  “Truth is an exile from our political world. Every faction and every group tells only that part of the truth which reflects discredit on its neighbour. Thus our political literature is interesting only as an archive of monstrosities. The other part of the truth—that which deals with the good qualities of the neighbour—is so out of fashion that nobody believes in its existence. To tell the truth to our politicians would be the greatest proof of friendship that could be offered to them. But who has sufficient courage to attempt it? No one in this world would venture upon so difficult, so disagreeable, and so dangerous a task. The result is that in Spain the only respect paid to the truth is to leave it unspoken.”—Nuevo Mundo, Madrid, Feb. 24, 1910. In the following pages I have endeavoured to show what the people of Spain believe to be the truth about those who exercise authority over them, as gathered from conversation with Spaniards of all classes, but principally working people, in town and country, and from my own reading and observation. Whether my informants are right or wrong in their opinions and beliefs I do not pretend to decide; all I can declare is that I have faithfully reported what I have heard and seen. The importance of the opinions I have collected lies in the fact that, I have to acknowledge with thanks the courteous permission of the Editors of the Spectator and the Standard to incorporate in this volume the gist of various articles, notes, &c., which first appeared in their pages. The author and publisher have also to express their thanks to the Editors and Proprietors of the Nuevo Mundo of Madrid for permission to use the illustrations in this book, which are taken from that periodical. RAFAEL SHAW. |
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