Letters from the Peninsula, Italy, etc

Preface

I have given the name of " Letters " to the contents of the following pages. They are, in fact, letters amplified by selections from a copious journal, written under the difficulties attendant on hard work by day under a broiling sun, and want of sleep by night. A few historical details, from respectable authorities, have been added since my return to England. The tour was to the writer, notwithstanding drawbacks, a very de lightful one, and I only hope that these notices of it may prove as entertaining to the reader. That they will be instructive I scarcely presume to think. What I have written, however, will, I trust, be found to possess the merit of correctness ; and my volume may perhaps be depended on as a guide, as far as it goes. A charge of egotism will of course be brought against me, but I cannot very well help it.

There must be an ego, or we should be minus books altogether. Indications of hasty composition, too, will be observed, but it must be remembered that I frequently wrote when I wanted to sleep. The completed MS. has not been submitted to a second pair of eyes ; and it may be truly said, that both its faults and its merits — if there are any of the latter — are exclusively my own. It may be said that the volume is small, and that the price is high (?) ; but let the gentle reader be informed that, though the book is neither a folio nor a quarto, the mere writing out a last and legible copy for the printer, occupied me two months of chest-contracting and almost unremitting application, and that I have sometimes found myself scribbling long after the midnight hour. CONTENTS.

Letter I

page. The Voyage — Vigo — Fellow-passengers — The Tagus — Lisbon — Praca do Commercio — Improvements — Intense heat— Population — Vehicles — Dogs and eats — Civility — My inn — Madame Pfeiffer— English chapel — Wine and Water ]

Letter II

The Vasco da Gama — Belem — Its castle— The Magdalena — Great Lisbon Aqueduct — Mother of the Waters — Estrella gardens — Queer birds — English cemetery — Grave of Fielding — The chapel — Moonlight on the Tagus 6

Letter III

Excursion to Cintra — Bemfica— Queluz — Cintra's Crags — Ramalhao — Villa of Marquis of Vianna — Cintra — Monsieur Durand — Mysterious men — The Penha — Jacques and the mule — Moorish castle — Convent-fortress — Our Lady of the Rock — Wild scene — Cork convent — Cave of Honorius — Wizard-guide — Collares — Beckford's Villa of Monserrat — Penha Verde — Palace of Sitiaes — Convention of Cintra — Scenery of Cintra — Palacio Real 8

Letter IV

Excursion to Mafra — The route — Terrible toad — Ominous cross — Village of the Valley — Town of Mafra — The estalagem — The convent-palace — Walk through it — The great church — Bells and chimes — The Park — Infinity of apartments — Jacques' mishap — Terrific thunderstorm — Return to Lisbon 13

Letter V

Lisbon — Antonio — St. Jeronymo — Casa dos Reis — Casa Pia — The cloisters — Church of A Memoria — Palace of the Ajuda — Royal carriages — Ship-building — Crimean War — Restless cat ...... 17

Letter VI

The Tagus — Scenery — Alverca — Alhandra and Torres Vedras — Villa Franca — Lezirias — Railways — Faithless navvy — A compatriot — Santarem— Portuguese women — Azambuja — Forest — Robbers and wolves — Alenquer — North wind — Portuguese silver — Return to Lisbon — Praqa do Commercio Pillory place — Arsenal — Prac,a dos Romulares — Water-sellers — Portugal thriving — The insect world — Palace of the Necessities — The young king — Cemetery of the Prazeres — Treading out corn — Monuments and inscriptions — Jazigo of the Duke of Palmella — The Passeio — Lisbon papers — Revolution of September — Steam down the Tagus — Off for Spain •20 CONTENTS.

