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23 chapters
Llhurea hourtzeu denian.
Llhurea hourtzeu denian.
Petit olseau, blanche nacelle, Qui fait en Paie voguer son aile, D’Espagne gagunes-tu les vamts ? Dana les ports que Phiver assicge, Laisse, erois-moi, fondre ln neige semble nous les prsserons. Although neighbonres, as a ale, seldom live an friendly term, the Basques manage to keep quite as profound a peace on the Spanish frontier as that whicli reigns on the Dutch-Belsian. An explanation of this may he found in the fact that itis not actually Frenchmen and Spaniards who meet on tha frontier, T
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CIIAPTER TIL DIOS, PATRIA, Y REY.
CIIAPTER TIL DIOS, PATRIA, Y REY.
VIE heading of this chapter— God, Fatherland, 1 and RKing—is the great Carlist motto, and the watchword to which every peasant of the northern provinees of Spain answers by rushing to take up arms, Patria plays, indeed, a much less important part in it than Dios and Rey, for, whenever joyous shountings are heard among Carlists, Fatherland is seldom mentioned. Tt is always “ Viva Carlos Setimo,” Viea la Religion,” “ Piva los Carlistas,” or Viea this or that special Carlist leader. Patrie, means a
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124 V. FROM BAYONNE TO MADRID.
124 V. FROM BAYONNE TO MADRID.
HE telegrams of Reuter’s and Havas, whose business it seems to be to concoct sensational paragraphs when actual news is scarce, have made cvery one outside the romantic and unbusiness-like Peninsula believe that people were slaughtered daily in Spain by the hundred, if not by the thousand, and that peaceful citizens of well-regulated countries, who were not particularly anxious to get rid of their property or their lives, should not cross the I’yrences under any consideration whatever. Thousands
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150 VL THE FEDERALIST COUP D’ETAT.
150 VL THE FEDERALIST COUP D’ETAT.
YHE events which will be probably described 1 in Spanish history as the Federalist coup d'état of April 23, were very simple fu their nature. When King Amadeo abdicated and retired from Spain he left behind him a “National Assembly” which, amalgamated from two houses of Parliament eclected under a Monarchy, was of course composed mainly of Monarchists, though of a liberal shade, known in Spanish political nomenclature as radicals. They constituted a majority of nearly three-fourths. But some of
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VIL THE COUNTESS OF MONTIJO ON SPANISH MOB-RULE.
VIL THE COUNTESS OF MONTIJO ON SPANISH MOB-RULE.
THE mother of the ex-Empress of the French is almost blind now, but her mind is as fresh and bright as ever, and her house remains still the centre where all influential notabilities congregate in Madrid. I called on the Countess early in the afternoon, and found her alone, seated in her favourite artificially darkened corner of a vast hall, transformed into a winter garden. The conversation fell quite naturally on the events of the day, and the old lady, at all times a capital talker, was more
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VIIL FEDERALIST ELECTIONS AND FEDERALIST FESTIVITIES.
VIIL FEDERALIST ELECTIONS AND FEDERALIST FESTIVITIES.
GOOD many readers might consider it A quite an unusual, indeed, alinost an unorthodox thing in this country, to write a book on Spain without giving a description of a bullfight. A writer might dispense with brigand stories, on the plea that there are now no brigands in Spain, or at least that he did not meet any; bunt no one could believe that he had not seen any espadas, chulos, picadores, and barderilleros at work in the bull-ring: and the troth is that he wonld not be able to speak of Spain.
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IX. ON THE TOP OF TIE SILVER MOUNTAIN,
IX. ON THE TOP OF TIE SILVER MOUNTAIN,
NJ FprarinG on the uncertainity of all human arrangements, I often thought thats should people at large ever give up fighting and making revolutions, and generally begin to behave themselves as citizens of orderly communities, the first result of such a change would he the abolition of that beautiful Anglo-Saxon institution known under the name of “our special,” and our own,” These indefatigable animals would then become quite as useless as post-horses are now in countries well provided with rai
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X. SANTA CRUZ.
