[3a] Antillon—I cannot mention this illustrious name without a tribute of admiration and gratitude. A life devoted to virtue and literature, an unwearied struggle in the cause of civil and religious liberty, rewarded by the fatal blow of a hired assassin, leaves behind it an impress on the hearts of the generous and the good which will not and cannot be erased.[3b] It cannot be denied that the seclusion of the convent is so friendly to contemplation and research, that, literature has been, and still is, greatly indebted to it. A glance at the columns of Nich. Antonio’s Biographical Dictionary will give striking proof of this.[3c] There are many convents in which no book could be found but the service of mass or the rules of the order. In others, there are excellent libraries, of whose value friars have no idea whatever. In the convent of San Miguel de los Reyes, near Valencia, I examined some of the most interesting MSS. in existence, which are in charge of a brotherhood of unlearned Geronomites. The librarian refused to shew me a celebrated MS. of the Roman de la Rose, “because” (he said) “it was the work of a heretic;” though he added, he had written some verses in it to frighten any inquirer who might accidentally open it. He had been recommending the burning a noble illuminated MS. of the “Divina Commedia,” apparently contemporary with Dante, as “the wretch had dared to send even Popes to hell.” Ancient copies of Virgil, Livy and others, are in some danger, should our zealous friar stumble on their history, and learn that they never went to mass.[3d] Montalvan.

Es Purgatorio—
Toda dicha, comparada
Con la de un frayle, cifrada
Desde el coro al refectorio.

The whole description is admirable, and I am tempted to introduce it here.

Friend, thou art right! A world like this
Hath nothing equal to the bliss
Enjoyed by yonder lazy friar,
Between refectory and choir!
The morning pass’d in sacred song,
(The task is short—the triumph long!)
Why should our portly friar repine?
Enough for him—good man! to see
His cellar stor’d with rosy wine,
His table pil’d with luxury.
Come now, come with me, and partake
Our friar’s poor and modest board:
Meek sufferer—for Jesus’ sake!
Self-sacrific’d—to please the Lord!!
And is this rich and gay domain
His place of penury and pain?
That table his, where rang’d in state
I see so many jovial brothers,
Each with his fingers in his plate,
And his eyes fix’d upon another’s?
O ’tis indeed a lovely sight
To see thus earth and heav’n unite;
And what an enviable union
Of church and kitchen in communion!
While, hark! a voice at intervals,
The pious grace devoutly bawls
Gratias tibi, Domine!
While up and down their arms are moving
Like engines in a factory:
Thus most indisputably proving
How calm and meek and patiently
These pious souls submit to all
The sorrow, suff’ring and privation
Which may an earthly saint befal:
O unexampled resignation!!

Principe Perseguido.

[4a] Much was apprehended from the recalled Jesuits: they came—not the learned, the illustrious fathers of former days, but a handful of ignorant, helpless old men, incapable of good, and, I trust, incapable of evil. Father Juan Andres died in Rome in 1817.[4b] They enacted this under the pretence that all young men were wanted for the defence of the country. Even the friars were obliged to be silent against such a plea.[4c] Nor are there wanting instances of friars atoning on the scaffold for crimes of the deepest dye; and I could mention examples of fraud, violence and murder committed since the king’s return by individuals among them, whose monstrous atrocity it would be difficult to parallel.[5a] Romerias. That these acts of devotion are always attended with shameful profligacy is sufficiently known. Even Calderon bears testimony to their danger:

— Todos los concursos
De varias romerias,
Tal vez en zelo empiezan
Y acaban en delicia;
El verse unos con otros
Conmuevese Á la alegria,
La alegria al banquete
El banquete Á la risa,
La risa al bayle, al juego
A la vaya, Á la grita
Escollos en que siempre
La devocion peligra.

A Maria el Corazon.