Letter VII. Page

Cadiz — Vista Alegre, or Casa de Solano — Table d'hote— Travellers— My room— The Alameda— Bathing-place — The Gaditanas — Fat priests— The Mantilla — Plaza de Mina — Street of Columbus . . - .25

Letter VIII

Steam to Seville — The Rapido — La Bahia— The Guadalquiver— The engineer — Spain not developed— San Lucar — Bonanza — The Great River — Its scenery — Quixote-like visage — The Sombrero — Fine eyes — The patilla . 27

Letter IX

Sevilla la Maravilla — Fonda de Europa — The patio — Calle de las Sierpes — The Cathedral — Confession— The Giralda— Fine view — Don Alonzo de Ojeda — Plaza Nueva— A procession — Immaculate conception — Music— My guide — The cathedral — Burial-place of Fernando Columbus — Sala Capitular — Capilla Real — San Laureano — Exchange — Royal portraits — Spain's decline — Tobacco manufactory — National guards — Dark-eyed Sevillanas — Spanish beauty — Percussion-cap manufactory — Cannon foundry — Wine-house — Treading out com — Inquisition — Alcazar — Hall of Ambassadors — Peter the Cruel — Maria de Padilla — Delightful gardens ■ — Due de Montpensier— Agua ! ....... ■in

Letter X

Excursion to Italica — My carriage — Suburb of Triana — San Juan de Alfarache — Objects for the artist — Mules, asses, cows, goats, and pigs — Camas — Spanish progress — Convent of San Isidoro — The date — Santi Ponce — Italica — Three Roman Emperors — Roman amphitheatre — Fountain — Casa de los Bafios — Remains of Palace — Mosaic floor — Lizards— Aloes — Intense heat ............ 35

Letter XI

Seville — Cathedral library — Patio de los Naranjos — Portrait of Columbus — Sword of Fernan Gonzalez — Old missals — Handwriting of Columbus — The librarian and the hand-book — The museum — Suppression of convents — Pictures and reliques — Sala de Murillo, a room of gems — House of Pilate — The patio — Judas and the table — The cock that crew — Medina Celi — Population of Seville — Extent of ground — Newspapers — Narrow streets — Plant-decked patios — Names at corners — Worn-out paving — Window-gratings — Spanish police ....... 38

Letter XII

Seville — La Caridad — Sister of Charity — Pictures by Murillo — Moses — The Dead Prelate and the Triumph of Time — Plaza de Toros — Bull-fighting — House of Murillo, and portrait — Dogs without and fleas within — Watchman — Spanish fans — Church of the University — Monuments of the Rihera family — Marques de Motilla — Deep dust — La Torre del Oro — Palace of the Due de Montpensier — Las Delicias — The Paseo — The Bætis — S. P. Q. H. — Plaza de la Constitucion — Free and easy — Personal attractions — Plaza Nueva. ........... 42

Letter XIII

Seville — Moorish churches — Market-place — Cooling drinks — Jolly Moor — Corn-market — San Pedro — Spanish knives — Santa Catalina — Plaza de la Paja — San Marcos — Nunnery of Santa Paula — San Luis — Santa Marina — CONTENTS. IX PAGE. Loud confession — Puerta de la Macarena — Canalla population — Hospital ' de la Sangre — City wall — Omnium Sanctorum — Alameda de Hercules — Razed Inquisition — Last Auto-da-fe — Victims — Roman columns — "Hercules built me" — Cafe — Theatre — St. Paul's— Cathedral in the dusk — Evening walk on the bank of the Bætis — Regretful adieu . . .46

Letter XIV

El Teodosio — Coria — Vessels on the Guadalquiver — The engineer — Cholera last year — A wreck — Cadiz — El Trovador and La Seuorita — Slow work — Casino Gaditano — London papers — Churches of San Antonio and Del Rosario— Friendly Spaniard — Torre de la Vigia — View of Cadiz — Lighthouse of San Sebastian — Historical scenes — Expulsion of Jews and Moors — Market-place — White marble Cathedral — " Morals are but low " — Tread-wheel — Old Cathedral — Spanish passion and the knife — Plaza de Mina — Academy of Fine Arts — Royal Portraits — Church of San Francisco — The Virgin — Immaculate conception — Vain repetitions — Convent of San Francisco — Murillo's last picture — Plaza de Toros — Cut -throat air — Streets and shops — The Viaticum — Perplexity — Calle Ancha — Neveria Italiana — Industrious fleas ......... 50

