The New York herald., 1879-01-06
MERCEDES, BRIDE AND QUEEN.
The Chapel, the Cloisters
and the Tombs.
"A DREARY, CRUEL AND DEGRADING AGE"
MADRID. Nov. II. 1873.

granite rocks. ridge heaped ridge, corrugated
howing, irregular stern. Deep assures show now
and then hapless shrub. craving the dew and the
sunshine. striving to Justify its fororn existence
No life. no sign of life. beast. bird or buzzing
insect-only the rocks that tumble oveInhe horizon
only the rocks and cold wind thaUblows from
the snow-wreathed hills. If there were only
a vineyard. olive tree, or q stresm
or homestead with curling smoke. or bough whore
the birds might nestle. passing mueteer enliv-
ening the air with his janglng bells Only the rocks
rising higher and higher in mad. wanton fashion,
only the rocks and eternal desolaton. How gloomy,
sombre desolate it all seems; and as you draw tho
fold OF your garment against the cold Winds the
winds are welcome. and the gray clouds that hang
over the towers OF Madrid. 1t is from Madrid that
we are toiling this morning, for nature stern
and cruel form makes any journey a toll Suddenly
there is a vast gray building. with high dome
and turrets-a prodigious building that frowns
upon You, as it were, it is so cold and
vast, and reminds you of q model prison
in one Of our progressive States 1t seems to leap
out OF the desolation and array itself against the
range Of cruel towering crags which hover over it.
child Of the nature which surrounds it. an epitome
of the wild, harsh, lonely land through which we
have been tugging-a gigantic pile. severe. without
beauty or majesty, but with strength and purpose
1t represents an idea-the idea of universal heresy-
destroying church. 1t embodies the genius Of one
man-Philip II. of Spain. This is the Escurial one
of the most striking and wonderful monuments in
the world
MODERN LIFE AROUND THE EscURIAL.
You como to the Escurial station and descend. In
this valley some has planted trees and a modern
vandal has erected chocolate mandatory. How
out Of place they all seem-nature coaxed into q
fruitful benefcent mood, and art united with in
flr1ctr IL, f1,o Of food R,,xb -
trees which bend over your road you go whirling
along behind team of prancng mules. whose driver
shouts at them and beats them in true Spanish
fashion. Moreover. You note houses and tho
faces OF children looking from the windows.
mothers holding children and staring at
you as you pass. How strange Children
here, youth and innocence and all the sweet budding
hopes that crest young lives. here under this ghasty
pile. But. my believing friends who worship the
glorious past mournful the advances of civiliza-
tion! 1t only seemed q step from the railway train
to the Escurial; but IL is journey and it il
we'll that we thought better of our purpose to walk
the road. The air is clear. up In the noun
tains and distances enchanting. unless you try
to walk them. Here is . tavern and tavern
keeper, who hands you French catalogue Of meats
and drinks that he will provide for your break
fast. How msrvellous! Yes, even here, cham
pagne and Strasburg pies and pale ale from England
and canned meats from Chicago. Alas. my devout
friends how sad the usurpations of civilization
We under the shadow of the monastery and walk
over stony espanade to the gate A courteous on
of the royal household awaits u.s. and attendants
in porentous royal hvery-grave. elderly men. with
staves-greet US we enter. The door clangs back.
and in a wide, square courtyard Of stone.
Walls. window facings arches psvements, col
coisered ways. all stone As the door closes and
tram he I'M lnha fa.ol
that the world has closed behind us; that we have
left the nineteenth century and its foies behind US
and nov back in the seventeenth century, when
Spain ruled the world; when heretics burned;
when saints blessed this goodly land; when had
for master q sovereign worthy of tho name. who
hated Jews and lioors and Englishmcn-who lived
king and died the most devout aud penitent Of sim
ners.
ADMIRATION KINGS.
Ihave disposition to admire kings and to try and
find something good in the heroes whom the world
condemns When hear any one say kind word for
Nero. or Commodus. or Peter the Cruel. Richard
Ill. Marat, Robespierrc Benedict Arnold, or
Aaron Burr. am apt to take sides, at least long
enough to have the other side Of the story told.
like to study the faccs Of my favorite kingschsries
H. of England, Charles II. Of Span George ". Of
England and Charles Nv. of Spain. You havo no
trouble in this. these kings fond
of having their portraits painted. There
is scarcely picture gallery convent
in Spain where you will not the face Of that high.
mighty and dread sovereign lord and king Charles IL.
King of Spain. the Indies and America. and of all
Catholic Kings the most sincere and seifdenying.
How he burned the heretics-not from cruelty. but
devotion, And if he had only lived how much he
might have done fo,the Churchl Historians call him
an idiot fool. and how ptful no looks dat
tering canvas puny youth. in sable. with
sword and fral insignificant hands. and blank, va
cant features the hair falling on tho shoulders in
cffcrninate locks, eyes like boiled beans, and Q
sprawling tawdry jaw There is not line in the face
that shows light or manhood-but to me Charles II.
is an ideal king. II kings reign by Gods grace and
God gives a fool VIC should regard it .
special blessing. 1t means-it certainly must
mean-that Divinity has so much confidence
in the kngiy Office. much confidence in the people.
that Kc can afford to bcstow fool upon the throne.
II we're legitimist or monarchist should feel
that there was wisdom in the coming of a fool to
to tho throne which IL was not for me to question.
Therefore. of Spanish kings my first admiration is
Charles H.. and next to him place Philip. who
the builder Of this pilc and whose genius enfods
to-day.
THE FOUNDER OF THE rscuRIAI.
nPhilip H. had only been idiot. like Charles, who
camc after him and wound up his line-French
BOurbons, and SUCCESSIVE wars ana England coming
to Spain TO berate IL from the French and capture
Gibraltar and burn its towns. and be as she has
generally been in tho Peninsula. torch-bearing
nberatorf, said. Philip had been fool. he had
been perfect monarch. He man Of force and
intelligence, 'the prudent" as the Portuguese
call him, with cruel face has
been ever given to man. IL you come to
Madrid go to the picture gallery and look at his ror
trait by Titan. As work Of art IL is worthy OF
Titan. The King is in armor-the finest steel.
chased and decorated by cunning workmen--which
is marvel Of good hammcring and engraving, ss
you may see at the museum Of arms. But the fscai