; the beautiful, rich, but (anci-
ful ornaments Of the arches and ceilings;
the carving and nlsying; The brilliant
vermlllion and azure coloring Of the al
coves, would, in apartments of great
size, be regarded ss trippery and gin
gerbread. Here they are in perfect
harmony, and accord so exquisitely
with the style, dimensions aud proper,
tions oil each apartment, as to produce a
whole Of unrivalled grace and beauty.
The Court Of The Myrlles, by which
we enter the palace. is The plainest and
has suffered much in ITS ornaments; bul
were il not Tor us proximity 10 tn,
Court OF the Lions, would be exceeding
ly admired. The last is a most exqt.
site specimen Of Moorish architeclul,
The open court---irom which douol.
less, The Spanards have derived Their
patio. The elegant and ofl-descr;bed.
FounIain Of the Lions, still shoots uI
its crystal jet in The centre of this spIen.
did couri. l. consists of double mar.
hle basin, on rising on a pedestal from
the centre ot The other; aud from the
centre OF lhis-upper basin, the water
ove'ilows into the Hover, and is dis
charged from the mouths OF the lively,
lion. which support il. The lions ar,
grolssqoe, mis.shapen, Ugly brutes. Tn,
.bafins are Of very eiegsHt shape and
workmanship, oruamented with sculp
A