Letter XV

El Puerto de Santa Maria — Queer lodging at the Casa de Pupilos — A walk — Sifting wheat — Population — Xeres — Population — My hotel — Mr. O'Meara — Route to the Cartuja convent — Not Araby the blest — Papa ! papa ! — The convent — Instability of the world's greatness — The Carthusians — Marble washing-place — The Guadalete — Roderick's last battle-field — Xeres — Rivers of wine — War and politics — Alcazar — San Miguel . 57

Letter XVI

P. Santa Maria — Bull-fight — Finery — Bull and horse details— The matador — Is it cowardly ? — Lady-spectators — One's own feelings — Violent quarrel — Scene after the battle — The beef — Large church — Scene of La Feria — Impetuous wind — A surprise ......... 61

Letter XVII

Return to Cadiz— Crowded steamer — Water of Cadiz, bad— Mines of Linares — Their names — Neveria Italiana — Shopping — Number of English —Population of Cadiz — Newspapers — Gas — Manufactures — Military Hospital — Anatomical Museum — Casa de Misericordia — The printing-press — Progress — Convicts — Great earthquake — Bathing-place — Squares — Late Revolution — Bibles — A missionary — Chances for Protestantism — Prolonged stay — The San Servando — City-gates and inscription — Xavier — The climate — East wind — Church of El Carmen- Senoras — Admiral Gravina— Wax legs— Vista Alegre— English service— The Sabbath — A band — My lodgings and their agremens — Tchernaya — Sieges of Cadiz — Nocturnal diversions ........-• 63

Letter XVIII

Steam to La Carraca— Old Roman bridge — Salt marshes and pyramids of salt — San Fernando— A tailor— Royal Observatory— Spanish politeness — Fine view— Cordiality — Naval College —Decay and gaiety— Arsenal of La Carraca — The General — The vessels — Progress — Galley-slaves — Iron-foundry — Lazy artisans — Steam-engines— Use of money — A oomparison — Rusty anchors — Heat, and a drink of water— English engineer — Frenchman — Moors — A funeral — Farewell stroll at Cadiz X CONTENTS.

Letter XIX. Page

Voyage to Gibraltar — A fog— Mountains of Africa — Passengers — Landing at Gibraltar — My inn — Highlanders— Cholera — Face of nature— Cathedral — Funeral — The 92nd — " Not a drum was heard " — Old and new governors — Freedom of press — Scotch kirk — Catholic church — Military —Sickness — Neutral Ground — Scotchman — Levanter — Spanish village — Cafe — Sick of a fever — Great guns — Moorish castle — AU nations and tongues — Population — Tarik — Spanish morals — Are we proud? — 011a Podrida — Free port —Alameda — General Elliot and the great siege — Artillery of heaven — Odours — Funerals — Music ........ 75

Letter XX

Gibraltar — Excavations — My guide — Great halls — Cavern — Signal-house — Its height — Fine view — Charles the Fifth's wall — Dizzy height — Accidents — Hissing sound — Chance companions — Is it cholera? — Rain and sewers — New governor — Highlanders depart for Crimea — Windmill-hill — Abyla and Calpe — Vegetable products of the Rock — Sunset-gun — Change of lodgings — Shadow on the wall — Style of building — The Levante — Mosquitoes — Who goes there ? ......... 82

Letter XXI

Trip to Algeciras — The town — Techy dog — British lion — Plaza de Toros — Constitution square — Hills o'er hills — Burning sun — A dark deed — Population — Alameda of Gibraltar — Band of tbe 66th — The sentinel — Gib. as a residence- — Evening gun — Soiree musicale — Jewish cemetery — St. Martin's cave — St. Michael's cave — Great depth — Bones — Solitary walk to O'Hara's riven tower — Inscription — Glorious view — Douglas's cave — Chagrin — Dinner at last — Neutral ground — Mind your time— After midnight—Reading-room and hotels — The Chronicle — Yellow papooshes — Farewell salaam .......... 86 LETTER XXn. Off for Genoa — The fare— Genoese boatman — The Spaniards — New position — My log — The Rock, the bay, and the mountains — Mount Abyla — The steamer — The Mediterranean — Fine view of the Sierra Nevada — Adra — Almeria — Stormy petrels — Dog and goat — Cabo de Gata — Twin Friars — Mountainous coast — The Arabia — Catching rats . . . .91

