The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-01-17
50 TIE SPANISH COAST OF THE
JoNO vFplTERRANEAN.

Dd p' would be like making the
aa' If Egypt and emitting the Pyra-
paI - .l,s Nile. Cathedrals are so
aiA IN spain that to describe one
;la-'gf them would consume years of
Fap VI larger stock of patience than
pp' or ,,ha possesses; but this of Tara
F'U "a ungdue and beautiful that it
81" ,sibIe TO pass it by without men
lD Bsrun in the 18th century, and
1Vp VI continued for about three
." ,-.1 wears. but never completed
'u" has been finished to show the
ap-s .8esut plans of generations of
%" .,.,s and TO make it one of the
'' .mtimcus in existence of the
.stmc >tyle. You approach the
..,,.o along. steep flight of steps,
" lead 10 a wide and deeply re-
.,ruay hanked by two massive
rpr, crowned by pinnacles and
.,.4l hv a glorious rose" Win
uud these piers are series
decorated arches, and just
-.n are corresponding inches
..-.t.u It score of Apostles and
-.I.... uua under a Gothic canopy.
.I.r ut the inches are vacant,
-.- accounted for by the tradition
I-....i saints grew weary Of stand
.,., ol- in one position, and SO, at
H. nI ot -very hundredth year, one
.-u steps down and disappears
al. .....Ir5t the church is cruciform.
nj mlt. nave and two aisles. The
.,n-e enormous pillars that support
d.. mat are swathed in superb old
.o.s-res-t.r very same that once be-
..,.i Fl. II. Paul's, in London, and
,.e ,o.J rl Henry the Eighth, with a
.+ ta.I church furniture. There
p, ,p0rndIl ehapels, and rich windows
mime and orange glass, and tombs
al heroes and an altar-service worth a
kind, ransom. but the greatest wonder
a5 uao,i-} doout the old sanctuary is
+, f3r.ngs. everywhere rich and ex-
m.teiu detail, from the draperies of
s >igFs wrought with utmost deli
a1 lrl mUuteneSS, to the insects that
.-1 ~ ang and actually wriggle
rre inJertwined leaves Of the
g. d.-. / multitude of artists made
Il. wing the holy work of their
n+ Sous conscientiOusness ex-
1s, very mark of the chisel. By
,-s,l H -s, the cathedral cloisters
r considered the most interesting in
Nul j ROT III the world. The en-
nur tlc is divided in the centre by
5'ga carved from base to capital, |
81 nesting ou heap of twisted ser
lr-s u.u sinister and threatening
...a. that you hesitate to pass
.-l overload appears the Alteration
m- '. tire symbols of the Evangel-
.-,-. Irer kings asleep in the same
e "Hdortably night-capped with
.r Nur and a winged herald com
G.r 'oEeu them to go on to Bethle-
-ul-, 30 marvelously life-like that
Dcnn hardly believe they are only in
gN~ marble. Nearly every inch of
Gt" W these cioisterS is curiously
fully carved. Besides legends
~1tS. passion scenes, and his
'. .,.r~, hunting scenes, and even
"".--- 1re mluutely portrayed. One
.. U# ltest represents a company
ia conducting the funeral of cat.
NH 'JlUe on a bier. In front
l .rt~tIy mice, in full canonicals.
a.a- .Ae >prinkling brush and holy
W'H Alongside walks the sexton
D1e tA Il troWel to dig the grave,
jig. -.' uuuIuers follow decOurouslv,
tfJ lis little appearance CT grief as
-sl We Xpected over the demise of
'r' 3rrH-enemy. The corpse of the
a'mirably carved and the ex-
gHNoOs "u all the faces are worth COM
ys io. 7. see. In the second scene the
" witch las only been shamming
0ta'I is Swinging from the bier, while
ielHt'tly mice, holding up their gowns
'lsWlng the holy water, the sexton
mouse throwing away his trowel, and
-.aIn4rs and undertakes are scatter
Ivy DE- directions, with ludicrously
"H-tl XpTessions of couhtenance.
"' 'a>JeI gardens are equally quaint,
'- No'hic arches cut and trimmed
-'2l .o& and other shrubs, and great
'7S Of myrtle and ivy trained into
&Iliai shapes. In it's walls are en-
'+-l-I fragments of Roman sculpture,
@a fo be portions Of the temple of
augustus In another angle is Moor
9l aIeh Of a Mihrab, or oratory, with
~'' inscription which states that it
'd' made by Giafar, for Prince Abdalla
''ilTraLman, the servant of God-of
47 ompassionate" in the year $50.
Alter the cathedral, the next most in
@''ilng object in this neighborhood is
l' 'ice famous Clsterian monastery of
'''Iet winch nothing should induce you
0AlI' though it necessitates railway
e'.y If twenty miles or more. You
'<ul the La Riba line to Montblanch-
S"'ns Oh the way through Reus,
'r''4 manufacturing town of 10000 in