X. SANTA CRUZ.
As often happens in cases of an unpleasant nature, the man wanted was not to be found. He was neither at Vera, nor at Fchalar, where 1 was told at St-fean-de-Luz 1 was sure to find him. He had already marched off towards Hernani with some six hundred of his erack men and two cannons. I had consequently to present myself to a rough-looking chap of barely twenty years, armed to the teeth, and bearing the sonorous name of Don Iistevan Indurt, and the important rank of the Commander of the place and
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XL FOREIGN CARLISTS.
XL FOREIGN CARLISTS.
I AVING mentioned the French Legitimist Squadron in one of the preceding chapters, I think I onght not, for the sake of completeness, to omit showing to what extent other countries were represented in the Carlist camp. And it must be stated at the outset that the foreign element was neither very strong, nor did it prove particularly successful in the defence of Spanish Legitimacy. Except the few French noblemen of the provinces bordering on Spain, to whom Legitimist opinions come as an inheritan
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XIIL SPANISH CLERICAL. MATTERS.
XIIL SPANISH CLERICAL. MATTERS.
Now, that the Spanish curd’s sombrero (hat) is very ridiculons, is perfectly true. It is frequently wore extravagant than that we see ou Don Basilio’s head on the Covent Garden stage. That many curas are fat is also correct, though I have seen some who looked—if it be possible—more angular and bony than Signor Tagliafico ever did in the days when his impersonation of Don Basilio was most successful. Whether the Spanish priest's legs are always “as massy snd round” as the pillars of the Cathedral
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ERRATA
ERRATA
YoL. I. Page 126 fine 26 Jor, J“ not Neotch, and therefore erfranjero, the plaid was’ "read “ Seoteh, and therefore ext rangers, the plaid was not” Page Lil line 15 for “charges” read * chargers” Lage 160 line 24 for “taenk” read “taken” Page 199 line 18 for “votes” read * deputies”...
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SPAIN AND THE SPANTARDS. CIIAPTER 1. CAMPO DEL HONOR.
SPAIN AND THE SPANTARDS. CIIAPTER 1. CAMPO DEL HONOR.
IE Field of ITonour is nowhere in pur1 ticular. It may sometimes be on the bald top of a hill, sometimes in a wayside lint, sometimes at the bottom of a God-forsaken valley, or vather of a loophole amidst the wmountains. It always reminded me of those Continental hats, watches and mmbrellas upon which the rather vague stamp of “London” is murked, but a mere look at which tells you at once thut they have issued from the back workshop of some halistarved German working-man. The Carlists invented t
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IL THE SEVEN YEARS’ WAR.
IL THE SEVEN YEARS’ WAR.
HE now almost forgotten Seven Years’ War has been so frequently mentioned in these pages, and newspapers had within the last twelve months so often alluded to it, that it may, perhaps, be considered not out of place to give here a short #éswumé of the past Carlist struggle. It will enable the reader better to grasp the present one. Ferdinand VII died on the 29th of September, 1833, after having abrogated the Salic law of succession, in accordance with which, Le not having male descendants, the t
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va, was generally popular wong the
va, was generally popular wong the
In April 1836 the young Brigadier Don Joaquin Elio, who had already distinguished himself under Zumalacarregui, was appointed head of the staff of the Carlist army. During the next month, an important engagement took place near San Sebastian, where the troops under General De Lacy Evans attacked the Guipuzcoa Volunteers under Sagastibelza. The Carlists, having only nine companies to oppose to the united Anglo-Spanish forces, were defeated after a very sanguinary fight, in which they lost their c
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114 TIL SPANISH FIGHTING.
114 TIL SPANISH FIGHTING.
S soldiers, Spaniards have a very bad repuA tation in Europe, and to defend them in this respect would probally prove a very ungrateful task. Truly speaking, it would even be difficult to maintain that they are good soldiers, in the sense in which the word is generally understood in European armies. But what is quite fair to say—though, perhaps, it may also not be casy to convince people who have made up their mind to the contrary—is that Spaniards are by no means the cowards they are not unfreq
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IV. ALFONSISM versus CARLINM.
