country, but its beauty, fecundity, and the unequalled excellence of their climate, fully juftify their local attachment; and their own happy difpofitions render them not only an agreeable but an amiable race. They are justly diftinguifhed for their devotion, their wit, and the fertility of their imagination; and the arts and fciences are cultivated by them with equal zeal and fuccefs: they deteft the French, defpife the Irith, and love the English even to enthusiasm.

Grand Route from Madrid to ZARAGOSA and BARCELONA. From the gate of Alcala to the bridge of Viveros 3 leagues, Alcala 3 (this ancient city is now reduced to a fmall village, tolerably clean, but indifferent, low houfes: even the convents are falling into decay, and its university is nothing but a name); Guadalaxaia 4, is in a more profperous ftate, and its royal manufactory of woollen cloths gives and comfort not common to all Spanish it an air of industry towns; Torija 3, Grajanejos 3, Algora 4, Alcolea 3, Maranchon 31, Concha 34, Tortuera 3 (here the kingdom of Arragon commences); Ufet 4, Daroca 2, Maynar 14, Carinena 34 (juftly celebrated for its rich wines), Muel 4, Maria 2, ZARAGOSA 2, = total 52 leagues.

This city is now become famous for its ever memorable refiftance to the treacherous ufurpation of France, and its fplendid victories over the veteran troops of General Lefebvre, by the enlightened Palafox, whofe talents and merits were announced in our Number for May. The people of Zargofa are diftinguished for their induftry, neatnefs, civility, decorum, and morality: perhaps, indeed, there is no other town of equal extent in Spain, nor on the continent of Europe, where the women are fo generally chafte and virtuous as in the metropolis of Arragon. To Frenchmen and manners they have long been as averle as they are partial to the English; and in 1805 only two miferable French knife-grinders (the ufual employment of French adventurers in Spain) were to be found in that city, while an English fhoemaker was vifited and refpected by all claffes of people. The population of this city, including the convents and country-feats, in its environs, amounts to about 48,000 perfons. The ftreets are tolerably regular; but, with two or three exceptions, rather narrow and filled with fhops, which present the most pleafing pictures of industry, content, and competency: they are miniature manufactories, in which almost every kind of apparel, and the neceffaries of life, are made with confiderable neatness and even elegance. Zaragofa poffeffes but one fmall theatre, which is not always well attended; but it fapports an hofpital and a workhoufe, which for judicious arrangements, comforts to the fick or poor, and productive industry, do honour to Spain, and would be admired even in London. Like all the large towns in Spain, it is surrounded with a wall, but it has nothing which can be called a fortification. It is fituated at the junction of the little river Huerva and the Ebro; over the latter there is only a bridge of ftone, the wooden one formerly exifting being now totally destroyed; these rivers, however, tend to defend at least two fides of the city: the convents alfo, which are on its fouth-west de, being large buildings, might add fomething to its means of

defence. It contains two cathedrals; the first, an admirable Gothic building, is called the Afeu (which may fignify purity, and is dedicated to San Salvador, the Holy Saviour), and the next is the celebrated church of neuftra Senora del Pilar, our Lady of the Pillar, The tradition respecting this church is, that when St. James was at Zaragofa, the Virgin appeared to him while at prayer, standing on a column or pillar in the clouds, and ordered him to erect a chapel in that city. In confequence of this miraculous mandate, a grand church has been built, in which a statue of the Virgin, standing on a jafper column about 5 feet high and 9 inches thick, and holding the infant Jefus on her arm, is the chief object of pious adoration. This church divides the ceremonies and honours of the regular cathedral, All the churches of Zaragofa are well decorated with fome exquifite paintings, by Francis Ximenes, John Galvane (a native of Arragon), and the Portuguese Claude Coello (whose works are chiefly in fresco), and others. This capital can also boast of its academy for the arts, its agricultural and economical fociety, and several other ufeful institutions, which combine all the advantages of the arts and fciences without their oftentation. For thefe improvements it is no little indebted to Senor Azaza, who was many years ambassador both in Holland and Rome; but its chief and best friend has been the illuftri ous Captain General, whose knowledge and tafte for the fine arts, as well as the fciences, have contributed to enlighten the people of Zaragofa, and raise them far fuperior to the greater part of the provincial towns of France. His Excellency has vifited every country in Europe, and fpeaks nearly all the European languages, and among them the English, better than many French priests after paffing eleven years in this country he is alfo a diftinguished amateur, and has manifefted confiderable talent in painting in water colours, particularly flowers: his generous ardour for improvement, indeed, has rarely been equalled in any country, and certainly never furpaffed. Many private gentlemen, indeed, as well as prefbyters and profeffors in the univerfity of that city, understand English very well, and even have fmall libraries of English books, which they have procured at an immenfe expence and trouble. The inhabitants of Zaragofa and Arragon, in general, are fuch as one would choose for friends, and for every office where dignity of deportment, fincerity, benevo ́lence, and inflexible integrity, are indifpenfible or defirable.

