The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-08-02
GRAN ADA,


THE exerusl appearance OF 'hls re
nowued palace is as tcma' kao'e Tor
meaness and delerml'y as US 'n'ern.
structure is for richness and grace.
is precisely what Swinburoe deser'nes'
"a heap OF as Ugly buiidlnge as can Wei
be seen, all huddlcd together, seem'"g>t
without The least intention ol forming
one habiallon out OF them. Inc ROOF
Is covered with deeply channeled Tile
The walls are built 10 q sloyenly man
ner, and cosrsey plss'ered. There Is
ool the slightest atIemp, at ex'rroa' or
osmen,--no symplom OF regularity o.
design: so that The whole mass look
like confused heap Of cosrscly hnlsheo'
barns aud Sranarics lkoowno' whe'h
or The exleroal ugliness Of Moorish pal
ace. is the result of design, sNd in order
10 increase the effect by contrast OF 'h'
taste, beauty, richness, And symmetry
wnhin. CeIsinly the ehcc, thus pro
.ducej, is absolutely starting, and 'h'
surprise one experiences on entering
literally bewldering The suddennes'
OF the change sppears like eochan,menh
BY aud obscure and rudely -holshcd
decr, aud through dead wall, the con
s,ruc,ion of which would discredll q
.larmysrd, we are ushered into palace
which nigh, rivslihe most brlll'snt DE-.
scrip,ion Of eastern romance. shall
aol attempt 10 describe this singular ed
ifice. No description, indeed, can con-
i yey The slightest idea Of the building
either in The srrangeme II Of It's apar'-
tnen,s or in i,s decorations. They are
altogether unlike any thing with which
the eve is fsmIliarised 10 European ar
chilecture; and the very names by
which we should be forced TO dislln
guish the different compsrlmsn's,wouId
necessissrily convey false impressio"
OF their appearance. To describe the
eornamenls and decorations OF this fairy
palace, would espt tca'ly be hopeless
TASK. The exqislle symmetry OF the
various courts and halls. The singular
lishine.s and elegance Of the slender
marble pillars, with their fanc'iui capI
tals,and richly ornamenied arches, the
gorgeous colpring on root and cupola'
the tasteful minuteness OF stncco lace
work on walls and ceilings, the pleasing
variety Of Mosaic patterns, and the SIN
gulsr airy loveiness and moo, gracelu
richness Of the whole, are things oil
which neither pen or pencil can convey
any correc, idea. The fresh loveIness
of the brilliant decorations Of the Al
hambra, seems to mock the faded g'o
-ries Of its ancient lords. The periec
symmetry OF the apartments, and iht
exquisite harmony Of their decorations
delfacl much from their apparent size
Blu, though actually Of larger Dimensions
shan they appear, they are by no meso'
Of pfen size. Beauty, and no, gran
deur, is the object aimed at by 'he
Moorish architect; and the dimensions
OF the various apartments are admirably
proporloned TO The peculiar style d
decoration. Tbs light and elegant pill
lars, with their endess vatieIy OF cap''
tall The ficical and yet most gfaceIu
sminuleness ofihe fretwork which adorn'
The wall; the beautiful, rich, but iancI'
luI ornaments Of the arches and ceilings
The carving and inlsying; The bfilllan
yermlIion and szure coloring Of the al
cove., would, in apartments OF gres
size, be. regarded as irippery and gin
gerbreaj. Here they are in pelfec
harmony, and accord 30 exqu;slely
with the style, dimensions aud proper
tions Of each apartment, as 10 produce
whole Of unfivslled grace and beauty
The Court Of the MyrIles, by which
we enter the palace, is the plainesl and
has suffered much in Its ornaments; bu
were ii no, Tor It's proximity 10 tn,
Conteof The Lions, would be exceeding
ly admired. The last is a most exqr'
site specimen Of Moorish archIlecur'
The open court--irom which doubt.
Ifss, the Spaniards have derived lheir
patio, The elegant and olt-dcscr;beu
FouDisu Of the Lions, still shoots VI
lis crystal lei in the centre Of this splen.
did court. il consists Of double mar.
ole btsIo, cnrIaing on a pedes'al from
Ahe centre Of the other; and from the
centre Of his upper basin, the wsrer
owe, flows into the lower, end is dis
charged from the mouths OF tie lively,