VALENCIA.--JOURNEY TO BARCELLONA.
Bridges, River, Convents; prevalence of Religious Bigotry; Moorish
Remains; Beggars, and the cause of their abundance in Valencia; the
Archbishop; the University; Academy of Fine Arts; the Cathedral and
its Tower; the plain of Valencia and its productions; Rice Grounds
and their produce; produce of Silk, and Silk Trade; export of
Fruit; prices of Provisions; Pictures; Valencia Society; the Ladies
of Valencia; the port of Valencia; Paseos; Valencia Tiles; Journey
to Murviedro, (the ancient Saguntum); Convento de los Reyes;
Murviedro, its Fortress, and Ruins of Saguntum; an Arrest; a visit
from the Alcalde; Journey to Tarragona; pleasing Scenes; Catalunia;
Catalunian industry and its causes; Tarragona, its Antiquities and
Cathedral; Provincial Dialects; sorting of Nuts, and the Nut trade;
Journey to Barcellona, and arrival.
When I had dispatched my introductory letters, I sallied, as usual into
the street, and accident brought me to one of the bridges across the
Guadalaviar, called Puente del Mar. The river sometimes fills its
channel, a channel so wide, that some of the bridges have as many as
thirteen arches; but I saw only an inconsiderable rivulet not much
larger than the Manzanarez, as it flows through the bridge of Toledo at
Madrid. I believe, however, the apparent scantiness of the stream is
partly owing to its being diverted in numerous channels to water the
plain. The view from any of the bridges over the river is fine, for a
handsome line of irregular buildings follows the curve of the river, and
the bridges one beyond another, and the great Moorish gates, give an air
of grandeur to the scene. Almost all the conspicuous buildings seen from
this point are convents; these add much to the external beauty and
effect of the great Spanish cities; and few are more favoured in this
respect than Valencia, for it contains no fewer than twenty-seven
convents and monasteries for men, and twenty-two for women; and these,
with sixteen churches, and twenty-four chapels and hermitages, amount
altogether to eighty-six religious edifices. No wonder, therefore, that
the streets abound in friars and priests, and that the influence of the
religious bodies should be great in Valencia. Bigotry is not upon the
decline here among the mass of the population; and whether for the sake
of appearance, or from sincerity, religious observances are strictly
practised by the inhabitants of all classes. I have not seen in the
convents and churches of any town in Spain so great a number of persons
at devotion as in those of Valencia. I several times attempted to enter
the Dominican convent to see some pictures that I understood adorned the
walls of the church; but though the Dominican church be one of the
largest in Valencia, I always found the floor entirely covered with
kneelers, not scattered, but so crowded, that it was impossible to wade
among them. My apartment in the hotel was opposite to the gate of the
cathedral, and there too a constant stream poured in and out. In
Valencia, as in Toledo, tokens of faith and devotion are affixed to the
doors of the houses; but in place of the “ave Maria purissima” of
Toledo, engravings are seen pasted upon the doors in Valencia,
representing different passages in the life of our Saviour; and I
noticed upon some of the houses paintings, or at least daubs, as large
as life, of Christ taken down from the Cross, the Crucifixion, &c.;
crosses, the same as we meet with upon the highways, are seen in many
parts of Valencia affixed to the walls of the houses. But these do not
all, though many do, point out the place marked by a deed of murder.
Several of them record examples of sudden death,--probably of some
well-fed canon, or other dignitary, who dropped down dead from repletion
or apoplexy.
Valencia is one of those cities in which traces of Moorish dominion are
the most visible,--not in any splendid Alhambra or Alcazar, but in
every-day sights and common objects. Independently of the great wall and
fine Moorish gates, one observes, in walking through the streets of
Valencia, many smaller signs of other days and ancient masters. Gateways
are occasionally seen sculptured in marble upon Moorish designs; stones
over the doors, or underneath the windows, shew, by their chiseled
marks, their ancient fashioner. Looking one day accidentally through the
open window of a house near the cathedral, I was surprised to see an
arabesque roof, gilded like the halls in the Alhambra of Granada and the
Alcazar of Seville; and if, from these inanimate objects, we turn to the
population, we shall also find among them equally strong traces of
former connexion with the Moors. All the Moorish tokens which I have
already mentioned, as distinguishing the population of Seville, Malaga,
and San Felipe, are found in even greater distinctness in Valencia.