So, indeed, says the old proverb, “Quien muchos romerias anda tarde Ó nunca se santifica.”[5b] The Roman Catholic Church has made a glorious league with the fine arts, each of which has been made subservient to its purposes, and has maintained its mighty influence. Poetry, painting and music can never pay the immense debt they owe to the gorgeous machinery of the Romish ritual.[5c] Perhaps I may be allowed to introduce a few specimens of the style of the Romanceros. For instance, their praises of the Virgin:

La reyna de los cielos
Emperatriz soberana
Fuente de amor y dulzura
Rio de bondad y de gracia
Pielago de perfecciones
Tranquilo mar de gracias
Iris de serenidades
Lucero de la maÑana
Del cielo norte seguro.

San Onofre.

Sagrada Virgen Maria
Antorcha del cielo empireo
Hixa del eterno Padre,
Madre del supremo bixo
Del sacro espiritu esposa.

Jayme del Castillo.

Hermosisima Maria
Preciosisima aÇucena
Que con tu divina gracia
Nos libertais de la pena,
Florida y hermosa rosa
Palma, cipres, virgen bella
Lirio, olivo, torre hermosa
De encumbrada fortaleza
Cielos, sol y luna hermosa
Fuente llena de clemencia
Que con tu divina gracia
Triunfos y lauros aumentas:
Gran SeÑora del Carmelo
Suplicote, sacra reyna
Que abogada y protectira
Con el rey de gracias seas.

Judio de Toledo.

Great, however, as is their devotion, it is less than their bombast.

Paren en sus movimientos
Ayre, fuego, tierra y ondas
Sol, luna, estrellas, luceros
Los planetas y la Aurora
Mientras mi pluma remonta
Su vuelo al mas sacro asunto
De la estacion dichosa
Quando vino la Cruz de Grao.

Cruz de Grao.

Remonte el vuelo mi pluma
Hasta la region mas alta
Del viento donde lucida
Brille, dando Á aquesta plana
Y principio al suceso
Mas admirable de que narra
En sus anales el tiempo
Y las historias pasadas.

Jayme de Aragon.

[6a] The Carmelites will have it that Elias (whom Thomas Waldenses calls the first virgin among men, as Mary is among women), dedicated a temple to “the mother of God” on Mount Carmel, nine hundred years before her birth. Those who wish to be acquainted with the wonderful miracles wrought by the “Virgen del Carmen,” may consult an immense list published by Friar Juan Serrer, most of which are certified by notaries, priests, magistrates and friars.

[6b] El bendito Escapulario
Que al infierno lo amedrenta.

Romance.

[6c] It may, however, be noticed, that great numbers are drawn away from the religious services of the regular clergy, by the greater parade with which the friars attract their devotees to the convent chapel.[6d] Spain is a striking example of the influence of the habit of confession on public morals. It has there, no doubt, given the full reins to licentiousness.[7a] Feijoo, a Benedictine monk, says that his order has fifteen thousand canonized saints.[7b] Of the numerous banditti, for which Spain has been always distinguished, there is, perhaps, not an individual who neglects any of those ceremonies which are considered binding on all faithful Catholics.

— These murderous bands
In holy water wash their hands;
They never miss a mass—they wear
A rosary and scapulaire:
They damn all heretics, and say
Their pious Aves twice-a-day;
They bend at every virgin’s altar;
And can such saints deserve a halter?

