WILL MY READERS GO TO SPAIN? * IP the readers love
to "take their ease in their inn," and in their diligence also, most assuredly they will not, if they make no allowance for the fair writer's account of her two months' journey in the Peninsula. Some allowance, however, should be made. In spite of all that has been written about the discomforts and privations of Spanish travel, our excursionist started with exalted ideas of romantic Spain, and of the pleasure her journey was to afford her : the inevitable reaction was in proportion to the undue hopes. Then, the time of year, November and December, was not favourable for the route she took,—from Bayonne to Barcelona and Valencia, thence to Madrid, with a trip to Granada, and then, sick of the whole affair, back again to Bayonne. During winter, the highlands of Northern and middle Spain are very cold ; while the shores of the Mediterranean are not free from those cutting blasts that form the danger of the South to invalids, or from chilly evenings. Then, the traveller is a strong Protestant; and was shocked at the idolatry and superstition, unrelieved, as she says it is, by the grace, or religious sentiment, or even ap- pearance of devotion, which attends Romanism in Italy and other places. Pursuits the party had ; for our fair tourist draws with taste and spirit, and her husband, a French officer, went with the idea of shooting. Neither of the two, however, seem to have sufficient devotion to their hobby to brave the hardships of travel in Spain, especially in early winter. The form of the work is that of a diary; the writer jotting down daily what places she went to, what she did, what she saw, and what she underrent. All of it does not amount to much ; for her opportunities were not very great. She seems inclined to jest at those travellers who see Spain by going from port to port in a steamer, passing a short time at each calling-place. In reality, however, they see as much as a person squeezed into a crowded diligence, travelling for four-and-twenty or eight-and-forty hours on the stretch, seeing little by day and nothing by night. Perhaps the fair writer's mind is too feminine to travel with ad- vantage in Spain, at least as regards a book of travels.
The great point of the tour is the backward representation of Spain. That the country, excepting Madrid and a few of the com- mercial ports, is much as it was in the days of Don Quixote and Gil Blas, has been affirmed by various writers. It is more freshly illustrated in this volume by small things, which bring the idea more closely home to the immediate apprehension. Here is a summary.
"Here I must observe, that our tour in Spain is fast drawing to a close, and that we have spent eight weeks running about it. During the whole of that time, we have never seen a gentlemanlike residence in the country, such as we have all over England, excepting those near Rens; and we have never seen one gloomy old chateau with its formal avenue, such as we find in France. Our English proverb of building castles in the air' is in French building chateaux en Espagne,' and we now fully understand its meaning, for no idea could be more wild and visionary Even here, on the great highway between the capital of France and the capital of Spam, we have not met one carriage driving post; as for private carriages, excepting in the large cities, you never see such a thing; and we have not once met a gen- tleman on horseback."
The party naturally wished a souvenir of a country where they had suffered so much ; but for a long time looked about in vain at
Valencia for something really Spanish.
" The jewellers' shops here are far less striking than at Barcelona. There are very pretty ear-rings, set after the fashion of the country, with an infi- nity of seed pearls ; and there are silver buttons and ornaments with open work in silver. The women here wear their hair plaited and fastened up in a large knot at the back of the head, and on each side is a large handsome pin with different stones set in. We were much pleased to think what a characteristic souvenir we could get of 'Valencia, and how we could show her advanced state in one art at any rate : so we went off to the Calle de la Plateria,' and we were informed that these pins were all manufactured at
Paris ! 0 has, however, quite determined upon having a genuine souvenir of Spain, something altogether Spanish. He went out late, and seeing a book of prints representing the bull-fights, from beginning to end ; he went and bought it instantly, and brought it triumphantly home to us. This was delightful. Spanish lithographs, from Spanish designs, of the Spanish national pastime. Upon looking, however, just to see the name of the clever man who had done all this, we espied Lithographe do Turgis it Paris' ! "
The self-satisfaction of the Don is proverbial, but this instance is neat and comprehensive.
"At the door of the hotel, he [her husband] met with a gentleman, with whom he entered into conversation. After a few of the usual remarks on the climate and scenery, and after asking a few questions relating to Sara-
gossa, and expressing his gratification at much that he had seen, 0 observed, how grievous it was to see so fine a country so far behind the neighbours in civilization, and, moreover, that she did not appear to be making any progress. The Spaniard replied, that he did not think that any progress was at all necessary, nor in the slightest degree requisite, for that the fine climate and soil of Spain produced everything that was required for her people."
_ As the South of Spain is coming into some vogue as a place for invalids, this notice of the climate of Valencia may be of use.
"Sunday, November 20.—Remained within all the morning, and read our own service, In the afternoon we strolled out to the alumeda • and we had to cross a very long bridge to get to it, as it is outside the walls. There is a very charming garden there, with which we were delighted. How much I enjoyed that walk! Orange-trees, laden with fruit, on each side, large num- bers of the 'rose of Sharon' in full blossom and a tree covered with yellow blossoms, and spreading fuchsias, and quantities of our red, rose, which re- mains so long in flower ; all this was so delightful, with a brilliant sun over our heads, and the air as mild as in our June.
- Will my Readers Go to Spain? or Day after Day for Two Months in the Penin- sula. Published by Ring, Brighton ; and Hamilton and Adams, London. "On our return, we came to the Glorieta,' which is a beautiful garden within the walls; the hedges are of myrtle, all thickly matted together, like our box-edging, and there are quantities of geraniums in vases (all scentless), looking very pretty, and we were delighted with a plant with a splendid crimson flower. Each branch has this magnificent blossom at the end, spreading open like an immense single dahlia. "I decided that the climate must be delightful that could put forth such treasures at the end of November : but with the evening came the intense cold ; and while shivering in a large wadded velvet cloak and Paisley shawl, over the brasero, I confess that I have forgotten my exquisite sensations in the day, orange-trees, crimson flowers, and all, and I think how very un- pleasant this climate is, and how very comfortable a bright blazing English coal-fire would be !"
The question is contained in the last remark. It is the impos- sibility of procuring Euglish comforts that renders these Southern places of small avail. The climate cannot be very severe where orange-trees flourish as out-door plants ; but the evening chills contrasted with the mid-day warmth are riskful, and, with the dul- ness of a strange place, depressing to invalids.
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