delity, and the women have been frequently extolled on account of their personal charms: but the virtues of the former are sadly tarnished by the just imputation of indolence, pride, and jealousy; and the beauty of the latter is said to exist chiefly in their novels and romances. However, as the inhabitants of the Spanish provinces differ materially from each other, it may be proper to give their characters in the language of a justly celebrated traveller. "The Catalans, says Mr. Swinburn, " are an active stirring set of men, who seem well calculated for business, travelling, and manufactures; the Valencians are a more sedate race, better adapted to the occupations of husbandry, less eager to change their situation, and of a more timid and suspicious cast of mind than the former; the Andalusians seem to be the greatest talkers of Spain; the New Castilians are, perhaps, the least industrious of the whole nation; the Old Castilians are laborious, and retain much of the ancient simplicity of manners; the Arragonese are a mixture of Castilian and Catalan, rather inclining to the former; the Biscayners are acute and diligent, but impatient of controul; and the Galicians are a plodding race of mortals, who roam over Spain in search of a hardly earned subsistence." The bull feasts, or fights of cavaliers, form a stiking trait in the manners of the Spaniards; dancing is, also, so universally admired, that a grandmother, mother, and daughter, frequently join in the same country dance; and nocturnal serenades are very frequent in the principal cities.

The government of Spain is that of an ab

solute

solute hereditary monarchy; and females are capable of succession. The king is inaugurated by the delivery of a sword, without the ceremony of coronation; his eldest son is called "prince of Asturias;" and his youngest chil dren of both sexes are distinguished by the ap❤ pellation of infantas.

The privy council, consisting of a number of grandees appointed by the king, is only authorized to prepare and digest papers for the cabinet council, in which the direction of the executive government is vested; the council of war takes cognizance of all military affairs; and the council of Castile is the supreme law tribunal. Courts of royal audience are establised in Seville, Saragossa, Valencia, and Barcelona: and there are several subordinate tribunals for the police, finances, &c. The government of Spanish America forms a separate system, and is delegated to various magistrates, who, in their respective districts, are almost absolute. A council for the Indies is established in Old Spain, and consists of a governor, four secre taries, twenty-two counsellors, and other officers. The cortes, or parliaments of the kingdom, are abolished, and even the faint remains of their constitution seem to be threatened with annihilation.

The military force of Spain is computed at ninety thousand men, including regulars and militia; and the navy consists of seventy sail of

*The foreign possessions of Spain, besides those in America, are the islands of St. Lazaro, the Ladrones, and the Philippines, in Asia; and the towns of Aran, Ceuta, and Masalquiver, in Africa.

the

the line, three ships of fifty guns, seventeen frigates, nineteen sloops, two fire ships, and two hospital ships.

The annual revenues, arising to the king from Old Spain, amount to five millions sterling; and these form the best support of his government: for though his American income be very great, it is generally embezzled or anticipated before it reaches his court. The taxes, whence the internal revenues arise, are so various and arbitrary that it is impossible to fix them with any degree of precision.

The established religion of Spain is popery; and the inhabitants have been so steady in the profession and practice of its greatest absurdities, that their sovereign is distinguished by the epithet of "most Catholic." The infamous tribunal of the inquisition is also established in this country but the power of the ecclesiastics has been considerably reduced of late years; and a royal edict has been promulgated to prevent the admission of novices into convents without special permission. It is, however, computed that there are now in Spain fifty-four thousand friars, thirty-four thousand nuns, and twenty thousand secular clergy. There are, likewise, eight archbishoprics, forty-six bishoprics, and twenty-four universities.

Such of the Spanish nobility and gentry as are unmixed with Moorish families are distinguished by the general appellation of "Hidalgo;" and are divided into princes, dukes, marquisses, counts, viscounts, and other inferior titles. The orders of knighthood are those of the Golden Fleece, Calatrava, St. Jago de Com

postella,

postella, Montesa, The Lady of Mercy, Charles III. and Alcantara.

The Spanish language is expressive and majestic; and might be called a spurious Latin were it not for several exotic words and terminations, that have been introduced by the Goths and Moors. It makes but an indifferent figure in translation; but it may be considered as a standard tongue, having retained its purity for nearly two hundred years.

Literature cannot be expected to flourish un der so despotic a government as that of Spain': there are, however, some good productions, in the Spanish language, on various literary subjects; and several of the cities and palaces exhibit striking specimens of Spanish painting, architecture, and sculpture.

It appears expedient to commence our history of Spain with the accession of Euric, who is commonly considered as the founder of the Gothic monarchy in that country: but in order to render it the more perspicuous and intelligible, we must take a rapid survey of the general state of affairs not only in Spain, but likewise in the adjacent nations.

A. D.

The eastern coasts of Spain were, at this time, possessed by the Romans,

466. though the power of that people had

suffered a sensible diminution; the western part of the country was subject to Resimond, king of the Sueves, who had secured his territories by a prudent marriage with the daughter of Theodoric; and the interior provinces, together with those on the frontiers of Gaul, were held by the Visigoths, who had fixed the seat of their king

dom

dom at Thoulouse. Leo I. swayed the sceptre of the eastern empire, and possessed sufficient authority to nominate an emperor of the west : and the Vandals were masters of all the coasts opposite to Spain, under their monarch Genseric, who had rendered himself formidable to all his enemies, and was generally acknowledged as a lawful prince. All these nations professed the religion of Christ; but the Visigoths, Sueves, and Vandals, were unhappily contaminated with the pernicious heresy of Arius; and they appear to have acted with great cruelty toward the Catholic inhabitants of some Gallic and Spanish provinces which had been torn from the Roman empire.

Euric, having obtained possession of those extensive dominions which had been acquired by the valour of his father Theodoric, conceived the design of driving the Romans entirely out of Spain; and actually made himself master of Pampeluna, Saragossa, Catalonia, Valencia, and Lusitania. Some strenuous exertions were indeed made, by the nobility and gentry, against this encroachment of the Visigoths; but these were rendered abortive, and Euric, having pro vided for the safety of his new conquests, led his victorious army into Gaul, where he successively reduced the important cities of Tours, Bourges, and Clermont.

On the deposition of Augustulus, and the subversion of the western empire, Euric accepted a proffered alliance with Odoacer, king of the Heruli; and made himself master of Arles and Marseilles, which had hitherto remained in the hands of the Romans. The Burgundians were alarmed at the augmenting power VOL. XV.

M

of