[7c] The absurdity of introducing such an expression into a constitutional code could not be unnoticed by the illustrious body of deputies, to whom the Cortes had confided its arrangement. It is believed their object was to remove any suspicion as to their thorough orthodoxy, in order that they might effect hereafter some plans of ecclesiastical reformation.[7d] Torture has been abolished in Spain for many years. However, that monster in the form of man, Elio, the captain-general of Valencia, has dared to employ it; and when I was in that capital I was informed, (and the fact has had abundant confirmation,) that it had been applied a few days before to no less than 147 individuals, whose cries and shrieks were heard by all the inhabitants of Murviedro, where they were confined. This tiger might allege, indeed, the example of his royal master, who caused numbers to be tortured in Madrid, after the last conspiracy there.[8a] Don Gonzalez Carbajal, a poet of no common merit, whose verses have been well compared with those of Fr. Luis de Leon, is now publishing a metrical version of the Psalms. The MS. was sent to the inquisitorial censors, who replied, that, though they saw nothing absolutely objectionable in the work, they deemed it very extraordinary and very suspicious that no allusion was made in it to the Sumo Pontifice![8b] I will mention one of a thousand instances of ignorance which I have individually witnessed. As I did not choose to expose myself to be annoyed by inquisitors, I travelled without any English books, except a small collection of hymns. They pounced upon it at Miranda del Ebro, where there is a rigid examination: there was some dispute whether or not it should be condemned, when some word like the name of a Spanish town, caught their eye: “O, ’tis a book of roads,” said our learned scrutineer, and he returned it to me.[8c] Of the “different virgins” who divide the adoration of the devout in Spain, (each individual choosing his favourite,) it would be difficult to say which has the pre-eminence in general estimation. I believe “our Lady of Montserrat,” in Catalonia, and “our Lady of the Pillar,” of Zaragoza, have amassed for their guardian friars the largest piles of wealth.[8d] As an instance of the fraud, the falsehood and the folly of those who sway the minds of the lower classes, I would quote, from among many examples, the “Centinela contra Judios,” a book of great popularity, introduced by several pages of inquisitorial praises. It gives the following account of the crimes and punishments of the twelve tribes:

“The tribe of Judah treacherously delivered up our Lord, and thirty of them die by treason every year.

“The tribe of Reuben seized our Lord in the garden, and therefore the curse of barrenness is on all they sow or plant, and no green thing can flourish over their graves.

“The tribe of Gad put on the crown of thorns, and on every 25th of March, their bodies are covered with blood from deep and painful wounds.

“Those of Asher buffeted Jesus, and their right hand is always nearly a palm shorter than the left.

“Those of Naphthali jested with Christ about a herd of swine, since when they are all born with tusks, like wild boars.

“The tribe of Manasseh cried out, ‘His blood be on us and on our children,’ and at every new moon they are tormented by bloody sores.

“The tribe of Simeon nailed our Lord to the cross, and on the 25th of March, four deep and dreadful wounds are inflicted on their hands and feet.

“Those of Levi spat on the Saviour, and the wind always blows back their saliva in their faces, so that they are habitually covered with filth.

“The tribe of Issachar scourged Christ, and on the 25th of March blood streams forth from their shoulders.

“The tribe of Zebulon cast lots for the garments, and on the same day the roof of their mouth is tortured by deep wounds.

“The tribe of Joseph made the nails for crucifying Jesus, and blunted them to increase his sufferings; and therefore their hands and feet are covered with gashes and blood.

“Those of Benjamin gave vinegar to Jesus; they all squint and are palsied, and have their months filled with little nauseous worms, which, in truth, (adds our author,) is the case with all Jewish women after the age of 25, because it was a woman who intreated the tribe of Joseph not to sharpen the nails used for the crucifixion of our Lord.”

This is a fair specimen of a book of 220 pages.[9a] Seville, Cordoba, Santiago, Burgos, Toledo—in a word, all the places where ecclesiastical authority is most active, have been the most strenuous opposers of the progress of civil, to say nothing of religious liberty. And these, too, are universally the most barbarous of the Spanish cities. How the clergy at Santiago frustrated the attempts of the heroic Porlier to establish the Constitution, is notorious.[9b] Informe de la Sociedad de Madrid sobre la Ley agraria, § 166.

