  LETTER I. Mistakes of Travellers.—Townsend’s Accuracy.—View of Cadiz from the Sea.—Religion blended with Public and Domestic Life in Spain.—Customs relating to the Host or Eucharist.—Manners and Society at Cadiz.—Passage by Sea to Port Saint Mary’s.—St. Lucar.—Passage up the Guadalquivir to Seville.—Construction and internal Economy of the Houses in that Town.—Knocking, and greeting at the Door.—Devotion of the People of Seville to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. LETTER II. Difficulty of describing National Characters.—Nobles and Plebeians, in Spain.—Purity of Blood.—Tizon de EspaÑa.—Grandees.—Hidalgos in Low Life.—Execution of an Hidalgo.—Spanish Pride, visible among the Lower Classes.—Usual Employment of Day at Seville.—Spanish Politeness.—Absence of Jealousy in Modern Times.—Dinner.—Siesta.—Public Walks.—Dress of the Spanish Ladies.—Various Uses of the Fan.—Character of the Spanish Females. Eagerness of Free-thinking Spaniards to become acquainted, and their quickness in knowing one another. Inclosure of a detached Paper, intituled A few Facts connected with the Formation of the Intellectual and Moral Character of a Spanish Clergyman. Importance of examining the Tendency of Catholicism.—Account of two highly devout Roman Catholics.—Auricular Confession.—Education of a Spanish Boy.—Evils arising from the Celibacy of the Clergy.—Education under the Jesuits.—Congregation of Saint Philip Neri.—Exercises of Saint Ignatius.—Aristotelic Philosophy taught by the Dominicans.—Feyjoo’s Works.—Spanish Universities and Colleges, called Mayores.—Indirect Influence of the Inquisition on the State of Knowledge in Spain.—Mental Struggles of a young Spaniard on points connected with the established System of Faith.—Impressions produced by the Ceremony of Catholic Ordination.—Unity and Consistency of the Catholic System.—Train of Thought and Feeling leading to the final Rejection of Catholicism. LETTER IV. On Bull-fights, and other National Customs connected with those Amusements. LETTER V. A Journey to Osuna and Olvera.—A Spanish Country Inn.—The Play El Diablo Predicador.—Souls in Purgatory begged for: Lottery of Purgatory.—Character of Two Nuns at Osuna.—A Country Vicar.—Customs at Olvera.—Tapadas, or veiled Females.—A Dance.—The Riberas’ Lamp. LETTER VI. The Yellow Fever at Seville, in 1800.—Spiritual Methods LETTER VII. Monks and Friars.—Instances of gross misconduct among them.—Their Influence.—Brother Sebastian and Charles III.—The Carthusians.—Hermits near Cordova. LETTER VIII. Nuns.—Motives for taking the Veil.—Circumstances attending that Ceremony.—Account of a young Lady compelled by her Mother to take the Monastic Vows.—EscrÚpulos, or Religious Anxiety.—Spiritual Flirtation.—Nun Doctors. LETTER IX. Memorandums of some Andalusian Customs and Festivals.—Saint Sebastian’s Day: Carnival, p. 230.—Ash-Wednesday, p. 239.—Mid-lent, p. 243.—Passion, or Holy Week, p. 245.—Passion Wednesday, p. 251.—Thursday in the Passion Week, p. 252.—Good Friday, p. 258.—Saturday before Easter, p. 264.—May Cross, p. 267.—Corpus Christi, p. 268.—Saint John’s Eve, p. 274.—Saint Bartholomew, p. 277.—Detached Prejudices and Practices, p. 280.—Funerals of Infants and Maids, p. 282.—Spanish Christian Names, p. 286.—Christmas, p. 288. LETTER X. A Sketch of the Court of Madrid, in the Reign of Charles the Fourth, and the Intrigues connected with the Influence of the Prince of the Peace. LETTER XI. Private Life at Madrid.—Pretendientes.—Literary Characters. Events connected with the beginning of the French Invasion.—The Escurial at the Time of the Arrest of the Prince of Asturias.—Revolution at Aranjuez and Madrid.—Massacre of the 2d of May, 1808. LETTER XIII. State of Spain at the time of the general Rising against the French, as observed in a Journey from Madrid to Seville, through the Province of Estremadura. APPENDIX.—An Account of the Suppression of the Jesuits in Spain. NOTES. LETTERS FROM SPAIN. |
|