Letter XXIII

My log — Cape St. Martin — Ivi(;a and its rocks — How beautiful is night ! — Balearic Isles — Terrific thunderstorm — "Heavy claps" — A crack — Better on deck — Pass Minorca — Feel sleepy— Circling waste — Very like a whale — Gulf of Lyons— Visit from Nan — No land — Tumbling sea — Approach Genoa — Floating forest— Commerce— Cholera — Quit the steamer . 93

Letter XXIV

Genova la Superba — Albergo d'ltalia— Inventory of furniture — Scene from window — Palace-lined streets — Charming Acqua Sola — Anglo-Saxons — Acqua Verde —Railway terminus — Church of L' Annunziata — Palaces and houses — Likeness to Spain — Theatre of Carlo Felice — National guards — Night on the Acqua Sola — Pezzotto — Thronged streets — Caffe della Concordia— Music — Thunderstorm — All is vanity — Cholera — Narrow streets — Priests and monks — Spirit of reform — Waldenses and Jews — Privileges conferred — Tuscan proverb — Sardinian soldiers and sailors — Rain — Caffe of Gran Corso — Quit Genoa CONTENTS. XI

Letter XXV. Page

Route to Nice — Cornice Road — La Riviera — Population — Variety in scenery — View of Genoa — The two priests — Discussion — English love of travel — Salve ! on sneezing — Savona — Finale — Sunrise — Productions of country — Ventimiglia and Mentone — Lorenzo Benoni — Monaco — Turbia — Sublime scenery — The palaces of nature — A peninsula — Another change — Vegetation — Snowy mountains — Roses — Verdure and richness beyond compare — Electric telegraph . ....... 99

Letter XXVI

Nice, or Nizza — By whom founded — Hotels — English Walk — Rule Britannia — Monumental column — The Paglion — Promenade— Nativity of the Virgin — Church — Peninsular veteran, a schoolfellow of Haydon — English church — Old castle of Nice — Piazza Vittorio — Fine view — Twinge of rheumatic — National guard — Cathedral — Gilded Virgin — Dwellers near the Frontier — Half-and-half— Passeggio del Corso — Promenade concert — 0 Britannia ! — Tempus fugit — Liberal ideas — Kossuth, &c. — Newspapers — Citizen-soldiers — The Constitution —Explore Nice — Fall of Sebastopol — English signs — Cathedral — Mariolatry — Harbour — Castle-hill — Masses of masonry — Splendid view — Realities of life — Attempt to cheat . 102

Letter XXVII

Route to Marseilles — The frontier — Pont de Var — Gendarme — Antibes — a nnes, Napoleon's landing-place — Frejus — Draguignan — Brignolles — Cafe — Maximense — Romantic scenery — Vines "not nailed to walls" — Mountain summit — Marseilles — Hotel de Provence .... 107

Letter XXVIII

Marseilles — Military — Illumination — The dispatch — The Fair— Shops and cafes — Cafe1 Turc — The quays — Smells — Chasseurs de Vincennes— Route to Toulon — Stroll through Toulon — Zouaves — Aux Grands Marins — Glacis — Drilling sailors — Mount Pharon — Cathedral — Place d'Armes — Market-places — Arsenal — Sen tinelle — Population — Return to Marseilles — Grapes — Mountain pass — Fine scenery — Travel-stained priest — Aspect of Rome — Sad picture — French at Rome ...'.... 109