It is impossible to stir out of doors in Valencia, without being beset
by beggars, and by others also more decent in appearance, resembling
work-people: the latter are those persons who were formerly engaged in
the silk manufactories, but who are now thrown out of work by the
diminished trade that followed the loss of the colonies. As for the
common beggars, I can only attribute their abundance in Valencia to the
easy relief which they find at the convents. Formerly, throughout every
part of Spain, the convents fed the poor, and fed idleness at the same
time; but now, with the exception of the poor orders of friars, who
still continue to give alms, this practice has been discontinued; and to
this improvement, for I cannot call it by a better name, I am inclined
to refer the fact, that in those cities which were formerly the most
distinguished for the numbers of beggars by whom they were infested, I
found few: and when in Valencia, I saw every street swarm with them, and
every door beset by them; and when I learnt that this city was an
exception to the rest of Spain, inasmuch as almost every one of the
forty-nine convents distribute indiscriminate charity, it was impossible
to avoid the conclusion, that this had the effect of encouraging
idleness, and beggary along with it. In Valencia, every idle person is
sure of his dinner; and he endeavours, by begging, to supply himself
with a few of those superfluities which the convent does not provide for
him.
The church dignitaries, and the archbishop, give nothing to the poor.
The revenues of the archbishop amount, at present, to about 17,000_l._
sterling per annum--an immense sum for Spain--and whatever part of this
sum he can spare from his own expences, he employs in the erection and
endowment of convents. It is only a year ago, since he endowed a new
convent at the port of Valencia, the erection of which cost him forty
thousand dollars--almost half a year’s revenue. Short-sighted man!
twenty years more, and no trace of his ill-directed generosity will
remain; but it is possible, that the wealth which he destines to
maintain a corrupt system, to foster idleness, and dim the light of
knowledge, may, before half a century pass away, be directed into other
channels, and be employed in disseminating truth, and supporting useful
institutions. Let us hope that it may be so.
The opportunities of instruction for the youth of Valencia are
considerable, though greatly narrowed by the regulations which affect
every seminary of learning throughout Spain. When I visited Valencia,
the university contained nearly two thousand five hundred students;
these were chiefly divided between law and philosophy. Theology here, as
in Toledo, commanded but few disciples; not more than eight or ten
attending a course. The professors of the different branches of
knowledge, with the exception of law, are friars; and the salaries
amount to about six thousand reals per annum--the law professors
receiving more than double this sum. Education here, may be said to be
gratis: formerly, the students, at entry, paid no more than four
quartos; now, they pay three dollars at entry, and one dollar every
succeeding year: but even this is next to free instruction. Among the
_estudiantes_ there are many paupers, who go regularly every day to one
or other of the convents to get a basin of soup; and when vacation
arrives, they beg their way home. One of these passed me on the road
between San Felipe and Valencia; he had perhaps not heard of the royal
order for closing the universities; and having travelled to Valencia,
and found the university shut, he was no doubt returning home. His dress
was scarcely removed from rags; he had a patched brown cloak thrown over
his shoulder; a cocked hat; and a sack,--probably containing his books,
and some provisions,--slung across his back.
Instruction in the fine arts is also provided for in Valencia; and as
this seminary is not affected by the imbecile policy of the government,
and has escaped the superintendence of jesuits and friars, its results
are more successful. I visited this institution one evening, and found
much to please, and a little to surprise me. In one room I found
fourteen pupils engaged in drawing the same figure, a Venus, a cast from
the antique, which was placed upon a pedestal on one side of the room;
and the pupils were ranged before it in a semicircle, so that owing to
the different position from which each pupil saw the object, every
drawing exhibited a different view of it. From this room I passed into
another, where sixteen pupils, of a maturer age, were employed, some in
drawing, others in modelling from a group intended to represent despair;
the group was composed of real figures,--two men, entirely naked,
standing upon an elevated platform. The stillness of the men was so
perfect, that they might have been mistaken for statues; but for that
hue of flesh and blood, which marble cannot imitate; and which at that
time, strongly reminded me of the painting of Murillo and Velasquez.
This drawing from nature has been lately revived; it was discontinued
for some time, owing to the great difficulty in finding persons who
were willing to assist the views of the institution; but lately, high
remuneration has produced its usual results. The drawings appeared to be
in general, executed with spirit and fidelity. In still another room, I
found fourteen students of agricultural design. The institution is
decidedly flourishing, and finds many disciples. In a large hall which I
did not see, because before I had satisfied my curiosity in the other
rooms, the hour of dismissal had arrived, there are no fewer than three
hundred pupils of a tenderer age, who are there instructed in first
principles, and in drawing separate parts of the human body. The school
of Valencia has always maintained its reputation, and from time to time,
has produced many great painters; among others Españoletto, Juanes, and
Ribalta; and among the living painters, Lopez, and the author of “the
famine in Madrid,” are both of this school.
