New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-03-20

the Revolution it is closed but friend procured me
an order of admission, and / went through
| the long suites of rooms. The Queens
| apartments were in one wing. and the Kings
at the other extremity removed apparently as far as
possible from his wife's, which was doubtless bad for
him, poor man. if he sought to remain in Ignorance
of what all the rest of the world knew. Costly mar
bles, tapestry, pictures abound the Queens rooms,
if not in good taste, are snowy it was perhaps the
most spendidly furnished brothel in Europe. As it
has ceased to be useful for that purpose it is doubt
full what is to be done with the building The best
thing would be to pull it down. 1t is monument Of
the shame of Spain while it stands but the mater
ais and furniture would bring good price, which
might either help pay the repudiated debt or be ju
diciously distributed among the poor people whose
ancestors--if the poor have any ancestors were
| robbed to build the palace
| The Prado is public walk and drive famed in
Europe. The Spanards believe it superior 70 Hyde
Park the Bots de Boulogne, the Theirgarten Of Ber
lin. the Prat Of Vienna, the Central Park of New
York-if they happened to hear Of the latter,
which will be, in respects, more perfect than
the others But the Prado is inferior TO all of them is
mOnoOnous, illkept, and infested with beggars. The
equipages in London and Paris brilliant that
always wondered what became of the secondhand
carriages Ii is evident they are all sent to Madrid
row, even OF Ine wealthy, own INC CaIIlaRcb III
which they drive they are jobbed from the livery
stables. Many of the horses are fine but good
sadde-hOrse cannot be hired in Madrid, except by
the month. Beyond the city there neither rides
nor drives of any interest. The Florida and Casadel
Campo which were royal resdences, have lately been
thrown open to the public and from the latter good
views of Madrid may be had. In every other diree-
tion YOU ride for miles finding neither
trees houses nor fences, only an open
bare rolling country, arid and desolate
10 the last degree; the Guadavama hills
with little on them in January, the only fea-
ture of the landscape, except the city itself which
has an Oriental air from the number of pear-shaped
domes and low spires which relieve its outline and
produce effect which. in the absence of every
other. may be called charming For the people Of
Madrid the Prado seems TO afford all the room they
want. There, aud in the Gale de Alcala, and in the
Puerta del Sol, the whole world of the capital is to
be met. You expect to find types Of Spanish beauty,
but they are rare in Madrid. A French writer pro-
nouuces all the women of tho capital beautiful but
his standard Of comparison the women of Paris.
have not been long enough away from New-York
and Boston to forget the loneliness of feature in
which the American women have few rivals, and,
Judging by the American standard there is little
beauty in Madrid. i remember not more than three
faces which n man might come TO see twice. The
Spanish beauty is TO be found in Andalusia and
there il exists in company with the soft languor
which tradition ascribes to the women Of the PENN
sula. In Madrid the languor is replaced by an ami
nation of manner which half compensates for the
lack of attractive features Dull the Prado Is in
itself. 1t abounds with interest a bright afternoon
i'll Winter when the has brought out throngs Of
people from their chilly houses. Few promenades
can boast of such crowds. and Southern crowd is
reaches
Gayest Of all were the three days Of carnival just
ended. All the world goes 10 Rome TO carnival. |
and had never heard Of anybody coming TO MaGrid |
on such an Grand One or two friends said Sunday
morning lyon will be on the Prado this afternoon
for the beginning Of camval;' and listlessy re-
Piled Yes,D having had experience Of high-novn
Madrid euloges on the things of Madiid. When |
afternoon came was busy writing, and only by nc
cident finally carried of 20 see the sights What an
Englishman calls a good few Of them were 20 be
seen by turning my head to look out OF the window
on the Puerta del Sol Bands of guitarplayers from
time to time trayersed the place. twenty or forty
guitars going together with singular effect. Most
Of these we're boys Of perhaps lG, in blue jackets
embroidered with silver lace, scarlet Zouave trow
sers. and fez smoking-cap percbed iauntily on
one ear above a Of hair crimped and curled til
The effect Of it around their smooth young faces
to give them the look of women masquerad
ng in mems costume Other bands fol-
Owed with yolins with flutes. and some other
roupes with brass instruments. They marched in
luiet step. with loose easy but regular gait, very
ike the French Zouave step, only less perfect and
moro buoyant One after the other they danced
Town the Alcala and the s. Geronimo, the two main
rcets leading from the Puerta del Sol to the Prado
The Alcals ia broader than Broadway, but il was
learly impossible from tho crowd. Mounted gems
larmes strove to keep narrow lane open in the
enter for carriages and bOrsemen, all OF whom were
moving IN one direction Toward the Prado flowed
he whole city. The national costume for once was
d the ascendent The women had laid aside their
OOr limitations of Paris bOnnets, and dOnned the
ewtching mantilla, though tho dress was still
french, and the hdeOus POmpadOur skirts stuck ont
all their ugliness believe they are disappearing
at least diminishing in Paris; of course the mode
al It's hight in Madrid. The men wore coaks,
arment graceful in ITSELF but absurd enough when
rowned with steeple hat whose stiff outline ac-
ords with nothing that flows or falls in masses of
rapery like the ample cloak of tho Spaniard
cores and hundreds of carnival costumes
inqled with the rest adding every variety of effect
very brilliant hue contrasting with the sober brown
the cloak or the black silk to which the women
Madrid-the demi-monde excepted-still for the
Ost part adhere The day perfect. the daz- !
ing, tho sky blue with the blue of Italy, soft .
reezes blowing from the south. tempered with the
lstant snow Of the hills Oh the horizon and reach
X the lofty plateau Of Madrid, $500 feet above the
Iediterranean level 30 rarfed and oIygenized that
10 lungs expand with wonderful elasticity, and
hen such a day comes. wild exhilaration comes =
it'll It. IL does not como too Often but have felt
alf dozen times in Madrid in January the intoxi
alton Of The Switzerland atmosphere, where
reeze is draught Of champagne, such rs the most