, 1878-06-28
The Escurial.

~ TWO hours journey on tne TOhu nOrtn
from Madrid brings one to the Escurial.
Outside the capital, beyond the sandy
ManZGuareS, where the washerwOmen rub
and scrub their linen beneath a network
of cotheslines, the fields are only par
TALLY cultivated. The country is almost
incapable of cultivation, because of the
rocks and bouldcrs that burden the earth
At one little station lame beggarwoman
without the railing of the platform cries
garrulously: "Give me an aims, senoras
and senores, for love of God, and Maria
Santissima will repay you'll" a dozen
times in ten minutes. Never was more
bleak and unattractive place selected for
royal residence than the barren, rugged
height among the Sierras, where Philip
II. erected this cold, stony monument to
his favorite and favoring saint. Lawrence,
or Lorenzo, of the Gridiron. This Philip
is better known to us than most Spanish
monarchs, having been the son of Charles
V. and the husband of Bloody Mary of
England.
1t is said that the only time Philip ever
appeared in battle array, in Spain at least,
was at the battle of st. Quentin, which
was fought on San Lorenzo's day, to
which saint the king ascribes his victory,
and vowed to build grand temple to
his honor; he had also to obey the in
functions of his imperial father and
build tomb worthy the relics Of their
illustrious family. The temple and
mausoleum were accordingly begun in
1865, and finished in twenty.one years,
at an enormous cost.
The name escurial is derived from the
scoria or refuse of iron from former iron
mines near the site. Philip commanded
that the form of the editice should repre-.
sent the gridiron on which his patron
saint is supposed to have suffered martyr.
dom. During its construction Philip
turned royal recluse, and dwet mostly in
little house few rods away, in order
to watch its progress. The exterior is
severely plain, and is built of the coolest
possible granite, and within the halls are
of freezing temperature always. That
part of the building which constitutes
the palace contains some valuable paint
ings and rich tapestry and furnishings.
The library was once one of the richest
in Europe in manuscript, as well as print
ed literature, of the Arabs, Spaniards,
Greeks, and Latins, but it has suffered
tremendously from theft, iconoclasm, pill
lage during wars, and fires, the last as
late as 1872. In the centre of the pile
rises the dome of the grand chapel, $50
feet high. The roof is otherwise vaulted,
the columns massive, the high altar mag
nilicent; beautiful and varied marbles
everywhere abound. At one side of the
chancel is the window of the royal cell
where Philip died gazing out upon the
shrine he had erected. The stone ceiling
of the vestibule is fiat, and has no cen
tral support, and is considered marvel
of architectural skill 1t is said that
when the architect, Juan de Herrera, in
vited Philip at last to inspect the result
of his labors, he placed q pasteboard pill
lar there. When Philip entered the por-
tai he paused to gaze upon the solemn
grandeur before him, but presently showed
a discomfort. The architect, on inquiry,
learned that it was the pillar which dis
turbed his majesty's peace, because it
obstructed his view. Whercupon the
former gave the pillar gentle pushit
fell, and that difficulty was easily re-
moved. The king was SO delighted that
he said some of those wonderful things
that kings are always saying to their de-
voted subjects, but which the writer here
of does not remember. A solemn, gloomy,
black pail stands in the centre of the
chapel under the dome. Under all this
is the pantheon, or royal tomb, most
magnificent death. chamber, octagon in
shape, with tiers Of green marble sar
cophagi bearing the names of the occu-
pants in gilt. Only kings and the moth.
ers of kings may lie here; Charles V. and
Philip II. are among the number, and
unlettered cofins await Alphonso and
his disreputable mother, Isabella. There
are other vaults richly sculptured and
adorned, but yet unfinished, where the
various infants of Spain do and will rest.
A wonderful, splendid resting-place,
but cold as death itself.
Sunshine was delicious and warm, fresh
air reviving, after emerging from this.
There are no other sights worthy Of men
ton in the Escurial villages, with perhaps
passing glance at forlorn summer
place and garden near the station, and
the great chocolate mandatory of Mar
tine Lokes.
And now we leave the Escurial, that
eighth wonder of the world, up among
the barren but grand Sierras, and are
hurried northward; past Avila and the
convent where once the great Isabella
rested for while, and where dwet the
''serafica madre, st. Teresa. AS twilight
falls the scenery becomes grand aud aw-
full under the shadows and the lurid re-
Election of the sunset. Before midnight
the train snorts into the station of Val
ladolid amid Pickering gas-lamps and
bustling confusion of modern times.
How different must have been the scene
when, some centuries ago, Christopher
Columbus was brought here in chains TO
| die in darkness and alone - UorrsSn0ud-