I was not a long time in Valencia before I visited the cathedral, which
is a pleasing and elegant structure of Greek architecture in the
interior; but in many parts of the exterior, and in some of the
chapels, displaying the Gothic style. It contains abundance of fine
marble; and at the back of the choir, twelve bas reliefs in alabaster,
representing our Saviour’s passion, will engage for a while, the
attention of the passer-by. I noticed only three good pictures; one, a
descent from the cross, by Murillo, but not in his best style, “the
Adoration of the Shepherds,” said to be also by Murillo; and “the
Baptism of Christ,” by Juanes. In the sacristy, and in the
chapter-house, there are also two or three pictures by Ribalta, and one
by Juanes, of singular merit. I was also shewn some of the relics, an
arm of St. Luke, one of “the Innocents,” and a picture of the Virgin, by
St. Luke, who, if we are to credit the keepers of the relics in almost
every church, both in Spain and in Italy, has multiplied to a great
extent, these specimens of his art. The cup out of which our Saviour
drank at the last supper, is too precious, and too sacred, to be gazed
upon by heretical and unbelieving eyes.
After satisfying my curiosity in the cathedral, I ascended the tower.
The view of the plain is superb. Though not greener, or more beautiful,
than the vale of Murcia, its immense extent, and great populousness,
produce a more striking effect. I should guess the extent of the plain
to be little less than thirty miles long, and twenty wide; on three
sides it is bounded by the mountains, and on the fourth, by the sea; and
throughout the whole of this vast extent, there is not an acre that does
not produce its crop of grain, or vegetables, or rice. The olive, the
mulberry, the ilex, the algarrobo, the orange tree, and the palm, with
all of which the plain is thickly dotted, give to it the appearance of a
union of garden and orchard; but the populousness of the plain is even
more striking than its beauty and fertility. I counted in it no fewer
than forty-two towns and villages, and sixty-four spires of churches and
convents, exclusive of the sixty spires and towers of the city. The
plain, the towns and villages, the mountains, the sea, the city, and the
line of coast terminating in the hill of Murviedro (the ancient
Saguntum), formed altogether a prospect, that in richness and
animation, cannot be equalled in any other country.
The plain of Valencia produces every kind of crop that is congenial to
the climate; two and three crops in the year are taken from it; and the
greater part of the land returns as much as eight per cent. The rice
crops are among the most valuable in this plain; they are chiefly found
in the territory of Albufera, surrounding the lake of the same name; the
nearest part of which is distant from Valencia about two leagues. This
was the property first proposed to be granted to the Duke of Wellington;
but the Cortes of Valencia objected to it; and the estates near Granada
were substituted. The rice grounds produce only one crop in the year;
but the return is from eight to ten per cent. The rice is put into the
ground in June, and cut in September,--water is then let in upon the
ground,--and when the stubble rots, the land is ploughed up; and no
other manure is required. In Valencia and its neighbourhood, rice is in
universal use by all classes; but the produce is much greater than the
consumption of the plain; and the surplus is exported to the different
ports of Andalusia. The whole produce is estimated at twelve million of
arrobas (three hundred million of pounds), one half of which at least is
exported; and the average price may be taken at fourteen reals, about
3_s._ the arroba, nearly 1½_d._ per pound; but the best rice for
exportation is one dollar the arroba. The neighbourhood of the rice
grounds is extremely unhealthy, being pregnant with all those maladies
that originate in exhalations from stagnant water; for rice is sown in
water, grows in water, and rots in water.
The other chief produce of the plain of Valencia is the mulberry, once
the source of great riches, through the silk manufactories of the city.
This trade had been declining for many years; first, the French invasion
was the means of destroying the mulberry trees; and then, the loss of
the colonies, to which the silks of Spain enjoyed an exclusive trade,
gave the death blow to this source of wealth. The first blow was
remediable, for new plantations now cover the plain; but when these
began to be serviceable, the second severer blow rendered them almost
valueless. At present, the silk manufactories of Valencia do not employ
one twentieth part of the hands that were needed, previous to the loss
of the colonies; for these silks cannot compete in the foreign markets
with the manufacture of France or England. The only manufactured silk
that continues to bear a remunerating price, is the damask, and rich
silks used in religious ceremonies. The produce of silk from the plain
of Valencia, is computed to be about one million of pounds; by far the
greater part of which is exported in its raw state; and the average
price is from forty to fifty reals per pound (8_s._ to 10_s._).