At every step one finds in Spain enough to excite the most melancholy recollections. I went to AlcalÁ de Henares to visit the house in which Cervantes was born. (If I had undertaken a pilgrimage I could not have repaid the enjoyment, the delight, I have received from the works of this wonderful genius!) It had been destroyed, that a herd of friars might enlarge their kitchen-garden! I inquired for the MSS. of Ximenes Cisneros: they had been cut up for sky-rockets to celebrate the arrival of some worthless grandee![10a] Some of the Professors of the Spanish universities, those especially of civil law and medicine, and perhaps even some of theology, are enlightened men and lovers of liberty. This is decidedly the case at Salamanca and AlcalÁ, and partially so at Valencia. To the rest the text may safely be applied.[10b] Cofradias—assemblies for religions objects.[10c] Eunuchs are not now common in Spain. The inhuman practice, once so frequent, is now prohibited by law.[11a] Translated from a little tract called “Pan y Torus,” attributed to Jovellanos. It was written before the Revolution.[11b] Such men as Father Martinez, (Mercenario) who has been appointed one of the preachers of the royal chapel, should be held up to public detestation.

“Grande epoca de nuestra felicidad y de nuestra regeneracion! Rubricad la constitucion con un juramento inviolable, selladla con la sangre de vuestras venas. Sus legisladores han sido inspirados por la Sabiduria divina—Gloriosa instalacion de las Cortes! Feliz transito de una casi mortal agonia Á una vigorosa robustez politica. Mejor de los gobiernos—Cortes! precioso nombre qui despierta en nuestra alma todas las ideas de la antigua libertad y grandeza EspaÑola! Solo remedio de nuestros males, suspirados por todo EspaÑol, amante de su patria. Constitucion sabia y liberal—excelsa fabrica! ¿Que ofrecen Grecia y Roma comparable Á nuestro augusto congreso y Á su codigo tan completamente acabado? Nacion sabia y entendida, que proclama con voz enÉrgica su libertad, su independencia y soberania! Libre É independiente, y no el patrimonio de ninguna familia Ó persona. El Rey no puede. El Rey no puede. AvergÜenzense los brutales idÓlatras del Atila Ó Gengis Khan de la Europa—la EspaÑa tiene una barrera firmisima contra el despotismo. Emancipados EspaÑoles—segunda vez, loor sempiterno, himnos de bendicion Á nuestros sabios legisladores! Leyes fundamentales, liberales y sabias—despues del catecismo de la religion estudialas, meditalas, canonizalas—Á la par del catecismo de la religion pon en las manos de tus hixos y nietos el codigo constitucional. Pronunciad con entusiasmo el juramento inviolable que va Á ser rubricado con la sangre del divino cordero, y que los angeles habrÁn ya escrito en las columnas del empÍreo. Los corazones Castellanos dicen mucho mas que lo que los labios pronuncian; ardientemente desean que al lado de aquella ara augusta se erija una pirÁmide, donde sea escrita en letras de oro esta inscripcion sencilla, Juramos ser fieles Á la constitucion: por ella vivirÉmos gloriosos: y por ella, si menester, fuÉre, gloriosamente morirÉmos.” Sermon preached in Valladolid, 13th September, 1812.

This recreant friar in a letter to the Patriarch of the Indies, dated 20th February, 1815, thus writes:

Of the Cortes: “HiciÉron publicar y jurar con la mas escandalosa premura una constitucion ignorada. Su formacion fuÉ viciosa É ilegal; el codigo fuÉ hecho por los amaÑos y malas artes de una faccion de anarquistas. Cortes—nombre hoy de infausto agÜero—Junta de cabalas Gaditanas.”

Of the constitution: “Se la publicÓ casi en la forma qui se publicÓ el Alcoran todo por sorpresa, todo premura y todo militar. Sus dias de terrorismo! JurÉ un odio eterno Á los principios democraticos de la llamada constitucion y las ideas anarquicas É irreligiosas del partido liberal.”

Of Ferdinand: “Nuestro idolatrado rey. Nuestro suspirado monarca, el mas justo de los reyes.”

