Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-17


RAJ AT MADRID.
Valladolid until 1906. He then came to Mad
rid, spent the remainder of his life here and
was buried in 1916 on street cameo
Gale de Lope de Vega in honor of another
famous author. in the Convent OF the Irln-
ity The commission could not locate ms
grave. Lopez de Vega lived near the con-
vent and died there in 1885. Upon the wall
of his house is a tablet with remarkable
inscription, which ought to be read daily py
Spanish officials:
"Dom d. o. M. Parva Propria Magma.
Magma Aliena Parva." "a small possession
of ores own is great A great possession
that belongs to another is smalD.
Near by Is q monument to Calderon, the
great Spanish dramatist. who lived from
1900 to 1851. and in that same quarter OF the
city are several memorial tablets Wmcn
have been erected under the direction OF the
Royal Academy OF History IN honoI u
Spanish poets and writer's. Among them
appears a bronze figure of Claudio Moyano,
a great statesman, who spent his life try
ing to promote the education or the people
Although the cortes and the members OF
the government would do little or nothing
to carry out his plans, they appropriated
money to build him a monument IN order
that his zeal might not be forgotten
Care of Monuments.
For several years the Royal Academy OF
History has been trusted with the care of
the national monuments In Spain. including
the Alhambra. and under the leadership or
the Marques de la Vega de Armijo, whose
learning and taste fully qualify him for the
work many important buildings and his
torical spots have been rescued from de-
struction and the nation has erected seVeral
monuments to its famous men.
The building of the Academy or history
stands in this part of the city and contains
many interesting articles-two OF extfaor-
binary value One of them Is the manu-
script of 1.-The History of the Indies, by
Las Casas, a noble and bold young monk,
who spent most of his life and suffered
martyrdom for the salvation OF the natives
of the islands discovered by Columbus. Ihe
other is a letter written by Cervantes,
which I am told is the only autograph
known to exist. The new library pulldlng
contains a remarkable collection OF hlstoTi-
cal documents. which were gathered TOT the
exnosition held in honor of Columbus IN
1892 and have since been allowed to remain
there. No country is so rich as SPAN IN
historical documents and relics ana II Is
gratifying to know that 1t mas a society
with zeal and sentiment " dppieei "'N
preserve them
Statues of Marble and Bronze.
Madrid is also fortunate in having one OF
the finest boulevards and some or the pest
monuments in Europe. Scattered all over
the city are statues in marble and IN prohze'
Cervantes and Columbus are honored TWICE.
On the pedestal of Cervantes statue are re-
l,efs representing Don Quixote's adventure
with the lions and the Don ana Sahcho
Panza led by the Goddess of Folly. A
bronze monument to Velasquez erected IN
1889 stands in front of the art gallery; tnat
of Murillo in the plaza named a1ter MN
is a copy of one which was erected at Be-
willie in 1871. Near by Is a splendid tribute
&c Dr pay1o
MUSICIAN who died in 1885, and surround
ing it are the statues OF four eminent Span
ish botanists Other cities and countries
adorn their parks and pouleVaros WIN
monuments to soldiers and statesmen, but
most of those in Madrid are erected to men
who have otherwise distinguished them
selves Two women who have had great
influence upon the destiny or Spain are SO
MISUNDERSTANDING the Catholic and Maria
Christina, widow Of Ferdinand VII, who
lived until 1873.
Obelisk on the Prado.
The most impressive monument in all
Madrid, however is an obelisk surrounded
by cypress trees upon the Prado or prom
enade, which marks the spot where Murat,
the French field marshal, took his so-calied
blood bath" in 1903. This monster arrived
in Madrid during the invasion Of Napoleon.
promising friendship to the people, but they
received him coldly and did not encourage
his aspirations to the throne. In order to
impress upon them his power and warn
them of the penalty of resistance he exc
cuted several hundred peaceable citizens
unon the spot where this column stands.
Even children were not spared. Goya, the
great Spanish artist, has painted the scene
in thrilling colors.
1t was this event more than any other
consideration that provoked the interview
ton of Great Britain. The Duke of We'll
lington was about to sail for South America
when the news of the massacre reached
London. By order of George III he at once
changed his plans came down upon Spain
and the domination of Napoleon was soon
over The lower part OF the structure is
sarcophagus. which contains the remains of
Luis Daoiz and Pedro Nelarde, two artil-
lery officers who shortly after led an at
tempt to expel the French.
The massacre has not been forgotten
Every year, on the I'd OF May, the anniver-
sary a procession is formed In front of the
palace. which marches to the monument,
where high mass is celebrated, a patriotic
grafton is pronounced and wreaths of I'M
mortelles laid upon the pedestal. In every
church at every altar in Madrid on that day
masses are sung for the repose of the souls
of the victims. ItFf
Where Heretics Died.
Far at the other end of the paseo, beyond
the noble monument to Columbus and quite
near the University of Madrid. is another
spot on which many men ana women have
suffered and died. 1t was the notorious
"quemadere," or place of execution MAIN
tanned by the inquisition for the benefit OF
heretics The prison of the inquisitiJn
was stormed and destroyed by the people
in the revolution of March. 1920 and until
1868 Ii was used as military barracks.
In the latter year 1t passed into private
hands, was torn down and replaced by
modern tenements. While making excava-
tons for the foundations large deposits of
human bones and ashes were discovered
which were carefully gathered up and de-
posted in one Of the cemeteries. Although
Madrid was never one of the chief seats of
the inquisition. several hundred heretics
imprisoned and tortured here for their
faith.
Seats Along the Prado.
Along the prado and the Paseo de Re-
coletos, the bouievards of Madrid. are little
cafes and refreshment places. at which ma