The export of fruit from Valencia is large, particularly of raisins;
these are of two kinds, the muscatel, and an inferior raisin,--but
neither are equal to the raisin of Malaga. These, like the lexia of
Malaga, are used in England for puddings, confectionary, and wine; but
since the introduction of cape wine into England, the manufacture of
raisin wine has greatly decreased; and with it, in some degree, the
export of raisins from Spain. This, however, is still very large. In
the year 1829, 47,000 quintals of the best, and 42,000 quintals of the
inferior raisin, were exported from Valencia;--in all, eight million
five hundred and forty-four thousand pounds of 12 ounces. This export
was exclusively for the English market. These statements I make upon the
authority of Signor Trenor, the chief exporter of fruit from Valencia,
and who has access to the export tables. The export of figs, oil, and
wine, from the province and different ports of Valencia, is also
considerable, particularly the latter, which is called _Beni Carlo_, and
is exported from a town of the same name, lying considerably to the east
of Valencia. This wine is sent chiefly to _Cette_, from whence much of
it finds its way to Bourdeaux, by the canal of Languedoc, to give body
and colour to the clarets.
The huerta of Valencia belongs, for the most part, to great proprietors;
and many of the Grandees own estates in it. The Duke of Medina Cæli has
a revenue of seventy-five thousand dollars per annum from his estates in
the huerta. The families of Villa Hermosa and Benevento have almost as
much; and in fact, there are very few persons who labour upon their own
land. This is another explanation of the poverty that every where
obtrudes itself in the midst of abundance. The price of labour is
generally about three reals, and provisions are by no means remarkably
cheap, considering the situation and advantages of Valencia. Beef is
twelve quartos the pound of eighteen ounces, mutton seventeen quartos,
pork a little more; a wild duck costs 10_d._ These are found in immense
quantities on the lake of Albufera, a fowl costs 1_s._ or 1_s._ 3_d._
Wine, owing to the dues upon entry, costs in the city, three times its
price in country; but bread is the dearest article in Valencia,
notwithstanding the abundance of wheat: this is owing to a combination
among the bakers, who are well known to bribe the corregidor not to
interfere.
There are few good pictures in Valencia; I looked for them in the
convents, but found scarcely any; and the only tolerable private
collection is up five pair of stairs, in a remote alley in the house of
a Peruquier. He has an extraordinary number of pictures,--some
originals, but more copies: one picture by Alonzo Cano, and another by
Juanes, are, however, sufficient of themselves, to repay the labour of
mounting to the gallery of the peruque maker.
Society in Valencia differs little from society in other Spanish cities
of the south. Many persons of high rank and great wealth, reside in
Valencia; but they live without any display, and many of them even
shabbily, sending to the wine shop for two bottles of wine, and to the
cook shop for a stew. Among the middle classes, the Tertulia is
universal; but its monotony is usually relieved by music and dancing. I
had good opportunities at Valencia, of judging of the manners of the
Valencian women; and I found among them, that agreeable vivacity--that
ready wit--that perfect freedom from affectation--and that obliging
disposition, which render them the most charming triflers in the world;
and the graces of music and dancing, in which they almost all excel,
greatly heighten the pleasure one finds in their society. But in
Valencia, more than in any other city, I was struck with the absence of
that mental cultivation, without which, vivacity, wit, and even good
temper, must fatigue, or become insipid. I need scarcely say how much I
was surprised, when one day showing a lady the beautiful sketch of the
Alhambra, from which the engraving in this work is taken, she said,
“what is the Alhambra?” It is a curious fact, that in Valencia society,
professional men are not to be found. Neither law nor medicine carry
with them any respectability in that city: I could obtain no explanation
of this; but perhaps there, as elsewhere, riches are the best passport
to society; and I was informed, that the fees paid to medical men are so
low, that not one physician in Valencia makes 100_l._ per annum.
