The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-07-16
EUROPEAN LETTER.
Our Special Correspondent Writes
From the Land of the Dons.
UoRDoVA, SPAIN, June z, 1896,

is to Spain, that music is to Italy.
Young and old, fat and thin, they
all dance whenever occasion pre-
sents itself. On days Of fiesta the
clicking of castanets and the patter
ing of feet are heard everywhere.
Children who can hardly walk dance
by instinct. The gypsy dancers are
justly noted for their grace and
abandon, and the popular cafes
chantants might be more appro-
priately named cafes dansauts. But
not only is it the general form of
amusement; the Spaniards have
followed the example Of the ancient
Greeks and Jews, introducing it in
their religious ceremonies. We
were fortunate enough to witness
one Of these celebrations in the ca
thedral here, Of the cathedral it.
self an Italian writer of note SAYS:
at was so grand that | never speak
Of it without unconsciouslY ASSUMING
the tone and manner Of Salvini IN
Samson" | am sorry to say we
could not share his enthusiasm.
An earthquake some years ago So
injured 1T that the interior is dis
figured with scaffolding; and those
who see it now remember less the
lofty arches and the dark beauty of
Murillo's cherubs, than the rough
beams and ladders that break every
vista. As the'scene of the religious
dance, however it was something
never to be forgotten.
The church was dark-it was
twilight, and only one chapel was
illuminated, A crowd of kneeling
women filled the aisles. A few
priests stood around the altar, and
before it were two rows of boys
about ten or twelve years of age,
dressed in the Spanish costumes of
the middle ages, with tights and
plumed hats. The music of violins
broke the profound silence, and the
rows of boys began to advance and
retreat, to mingle and bow, in a sort
of contradance. Presently, without
pausing in their slow, graceful
movements, they sang low, har-
monlous chant. The sound of the
little voices in the great vault, the
sight of their movements, the quaint
costume, the kneeling throng, the
surrounding gloom, produced an
impression as reverential as that Of
prayer.
The story is told that one of the
former ArchbishopS Of Seville, who
should have evidently been born in
Puritanical days, objected to the
dance as profane, and ordered that
1t be discontinued. This aroused
such opposition not only from the
authorities Of the cathedraf but
among the inhabitants OF Seville,
that the question was referred to
the Pope. The latter expressed his
inability to Judge without having
seen the dance; accordingly the en-
tire troop of choir boys was conveyed
to Rome and the performance given
but to pacify the inexorable Arch
bishop, he decreed that the dance
should continue only until the
clothes the boys then had on should
be worn out. That was equally
satisfactory to the astute authorizes
of the cathedral. The costumes
were used only on special occasions,
once or twice year; they were
carefully watched, and when an ar
ticIe became threadbare it was repla-
ced at once. So that although the
decree is still binding. until the pres
ent day the costumes have never
been entirely worn out, and proba.
bly, never will be.
In every city, IN every town, in
the fields and on the trains we see
soldiers. The whole country seems
to be in the army. Even boys are
being drilled everywhere. The SOL
dlers, however, have less of the NIL
itary bearing than any we have seen
IN Europe. Very different are they
even in dress and manner, from the
trim red coated English we saw at
Gibralter. We had an opportunity
one afternoon while there to see a
crack regiment of Highlanders drill
and fine looking fellows they were,
in their spotless white coats and
CATERS, and their plaid kits that
stood out like the skirts of a ballet
dancer when they wheeled. Here
in Spain the soldiers appear detected
and weary-even when on dres;
parade; and the music to which
they march, instead of being cheereC
and inspiring, has the MINOR note
that is characteristic of Spanish
songs. However appropriate this
quality may be in a serenade, any
thing less martial can hardly be i'm
agined. The soldiers may vel
think it a funeral dirge.