SCENES AND ADVENTURES no SPAIN.

l'nE author of these volumes entered Spain in 1835, from the French town of Urdoz. He formed part of a caravan of muleteers bound for Zaragoza ; and, arriving at that city, he set off for Pampeluna by a eir. cuitous route, to travel in company with detachments of troops, for time' civil war between the Carlists and Christinos had rendered the country too dangerous to proceed alone. After accompanying the marches and countermarches of the army, we are carried with Mr. Poco Mas to St. Sebastian, and introduced to the British Legion, just arrived. Hey presto, and we are at Madrid, via Santander and Burgos. After spend- ing a year in the capital and describing it at large, the tourist, in No. vember 1836, is with Espartero, assisting to raise the siege of Bilboa ; and thenceforth he accompanies the campaigns of the General with little intermission, until Spain is cleared of the Carlists, and Espartero, after many intrigues, is appointed Regent. At this point description and narrative ceases ; but the book closes with a favourable review of the character and intentions of Espartero ; and a fierce attack upon his enemies.

On first opening the volumes, the reader is much puzzled touching the objects and vocation of Mr. Poco Mas. His movements are evidently too much controlled by external influences to mark the independent traveller : yet he cannot be a "commercial gentleman " ; for who would penetrate into the regions of Spanish civil warfare with the idea of driving a safe and profitable business ? Neither has he samples of goods ; and though he mixes with everybody that will amalgamate, we do not hear of special visits to traders. Besides, he travels in a mode that would more than swallow up the most liberal commission—a couple of Rosinantes and one, or two servants. His mode of handling military matters is not quite that of the military man ; so he cannot be an unattached enthusiasts studying war for his own satisfaction and improvement. His style is not that of the Foreign Office : yet what can take him constantly tor the palace of the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs ? why has he letters of introduction to the British Ambassador ?—who was all that la good and gracious and why are his "-hearty thanks due to the gentle- men attached to the Embassy " ?—since the reader does not see that they have done him any good. At length, when we find him engaged ire warfare without avowed object,—when he is seen busy in both servicee, yet apparently belonging to neither-

" One foot on sea and one on shore, _ To one thing constant never "—

above all, when we find him, like a commander-in-chkg sitting up at night to write his letters after being engaged in battle all the day, anti' hear occasionally of their being despatched with something like an ex- press,—the dawning truth rises upon the mind in all its effulgence, ausIt we clearly see that we are in the company of "our own correspondent.'" This opinion is still more confirmed when we descend to criticism. As soon as the author arrives at a town and the pressure of public events passes from his mind, he sets about distilling the guide-book, describing the externals of the place, and looking out for incidents. Some of these last are often interesting and curious ; for his activity is great. In the remote plaees he was often carried to, Spanish life seems mneh as it also pears in the pages of Gil Bias and the novels whence Le Sage drew bin ideas ; whilst with the "hope I don't intrude" of Paul Pry and the profession, Poco Mas has a good deal of bonhomie and adaptability, that pleased the Spaniards. Hence he met with many domestic characters and scenes within-doors or occurrences out-of doors approaching the rank of adventure : and these, with his account of the military operations at which he was present, form by far the most attractive part of the book. The remarks on the political clutra.eter of the Spaniards and on the late public events in Spain are next in point of value, though at a considerable dis- tance, and the author is too obviously biassed in favour of the late Regent to entitle his opinions to be implicitly received. The formal en- counts of places, when the traveller was left to describe them at leisure, are of the third class, and would have been better away. But the style, when closely considered, perhaps marks the newspapex.. correspondent more than anything else. It is always readable and flowing, and conveys a good enough matter-of-fact idea of the things described; but unless the stirring or striking character of the original is such as to overbear the habits of the writer, the ready phrases of the reporter, available for anything and therefore characteristic of nothing, oft= cast a Grantisla air over his descriptions. At a masked-ball in Madrid, "everything was conducted in a superior manner." At the siege of Morella, a fortress assumed to be impregnable but taken by Espartero after a bloody bombardment, our author declares that "the artillery was remarkably well served, and the engineering department conducted in the best possible manner."

The same want of good taste or sense of critical propriety is shown in his choice of subjects, or rather his want of choice for everything is handled without selection, as if all facts were alike. This is his account of his first experiences in actual warfare.

"One day, Mr. George Wright, master of that vessel, [the Comet,] and a most deserving officer, was wounded in the left hand. Another day, when I was on board the Comet, a very sharp fire of musketry was opened upon us from the same point, as we were passing down the river; the bullets penetrated the bul- warks and other slighter parts of the vessel. On one of her passages from San Sebastian to Port-agalete, during the operations for the relief of Bilbao, the Comet, having kept in-shore on account of the current or something of the kind, was fired upon from the Carlist batteries at Guetaria or Lequeitio; and a cannon-shot passed between the chimney and the main-mast. "The Hingdove, one day when I was on board, fired several ffienon.shot upon a body of Carlists who were assembling_ in a village called Cestao, overlooking the part of the river where the Ringdove was at anchor."

It must not be inferred from this bootless strife that Poco Mas was never under real fire. Quite the contrary : he seems to have pushed forward into action in the discharge of his duty, (and without any wish to appear' that he was doing more,) in a manner that has often alarmed us for "our own correspondent." The bereaved journal, crying out for her reports because her reporter was not, has risen to our mind amid the #ary of the night-attack upon the Carlist position at Whoa, as well as on other occasions, when Poe° Mas was in the thickest of the fray. We Observe, however, that he followed a principle in risk: he was ever by the side of Espartero, or the French or English Commissioners, as if the Representative of the Fourth Estate was bound to the same erpostwe as the Commander-in-chief or the national Commissioners,

neither more nor less.