Letter XXIX

Marseilles— Le Cours — Monument of Belsunce — Rue Can biere, &c. — Plate glass — Bazaar — Cirque Acrobatique — Provencal language — The Cafes — Arc de Triomphe — Fine view — Cemetery— Railway station — Moving graves — Sisters of Charity — Zoological garden — Port de la Joliette — John and Jonathan — Protestant Temple — Exchange — Theatre — Soldiers and priests . . . . . . . • • • • .112

Letter XXX

Railway to Lyons — Wounded Zouaves— Etang de Berre— Aries— The inundation» — Cross the Durance — Avignon and the Popes — Broad plains — Shot and shell — Provenqal gentleman — Demonstrations of "love and war" — Donzere — Viviers — Etoile — Valence — Tunnels — Arcadian scene — What greenth ! — Vienne — Huntress chaste and fair ..... CONTENTS. PAGE

Letter XXXI

Lyons — Illumination— My inn — Tricks on travellers — Wedding-feast — Improvement in Lyons — Look about you — Manchester of France — Place Bellecour — Louis XIV. — Place Louis Napoleon — Sacre now,, &e. — Confluence of Rhone and Saone — Grand Central Railway — Steamers — Meeting of the waters — Open air cafe and music— Cathedral— Notre Dame de Fourviere, the famous Madonna of the country — Devout pilgrims — Observatory — Fine view — Palais de Justice — Streets and gas — St. Nizier — Hotel de Ville — Theatre — Cafes — Rue Imperiale — Quays — The traveller's life 118

Letter XXXII

Railway to Paris — Market-people assembled — Scenery of Sa6ne — Vegetable products — Macon — Chalon — Meursault and vineyards — Dijon — Situation of Plombieres — La France riante — Souterrain de Blaisy — Tonnerre — Country still beautiful — Fontainebleau and Les Adieux — The Child of Destiny — Paris station . .121

Letter XXXIII

Paris — Avoid the Hotel de Marseille — Dear fowl — Cheap journey — Every luxury — Improvement — Tomb of Napoleon — St. Roch — Protestant Temple- — St. Cloud — The Empress — Pere-Lachaise — Fosses communes — The Exhibition — Long Annexe — Cornish marbles — Crowds of English— Open-air concerts — Hotel d'Osmond — Picture on Boulevards — Versailles and Vineennes — Duke d'Enghien — The fosse — The lantern — Donjon-tower — Bibliotheque Imperiale — Autographs — Lord Byron's letter — Gobelins — Madeleine— Chapelle Wesleyenne — Palais de l'lndustrie — Beaux Arts — British productions — Horace Vernet — Adam and Eve — Remonstrance vain— Walk and look — Rotonde — The jewels — Carriages — Refreshments Maison Modele — The close 123

Letter XXXIV

Quit Paris— Route to London — Home voyage — Newhaven — Louis Philippe — Brighton — Dr. Croly — Crystal Palace at Sydenham — Navvies for Crimea — The extincts — Agricultural implements — Hanging gardens — Busts of famous men — Map of England — Russian arms — The successive courts — The Alhambra — Pompeian house —Delicate plants — The Fountains — Opening of the Great Fountains — North Wing— Sunset — English beauty — Raw produce — Refreshment — Gratification of the senses — Rush for the trains — Evening stroll to the Wost-end — Crystal Palace of 1851 . LETTERS FEOM THE PENINSULA, ITALY, FRANCE, &c.

Letter I

On, on the vessel flies, the land is gone. And winds are rude in Biscay's sleepless bay. Four days are sped, but with the fifth anon New shores descried make every bosom gay. And Cintra'8 mountain greets them on their way. '. — Child,. Harold. Lisbon, 1855. teen years, and the present was her hundredth trip. Our crew were forty seven in number, our passengers 118. Lieut. I , the admiralty agent, who had charge of the mails, was a very agreeable old gentleman, and kindly pointed out the places of interest and gave us information as we steamed up the noble Tagus to Lisbon. At meal times and at the evening grog it was pleasant, in the confinement of my berth, to listen to his anecdotes and to hear the sound of his voice. The above may serve for a motto to mine epistle, and I may add that we left the New Docks,* "Southampton, about two p.m. on the 17th of July, and arrived before the Custom-house of Lisbon about twelve at noon on Sunday, the 22nd. 1 confess I did at one time think of another motto, viz., "Why have I stray'd from pleasure and repose To seeb a good each government bestows?"

