Sixty years ago, few men were more widely known in the world of art, letters, and society than Richard Ford, the author of the Handbook for Spain . A connoisseur of engravings, an admirable judge of painting, the interpreter to this country of the genius of Velazquez, he had no rival as an amateur artist. From his sketches Roberts made many of his best drawings; some were reproduced by Telbin, others appeared in the Illustrated London News and the Landscape Annuals of the day, or supplied illust

Political Condition of Spain—Ford as a Traveller—Life at Seville—Journey to Madrid by Diligence —Don Quixote’s Country—Return to Seville On September 15th, 1830, Richard Ford wrote from London to his friend Henry Unwin Addington, the British Plenipotentiary at Madrid, announcing his intention to winter in Spain. The letter was sent by the hand of Mr. Wetherell, who had been encouraged by the Spanish Government to set up a tannery at Seville. He imported workmen and machinery, and established his

The Alhambra—Addington’s Visit—Tour to Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Madrid—Return to the Alhambra When Ford wrote to Addington in April 1831, he was hesitating between a furnished house at Granada or rooms in the ruined palace of the Alhambra. Poetry conquered prose; comfort gave way to romance. His letter of June 7th, 1831, announces that he had installed himself in the palace. Granada and the Alhambra are places which seem to rise above the prosaic level of the working world and ca

Return to Seville—Execution of Torrijos—Question of Spanish Intervention in the Affairs of Portugal—Tarifa—Salamanca and North-Western Spain—Succession to the Spanish Crown. In December the Fords returned from the Alhambra to a house which they had taken in the Calle de los Monsalvos at Seville. There they spent the winter of 1831-2. A letter dated December 10th, 1831, announces their return, and their life resumed its previous course. We have at length arrived here safely, God be praised! throu

Seville—Granada—Tetuan—Festivities at Madrid—Return to England Sevilla , Saturday, January 12 [1833] . I did not answer your letter last post, as I was then in the Sierra Morena, near Alcolea, on a shooting excursion. You will find a large engraving of the tomb of the Catholic kings in the folio work published at Madrid in 1804 by Don Pablo Lorano, and called Antiquedades arabes in España . Lewis, who is here, says, if you are not satisfied with that print, that he will make a drawing of the cha

Death of Ferdinand VII.—Exeter—Projected Book on Spain—Purchase of Heavitree House—Marriage of Lord King and of Addington—First Article in the Quarterly Review —Death of Mrs. Ford. On his way to England, at the end of September 1833, Ford passed through Madrid. There he saw the funeral of Ferdinand VII., of which he gives an account in the following letter written to Addington from his mother’s house in London. [123, Park Street ], London , Wednesday, 4th Dec., 1833 . I am afraid I shall have le

Literary Work—Engagement and Second Marriage—Articles in the Quarterly Review —Preparations for a Tour on the Continent—Promise to Write the Handbook for Travellers in Spain —Delays and Interruptions—George Borrow—Reviews of the Zincali and the Bible in Spain —Suppression of the First Edition of the Handbook —Final Publication—The Felicidade . By his wife’s death Ford was left with the sole care of the two daughters and the son, who alone survived out of the six children born to them. He continu

Success of the Handbook — Gatherings from Spain —Illness and Death of his Wife—Marriage with Miss Mary Molesworth—Telbin’s “Diorama of the Duke of Wellington’s Campaigns”—Francis Clare Ford and the Diplomatic Service—Death of Sir William Molesworth—Failing Health—Marriage of Clare Ford—Last Article in the Quarterly Review , and Last Letter to Addington—Death at Heavitree, August 31st, 1858. “ Since July” (Ford writes to Don Pascual Gayangos at Madrid, November 27th, 1845) “I have been wandering