Of himself: “Mi conducta me granjeÓ el favor de todos los buenos de Galicia, que me mirÁban como una columna del partido servil. El consejo de Castilla me honrÓ confiÁndome la censura de varios papeles qui califiquÉ de sediciosos, subersivos É injuriosos Á la soberania de S. M. El primer nombrado por la Junta de Obispos por la censura de todos los escritos revolucionarios É impios fuÉ el Padre Martinez nemine discrepante. El ayuntamiento de Santiago me comisionÓ que diere gracias Á S. M. por el reestablecimiento de la Inquisicion pidiendo Á S. M. por los P.P. Jesuitas. ‘El Rey en atencion al distinguido merito y servicios del Padre Martinez’ me nombra su predicador supernumerario: y despues, ‘S. M. en consideracion Á la solida literatura de V. S. y Á los servicios hechos Á su real persona, la religion y al estado,’ le nombra Consexero de la Suprema de la Inquisicion!”

Of the above sermon: “HablÉ con la ligereza y superficialidad de un orador que habla de lo que no entiende. Era poco instruido en el derÉcho publico EspaÑol. HablÉ constitucional y por conseqÜente disparatadamente. Sermon de adornos, flores, y exÂgerados hiperboles, sedicioso, subersivo É injurioso Á la soberania de S. M.”

Another disgraceful example may be quoted in that of Father Velez, the present Bishop of Ceuta, who has lately published a book, entitled Defensa del Altar y del Trono, so infamous, so full of outrages, insults, and shameless mendacity, that the very Inquisition refused to license its impression; and our mitred libeller delivered a copy to the king, whose taste it so admirably suited, that he issued an immediate mandate, signed by his royal hand, ordering its instant publication. I believe it is the only book which has been printed for years without the Inquisition’s authority.[12] The title of Ingrato is, in fact, the Spanish despot’s right par excellence. A few more such examples would dissolve the spell which holds so many slaves in bondage, and lead them to doubt whether

“Such divinity as doth hedge a king,”

can really be of celestial origin.[13] I know of no city honoured with so proud a list of illustrious men in so many departments of literature, as Cordoba. Strabo (Cap. iii.) speaks of the learning of its inhabitants, and so does Cicero (Orat. pro ArchiÂ). The two Senecas and Lucan among the Romans; AverrÖes; his rival Avicenna, and Abenzoar, distinguished Arabic writers; the three most famous Hebrew Rabbies, Abenezra, Kimki and Maimonides; Ferdinand the logician; Juan de Mena, the father of Spanish poetry; Arias Montano, Nebrixa, Gongora, the poet, and Cespedes, the every thing—were all natives of Cordoba. Repeated attempts have been made to revive the spirit of learning in this interesting capital, and the literary societies there have published several striking appeals on the subject; but Cordoba continues without even a bookseller’s stall;—a striking monument of the triumphs of monkery and ignorance over all that is great, good and generous in the human character.[14a] Notwithstanding the many discussions as to the birth-place of Cervantes, and the numerous copies that have been made of the register of his baptism, since the claims of AlcalÁ to the honour of his birth-place have been admitted, it is surprising that no one should have remarked that the name of his father is spelt Carvantes in the original parish record, which I consulted. It is in the oldest of the registers of the church of St. Mary Mayor, at page 192.

Fray Jayme Villanueva mentioned a curious circumstance to me at Valencia, connected with Cervantes;—that among the ecclesiastical documents he had examined at Tarragona, there were a great number of letters addressed to the Cabildo, relating various acts of robbery and murder committed by Roque Guinart and his band, (vide Don Quixote, Vol. IV. Par. ii. Cap. 60,) and imploring their assistance to rid the country of these freebooters: these letters are dated 1614. Now the second part of Don Quixote was published in 1615. How soon did Cervantes avail himself of these events, and how rapid must his composition have been!

