El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-04

atty, tnan Dy the ornamentation OF the
church. Doric simplicity marks this
edif1ce as the work of an acetic. It's
twin towers are the most ornamental
part of the Escorial and its arched YES
thule and decorated dome bespeak
some relaxation OF Philips severity in
the construction Of the place of wor-
ship.
Violence has been done to the ideas
and plans Of king Philip in the Pane
ion de los Reyes''-the Tomb OF the
Kings He intended this to be as severe
as possible, but after his death 1t was
gaudily decorated, much to its detri-
ment. At the doorway of the vaults
there Is a tablet bearing this inscrip-
ton:
ITO the very good and very great
God; sacred spot dedicated by the pie
ty Of the Austrian dynasty to the NOR
tai remains Of Catholic kings, who
await the desired day under the high
altar consecrated to the Redeemer Of
the human race.
Charles ", the most glorious of
emperors resolved this place to be the
last bed of himself and his lineage:
Philip II, the wisest of kings, designed
1T; Philip III, a monarch sincerely
pious, continued the work; Philip w.
great for his clemency. his constancy
and his devotion, augmented, adorned
and terminated it, In the year OF our
Lord 1884"
Statuesque Figures.
Figures Of Humanity and Hope light
en- the gloom Of the entrance. From
where they stand one descends three
Tights OF steps to an octagonal cham
Der lighted by a massive bronze can
delaorum casting a Pickering light
upon the figures OF the IL Apostles
In the inches rest the ashes Of Spanish
sovereigns to the number of rs, the
name Of each suggesting a chapter in
the troubled history of the country
over which they reigned.
Passing from contemplation of Philiu
the connoisseur CT art to Philip the
book worm the visitor to the EscoriaI
mas himself in library that is an
enduring monument to a monarch who
was man of letters. The cities of the
world we're ransacked for the books
that Philip brought to the Escorial. At
that time letters were known chiefly in
the east, and Greece and Arabia and
the Holy Land yielded their treasures
at the touch of the Spanish scepter
tipped with gold. Like all true book
lovers. Philip wanted his library ar
tistically ensconced. Vicente Car
ducci adorned the vaulted ceiling of the
1IESCO6S
or the enduring art treasures of the
building. Tibaldi represented philoso-
phy. astronomy and mathematics and
otner sciences in mural paintings.
FIecha contributed his matchless cary
Ing to the ornamentation of the shelves
The library OF 1000 volumes collected
Dy Philip was handful when com
pared with the vast collections that
now fill such repositories as the Con-
gressional library at Washington. but
for Europe in the sixteenth century
Philips collection was imposing.
The Hapburg's Tomb.
The apartments of Philip in the pal
ace OF the Escorsial bring the visitor
TO the tomb of the Hapsburgs closer
TO the personality Of the builder. His
personal bookcase, his inkstand, his
writing table. the chairs upon which
he sat, are among the personal relics
on the gloomy monarch whose life was
so full of tragedy. The apartments are
those Of man temperamentally q re-
cluse and a thinker, as acetic as q pious
monk. The low hum Of the voices of
the friars at their devotions might
have reached the king as he meditated
upon the muddy course Of mundane af-
fairs in his chamber. The odor Of in
cense burned upon the high altar NAV
perhaps have pervaded the room. A
head or Christ adorns the wall OF the
bedroom In the various royal apart
ments many of the artists whose work
is seen In other parts of the building
are represented. The atmosphere is
distinctly a religious one.
Tomorrow-the Alhambra in Spain.