On the Sunday before I left Valencia, I walked to the port, which is
situated about two miles distant from the city. Passing towards the
bridge, I met a religious procession issuing from one of the churches,
carrying with it the pope’s bull, published that day in every church of
the city, granting permission to eat animal food during the approaching
Lent: this resource of the papal exchequer, I should think fast
declining. A fine broad avenue leads in nearly a straight line, from
Valencia to its port, which is but an insignificant place, with a
harbour, suitable only for boats; and a roadstead very ill protected
against a south or south-west wind. The view from the end of the pier,
laid open the whole reach of that wide bay which lies between Cape St.
Antonio and the high lands in the neighbourhood of Propesa; but,
excepting the charm of a calm sea, there was little more to attract.
Between the port and the city, the country on both sides of the avenue
is laid out in vegetable gardens, for the consumption of the town. At
this season,--the month of December,--every kind of choice vegetable was
seen upon the table, particularly cauliflower, and green peas, which I
ate in the utmost perfection at Valencia.
The paseos of Valencia are scarcely proportionate to the greatness of
the city; but indeed, every road from Valencia is a paseo, because they
all lead through its beautiful plain, and are all skirted by trees,
close enough planted to afford a sufficient shade. The captain-general,
too, kindly throws open his garden, which is remarkable for its
profusion of flowers, its myrtle bowers, its acacias, and its
orange-trees, which I saw there for the first time as a wall-fruit. I
counted no fewer than sixteen in one cluster.
I have several times spoken of “Valencia tiles,” which, in all the
cities of the south of Spain, are used for floors; and are not only
highly ornamental, but most appropriate to the climate. In Valencia,
these tiles are, of course, more universally in use than elsewhere,
owing to their greater cheapness; but the best qualities are expensive,
even when bought at the manufactory. I saw there a very large
assortment, varying in price according to the design, from two to six
reals; and when it is considered that the squares are not more than nine
inches, it is obvious, that to cover an extensive suite of apartments
with these at 1_s._ a-piece, must be greatly more expensive than the
most sumptuous carpet. A good workman, employed in painting the tiles,
earns as much as a dollar per day.
I now prepared to leave Valencia. There is a diligence twice a week to
Barcellona; but, being desirous of visiting the site of the ancient
Saguntum (now Murviedro), I resolved to make only partial use of the
public conveyance. Accordingly, having hired a tartana, I left Valencia
after an early breakfast, and took the road to Murviedro. About half a
league from Valencia, stands the _Convento de los Reyes_, one of the
richest in Spain; and leaving my little vehicle at the gate, I applied
for leave to see the interior, which was immediately accorded by a very
civil, and even courteous monk, who accompanied me through the building.
In a former chapter, when speaking of the riches of the convents, I
referred to this, and mentioned the conversation that passed between the
friar and myself; I need not, therefore, repeat it here. The chief
distinction, however, of this convent, is the collection of manuscripts
which were bequeathed to it by the founder, who, along with his
magnificent endowment, enjoined that every day, and for ever, a mass
should be said for the repose of his soul. Among the manuscripts, I was
shown a fine copy of Livy, and many illuminated copies of the fathers;
but the chief treasure is the _Roman de la Rose_, of so early a date as
the ninth century. I was glad to see the friar show something like
enthusiasm in displaying these literary treasures.
Still continuing to pass through the rich vale, we gradually approached
the ancient Saguntum; and passing a thick olive wood, where I observed
two Franciscan friars tending a flock of sheep, we wound round the base
of the hill upon which the fortress stands, and entered the town. One
can scarcely be accused of affectation in saying that this spot, so
connected with the most momentous periods in Carthagenian and Roman
history, cannot be viewed with indifference; and I hastened to leave the
posada and ascend the hill. The hill of Saguntum, about a mile and a
half long, and less than a quarter of a mile broad, is now surmounted by
a modern fortress; but mingled with its walls, and covering other parts
of the summit of the hill, and strewing its sides, the ruins of the
ancient Saguntum are every where visible. The most entire among these
ruins, though quite a ruin, is the theatre; parts of the outer walls are
still standing, and the seats hewn out of the rock, are likely to
remain for ever. I ascended to the summit by a steep ascent, but by a
good road, constructed from the town to the fortress, where I was
admitted after a little hesitation. Even if there had been no vestige of
antiquity here, the view from the summit would have well repaid the
labour of the ascent; for the wide, rich, and populous plain of Valencia
stretched before me, bounded, forty miles distant, by the mountains of
San Felipe,--the city in its centre; the sea, almost washing the foot of
the hill, spread towards the south, bounded by the horizon; while to the
north and east, ruins spread over the fore-ground, backed by a range of
romantic mountains; and the coast of Valencia, stretched in a long curve
of green and wooded fertility, till no longer distinguishable from the
waters that laved it.