Cervantes! idol of my happiest hours!
Generous and joyous spirit! who hast brought
From thy rich storehouse of romantic thought
Wisdom and truth and valor!—All the powers
Of Poetry and Music fill thy bowers.
Proud is the monument thy hands have wrought,
And beautiful the lesson thou hast taught;—
And now the muse of many nations showers
Garlands upon thy tomb:—yet thou wert poor
And desolate in life—of all bereft,
In misery and melancholy left
To fix thy dim eye on a prison door!
Shame on the world! No other star shall shine
Upon that world with such a light as thine!

“Se engendrÓ (el Quixote) en una carcel donde toda incomodidad tiene su asiento y donde todo triste ruido hace su habitacion.”

Prologue to Don Quixote.

[14b] Moratin’s translation of Hamlet is as unworthy of the Spanish as of the British bard; but any prose rendering of the beautiful poetry of this extraordinary tragedy must be intolerable to an English ear.[15] As none of his writings have probably reached England, I shall be excused for introducing a specimen of his verses from the above comedy. Take, for example, the description of a gaming house:

Don Carlos.

¿Aun la colera se dura?
¿Que viste tan malo alii
Que asi te altera?

Don Severo.

Yo vi
Un infierno en miniatura
Y no merece otro nombre,
Porque se deja al entrar
Cuanto puede recordar
Los privilegios del hombre.
En un ahumado aposento,
Anegado en porqueria,
He visto en un solo dia
Lo que no pudiera en ciento.
Sobre una mesa Ó bufete
Alii un mandil se descubre,
Que mas empuerca que encumbre,
Y al que se llama tapete.
Yace encima un mal belon
Moribundo, desdichado,
Quien, Á pesar de su estado,
ManifestÓ la intencion
Que de alumbrarnos tenia;
Mas le faltÓ un requisito,
Y fue el aceite maldito,
Que estaba en Andalucia.
Pues de esta mesa al redor,
Y por tal luz alumbrados,
Encontramos ya sentados,
Esperando un redentor,
A una percion de estafermos,
Que por ser desaliÑados,
Flacos, puercos y estropeados,
Me parecieron enfermos.
Pero ai Dios y que sudores
Tuve! Que susto me diste
Cuando al oido me dijiste
Estos son los jugadores;
Luego descubri al banquero
Fumando su cigarrito,
Manejando aquel librito,
O recogiendo dinero.
A bosquejar no me atrevo
Ni sus dedos, ni sus uÑas,
No se quejen las garduÑas,
O chille un Cristiano nuevo:
Pero aÑadirÉ sencillo,
Que si le encuentro en la calle,
En lugar de saludalle
Le doi mi capa y bolsillo.
QuÉ juramentos! QuÉ por vidas!
Y otras voces conocidas
Tan solo entre jugadores.
AcÁ gana una judia,
Alli las sotas se dan,
PiÉrdese un buen ganarÁn
O quiebra contra judia.
Alli sin soga, se amarra,
Se apunta sin escopeta,
Sin necesidad se aprieta.
Se mata sin cimitarra:
Tambien se entierra sin ser
Doctor ni sepulturero,
Y en fin se pierde el dinero
Sin oir, sin hablar, sin ver.
Estos, amiguito, son
Los primores, que sin tasa
Se encuentran en esa casa,
Que llamas de diversion.
Y no siento, ciertamente,
Haber jugado y perdido,
Sino el haber conocido
Pocilga tan indecente.

[16] I have seen him join the religious processions at Madrid, but with evident indifference and impatience. In the really interesting solemnities of the 2nd of May, (to commemorate the earliest victims of the Revolution,) in the presence of the Court, the Nuncio, and the dignified ecclesiastics of Spain, he played idly with his wax taper and his pocket handkerchief, and walked out of church in the middle of mass. If he ever amused himself with embroidering garments for the Virgin, (which I do not believe,) or feigned a special devotion in the ecclesiastical ceremonies of his country, he has not thought it necessary to wear the mask of hypocrisy any longer.