the victim of envy and misanthropy, confesses his obligation to this gentleman for a series of important information and rational amusement. His tour in Spain exhi bits a lively portrait of the characters, man mers, and public feelings, of the Spaniards at a time when every thing that regards them is so interesting to humanity. Of the merits of his work our readers may form some estimate, by the interesting extracts given beneath; in justice how ever to the author, we feel it proper to state, that we have not made our selec tions as specimens of his skill, in de seription and narration, but as passages which contain information likely, in a more particular manner, to interest our readers. We hope the author will, ere Jong, publish an account of the continuance of his voyage to Sardinia, Sicily, and Malta; places which bave a strong hold on that curiosity, which his pen and pencil are so well able to gratify.

THE SPANISH LADIES.

In the evening we walked upon the Alameda, so called from alamo, a poplar. This is the name of a promenade, with which every town of any consideration in Spain, is embellished. It is certainly a very agreeable walk, commanding on one side a fine view of the sea. The seats with which it is furnished are of stone, and handsome; but the trees in tended for its ornament, show by their wretched appearance, how unpropitious to their growth is their marine situation. Here I had an opportunity of seeing the Andalusian ladies to the greatest advantage, in that portion of their ancient costume which they never fail to assume whenever they go abroad. This dress is composed of the mantilla, or veil, which amongst the higher orders is usually of black gauze, and sometimes of lace, and descends from the head, to which it is fastened, over the back and armas, is just crossed in front, and then falls very gracefully a little below the knee, the monilio or jacket, and petticoat, called in Andalusia, the saya; and in other provinces, the basquina; both black and generally of silk, under which usually appear two pretty feet, dressed in white silk stockings and shoes. To these latter articles of dress, the Spanish ladies pay much attention. The gala dress of the ladies was formerly very fine and preposterous, and frequently descended from generation to generation; at marringes this dress was often let out to the huinble classes. The grace and majesty

of their walk, in which the Spanish ladies take great pride, never fail to excite the admiration of every foreigner:-but, strange to tell, whenever they dress after the English fashion, or as they call it en cuerpo, of which they are very fond, ■ vulgar waddle supersedes the bewitching movements they display in their native attire. Nor ought the skill with which they use the fan, a much larger instrument than that carried by our ladies, to be passed over. It is scarcely ever out of their hands; they manage it with thể most fascinating dexterity. To the fan thus used by some of the Andalusian ladies, a beautiful couplet of the late Rev. Mr. Homer, might be applied: Go fan miscall'd! go seek a better name, Thou can'st not cool, thou only can'st in flame:

Little girls, scarcely twice the height of a fan, are also completely at home in the management of one. At first, the uni versal blackness of the female dress produces rather a melancholy effect; but s stranger soon becomes accustomed to it, and finds it productive of a thousand agreeable sensations. A beautiful Spanish lady is never seen to so much advantage as in this dress, which however is immediately laid aside when she enters her house. The Spanish women in general dress for the street, and upon their return home, take off their good clothes, silk stockings, and white shoes, and display an appearance for which even the effects of a sultry climate can scarcely offer any apology. They also seem to think that there is no charm in clean teeth, which they corrode and render offensive at an early age, by immoderately eating sweetmeats and confectionary, and by the less feminine indulgence of occasional smok. ing. A tooth-brush they never think of using; and I knew a British captain who was considered as a great coxcomb by several ladies at Cadiz, because that instrument was found in his dressing case. When a lady walks out, she i always followed by a female servant, attired in the dress I have before de scribed, but of coarser materials, car rying an enormous green fan in hep hand. This attendant is in general old and ugly, especially if her mistress be young and handsome. I at first regarded the servant as a duenna, but soon learnt that goardian so offensive, and who often acted as the insidious tool of jea lousy, had long been withdrawn; and

that

that these female attendants are now the mere appendages of a little excusable pride.

AN ICE-HOUSE.

From the Alameda, we were invited to an ice-house, called a neveria, the largest and most fashionable in the city, and frequented by ladies of the highest rank. In the rooms, which were brilliantly illuminated by patent lamps, supplied with vegetable oil, which produces no smoke, we saw much of the national character. They were very crouded. Some were drinking agras, a delightful beverage made of the juice expressed from the unripe grape and the tendrils, iced. I am surprized that this has not been manufactured in England, where the out-door grapes are scarcely fit for any other purpose: some were drinking iced punch, liqueurs, &c. but all the male visitors were, or had been, smoking. Upon the tables which were of marble, small pans of charcoal fire were placed, at which the smokers kindled their cigars. In Spain, every male smokes. The general, the soldier, the judge, the criminal, and even the lover, breathes out all the tenderness of his soul in puffs of genuine Havannah: in short, it is as natural to expect smoke from the mouth of a Spaniard, as from the top of a tavern chimney. The Havannah cigar is the most aromatic and sometimes costs as much as sixpence. The lower orders enjoy a cheaper sort, by cutting the tobacco leaf fine, and roll ing it in a small piece of paper; this is frequently passed from mouth to mouth, with more cordial sociality than attention to cleanliness. I have seen beggars crawl under the tables to pick the remnants of burning cigars, which had been consumed so low, that the fingers of the smoker could hold them no longer. Every Spaniard is provided with a flint and steel; and, for tinder, he uses a fibrous vegetable from South America, called by the French, amadon. Gentlemen carry these instruments so necessary for their felicity in small cases, resembling bank note pocket-books. In the streets, little boys levy small contributions by carrying a burning rope-match to light the cigars of passengers; and I saw suspended from the doors of several shops, a thick piece of lighted rope, for the purpose of a si milar accommodation. A present of Havannah cigarros is, to a Spaniard, a very high compliment indeed, and secures his affections as fully as a good inner does those of an Englishman. MONTHLY MAQ. No. 215.