Whether owing to the length of time I lingered in the fortress, or my
narrow scrutiny of its walls and ramparts, or the rumours of revolution
and refugees, I somehow awakened the suspicions of the non-commissioned
officer on guard; and while looking into a small ruined building that
seemed half ancient, half modern, I was addressed by a soldier, who
said he had instructions to carry me before the governor. I of course
made no remonstrance, especially as I had satisfied my curiosity, and
suffered myself to be marched into the town, and to the governor’s
house, attended by a corporal, and followed by a soldier with his
shouldered musket. The governor had gone to the paseo, and although I
knew that dinner was ready at the posada, I was obliged to wait the
return of this great man. The soldiers desired me rather roughly to wait
in the open yard; but I took the liberty of knocking at the governor’s
door; and entering his house without leave, I seated myself upon his
sofa to wait his arrival. When he entered the room, I took the first
word, saying it was the most extraordinary thing in the world that an
Englishman, carrying a proper passport, should be marched through the
town like a felon, and detained for an hour, when his conduct had
afforded no ground of suspicion. The governor replied that the soldiers
supposed I was a Frenchman. He looked slightly at my passport, said he
was sorry I had been detained, and I made my bow, well pleased to
return to the posada and to dinner.
But although I had escaped from the governor, the alcalde thought
himself bound, as civil magistrate, to take some cognizance of a
stranger who had attracted the suspicion of the military powers.
Accordingly, while I was sitting after dinner, enjoying my dessert, and
a bottle of excellent wine, two visitors were announced; and the
alcalde, with a sabre buckled round his waist, and with some lesser
insignia of office, and accompanied by a friend, entered the apartment.
He laid aside his sabre, lighted his segar, and then explained the
object of his visit. Strict orders, he said, had been received at all
the fortified towns along the sea coast, to keep a watchful eye upon
strangers, particularly French; and as positive injunctions had been
given by the governor, that no stranger should be admitted within the
fortress, it was supposed I had bribed the soldiers. I answered, that in
the first place I was not a Frenchman; and that in the second place, I
had not bribed the soldiers, unless he considered it bribery to give a
peceta to the person who took the trouble to walk round the fortress
with me. The alcalde then said, that if I was not a Frenchman, that
altered the case; that he knew I had told the governor I was an
Englishman; but that the governor was so short-sighted, that he could
not read my designation, &c., in the passport; and that he (the alcalde)
would be glad to see it. With this request I of course immediately
complied; and the alcalde being satisfied from an inspection of my
passport, that I was, what I pretended to be, buckled on his sabre,
re-lighted his segar, which the importance of his mission had made him
forget; and with an apology for the intrusion, left me to relate the
history of his visit in the next room, where I heard his voice, along
with others, at least an hour longer.
I knew that between Murviedro and Tarragona there was not much to
interest the traveller; and I accordingly resolved to take advantage of
the diligence which passes through Murviedro before midnight, on its way
to Barcellona. I found a vacant place, and rolled onward as fast as
seven mules could carry me. I passed in the dark, through Nules, and
Villa Real; and through a country, as far as I was able to judge,
fertile and well wooded. At the earliest dawn we reached Castellon; but
it was too early to gain admittance to the church of Dominicans, or the
chapel of la Saugne, where there were once, and perhaps still are, some
good pictures by Ribalta, who was a native of this town. By travelling
six hours in the dark, I had also missed the aqueduct of Almasora,
interesting to antiquarians. But this aqueduct being a tunnel almost the
whole of its length, cannot possess any of those attractions which are
allied with the majestic, or the picturesque; and which are the chief
sources of interest to those who do not make antiquities a study.
From Castellon we passed through a fine country, and between immense
fences of aloes, to Venicasi,--an inconsiderable place with a fine
church,--and not long after, we reached Cropesa, whose castle, crowning
the summit of a high rock, and rising out of woods, overlooks the sea.