IV. ALFONSISM versus CARLINM.
PIE abdication of Amaden, whatever may have beer the view of European politicians upon it, had one great advantage for Spain, besides that of frecing the throne trom a sovercign about whom people did not care: it reduced the nunber of persons who thought themselves entitled to govern Spain, and consequently destroyed a corresponding number of political parties. As long as Amadeo was king, there were, besides hin, Don Al- funso,* the Duke of Montpensicr, and Dou Carlos, * The fact of there being
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V. PRIM AND AMADEO.
V. PRIM AND AMADEO.
IMUERE is a Spanish story which tells us that when Ferdinand ITL.—who turned out to he a saint—reached Paradise, and was introduced to the Virgin Mary, she proposed to Lim to demand any favour he liked for his country. The good Sovercign, always anxious about the wellare of his loyal subjects, asked for oil, garlic, wine, anid corn. Granted,” said the Virgin, “what else 2” * Handsome women, valiant men, and strong mules” Certainly; what more?” « Bright skies, bulls, relics, and cigarritos” By al
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VI. SPANISH REPUBLICANISM.
VI. SPANISH REPUBLICANISM.
IMHOUGH everybody knows the proverb T “There’s nothing new under the sun,” people are still inelined to take very old things for quite new ones. When the European public heard of the Federal Republic having been proclaimed in Spain, they considered it as quite a new calamity brought upon the political world, immediately declared it to be subversive of every vestige of order, and attributed its origin to the propaganda of the Iuternational Society. The truth was, however, that Spanish Federalism
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already almost insurmountable difienltics.
already almost insurmountable difienltics.
It would le quite vscless on my part to give bere the theoretical arguments against the Fede ral form of government. They ave too well known, amd there are too wany people always anxious to repeat them in and out of season, thongh the majority of such people kuow nothing at all about Spain, and have hardly ever inquired what sort of thing Federalism really is. Ilere is a Spanish— consequently, a somewhat verbose —delinition of it: Relations between individuals ereate the family, relations betwee
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character.”
character.”
It is quite evident that neither life, nor propetty, nor order is in any way threatened by this programme. It is just as evident that it is perfeetly immaterial whether on the summit of sucha Federal state there be placed a throne or a presidential chair. If the people like to have a royalty at the top of their social fabric, let them have it; if not, don't impose it upon them. Whether it be Alfonso, or Serrana, or Castelar, or any other person that is going to take up his abode at the Palace of
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224 VIL CASTELAR AND FIGUERAS.
224 VIL CASTELAR AND FIGUERAS.
ON EMILIO CASTELAR will probably D remain, for a long time to come, the central figure in the history of Spauish Republicanism. The courage and earnestness with which he served the cause, his unblemished personal reputation, and his brilliant cloquence, have rendered him immensely popular in his country, while the comparative moderation of his views gained for him abroad the sympathies of even the political men and parties opposed to Republican principles. They abused him and sneered at his “flo
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VIIL MARSHAL SERRANO, DUQUE DE LA TORRE.
VIIL MARSHAL SERRANO, DUQUE DE LA TORRE.
HE kindness with which I was received by the Duke and Duchess de la Torre at their Biarritz villa, almost precludes me from. the possibility of speaking of the present ruler of Spain. His political opinions and the whole of his early career were such as to deserve but little sympathy, yet the charms of his personal intercourse arc so great as to captivate even his bitterest enemies when they approach him. Handsome, exquisitely elegant, and of an ease of manners almost bordering on plainness, he
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261 CITAPTER IX. ADIOS!
261 CITAPTER IX. ADIOS!
PERFECT fright. not to say a terror, seized A me, at the conclusion of the preceding chapter, when I noticed that I was speedily approaching the orthodox Hmits of the two volumes, and had seareely said a word on what I wished to speak of when T set to work. Instead of writing something “nicely descriptive” of Spain and the Spaniards, I find myself to have written a series of dull recollections of Spain, and of still duller essays on Spanish subjects, But, as Chabit ne fait pax le mone, so the ti
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