The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-01-20
LETTER vi.

LETTER VI.
SEVILLE, Dec. q, 1851.
told you in my letter from Madrid, before set
ting ont, that the journey WAS about to undertake
to Seville was not without its dangers. Happily
for me, passed along in safety, and met with no
accidents OF serious character, though there were
some alarms. The country passed through was
generally picturesque and beautiful, but the popu.
ation in all the towns the road presented to me
the appearance of incidence and wretchedness. In
every town and village the beggars were numerous,
crowding round the diligence with perseverance
and importantly not to be repealed. If have al.
ready made the observation before, cannot help
repeating it again, that the population of Spain,
throughout oil the country, men, women, and
children, are like the Irish as two peas resemble
each other. The children especially have the same
keen knowing look and hungry appesrance-the
same quickness Of reply-and the same nakedness
and wretchedness. Joined with @ certain look Of
ease, Incidence and independence. The resemblance
struck nae in walking about the poor quarters of
Madrid, where the families of the lower GLASSES
might be seen carrying on half of their domestic
business in the streets at the doors of their lodg
Dgs and it struck me again with greater force on
passing through the cities and villages of the pro
yiIces. Perhaps the day may come when the same
mania for emigration will seize upon this vast and
poor population, ard they will leave their country
by millions, IS the Irish are doing-then Spain will
be like an empty house.
arrived at Seville quite satigued with passing
three long dreary nights in the diligence; but all
this excitement and fatigue, find, does me good,
and | never enjoyed better health in my life. BY
the by, ! must mention an anecdote, which
may show on what little causes great events
sometimes depend. When the question of
providing husband for the young Queen was on
the carpet the husband first intended for her, and
whom it is believed she would have preferred, was
Don Enrique, the elder brother Of the present King
her husband But Don Enrique was at distance
when he was sent for to become the royal consort,
and fortunately or unfortunately for him q know
not which), be was too late for the diligence and
the next diligence was full, SO that he was delayed
and lost his chance. Other in.rigues prevailed
during bis absence, and another man became King
of Spain instead of him. He, himself, gave the
blame of his delay to the diligence and it is fact
that there is other tolerable way of travelling in
Spain. The Duchess Of Montpensier takes the
whole diligence when she travels.
AS if to verify my words, that my journey to
geDce from Seville to Madrid, on the same road
had just passed along, was attacked by band of
robbers, and the passengers illtreated and robbed
of all they had. There was only one lady in it,
and che was stripped of her cloak, and was indebt
ed to the galantry of officer in the company for
coat to cover her, till she arrived at the next
town. So you see | had narrow escape. We
passed across some terrific mountains on the jour-
ney, the edge Of deep precpces, where one false
step Of the mules would have tumbled the diligence,
with all it's living contents, some hundred feet
down into dark rocky caverns, which seemed yawn i.
ing to receive rs. 1t was frightiul even to look
down into these rocky depths. So that robbers
were not the only danger | escaped. H. A. B.
LETTER VII.
SEVILLE, Dec 8, 1851.
have been much pleased with Seville, and what
little have seen in it. It is a remarkable ovn,
evidently Of great antiquity. The streets quite
narrow-mere like pass ages, alleys, than streets
This is q feature of most old Spanish towns, and
it is the same in Havana. Madrid, which is a
more modern town, has not the came character.
The climate here is delightful. It is now winter in
ether places. | have left winter behind me in Ma
drid, and here am in the midst of orange groves
and olive trees, with warm sun shining above, and
every charm and appearance of summer. The
change is both great and agreeable. took car
riage this morning, and drove round the town to
see the sights, or lions, as they are called. The
chief Of these is the ancient Cattle dral the Moorish
Alcazar, and the Roman aqueducts, more ancient
than the Moors. The Alcazar is the remains of a
beautiful Moorish palace, in pretty good preserva
tion, though some Of the rich fresco work has been
washed over with whitewash The aqusductis seen
extending long distance out of the city as one
enters, making the approach to Seville very i'm.
posing 1t is a heavy work, consisting Of long
range of stone arches, which support, on their top
the channel for the water, in which it is conveyed
to the city-the arches being high or low according
to the ground, making the channel above to be al
ways on level. | noticed the water tricklng
down some of the arches, as if there was a leakage
somewhere above The cathedral is nothing in it.
self remarkable being like most other buildings Of
the kind; but i. contains what particularly drew
my attention, and excited nay admiration, which
was large painting, by Murillo, Of st. Anthony,
said to be Of immense value But what is most in
teresting in this ancient and celebrated cathedral
is the tomb of Christopher Columbus, with the
famous epitaph, written in Spanish, aud 50 remark
able for its breyity and truth, wiz
"CoLUNBus GAVE "a New WORLD TO CASTLE AND
LEON"
It is said that this monument to Columbus doe;
not his remains, but that his body lies inferred
at Havana in the world he discovered and that it is
his son Ferdnando who is buried hero. | cannot
decide how il is but here is his monument.
What particularly struck me at Seville was the
commercial appearance Of The streets, where, in the
shops, which are little better than an open doorway
all the work going is to be seen done in the open
day, for could neither doors nor windows to the
narrow little in which they sit and work, and
sell whatever they have to SELL The form and con-
struction Of the houses syery remarkable and quite
oriental being, as was informed, the work, and
where not the work, yet according to The plan aud
designs Of the Moors The houses there are not
as with u.s. built with their fronts to the street On
the contrary, the wall facing the street is dead
wall. There is an entrance porch to each house,