The governinent has of course not failed to render tobacco a very lucrative source of revenue, and has reserved to itself the right of disposing of it. To government, in a thoroughly prepared state, it costs about two reals, or five-pence, per pound, and by them it is resold to the public at fifty reals, or ten shillings, per pound, and often at a still more exorbitant price. Some English writers have asserted, that the Spanish ladies smoke; and, though I saw no instances of it, I was well assured that the custom partially obtains amongst them. Smoking forms the chief, per haps the only, excess of the Spaniard. It is a very rare sight to see him intox icated. His own wines are very light, and he frequently cannot afford to indulge even in them.

THE HEROINE OF SARAGOSSA.

It was with infinitely more gratification that I was introduced by Brigadier general Doyle, an Irish officer in the Spanish service, to the celebrated Augustina Zaragoza, who, it will be remem bered by all who have perused Mr. Vaughan's very interesting narrative of the siege of Saragoza (Saragossa), by her valour, elevated herself to the highest rank of heroines, during the first siege of that illustrious, but unfortunate, city, in the month of June, 1808.

In the second siege, some particulars of which I shall hereafter relate, she surpassed her former achievements. Augustina appeared to be of the age which Mr. Vaughan has assigned to her, about twenty-three when I saw her. She was neatly dressed in the black mantilla, Her complexion was a light olive, her countenance soft and pleasing, and her manners, which were perfectly feminine, were easy and engaging. Upon the sleeve of one of her arms she wore three embroidered badges of distinction, com memorative of three distinguished acts of her intrepidity. Brigadier-general Doyle told me, that she never talked of her own brilliant exploits, but always spoke with animation of the many she saw displayed by others in those memorable sieges. These insignia of military merit had been conferred upon her by her illustrious commander, General Joseph Palafox. The day before I was introduced to this extraordinary female, she had been entertained at a dinner given by Admiral Purvis on board of his flag-ship. The particulars I received from an officer who was present; as she received a pension from government,

4 M

and

and also the pay of an artilleryman, the admiral considered her as a military character, and, much to his credit, received her with the honours of that profession. Upon her reaching the deck, the marines were drawn up and manoeuvred before her: she appeared quite at home, regarded them with a steady eye, and spoke in terms of admiration of their neatness, and soldier-like appearance. Upon examining the guns, she observed of one of them, with the satisfaction with which other women would speak of a cap: "my gun," alluding to the one with which she effected considerable havock amongst the French at Zaragoza, "was not so nice and clean as this." She was drinking her coffee when the evening gun fired: its discharge seemed to electrify her with delight: she sprang out of the cabin upon the deck, and attentively listened to the reverberation of its sound. In the evening, she joined in the dance with the rest of the company, and displayed a good ear for music, and considerable natural gracefulness. The sailors, as it may be supposed, were uncommonly pleased with her. Some were overheard to say with an hearty oath, "I hope they will do something for her, she ought to have plenty of prize-money: she is of the right sort."

So much envy does merit always exeite, that there were many in Cadiz, and men too, who coldly called this young heroine, the artillerywoman; and observed, that they should soon have nothing but battalions of women in the field, instead of attending to their domestic concerns, if every romantic female was rewarded and commissioned as Augustina had been. Base detractors! happy would it have been for your country, if many of your soldiers and most of your chiefs, had acted with the undaunted intrepidity and unshaken patriotism of this young female! The interest of my interview with her was much increased by the following circumstance: Brigadier. general Doyle was relating to her the deplorable state to which Palafox had been reduced just before and after he fell into the hands of the enemy, in the second siege she listened to him with the most anxious attention. “Ah! Augustina," said he, "now attend to the last letters of your friend, hero, and general; he will speak to you through them." He then read to her some very affecting letters written to Brigadier general Doyle, a short time before, and

after, the surrender, which he afterwards translated to me, and of which the fol lowing are translated copies:

"Zaragoza, February 7, 1809. "My dearest friend and brother,

"I have just received your letter, but no one comes to my assistance on any side: you, however, know me well; you know I will sooner die than cover myself with disgrace. But if you do not help me, what am I to do? Ah! my friend, this thought does indeed afflict me: but I want not courage to die for the preservation of my honour: if you do not come quickly, very quickly, receive the last embraces of your dearest friend and brother! Sufficient. that I say to you, my tried friend. (These three words are in English.) The bearers of this will tell you-Ah! my friend! my brother!”

