New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-23
TEN DAYS IN SPAIN.
FROM TIE EsCoRAL TO TOLEDO.

STREETS AND ONLY HOrEL-MENTAL p1Sfhroia
FROZEN MUsIo-THR ToLEDAN CATHEDRAL
AND ALcAZAR--A CARLIsT.
Knight have had two comfortable days at Madrid
for the study of veasquez and Murllo had not pub
lie opinion been too much for ne. When Castelar,
asked whether were going to Andalusa, where ne
Was born, and answered, mo" he said would see
nothing of SPAN. knew it, but not having vlsited
SPAN TO become acquainted with the country
bore up under the Presidents astonished gaze.
Seville was far away, comparatively, and couiu
defy criticism concerning it; but when the Escoriai
and Toledo were mentioned, my courage oozed out
nj the pores Both were too near Madrid 10 DO
ignored and did" them on successive days.
First came the EscOral, the eighth wonder oil the
world according 10 Spanish criticsm the monstrous
conception of that tyrant monk, and hypochondriac,
Philip H.. according to my own. am not Murray
Jdon;t nropose to furnish information that win be
of the slightest use 70 the most inexperienced
traveller. All / shall relate is what
stuck to me like burrs after the guide had
noured the entire Escorial into my aching ears And
he was An excellent guide, mark yOu. He had
COINCIDENCE His father had been guide before
him he was as it were q child of the Escoral, and
telt that the eyes of the Bourbons were upon him.
He made shoes in the dull season, but all seasons
were duh nowadays, he said. and it was very hard
10 provide for his family. He didn't know how the
war would end for his part. he was quite tired oil
commotion He would like an intelligent Govern
ment that educated the people. Whatever hap
pened. he should submit. That which most con-
eerned him was the welfare of his wife and children
did my utmost to excite the guide, but might
As wen have attempted TO make the Escoral dance.
There was repOse about him that would have done
credit to the remains of Philip H. Perpetual con-
tact with dead kings seemed to have wrought
ns,l Ia htoyv II a
His gait illustrated the dignity of Spain In his
conversation there was such submission to Fate as
is sometimes visible in very much married men and
women, Artemus Wards best joke could not
have undermined his gravity. Tell me-" SAID,
care all the inhabitants of this place as serious as
You 7" There are but a few hundred, Sonora we
are all more or less connected with the Esooriai.
Our lives are quiet We are poor what Is there 10
lauoh atY We behave ourselves. The Jail is always
empty In other parts of Spain men stab one an
other. Here the knife is unknown The only in
stance of crime remember is recent. Two small
and valuable paintings were stolen, and, as their
custodian could not account for their disappearance
he has been imprisoned but not here. He was sent
10 Madrid. When people want bread. Sonora, they
cannot think of much else." Was it not my turn to
be serious J
Five long hours wandered over the great, yellow,
barren. gloomy building, resting only on the finely
carved bench in the church choir. where Philip III.
used TO sit He sat here" said the guide because
secret door communicates with it, He could come
and 60 without being observed aud so
be kept the monks on the alert assure
you. They treated themselves tendery, never
theless. The seats, you perceive turn down"
latter the manner of parquet seats in American
theaters) This is in order to afford standngrOom
when their occupants rise; but those monks did not
like being on their feet. You remark the shelves
arranged above the seats On them the monks sat
while appearing to stand up. Ali. ali! this Is very
shrewd very ingenious" and the guide almost
smiled 1t was such an attempt at smile as be-
comes funerals. The guide was a good Catholic,
but he entertained very little regard for priests. In
this. however he is not peculiar. "Our religion is
one thing, clergy quite another" assert all the
Latin Catholics know. 1--WE don't wish to be-
come Protestants All we desire is that our Church
shall mind its legitimate business and not interfere
with temporal affairs
A granite gridiron, covering regular parailelo-
gram of 200 meters consuming 81 years III construc-
ton, costing unknown millions of francs arising IN
the midst of an arid mountainous wilderness-for
whati To celebrate the miserable pride and bigotry
of a bad King. Thank Heaven. even Spain can
never repeat the enormous hdeOus burlesque OF the
Escoral. Apart from barb1Tlng few paintings
a o
aud the time is not far distant when Madrid will
claim both books and canvas. On the ground floor
If one wing can stin be seen half dozen old mas
ters one of which Rubens, so delighted the pres
ent Emperor of Brazil that he offered to build fine
hospta in exchange for it; but the Government did
not dare TO entertain the proposition In the dark
corner of an obscure room was shown an unframed
portrait of Isabella Segunda. ave put her here,
Sonora TO have her out of harms way; otherwise
she would be cut TO pieces" In a neighboring gal
lery stood clever wooden statue of ST. Michael
overcoming the devil. That has history" said
the guide "It is the work of very talented fe-
male sculptor st. Mchaers face is her own Hand
some. was she not Satan's face is her husbands
and her lover was the King whose portrait hangs
opposite, and the eyes of which are fixed upon ST.
Michael. If you write, Sonora, behold good ma
terial -
OF course | visited the dark den inhabited by
Philip H. Of course l sat on the two chairs dedi-
rated to his gout-Summer and Winter. Both were
ss hard as the monarchs heart; and then by the aid
of a tallow candle, l descended to the octagonal
ervpt where repcse the mortal remains of 20 Spanish
kings and queens Cold cold, almost as cold as the
dead. | read the names of Charles ", Philip H.,
and Philip ~. j saw five empty shelves and pre-
dicted that not more than one would ever be occu-
pied L" You'll have little more royalty to STOW
away.n said to the guide. Il do not say you are
wrong Sonora, but who can tell You've no idea
what a people we are Anything may happen TO-
morrow "Manana" There it was again.
The Royal Gridron has many corners. do be-
heve went into every one of them. Church and
palace were done" religiously, and when, dragging
one slow leg after another finally reached the sta
ton, in default of chairs | dropped into wheel
barrow and asked 10 be let alone. 1T IS well.
SeDora," remarked the guide "you have walked 20
iniesn at is not the walking Mr. Guide. Ii is the