Route from ZARAGOSA to BARCELONA and Perpignan in France, -To Alfinden 3, Villafranca de Ebro 2, Ofera 2, Venta de St. Lucia 2, Bujaralos 3. Candafnos 3, V. de Fraga 2, Fraga 2, Alcaraz 3, LERIDA 2, Beloch 2, V. de Fondorella 2, Villagrafa 3, CIRBERA 3, Porcarifes 3, Igualada 3, Piera 3, Martorel 3, Molin de Reis 14, BARCELONA 2, = total 50.

Barcelona is one of the prettjeft towns in Spain, and the country around it is the only part which really resembles England, by the numerous country feats with which it is covered. There are several very fine streets in this city, and fome good, buildings; but in general there is a tendency to littleness, which does not appear in other parts

of Spain. The whitenefs of the town, and the numerous factories in and about it, give it a brilliancy and intereft not elsewhere experienced. Several of its public buildings are almost covered with marble; but they all want grandeur of dimenfion. The Catalonians are among the hardiest and most laborious people in Europe; they are not remarkable either for wit or fenfibility, and their inflexible integrity too often partakes of obftinacy rather than elevated rectitude: they are, however, honeft, induftrious, excellent mechanics, fond of good eating and drinking, but feldom or never to excefs; they are harth and fevere, yet not without generofity and beneficence, and in almost all cafes they appear to be actuated by prudent good fenfe.

Route to Perpignan by San Andres 1, Los Hoftals 2, La Roca 2, Linares 1, Sanfeloni 2, Hoftabrich 2, Mallorquinas 2, GERONA 4, Medina 1, Vila de Muls 2, Figueras 3, Hoftal Nuevo 1, and Junquera 2 (the laft place in Spain), Bellegarde 1 (the first place in France in the Pyrennees), Boulou 1, and Perpignan 3, = total from BARCELONA 30 leagues.

From BARCELONA to VALENCIA 55 leagues. To San Climen 3, Villafranca de Panades 41, Vendrele 3, Tarragon 5, Combrilis 3, Hospitalet 3, Parillo 4, Tortofa 4, Uldecona 4, Benicarlo 4, Torreblanca 4, Cattillon de la Plana 5, Almenara 4, Murviedro 1, VALENCIA 4.

Route from VALENCIA to MURCIA 33 leagues. To Almufafes 3, Alcira 2, San Felipe 4, Mogent 4, Fuente de la Higuera 2, Villena 3, Elda 3, Elche 4, Orihuela 4, MURCIA 4. From Valencia to Alicante, paffing by San Felipe and Elda, it is 26 leagues. The town of Murcia, and capital of the province fo called, is but small, and does not contain twenty-five thousand inhabitants, although fituated in one of the most beautiful and fertile plains in the world, and justly denominated a garden (kuerta). There are few fine buildings in Murcia, except the cathedral, the front of which exhibits one of the pretty fpecimens of Grecian architecture which abound in the fouth of Spain, whilft the aifles prefent a strange mixture of Gothic ornaments, and the fingularly abfurd device of a huge chain of hewn ftone made to pass round one of the chapels, as if to tie it from running away from the body of the church! The very extensive building used as a filk factory, however, is an object of real curiofity and intereft: nearly five hundred perfons are generally employed in the various departments of attending and feeding the worms, collecting the filk-pods, and winding and otherwise preparing the filk for the different manufactures. The machinery of this factory far furpaffes any thing of the kind in France, and has often excited the furprise and aftonishment of Frenchmen, who, in Spain, affect to know every thing. To this moft peaceful and tranquil city that celebrated statesman, Count de Florida Blanca, has retired, and his fmall fquare house is one of the neatest, plaineft, and most like the English, of any in Murcia: he fpends, however, a confiderable part of his time in the convent of the Auguftines, and generally fups with the monks, and fleeps there three or four nights in the week; he

ufually walks alone; looks ftill, as if he could command or govern nations; carries his cane always either fwinging loose, or grasped tight by the middle. His countenance and phyfiognomy are not less fingular than his habits; and the extreme length of his nofe and chin would excite our rifibility, did not his eyes and forehead advertise us of the prefence of a very fuperior man. His ftature is of the middle fize, meagre, but fufficiently ftout and mufcular; he is taciturnous and extremely referved, yet polite, and obliging: he has been remarked, ever fince the French revolution, for an attachment to England, and for every thing English. The people of Murcia have neither the wit nor vivacity of the Valencians, nor the extravagant and romantic imaginations of the Andalufians, ftill lefs the Grecian elegance of the Granadeans: they are, however, a fteady well-meaning people.