Go where one will, we meet with some traces of the Great Captain. Ilere is a characteristic anecdote of him, told by a curate with whom our author lodged : the curate had served in the Peninsular war, but subsequently entered the church. " Having drawn in the due quantity of smoke, and allowed it to escape slowly both from his mouth and nose, he crossed one leg over the other, and, looking at me significantly, smiling agreeably at the same tune- " But,' said the Clue, El Lor [the Lord] is not a Liberal.' " 'Why do you say so, Sebor Cara?'

" tell you. In the war of Independence I happened to be with mysquadron —I was a cavalry officer—in a village, when Lord Wellington arrived unexpectedly at nightfall with his staff. This occasioned a great bustle of course. Stabling was scant in the place; and some of the horses of my squadron were removed to make room for others belonging to the General's party. Complaints were made tome: I remonstrated with those who had so unceremoniously ejected my horses, but to no effect. I was then young and rather hot-headed, Seilor; so off I went to Lord Wellington's quarters, and asked to speak to him. I was instantly ad- mitted. I stated my case vehemently; and, in the warmth of my complaint, spoke of our sacred cause' the Constitution we were defending, &c. Fee. Lor beard me very patiently until I came to the word Constitution; when he said, sharply, 'Never mind the Constitution; let us see what can be done about the horses'; and he directed an Aide-de-camp to go with me and see that every- thing should be arranged to my satisfaction; which was the case. But—' and two streams of smoke poured from the Cura's nostrils, but those four words AbOili the Constitution proved to me that El Lor is not a Liberal' " Pardon me, Sebor Cara, they only proved that he confined himself to the busi- pees before him; and be assured thatEl Lor was at that very moment as stanch It Constitutionalist as yourself.'

"The worthy Curs laughed, and, nodding his head approvingly, said, Puede sec, puede ser--perhaps so, perhaps so.' CATHOLICISM IN THE MOST CATHOLIC STATE.

▪ Shortly after my arrival in Madrid, a decree was issued by the Government far the suppression of the monasteries: in the course of the night after the pro- mulgation of the decree, those establishments were all closed, and the monks and friars removed.

With our preconceived notions of Spanish attachment to ancient institutions and usages, and of the influence exercised by the monks over the minds of a large portion of the population one might have felt justified in supposing that this measure would have created mach agitation among the Madrilenos, as the in- habitants of Madrid are styled: not at all; people shrugged their shoulders a good deal of quizzing took place,. and in a few days afterwards I saw several carts laden with the figures of saints and martyrs, fronts of altars, and other adorn- ments of chapels and choirs, of little intrinsic value, all heaped together and being removed to a general receptacle previously to a sale. One of the largest convents, I forget its name, was immediately converted into a depot for military clothing and accoutrements, in the making of which great numbers of women and artisans were employed. The edifices and appurtenances were speedily put up for sale by order of Government as national property; and there was no hanging back in point of bidders. The appearance of a friar in the streets of Mad would no doubt excite almost as much astonishment now as a similar apparition would in these of London. I confess, that to my eye, there was a gmeat blank in the aspect. of the streets of the capital after the suppression of the monasteries. It was incturcaque and interesting to see the• begging friar with his sack over his shoulder going from house to house to collect provisions for his convent; and also to observe monks of various orders, moving about alone, in pairs, or in precession.

TOCO'S GAT-DAY.

Pitchers of wine were handed round, to which all the men paid due respect. A succession of couples took up the dance as the others retired out of breath with their exertions. Altogether it was a scene of rustle, good-humoured animation, very pleasant to witness. I found on inquiry, that they were celebrating the fiesta or festival of St. Agatha, the patron saint of the village. Every now and then the wine-jug was presented to me- and there was a wirmmg frankness and cordiality in the manner of all toward.; me. On my

lettered fully into the spirit of the scene. At length there was a universal shout of "El Ynglesh—El YngIes I—the Englishman I—the Englishman! Let's have a dance from the Englishman !"—and I was surrounded by men women, and children, inviting me to dance. I laughingly excused myself, on the plea of ig- norance: but it was of no use. The prettiest of the three daughters came up to me, took me by the hand, and said I must dance with her. The space in the centre was cleared; the fiddle, guitar, and triangle struck up the inspuiting Jots Aragonesa—the national air of Aragon. The young lady, clad in a green velveteen bodice and full-striped cotton skirt, began setting to rue, after the before-mentioned fashion; and laughing at my own awkwardness' I followed her example as well as I could. Encouraged by the shouts and applause of the com- pany, I soon got into the quick part of the dance and jumped about briskly, twisting my arms as I had seen the others do, and following the movements of my buxom partner, to her apparent great amusement.

I attempted once or twice to back out into the crowd: but they formed a living barricade; whilst the young lady would catch me by the arm, drag me back, and entice me to go on. At last I offtred both hands to my partner; she placed hers

within them; and to sound of the concluding notes of the Seta, I sprang her up three times in the air, and then, making her a low bow, withdrew; all the company cheering me, clapping me on the back, and shouting "Viva el Y les !" I do not know how many jugs of wine were offered to me: I took a moderate draught out of one, for I was exhausted, and drank a health and all happiness to My partner, to the whole company, and prosperity to Spain.