It may be proper here to observe, that the line of service in which Brigadier. general Doyle was principally engaged, was that of collecting information of the movements of the enemy, and furnishing succours to the patriotic troops of Spain, a species of service for which the general, by his activity, zeal, address, and local knowledge, was eminently qualified. He made every exertion to send succours to the brave Arragonese in their renowned city, but without success. A dreadful pestilential fever broke out amongst them. Owing to excess of fatigue, and the desperate condition of himself and his heroic comrades, Palafox became delirious, and when the French entered Zaragoza, was unable to make any arrangements for his personal safety. Augustina caught the pestilence, which was incumbering the streets with its victims. She had too much distinguished herself not to attract the notice of the French. She was made prisoner, and removed to an hospital, where, as she was considered to be dying of the fever, her guard paid but little attention to her. However, her good constitution began to triumph over this cruel malady, and finding she was but little watched, she contrived to clude the centinel, and in a manner as extraordinary as the rest of her exploits, escaped the enemy, and joined several of her friends, who had fled to the patriots, in perfect safety.

especially had to deplore the expulsion of the Moors. Fruitful as is the soil, and propitious to vegetation as is the elimate of Spain, it is well known, that even at this period, nearly two-thirds of the country is uncultivated. Of this neglect, the vast tracts of land which are always kept in pasture for sheep, present one of the causes, and one of great magnitude.

PLEBOTOMY.

The Spaniards still continue their en. thusiastic veneration for the bleeding system of Galen, so laughably satirized in the practice of doctor Sangrado, by Le Sage. Even to this day, the physicians and surgeons of Spain are very ignorant. Their recent intercourse with the medical staff of England may, perhaps,lead to their improvement. This ignorance may in a great degree be attributed to the superstition of the people, who think there is more healing power in a saint than a doctor, and that a prayer is a panacea for maladies as well as sins. This darling operation of bleeding is usually performed either on the hand or foot, I believe rarely, if ever, on the arm. It is regarded as a neglect of health not to be bled several times in the course of the year. In Seville, and at Cadiz, I saw the hands of several persons tied with black ribbon, and found this to be the cause. A Spaniard in this city, known to a friend of mine, who had been bled three times, on the 1st, 2d, and 3d, of June preceding my arrival, went for fifteen days following into a bath, and then considered himself safe from ma lady for a whole year. He had pursued this course for thirty years, during which he had never required, or taken any medicine. The Spanish barbers are called sangrados and sacamuelas, on account of their being bleeders and tooth-drawers.

GIBRALTAR.

The excavated batteries, which open towards the Spanish lines, and the great cavern called the hall of St. George, are wonderful efforts of human ingenuity and labour. From the stupendous summits above these batteries, upwards of one thousand three hundred feet high, there is a vast and magnificent view of the African coast, including Babary, Fez, and Morocco, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the town below, the bay with its numerous shipping, Algeziras, the country behind, the hill from whence the Queen of Spain contemplated as a spectacle the memorable siege of Gibraltar,

and on which are traceable the ruins of the ancient city of Cartea, the town of San Roque, and the lofty mountains of Granada.

Quiting this spot, I visited one of the signal-houses, and, as the levanter was just beginning to blow, 1 had an oppor tunity, which an officer who had been nearly three years on the rock bad not before met with, of seeing groups of very large monkeys, to whom this wind is peculiarly disagreeable, quit their caverns, which almost impeud over the inaccessible crags on the eastern side, and, having ascended the heights, descend, many bearing their young on their backs, a short way, and range themselves in rather formidable bodies on the western · side. I counted no less than fourteen in a short space of time. We passed near them, but they did not appear to be an noyed at our presence. As shooting at them is prohibited, perhaps more from the fear of loosening the stones of these summits by the shot, which by rolling from such a height towards the town might do mischief below, than from tenderness to the antic race, they may probably derive confidence from being but seldom molested. As they were seated on this side of the rock, some time since, an officer happened to pass with a fine terrier, which ran at them. The mon- ' keys who were seated in a circle were not in the least dismayed; but, upon some of them moving a little, the dog ran into the centre, when a very powerful monkey seized him by one of his hinder legs, ran with hun to the top, hurled him over the eastern side of the rock, a stupendous, and nearly perpendicular, height, and dashed the rash as sailant to pieces. Of these monkeys stranger stories are related. A most absurd and ridiculous one has obtained credit with some of the most credulous of the inhabitants, that, before the English got possession of this place, one of them contrived to seize a pretty girl whilst she was enjoying the view from an elevated part of the rock, and to gratify his amorous propensities towards her, that he was put under arrest according to military law, tried by a court martial of. grave Spanish officers, and shot for the rape. It is worthy of remark, that this is the only spot in Europe where monkeys are found wild. Many are brought over from Barbary and sold in the market for a mere trifle; and hence, a monkey is almost as common as a cat in the houses of Gibraltar.

The