The castle of Cropesa, which gives its name to a military order, is now
a ruin, having been entirely destroyed by the French. A country, but
partially cultivated, lies between Venicasi and Torreblanca. The rich
carpet of aromatic plants, and the luxuriance of the trees, shew what
the soil is capable of; but the temporal, as well as spiritual
sovereignty exercised by the Bishop of Tortosa, falls so heavily upon
the produce of land, that it is not able to support its burdens; and
therefore lies for the most part uncultivated. Torreblanca, a poor
little place, is undeserving of notice; but Alcala, which lies two
leagues behind it, is a pretty town, remarkable for a magnificent
church, and for the number of its clergy. The dinner at the posada
appeared so little inviting,--the soup covered with oil, and the stew
fragrant with garlic,--that I preferred a stroll through the town, and a
loaf of bread.
The drive along the sea coast, from Alcala to Venicarlo, is singularly
pleasing; the road is generally close to the sea, which is not here, as
we are accustomed to see it in northern countries, bounded by barren
sands, or chalky cliffs; but is fringed by the finest verdure, and
often throws its little impotent waves almost to the roots of the lovely
Algarrobos that bend over it. The sun, too, was getting low; the sea
glittered beneath it, and the crowded trunks of the dark green trees,
were all bright in its beams. Venicarlo, I have already mentioned as
famous for its exported wines; but there is also a wine made for
consumption, which I tasted as we changed mules, and found it so
excellent, that I filled a small wine-skin with it, which I borrowed
from the conductor. The chief produce of the country between Venicarlo
and the river Ebro, after the vineyards cease, is the Algarrobo. In this
part of Spain, the bean is bought of the owner at sixteen reals three
quarters the quintal; and I was informed, that a good bearing tree will
produce about four quintals and a half: this, however, I can scarcely
credit. The produce of a single tree would, in that case, be worth
15_s._; and a forest of Algarrobos would therefore be the most
productive of all lands. It was dusk before we reached the confines of
Catalunia, and the bank of the Ebro,--here a very different stream from
that which I had crossed at Miranda, where it divides old Castile from
Biscay. The river, at Amposta, is about three hundred yards wide,--less
than might be expected from a river which runs so long a course as the
Ebro,--and within so short a distance of the sea. We crossed in a boat,
and walked to the venta, which is about a mile distant from the bank.
Here we remained all night; but the entrance to Catalunia was rather
discouraging. Although the diligence was expected, no supper had been
provided, nor was there any thing in the house that could be converted
into a supper. I was forced to be contented with a cup of chocolate; and
the night being cold, and the fire bad, I was glad to escape to bed.
We were now in Catalunia, which in its accommodations, in the industry
of its inhabitants, and in the perfect security with which it may be
travelled in every part, has the advantage over all the other provinces
of Spain, with the exception, perhaps, of Biscay. It is not, however,
more, but perhaps less interesting to the traveller, for these very
reasons; if the accommodations on the road are better, they are more
like other countries, and therefore less novel; if there be no danger
from robbers, there is less excitement; and as for the industry of the
Catalunians, industry, although always a pleasing spectacle, possesses
no novelty. Catalunian industry does not arise from any superior
education, by which men obtain a clearer insight into their moral
duties, and higher views of the human character; on the contrary, no
Spanish peasant is more ignorant than a Catalunian boor; none are more
enslaved by the priesthood; and in no other province, have the
inhabitants shewn so much, their veneration for the apostolical party
both in church and state. The secret of Catalunian industry, is the same
as that which has covered with fertility many an Alpine valley in
Switzerland,--self-interest. Give to the labourers of the earth an
interest,--a property in the land which they cultivate, and the world
would become one wide extended garden. The land upon which the
Catalunian labours, is either his own, or held by him upon a lease,
sometimes for lives, sometimes in perpetuity, with a fine upon
succession or alienation; but at all events, for so long a period as to
invest the tenant with a real interest in the property which he
cultivates.
From the Venta, where we slept, to Tarragona, the road winds among
rugged hills, along the sea shore. I noticed many beautiful heaths by
the way side, but the soil is not rich enough to repay cultivation. At a
venta close by the sea, called Hospitalet, we stopped to breakfast. Soon
after, we entered the plain of Tarragona, almost vieing in fertility
with the huertas of the more southern provinces, and reached the city to
a late dinner.
I had expected much from the antiquities of Tarragona; but I confess
they disappointed me. They possess few of those features which strike or
delight the traveller who is not professedly an antiquarian. When a
Roman amphitheatre is shewn to me, I always think of the amphitheatre of
Nismes; if I look upon an aqueduct, I see placed beside it the Pont de
Gard. The remains of the amphitheatre are little more than visible; the
aqueduct, though fine, is certainly not comparable to that which I have
named; and the tower of Scipio is merely the tower of Scipio. I was
greatly surprised at the ignorance of the inhabitants respecting their
antiquities. The cicerone whom I first engaged, scarcely knew of their
existence; and one group of priests whom I addressed, and another group
of respectable looking men, could give me no information upon the
subject.