But this was in my darker hours, when groaning in the miseries of sea sickness on board the Iberia, or when writhing, hour after hour since my arrival, under the inflictions of certain insects on whose name I have not yetdecided. Are they cousinsgerman of those industrious and persevering animals well known in our own great metropolis or not ? The steamer began to roll almost as soon as we left the beautiful South ampton Water, and I moved off to my berth when the dinner was con cluded, and just after we had passed Calshot Castle and obtained a view of Osborne House and Cowes. Our vessel had some pretensions to antiquity, and, although not large, was a good seaboat. She has plied for four- For the greater part of five days' steaming I lay on my back, on a species of sofa, listening periodically to the ship's bells, fancying odd faces and figures in the pattern of my curtains, and looking at a whimsical resem blance on the ceiling ofthe face of my black eat at home, well known to a youthful scion as " Uncle Tom."

Poor Tom , by the way, was dead long before I returned. He was poisoned by an enemy, and, when slowly re covering from the effects of the potion, was attacked by a ferocious dog, that tore out part of his flank, and in short inflicted an immedicable wound. Biscay's bay was not so restless as sometimes ; yet its rolling, white crested waves, beautiful as they were, produced a qualmish sensation in the landsman's economy. In traversing the famous bay, whose storminess, they say, has been exaggerated, we * AmoDg other large vessels in the docks waB the great Himalai/a. which I looked at with some interest, having seen her leave Ply mouth for the Crimea about sixteen months before with the 93rd Highlanders. B VIGO were for hundreds of miles out of sight of land. The distance from Ushant to Cape Finisterre, i.e. from point to point, is not much less than 400 miles. of Gallicians, military and civilian, douaniers, peasants, and fishermen.

These had assembled to witness our arrival and that of two or three other English steamers that now lay along side. Some were on business ; curiosity brought others ; but altogether the quay at Vigo presented an animated and characteristic scene. We stopped at Vigo for about three hours early on the Saturday morning ; and this was our only halting-place on the way to Lisbon, Oporto having been left un visited because the cholera prevailed there. Vigo is a picturesque little Spanish town, with a considerable fishing population, dominated by the castles San Sebastian and del Castro. Mother Nature has given it a secure harbour, with a breakwater of islands, not raised, like that of Plymouth, by art and man's device. The islands are three in number, of a somewhat Mewstone aspect, and situ ated close together near the entrance of the estuary.

Stretching away behind or beyond the town is seen a fine valley, bounded by mountains of moderate elevation. Near the shore I remarked a pleasant-looking row of houses, with trees planted before them, that recalled to my memory a similarly situated row at St. Helier's, Jersey. Some lively Spanish fruit-women came on board, bringing plums, pears, and peaches ; but they rejected my English coppers. Several disbanded soldiers joined us as passengers — also a gentleman of planter aspect, who, in the vivid imaginations of some of my fellow-voyagers, realized, as far as appearances went, the Legree of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Among the pas sengers from Southampton, I may here mention a Spanish cavalier with light complexion, hair, and mous tache, who might have passed for an English officer ; a vivacious French gentleman of John Bull dimensions, who occupied the berth next my own ; and several agreeable and communi cative Englishmen, one of whom had established himself as a merchant at Lisbon.

There was, too, a compatriot of ours 60 singularly taciturn, that one of the young officers suggested that he must have done " something wrong ! " On the quay before us stood a motley and sun-burnt crowd After leaving Vigo we passed for a considerable distance along the lofty shores, or rather mountains, of the Peninsula, having somewhat the look of Staddon Heights, near Plymouth, with a more stony surface. At length we entered the Tagus, and I began to feel a little " like myself." The Tagus is a glorious river, although its sun-burnt shores looked almost like Arabian deserts, after the rich green vegetation of my own country. Some idea of the mag nitude of this mighty stream may be formed, when I say that its entire course exceeds 550 miles, and that its Western portion, constituting the harbour of Lisbon, is capacious enough to contain all the fleets of Europe.