Route from Madrid to BADAJOS and LISBON.-From the gate of La Vega to Moftoles 3, Cafa Rubios 4, S. Silveftre 4, El Bravo 4, Talavera de la Reyna 4, Venta Peralvanegas 4, Calzada de Oropefa 4, Navalmoral 4, Almarraz 2, Jaraicejo 4, Trugillo 2, Puerto de St. Cruz 3, Miajadas 3, San Pedro 5, Merida 3, Lobon 5, BADAJOS 5, total 63 leagues. To Elvas (in Portugal) 2, Eftremoz 6, Venda del Duque 3, Arroyolos 3, Montemor 3, Vendas Novas 4, V. dos Pegoens 3, Aldea Gallega 5, and across the Tagus to LISBON 3, total 32 from BADAJOS (which is a very strong fortress) and 95 from MADRID.-N. B. V., or Venta, Spanish, and Venda Portuguefe, fignifies an inn, which is generally from 6 to 12 miles from any village or other house.

A LATE TRAVELLER IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ANTIJACOBIN.

THE WOLF, THE FOX, THE SHEPHERD AND HIS DOG:

A FABLE.

ONCE upon a time a ftrong and faithful Shepherd's Dog kept in fafety his master's flock amidst the pleafant vallies, fertile plains, and wide mountains, of a romantic and luxuriant ifland. When he was first appointed to this important truft, the flock was much annoyed by the continual enmity of two ferocious and dangerous foes; one of them an old favage blood-thirty Wolf, who feemed to take delight in deftroying the sheep, more to fatisfy the cruelty of his nature than the cravings of his appetite; the other, equally to be dreaded, was a fly, cunning, and defigning Fox, whofe wiles it was even more difficult to guard against than the more open attacks of the Wolf.

Now, though they were both thus enemies to the theep, yet were they, if poffible, ftill greater enemies to each other; for whenever they happened accidentally to meet, when making their attempts upon the flock, they never failed to quit the common object, and begin with the mott favage and unrelenting fury to abufe and tear each other: the Fox, though much the weaker, frequently contrived by his ftratagems on thefe occafions to come off victorious. The Dog, however,

foon proved more than a match for them both, and fucceeded at different times in feizing and dragging them before his matter, the good old Shepherd, who, being of a mild and gentle disposition, and an enemy to the shedding of blood, contented himself with drawing their teeth, and rendering them incapable of materiaily injuring the theep in future. From this time there appeared a confiderable change in the conduct at least, if not in the nature, of both the Wolf and the Fox; for they conducted themselves much more peaceably towards the flock, though their enmity towards each other feemed to abate nothing of its rancour. A long time thus pailed in peace, the good old Shepherd granting them one indulgence after another; till, at laft, he treated them as well as his own theep, and called and confidered them his children.

At length the Fox came to the Shepherd, and told him that he did not fee what right the Dog had to monopolize the care of the flock; that he thought himself as capable in every respect as the Dog to take care of them; and that not.fuffering him to have at least his share, was making a very partial and unjust distinction. The good old man could fcarcely believe his ears, he was fo amazed at his affurance and ingratitude: at length he told him, that, fo long as he continued to behave himself peaceably and orderly, he should continue, as he had long done, to treat him with kindness and affection; but that he must not attempt to moleft the Dog, or interfere in any degree in the office affigned to him, fince he was by nature and education particularly adapted to it, as was fully proved by his long and faithful fervices. The Fox went away much difcontented, and from that time he appeared to have become the warm friend of the Wolf; they were frequently feen ftanding together fide by fide, like two young colts, catching fleas upon each others buttocks, though it was obferved that the Fox often looked as if he could like to give the Wolf a fy nip nothing, however, but compliments continued to pafs between them.

"My dear friend, Mr. Wolf," faid the Fox one day, when they were met together," this old tyrant does ufe you very cruelly: you are older than this favourite brute of his; you have been longer on the island, and have a greater right to the care of the sheep than he has: furely, then, there can be no reason on earth why you should not have at least a fhare with him."-" True, my dear Mr. Fox," the Wolf rejoined," there certainly can be no reafon whatever; nor are you, though younger, one jot lefs qualified for the office than this monopolizing beaft; and if I do come in for a fhare, I make no doubt but, with the aid of your abilities, we fhall foon have the whole between us."-" Not long between us," muttered the Fox to himself.

It was not long after this converfation that the Fox again fet off to fpeak to the Shepherd, to whom he reprefented, in very moving terms, the great hardship which the Wolf fuftained, and begged that HE, at leaft, might not be deprived of his right; and that, as he was not now foliciting any thing for himself, he trufted that the Shepherd would at leaft acknowledge the disinterestedness of the motive. The good old