The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-01-22

years had passed over inc scene ike SIX
hundred straws in a summer breeze.
But 10 descend TO particulars, and not 10
allow your fancics TO roam on too wide a
scale, should think (for possess no refer
ences except my own impressions)-1 should
think the size of the Court of the Lions TO
be a rectangular parallelogram of one hun
dred and fifty by sevcnty-fve English feet
the cenlro Of which is occupied BY ioun-
tain which gives the name to the quarto
twelve or fourteen marble lions stand IN 4
circle, their heads fronting ouI their backs
support large basin or salyer beautifully
wrought from single block Of white marble
carved and chased and in the centre Of this
stands huge urn Of the same material, ana
rich workmanship. Al present the fountain
is not ordinarily in operation, but ii was ca
sy to imagine the effect Of single perpen-
dcular jet deau mounting from the centre OF
the urn ;hc water falling into the salver and
then passing through the mouths Of the lions
it runs along bcauiifuly-wrousht canals and
little reservoirs about the marble pavement.
The whole court is surrounded by the most
exquisite conceivable colornadc Of MAJ bic,
light and iairy-ike, and supporting horse
shoe arches the pillars being irregularly
placed. sometimes two or three under one
capital, and sometimes single all of exquis-
te workmanship, and the very materiality OF
grace. The shape Of the arches, purely
Arabic, is delicious; the capitals are most
Enthusiastically designed, and the exterior face
of the arches, as well as the facade above, Is
one continued labyrinth Of fretwork, lace
work of the most piofusc and unccasng rich
ness and carving, that it is possible to fancy.
The ceiling of the portico vaults is much
more complicated and rich than the commu-
ma, and the most extraordinary delicacy OF
construction prevails throughout; the whole
seemed to me like princess arfaycd as for
her bridal in the richest aces and embroidc
ry. satns, and whole stomachcrs oil gems.
The ceilings are frosted iilagreed, onameled
blue and gold, looking in some places like nm
inverted bed of amcthysts, pcppcrcd with
cold dust in others, like some embroidered
ten thousand franc mouchoir initiated in
marble; in others, like an Illuminated page
of the Koran and again, like a gigantic
hollow cone of lapis azuli, interscctcd and
studded with frosty stars fantastic, pictur'
esque, Romanesquc, grotesque, arabesque.
Nothing in architectural artficc that have
ever seen approaches The halls communlca.-
ing with The Court of the Lions, in intricate
and may beauty. Pure white marble slab:
of great size are the universal pavement
At each end Of the court project open cabi-
nets or portlcoes, of even more elaborate
and graceful design, and four enormous dou.
ble doors of some dark and durable wood
carved with the same extraordinary minute
ness, conduct TO various apartments. and lead
away through corridors, galleries and stair
ways, to various parts OF The palace,
The Court of the Lions Moorish kings
sullans and caliphs had not the fictitious mag
nifccnce the readers Of the Arabian Night.
suppose.
We entered, believe, on the west side
and continuing along the southern colonnade
we passed through one OF the four double
doors have mentioned, and found ourselye.
in a circular apartment enriched in a hun
dred ways in all the splendors | have at
tempted to describe to you. The ceiling is {
dome decorated with pendant arches, enam-
eled, embossed, eildcd, carved, and moulded
in every possible manner; the walls of tho
curious lace and stucco work in the centre
is the constant fountain, a single jet, and a
long marble canals the refreshing water raj
sparkling into the reservoirs Of the court
The floor is Of huge slabs of white marble
several of which bear the iheilaccaLle mark.
of guilt. This is the worldrcnowned Hal
Of the Abencerrages, where princely rae,
was well-nigh extinguishcd by the cruc
treachery Of their king. | wish | could re
fer to our friends beautiful ballads, to trac,
the pootcal story in is appropriate spcndor
ST. Pierre related it afterwards as follows
One of the Abeneerrases "a powerful fami
ly in Granada) was the special favorite O
Abdallah, or Boabdil, (the proper name be
ing Abou.abdodlah; hence either derivation
and his ruin was accomplished by an enyiou
courtier, who, Iago-like, worked upon III
Jealousy of the creduous king. Boabdil, il
his misery, resolved on the most absolute re
venge, and having invited the whole clan Il
an entertainment at the palace, he cause,
each one 10 be bcheaded as he entered thi
hall. The beautiful and innocent sultan
was sentenced to be burnt alive, if within
certain period she did not produce iou
knights to defend her cause in the lists
Many of the Moorish chvalry offered them
selves for the trial, but she peremptoril, re-
fused 10 accept them; aud the torch wAs a
bout to be applied 10 the fasgots, when
single bugle blast was heard at the cute
gates of the fortress, and four knights rod,
toward the lists in strict incoguito. The
fought and defeated the four accusers, on,
of whom was the villain who had inventeC
the plot. With his lying breath he disclosed
his treachery, and the innocent queen wa
carried to the palace in triumph. She new
er would see the king again, however, ant
his anguish from this event may have has
tened his surrender. We were aftcrward,
shown the expresses, which the accuse
pointed out as the guilty rendezvous the!
oyer-shadow an exquisite little stone bowe
in the gardens of the Jeneraline, most lover
| Ike and sncrcI Rmf WIN ihink rnn Lie,