, 1890-10-18

the way of restoration but tire Alhambra,
like the Palace Of Versailles, suffers FROM
its very vastnesS, and the consequent i'm
mensity Of the sums which would be need
ed to really make it worthy OF its past
renOwn.
One Of the earliest portions Of the Palaco
to be attacked by fire has been the Count
of Myrtl6S5 sometimes called the "C0urt of
the Blessing" which is the first to which
the visitor is conducted, and one of tire
most beautiful. In its centre, set IL the
marble pavement, lay IL pond full OF gold
fish while myrtleS were planted round the
sides of the court, and galleries exquislteIy
designed were supported by marble colon
nades. Probably the most famous part OF
the Palace is the Hall of the Ambassadors,
the ancient reception chamber, where the
throne of the Sultans once stood. H@.6
the dome which roofs the centre Of tho
apartment is inlaid in various designs and
colours, while delicate s~tucc0-work adornS
the walls. Another such dome covers the
Hall of the AOenCerrageS, where BOahdIl,
the last King of Granada, UreaCherouSIy
massacred tue chiefs of that race. whom he
had invited to a banquet. Marble pillars,
tretted ceilings, delicate tlagree work, and
gorgeous gildings are to- be found i'll every
part of this superb temple of Moorish mag
nifCpnce and the %cOnqueTOrs OF Spain at
the Battle of Heres could hardly have lett
behind them any better evidence OF their
superb taste, or of the yoluptuousneSS
which often marks the hours of ease OF
religious fanatics. The gardens, blooming
with oranges and myrtles, the sparkling
fountains and marble pavements, tell of %
race who had at least cultivated the science
Of living, and who knew how i'll Il sun>smIt-
ten land to provide for themselves paradiSeS
of shade and moisture Yet the exterior
of the Alhambra is on all hands declared to-
be Singularly disappointing. This Is to some
extent, no doubt, due to set design on th0
part of the Moorish aIChitects. A plain
and unattractive exterior was considered
to add to the pleasure produced when the
gorgeous interior was reached, with ITS
exquisite decorations and light graCefulilgss
OF pillared colonnades. Taken altogether,
the building, with its numerous towers and
its background OF hills, is imposing buG
dull. 1t could hardly help being so, CON
sidering that it is perched conSplcuouSIy
on a hill, and that the turreted wall
which surrounds it is a mile i'll circum-
ference. Then, a great attraction Is
the admirable view of the town OF
Granada which can be obtained from
the cminence on which the AlhambI"
stands; for in this part of Spain the hills
are not bare and barren, but are clothed
With VerQure, out or winch peep lhe PANT
ed walls of numerous villas. The popula-
ton of this distinctively Spanish town, in
cIuQing many ladies, appear to have work
ed hard to avert the destruction of the
monument which is the proudeSt posses
sion of Southern Spain. Unhappily, the
verses from the Koran with which the in
terror of the Alhambra is literally decorat-
ed with their pious references to the omnl-
potence of Allah, are not now, however
they may have been intended by their orl-
ginators, gifted with any spell strong
enough to keep the walls intact against the
onset of fire. Those walls have Witnessed
many conflicts, from the earliest days when
"the Paynim turban and the Christian
crest" as Byron describes them, met to-
gether after the fatal invitation Of the Mo
hammedans into Europe. It would have
been asad fate, indeed, if IA building which
had lasted during more than six centuries
and had outlived patriotic vengeance and
architectural vandalism, had fallen a prey
at last 10 the flames, lighted through care
l~eSsness, or, as appears to be suspected ip
this case, by the hand of an incendlary.
Precautions against the importation of
the cholera into France continue 10 be en-
forced with unabate6 vigOur. Persons
vOyaging from Spain are summary p n
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