The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-13
AROUND THE WORLD.
General Grants Tour in
Spain.
A DAY IN TOLEDO.
City Of the Roman, the Goth
and the Moor.
MONUMENTS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY.
A DAY IN TOLEDO.
MONUMENTS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY
The Cathedral, One Of the Noblest
Monuments in Spain.
COMMENTED, HONORED, DYING Old AGE.

TOLEDO, Nov. 49, 1873.
Toledo is a graveyard, where are funeral monu-
ments of all the civilizations Of Spain You walk
through its streets with the melancholy interest
which death inspires All is so still and dead and
hushed. Clinging to its rocky steep, looking out
over the stripped hills of Castillo it's turrets
from afar, it seems to have been forgotten by the
world to be decoration a gem fastened to the
worlds bosom. and not tangible living part
earth 1t is on the banks Of river whose waters
might carry merchandise to the 1t has outlook
upon q noble valley. and the view from its castle
turrets of the finest in Spain 1t is the centre
of q rich district But Madrid on the side and
Seville the other have drained the currents of its
prosperity. and it lies stranded interesting only be-
of the memorable events that have been done
within its walls. II you seek out its history you
must go back to the time of the Hebrews and
learn that when the Jews driven ont Of Jeru-
salem by Nebuchadnezzar, they came to Toledo
do not vouch for this story. When old Nebuchad
in there is always reason for debate It
is as well worth believing any other. Toledo
in Tarshish. We know the Jews. when driven out by
their granivorous conqueror. went anywhere; and
no city in Spain, even now, has more Jewish
mains than Toledo My impression is that if the
Jews had settled in Toledo and gone home again. it
would have not been simply legend but the theme
of psalms and prophecies and orthodox churchmen
at home would be singing how they sat by Tagus'
stream and hung their harps on the trees aud wept
1t is easy to trace Jewish progress because the Jews
have had the of the civilized world, allowing us
forget nothing that could be in prose
verse. We know that the Goths made Toledo their
capital, probably their strongest city. The Moors
never regarded it as more than border city, an
outpost. The seat of their empire kept in Anda-
iusia They liked the orange ripening Toledo,
high up on mountain ascent, 24O0 feet above the
level of the sea. was cold. Grenada warmer and
more preferable. But the Goths coming from snow
lands found Toledo grateful and here they planned
their stronghold. When the Christians they
took Toledo. This four centuries before Grenada
fell 1t in its splendor the century before
America discovered. In the thirteenth century
built the great cathedral and fresh from its sub
lime influence can we'll understand the monks say
ing and the people believing that it pleased the
Virgin that she down to see it, and brought
with her to show them its glory various sanity
friends, among them st. Peter and St. Paul.
THE DECAY OF TOLEDO.
II Charles v. had not been morbid in his later
years Madrid would have come into being. and
Toledo would now be the capital Of Spain. But
Charles had govt some such trouble and craved
dry air, and pitched upon Madrid and ordered his
capital to be there built. Then Madrid the
exact centre of Spain, and that gave mathematical
reason for the whim. In the early days Madrid
simply an outpost; no one ever dreamed of living
plain where nature now and then plays such heart
torturing pranks: where summers too and
winters too cold; and there is not monumental stick
stone to recall SPANS pious MEDIEVAL past Toledo
had every tie-wealth. population loyalty society
in high culture and a ripe and memorable past But
the royal nerves tender. and so Madrid
ceived aud Toledo doomed All that remains Of
her is the past and you enter her gates with
and mournful steps you would enter the gates of
graveyard
GLIMPSE OF TOLEDO.
You climb mp winding road and pass under arches
and meats and through fortified walls and into
the town. This is the road the old knights came
and you recall the pictures and the story books-my
lady watching from the battements for her lord and
my lord coming. seen from afar, his casque decked
with trophies of war, his sword at rest and my lady
waving joyous. streaming. fearful welcome. For
my lord has been out to fight the Moors or he comes
weary from the unavailing field of Roncesvales.
like q chivalrous knight he may have been champion
ing distress all Spain perhaps he has been to
the Holy Lard. Many knight has climbed this hill
and ridden proudly under this arch, for the days of
chivary we're the days of Toledo's fame. Nor would
it surprise to my old friend Don Quxote sal
lying forth with his Mambrino helmet. For Toledo
place known to Cervantes, and these very
walls that look down blindly
have often beheld his wise. grave. royal brow.
There carriages here There is traffic.
There voices in chatter and trade. The streets
narrow tina. with outstrctched hands you
touch the wallis 1t is consequently warmer in
winter and cooler In summer. Then IL was such
protection against the Moor. who found 1t difficult
TO make his way into the towns with streets
II so friendly and talk inviting to sit at your
window or lean over your balcony and chat across
a..
IL were, one pleasant family And for carriages
what knight cavalier wanted carriage? II
was eneminate. In those days every gentleman rode
on horseback, as your true gentleman should. And
IL you look at the houses you pass you will note
that the knockers very high-so high that
footman could reach them without ladder. This
was for the convenience of the cavaliers. who could
make their signals as they sat horseback, and %
The gates swung open they rodcin.
A LEGEND FERpISASDs LIFE.
What reposc what quetude What tremendous
row IL would make to a street fight or fire
Rinc at full a shoal Of ragged ncwsboys cry
ing the Toledo Herald with King Fcrdinand's great
victory over the Moors. Don't you remember that
beautiful incident in Ferdinands life? do not know
how true IL is. but it ought TO be true. which is
about the same thing. talking of matters that hap
pencd so long ago. King Ferdinand went ont to fight
the Moors and won a famous victory-the renowned
battle OF Toro-and Isabella. his wife, remained at
home. To surprise her lord and show what good
wife she was, and how she prayed for him and
thought about him as he was away slash.
ing tho inhdels, she called her workmen and
said :-"Build me church. and let IL be
beautiful as art can devise and have IL ready when
my Lord returns" And it was done, and this is the
church in which we are entering General Grant
and tho civil authorities and Mr. Reed the Secretary
of Legation. who has come down to Madrid for q
holiday This is the Church st. John of the Kings
and its chief attraction is the legend have written
Q legend told mo in 1873 by my old friend Adolpho
so well known TO Americans who have visited Spain.
and who had many stories and aphorisms as
Sauclio Pansa. Adopho has given up tho dissemina-
ton of information To tourists and is in the whole
sale beer trade. and believes in an established nov.
eminent aud taxpayers going to the front althougb