The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-03

| had not a Deggar In Madrid. save few who neld
! special licenses for reason or another But
FL Pardo got filled to repietion and then the
| evil reappeared. II Is rampant to-day, though not
| quite as bad as it was formerly The curiosity
about Spanish beggar is that while imprecation
fails to move him. hypocrisy generally manages to
nd you OF his agreeable company. II any OF my
readers ever visit this country. warn them against
bidding the beggar 60 to him Who Is the father Of
lies. Let them rather commend them TO God
"Vaya ia con dos" go you with Cod. is the
nypocritical form you must use all the while your
hearts tempting you TO bid them 90 to the devil
AT THE BsCURIAL.
have said we reached the Escurial at half-past
ten and were driven 10 the village in the rcketY
old omnibus have described We we're received
with marked attention by Senior Geronimo Mar
tnez, the chief government official OF the place.
His Spanish title Is 'Conservad0r del stu Real del
Escorial," for you must know that the Escural is
part OF the patrimonY Of the crown Senior Mar.
tinez had only received General Gandaras telegram
half an hour before our arrival. owing to the bad
state OF the teegraphic lines. These always get
OF order" Spain with the least change In the
atmosphere, the least 'thunder, lightning half or
RAIN" You never can be sure OF the COM
municat0ps twelve hours at stretch
Owing to the shortness OF the notice Senior
Martinez was unable to afford us treat Mr..
Layard and some OF the Ministers enOved last year,
namely the raising OF the massive Id or the sarco-
phagus OF the great Emperor, Charles ", and
peep at his shriveIed remains but ne did all that
was IN his power to render stay agreeable.
While we were breaKrasting at the old Hotel Nj
randa, which has now been mOdernized land not
before 1t was time) the COnservador went ahead to
have all the departments OF the mighty edfce
opened and made ready for us, that we might lose
no time when we commenced our inspection Our
breakfast was served In excellent style, with
French cookery, quite as good as at Del
monco's. The only thing to be found fault
with the wine, and that was execrabe.
Breakfast over, we lost no time in commencing
our rounds, Senior Martinez accompanying
u.s. The Escurai was no new sight to me. have
often visited 1t before, each time with increasing
interest. It's stately grandeur and architectural
proportions strike into the soul. The effect Is
SURPRISING crossing the vast courtyard called the
Patio de los Reyes courtyard Of the kings) and
passing up the steps into the majestic entrance.
THAT entrance that vestlbule, that church ITSELF all
seem TO speak OF the bygone days OF Spanish great
ness ana Spanish superstition.
ON ENTERING THE SPACIOUS TEMPLE
with its organs and pupits its pavement of marble
its lofty frescoed roof, Its magnificent affairs and
imposing choir or wandering through its now
silent cioisters mounting by its stupendous STAIR
case to Its matchless library, Imagination Is carried
| back TO the records OF 500 years ago, to the
days oil Its great founder Philip H., and
| the vicissi:udes or Spain in those three
| centuries come wildly before us. Every
| stone, every door, every WINDOW in the building,
and every tree In the garden outside. to take
| voice and sing eloquent lessons of the past. The
family Of Philip completely extinct, the Bourbons
| expelled and the SayOyard now the throne he
left all tell OF the mutability OF earths glory while
fha at hut Inv nrica mi 4 ha
solitude OF the granite mountains OF Guadarrama re-
mains proud and firm, rearing Its lofty dome to
Heaven and presenting its massive sides to the
storms ana tempests OF three centuries.
THE FOUNDER OF THE EsCURIAL.
am not going TO attempt description OF the
Escural. That would be quite out OF place in
newspaper. The only time Philip ii. ever wore he's
armor was at the siege of st. Quentin in Picardy,
in France. The violation by Henry III. or France
OF the truce OF Vancelles was the cause OF the
| war. Philip assembled a powerful army In
| the Netherlands, which, strange to say, he
| placed under the command OF an an.
| cesior OF the present King Amadeus-vH,
| Emanuel Philibert, Duke OF Savoy. The Prince Of
| Asturas Amadeus eldest boy, and heir TO the
Spanish Crown, Is called after this great warrior,
! Manuel Filiberto To the army Philip had raised,
his wife, queen Mary. added 5000 English, under
the Earl OF Pembroke. The great battle was fought
on st. Lawrence's Day. ana the superstitous Philip
! who was more OF monk tnan soldier, vowed
that II he won 1t he would erect temple to ST.
Lawrence or san Lorenzo, which should eclipse all
| other temples In the world. While Philip crossed
! himself and prayed. his brave generals-the
! Duke OF Savoy and Count d'Egmont-fougnt
and after day OF terrible carnage won
| the battle for their lord and master. When
| all was over the Duke OF Savoy approached His
! Majesty and knelt TO kiss his hands, Philip did
| the only grateful thing he did in his lilc He
| raised him In his arms and said, st becomes me
| rather to kiss your hands, which have gained me
such O glorious victory" On his return to Madrid
| Philip set about the ful6lment OF his VOW. 1t be
came the hobby OF his life-the thing OF which
he thought. The selection Of suitable site puzzled
him much. He wished It far away from the noise
and hustle OF the capital, for he was exclusive in
his sedshness At last, after two years. delibera-
ton, he chose the rocky and desoate hills OF the
Gaudarrama range, close to the village known as
FL Escorial. The name is derived from the or
'scoria" OF iron, the ancients having had ex-
tensve iron mines In the vicinity. Philip
entrusted tine plan to the great architect,
Juan Bautista de Toledo, but gave him
many notions OF his own. Thus the building was
70 resemble an inverted gridron, in celebration OF
the martyrdom OF san Lorenzo, who was frzzled
to death magnned specimen OF that useful
culinary utensi. On the 23d April, 1865, the first
laid. In 1857 the architect died. ana was
succeeded by his great pupil, Juan de Herrera. On
the 18th September 1884, the edihce was complete.
For twenty0ne years Philip had delighted to watch
Its progress. His seat a rude stone cut in the
side OF the opposite mountain, and Is still shown to
visitors. Among the archives is still to be seen
Philips 'Carta de Dotaci0n," or foundation letter.
H. reads as follOws:-
KING PHILIPS FOUNDATION LETTER.
PHILIP, REx.--In acknowledgment OF the many
and great blessings which II has pleased GOD to
heap us. and TO continue 10 us daily, and mas
much as he has been pleased to direct and guide
deeds and acts to His holy service, IL man.
tenance ana defence OF His molly faith, and OF rel,-
gon, OF justice and peace within our realms; con-