Lisbon, which has been styled by the Portuguese Rainha do Occano, is truly a very fine city, with lofty edifices in straight lines, broad streets, and magnificent squares. Its population at present is said to be 220,000. Much of the town stands on rising ground, which is on a continental scale of magnitude, and many of the streets are so steep and long, that to ascend them is a considerable undertaking in the broiling heat of summer. I discovered this on the day of my arrival, when hastily visiting the pro menades and some other spots of interest, with an English fellow-voy ager, who was going on to Spain the following day by the Iberia. On that occasion we ascended to the Passeio, or promenade, of San Pedro d' Alcan tara, which affords a noble ponto de vista and commands one of the finest panoramas of the city.

We descended from it to the Passeio Publico, which is a broad and pleasant walk, bordered at each side with pathways shaded by trees and flowering plants. Among the latter were oleanders of gigantic LISBON, 3 size, probably fourteen or fifteen feet in height, and rich with their rose-like flowers ; while cactuses of different kinds and luxuriant growth attracted our attention. serve to keep out both heat and cold, six or seven inches intervening be tween the casements. In the case of my own room, the inner casement forms a pair of folding shutters,' the panes being of wood. The shops usually open with folding doors, which serve as door, window, and shutters. Gas is burnt both in the shops and streets. • It was Sunday evening, and the walk was crowded with the beaux and belles of Lisbon, promenading to the sound of martial music.

Many of the military walkers were fine smart men ; but the proportion of senhoras, who impart so much life to scenes like these, was small. Many of the shops are open here on Sundays, and, in short, the Sabbath is a lively day with the people of Lisbon. A bull-fight was advertised, but, of course, we did not go to see it. The bull-fights of Portugal differ from those of Spain, aud in the former country, on these occasions, the ani mals are not killed, but only wounded, and reserved, it may be, for future exhibitions. The vagrant Childe, who exclaims- " What beauties doth Lisboa first unfold !" Afterwards says — " But whoso entereth within thiB town, That, sheening far, celestial seems to be, Disconsolate will wander up and down, 'Mid many things unsightly to strange e'e ; For hut and palace show 'like filthily : The dingy denizens are reared in dirt ; No personage of high or mean degree Doth care for cleanness of surtout or shirt, Though shent with Egypt's plague, unkempt, unwashed, unhurt."

Since Byron's time, however, the state of things is improved here. The scavenger has been abroad, although he certainly has not entirely anni hilated the mauvaises odeurs. Sewer age and drainage have obtained the attention of the authorities, and in passing through some of the streets here, as in our own, you may see the ground torn up for the formation of new sewers. The "scratching search" spoken of by former travellers, did not happen to meet my eye. I observed a few beggars ; but they were not very importunate. This is truly a torrid clime. I can scarcely write a line without a decided effort, and, alas ! what I write is not worth reading. The thermometer, on the day of my arrival, was, according to mine host, at 127° in the sun. To-day it is 102° in the shade. Yes, That temporary calamity, the great earthquake of 1755, produced a per manent good here.

An able architect, ■we are told, "Eugenio dos Santos, presented a plan for rebuilding the city to the Marquis de Pombal, who at once gave it his sanction,, and spared neither exertion nor expense in carrying it into execution. All the streets built according to this plan are spacious and regular, with con venient pathways for foot passengers, and the squares and public quays subsequently formed and embellished are not surpassed by those of any other city of Europe." On landing from the steamer, we traversed that truly noble square the Prac,a do Commercio,. styled by the English, " Black Horse Square," from the bronze horse in the centre, supporting the figure of Joseph the First. The houses of Lisbon are, generally speaking, huge and lofty ; not unfre quently five or six stories high. They are occupied in flats, like those of Edinburgh and Paris, each floor forming the residence of a separate family.