The cathedral of Tarragona is worth a visit, particularly the court and
cloisters, which are surrounded by innumerable pillars. The canon who
accompanied me, said they were Roman, but upon one I noticed a
representation of the crucifixion, and upon another the last
supper,--and upon others I could trace Gothic designs. It is possible
that some Roman pillars found elsewhere, may have been conveyed to this
court. The ecclesiastic who walked round the cathedral with me, spoke in
earnest language of the decline of piety; and so deeply did the old man
lament this that, as he laid his hand upon his heart, I saw the tears
start into his eyes.
I was delighted with the posada at Tarragona; the posadero, an Italian,
put forth his utmost skill in cookery, and seeing that I relished the
wine he set before me, which was really excellent, he brought a pint
bottle of choice wine, which he had had eleven years in his cellar. It
proved perfect nectar, and the owner was quite charmed with the praises
I bestowed upon it.
I found it impossible to understand the Catalunian dialect, which is
indeed almost a distinct language,--this is a difficulty that is felt in
all the provinces. The dialects of Biscay, Andalusia, Valencia, and
Catalunia, are all different from each other, and distinct from the
Castilian; the better classes in all the provinces, of course,
understand and speak Castilian,--with certain imperfections in
pronunciation, such as in Andalusia, where _th_ is used in place of _s_,
which gives a softness, but an indistinctness to the language; but the
lower classes, the persons met with in the ventas, and the muleteers,
often speak a dialect that is altogether unintelligible.
I was much pleased at the port of Tarragona, with the operation of
sorting the nuts, which form an important article of export. In one of
the principal warehouses I saw from two hundred to two hundred and fifty
girls, seated upon stools, at a table which extended the whole length of
the room; heaps of nuts lay upon the floor, and men were constantly
filling baskets with these and emptying them upon the table. The girls
drew the nuts towards them by handfuls, and distinguishing, as if by an
instinctive knowledge, the empty from the full nuts, they swept the good
into a basket between their knees, and the empty, they dropped into a
basket at their feet. Nothing can exceed the rapidity with which these
operations are performed; it is really a busy and an animated scene; the
labour employs the hands only, for it is by the touch the quality of the
nut is distinguished; and the mind being disengaged, the constant
prattle and the frequent laughter, give to the scene an appearance
almost of a party of pleasure.
Tarragona is the chief exporting port of Catalunia. Its exports consist
of nuts, almonds, wines, and brandy. The nuts sent to the English market
are known by the name of Barcellona nuts; but they are neither grown
near, nor exported from Barcellona. They are grown more in the interior
of the province, and are all exported from Tarragona. The average export
of nuts from Tarragona is from twenty-five to thirty thousand bags.
There are four bags to a ton; and they were placed on board last autumn
at 17_s._ 6_d._ per bag. The whole of this export is for the English
market. The export of almonds is about twelve thousand bags. From five
thousand to five thousand five hundred pipes of wine are exported from
Tarragona, to Rio Janiero, the Brazils, Guernsey, and Jersey; and of
brandy, about four hundred pipes are exported, chiefly for Cette, and
Cadiz, from which places, it finds its way into the wine butts of
Bourdeax and Xeres. Cork wood, and cork bark, also form a small export
from Tarragona.
I left Tarragona for Barcellona in a small carriage, something better
than a tartana, and two mules, which trotted all the way. The country is
chiefly a wine country; and the road winds among hills, covered in the
lower parts with vines, and higher up, with pine. Numerous villages,
engaged in the wine and brandy trade, are scattered along the shore, but
all of these have considerably suffered from the loss of the colonies.
After passing Vendrill we left the sea coast; and about three leagues
from Barcellona, entered a charming country, covered with romantic
hills,--clothed with fir, and embosoming numerous small and beautiful
valleys; and emerging from these, I found myself in the Huerta of
Barcellona. The approach to Barcellona is less striking than the
approaches either to Murcia or Valencia; nor does the city itself
present so imposing an appearance; but the commerce upon the road,
greatly exceeded what I had seen in the neighbourhood of any other city
in Spain. I reached the gate before dusk, and alighted at the Fonda de
las quatros Naciones.