Duntry. prospect was From east to west, the valley was bounded by a range of covered with the olive tree, and dotted with small houses north to south a vast plain was spread out, the surface of marked by numerous ruins; while beneath the steep mounta as it were, a pedestal to the city, the poetical Tagus boiled over its rocky bed. The scene was pleasing, yet melancholy. No sounds activity came up to me from the city beneath; no laborer were to be seen in all the vast extended plain; while the ruin and churches, that every where met the eye, brought to the m lesson of the instability of all earthly things. My first view of the cathedral of Toledo was during a d solemnity, when the Archbishop officiated at High Mass. The venerable prelate entered the body of the church from under a richly-embroidered velvet canopy, supported by four followed by a procession of more than a hundred priests, in of office. The solemn organ pealed forth, mingling with the rich v choir, and the song of praise reëchoed along the vaulted ar pathos befitting the house of GOD. The church was cr worshippers, and every one appeared to be impressed with th of the occasion. Indeed, I have never beheld a scene more nor worshippers more devout, although it is said the Spania buenos Catholicos, pero muy malos Cristianos. I next visited the Alcazar, or palace-fortress, once the resi Moorish kings, which stands in the most elevated portion and overlooks the Tagus and surrounding country. The vene ing is flanked by four square towers, and has a noble façade. it is damp and gloomy, and presents a sad picture of the and conflagration, which have entirely stripped it of its ancie Toledo, independently of its cathedral, possessed at one p parish churches, seven chapels, three colleges, fourteen conve three nunneries, and several hospitals. But many of these of former prosperity have fallen to ruin; and those that still tive iron out of which they are made, and to some secret in the of tempering. The swords are all wrought by hand, there being chinery used in the factory, except in the grinding room. forges are contained in small apartments, where there are usually orkmen employed. After the blade is formed on the anvil, it is to the grinding-room, where the asperities are smoothed down, and ge given to it; after which it goes into the hands of the polisher, finally completed by the addition of the hilt and scabbard. do is bleak and cold in winter, and very disagreeable as a place lence. What we call the comforts of life are hardly known there. n the best hotel, there was not a room with a fire-place in it; and and furnaces are literally unknown. The only convenience for warmth is the brasero, a small copper or brass pan, filled with charcoal, from which one may extract sufficient caloric to warm t and hands. To keep the body comfortable, one is obliged to the custom of the country, and sit all day enveloped in a huge Yet, uncomfortable as I found Toledo, I looked forward with to the day of my departure from this curious old city. There is ing peculiarly novel and fascinating in its venerable aspect, its s steep winding lanes and picturesque ruins; while the people elves, grave, dignified, and formal, real Castellanos viejos, as antiin appearance as their city, form not the least uninteresting part picture. n Toledo to Aranguez, there are only six leagues, the road passing h the valley of La Sagra, and in sight of the Tagus, which in rt of its course did not realize to me the dreams of the poets who ainted it in such glowing colors. nquez is a small, modern-built town, without importance, except contains a royal palace, which is occasionally made the summerce of the Queen. town is approached through an avenue of pine-trees, which leads Plaza de San Antonio, upon which one of the façades of the royal ce is situated. ong the four Posadas in the place, I was fortunate enough to hit ›ne kept by an Englishman. Mine host was a stout, round-faced, numerous fountains and artificial cascades which beautify the The trees are magnificent, and the finest we have seen in t treeless land; they are said to have been brought from E Philip II. The ornaments of art are in bad taste, and entirely unwort garden. The fountains are mean in comparison with those a and the statuary, nearly all of which is painted plaster, loc place among the avenues of noble trees. The Casa del Labrador, or house of the laborer, situated in of the gardens, is well worthy of a visit. This is a miniatu similar to that one at the Escurial, and was likewise built for O It is a charming little play-thing, which art, luxury, and taste bined to beautify and render attractive. The stair-cases are and jasper, the floors in beautiful mosaic, and the walls hung satin, covered with landscapes embroidered by hand, which i been the result of great labor. HEREAFTER: A N EXTRACT. 'If all our hopes and all our fears 'Were life a dark and desert moor, Where mists and clouds eternal spread Who dwell in darkness and in death? I. I spoke to him: 'Thy look doth frighten me! Then such a form as thine before me towers: And from her cave, with horrid darkness reeking, III. 'So doth thy gaze my very soul appal! And yet elsewhere no earthly shape may daunt me: Thy look is demon-like; 'tis spirit all, And like a spirit doth thy presence haunt me. Thou art a ghost, and wanderest bodiless: Oh! turn thy gaze, that I may peace recover! Thy body dead, fast in the earth's embrace. Hence, wandering ghost! round me no longer hover!' IV. Then, like dull flame with fuel fresh supplied, His troubled soul 'gan at my words to quicken; The dusky curtain had I torn aside, And with rude hand the heart's deep chords had stricken: Who has not thrilled before their awful might? Silent we heard, our souls with transport riven, And trembling looked into the realm of night, V. Oh! what a silent and an unknown land! E'en to the elect but scanty news it giveth; He only may their import understand Who in true faith the ghostly words receiveth. And the gray morn still eager listeners found us. 'But modestly its roseate garb it wore, And with green leaves its fragrant blossoms cove When, as He stood on Jordan's holy shore, The heavenly Dove, descending, o'er HIM hovere Within this holy shrine secure it lay; To GOD with pious rites 't was consecrated, And with its resting-place was borne away, To Italy by angel-hands translated. IX. 'Old is it now, all withered, dead, and dry; In vain you wet it in the flowing river, Or in the flower-vase lay it carefully; Its faded leaves would crumble then for ever. But on one night, one single night alone, It wakes from sleep, its radiant garb assuming, And, beauteous as on Jordan's banks it shone, Bursts to full bloom, the air with sweets perfumi Σ. "Tis on the night when all along the Rhine From tower and town the Christmas-chimes are Then doth the priest within a glass of wine Place the dead flower, in rapt devotion kneeling And when the clock the midnight hour hath tolled And o'er the land the matin-bells are sweeping, Then silently the withered leaves unfold, As the fair flower the holy day were keeping. ΧΙ. 'A sudden life impenetrates its clay, Through every withered leaf and fibre flowing, And, as if freshly plucked but yesterday, The holy flower with rosy youth is glowing: Again in gleaming, blushing red 't is seen, As from its native heath in beauty springing, And through its velvet leaves of darkest green Sweet odors to the morning air is flinging. |