goes down into the Pantheon which is illuminated-meet Marquis of who introduces me to the prior, a fat, pleasantfaced man-get permission for Wilkie to go all over the Escurial at all times.

Thursday 25th.-Leave Madrid at seven o'clock with Lord Mahon, Mr. Wilkie, and Peter, for Toledo-in a coach with six mules-arrive at Aranjuez at two o'clock-seven leaguesput up at Posada of Andalusia-visit Palace, Gardens, &c.

October 26th.-Leave Aranjuez at seven o'clockarrive at Toledo at two o'clock-seven leagues.

*

October 27th.-Visit various parts of town-church and convent of Capuchins-* see young monk confessing to -Wilkie much struck with it.

old one

[This visit to Toledo, in the illustrations to the Legend of Don Roderick, is erroneously stated to have been in 1826.]

In the latter part of this year, Mr. Irving would seem from his memorandum book to have been engaged in taking notes for a suite of works he had projected, illustrative of the domination of the Arabs in Spain, and also for a Conquest of Mexico, a theme upon which he had been brooding, but which was destined to employ the pen of another gifted American.

December 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, the record is: "History of the Moors and Montezuma." The last record. of the year is as follows:

Monday, Dec. 31st.-Almanzor-call at Mr. Roberts and get $100-evening at Mr. D'Oubril's till near twelve o'clockreturn home about twelve.

So ends the year 1827-tranquilly-It has been a year of labor, but much more comfortable than most I have passed in Europe, and leaves me in a state of moderate hope as to the future.

CHAPTER XVI.

LETTER TO PRINCE DOLGOROUKI-ENTERS MORE INTO SOCIETY AT MADRID-GAY ASSEMBLAGES-TABLEAUS-WILKIE-HIS DIFFICULTY IN GETTING ADMITTED TO A SIGHT OF FLEMISH PAINTINGS-THE AUTHOR IN THE LIBRARY OF THE JESUITS' COLLEGE-NOTE TO DOLGOROUKI-PUBLICATION OF COLUMBUS BY MURRAY IN LONDON, BY THE CARVILLS IN NEW YORK-ARRANGEMENT WITH CAREY, LEA & CAREY, OF PHILADELPHIA, FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE FOUR PREVIOUS WORKS OF THE AUTHOR FOR A TERM OF YEARS-LETTER TO BREVOORT-DEPARTURE FROM MADRID ON A TOUR THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF SPAIN-LETTER TO MADEMOISELLE BOLVILLER-DESCRIPTION OF THE JOURNEY FROM CORDOVA TO GRANADA-ADMIRATION OF THE MOORS -THE ALHAMBRA-A DESPATCH FROM THE COURT OF LIONS-QUEST FOR THE PORTAL BY WHICH BOABDIL SALLIED FORTH-THE POOR DEVIL GUIDE.

HE letters to Prince Dolgorouki and Mademoiselle

THE

Antoinette Bolviller, which are to follow in this and one or two succeeding chapters, and which give some interesting glimpses of the author's sojourn in Spain, have been collected since his death. Prince Dolgorouki, at the date of these letters, was a young attache of the Russian legation at Madrid, and Mademoiselle Bolviller, a niece of Madame D'Oubril, formed an intelligent and cherished inmate of the domestic circle of Mr. D'Oubril, the Russian minister, whose house became a frequent and favorite resort of Mr. Irving dur

ing his prolonged stay in the Spanish capital. The letters to the latter were procured two years since through the agency of a niece of the author travelling in Europe. The lady to whom they were addressed, and who kindly furnished the copies, was then about retiring for life to the seclusion of an Italian convent. For those of Prince Dolgorouki, who had withdrawn from diplomatic life, and whose present residence was unknown to me, I am indebted to the friendly intervention of Count Adam Gurowski, who most obligingly forwarded my application, and ensured its reaching the party for whom it was destined.

The first letter to Prince Dolgorouki is addressed to him at Barcelona, to which city he had accompanied the Russian embassy during a temporary absence there of the Spanish court.

[To Prince Demetri Ivanovitch Dolgorouki.]

MADRID, January 22d, 1828.

It is very kind in you, my dear Dolgorouki, to write me so long a letter, when your time must be so much occupied, and you have so many correspondents. I am extremely sorry to find your absence so prolonged, and begin to fear I shall see but little of you before my departure for Andalusia. I miss you sadly here, particularly at the soirées where you were so kind as to seek me out in my solitude amidst the crowd, cheering me sometimes with a bon-mot and sometimes with a bon-bon. I would have you know that since your departure I have become one of the most dissipated men upon town; continually at soirées and tertullias; and amongst VOL. II.-12*

(18)

others have at length made my appearance at the Duchess of Benavente's, after having kept away for nearly two years. All this is the doing of Madame D'Oubril, who seemed to think I ought to enter more into society, and what she says I find is law with me. I am but a spiritless being, however, at these gay assemblages; I do not dance; I have not the art of talking to people who do not interest me, and am so diffident of my knowledge of the French language, that I cannot force myself to converse in it in mingled society. I am therefore, a silent, and somewhat lonely person in these crowds; and instead of making new acquaintances, am apt to lose those which I have already made; as the silence and shyness which arise from real diffidence are always prone to be misunderstood.

I

pass

To compensate for these sterile soirées, I have now and then, though at present not often, a domestic evening at your Embassy, ani, what is the summit of my delight, occasionally a dinner entirely en famille. These are the happiest hours in Madrid. I have then all the sweetness of the family circle, undiluted by an inundation of strangers. I only regret my awkward and embarrassed mode of speaking French, which shackles my tongue, limits me to common place, and must render me but a poor addition to the society. I feel in consequence the more sensible of the kindness of this excellent family which overlooks all my imperfections, and shows so much attention to one who can contribute so little to the general amusement. I would not give one of these hours of calm domestic intercourse for all the splendor of the most brilliant rout. It is at these times that the admirable qualities of Madame D'Oubril and Mademoiselle Antoinette appear in their most striking and amiable light. The beautiful children,