content, therefore, for a time to be Secretary of Legation. If the world thinks I ought to be minister, so much the better; the world honors me, but I do not degrade myself. I have the same feeling in this respect that I have always had on points of precedence; I care not who takes the lead of me in entering an apartment, or sits above me at table. It is better that half a dozen should say why is he seated so low down, than any one should casually say what right has he to be at the top. So much for these objections. *

[To Ebenezer Irving, Esq.]

MY DEAR BROTHER:

* *

ALHAMBRA, July 25, 1829.

* * * While I was balancing in my mind what route to take for England, a young English gentleman, by the name of Sneyd, arrived here, bringing letters of introduction to me. He appears to be well bred, well informed, and of highly prepossessing appearance. Fortunately, his plans require him likewise to be in London about the end of August, and he had marked out a route for himself precisely the one I most wished to take, but which I had felt unwilling to travel alone in this sultry season, where one must travel much at night, and be more exposed to robbers, &c. We have agreed to travel together, therefore, and shall set off in the course of three days. Our route lies through the Mediterranean provinces of Spain; viz., Murcia, Valencia, Catalonia, &c., some of the finest and most interesting parts of the peninsula. We enter France at Perpignan, and go from thence to Montpelier, up the Rhône to Lyons, make a little detour to Geneva and from thence direct to Paris. It is a wonderfully interesting route; I only regret that we have to travel rather rapidly and in so sultry a season.

To Peter he writes, July 28th:

I have just received your letter, covering that of Edward Livingston, Mr. Van Buren, &c. I leave Granada this afternoon at five o'clock in a kind of rumble tumble called a Tartana, on two wheels. We put in mattresses on which we lounge, and knock our heads together; but it is better than travelling on horseback in this hot weather. I am now about to run the gauntlet along the Mediterranean provinces, and if I get out of Spain without being robbed, I shall really consider myself remarkably fortunate. The great part of our baggage, however, goes on by Corsarios, who are numerous and well-armed. Your affectionate brother,

WASHINGTON IRVING.

CHAPTER XXIV.

DEPARTURE FROM GRANADA-LAST LOOK OF THE ALHAMBRA-JOURNEY IN A TARTANA-UNEXPECTED CIVILITY OF THE DUKE DE GOR-ROBBER MEMENTOES-SPANISH TRAVELLING-MOURNFUL FATE OF HIS TRAVELLING COMPANION-FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF DIPLOMATIC LIFE AT LONDON-BARGAIN IN AMERICA FOR MOORE'S LIFE OF BYRON-TWO LETTERS FROM MOORE ON THE SUBJECT-NEWTON-WILLIAM E. WEST-DETERMINES TO ESCHEW LITERARY DRUDGERY, AND GIVE DIPLOMATIC LIFE A TRIAL-RESOLVES UPON A LIFE

OF WASHINGTON.

TWELVE days after his departure from Granada,

Mr. Irving writes as follows from Valencia to Henry Brevoort:

I had intended writing to you from the Alhambra, but the time for my departure arrived before I had half finished with my correspondents. I cannot express to you how sensibly I feel the interest you have taken in my late appointment. I am gratified that my brothers consulted you concerning it, as I know you to consider my affairs both with brotherly feeling and with knowledge of the world. As it appeared to be the general wish of my friends that I should accept this appointment I have done so; but I assure you when I took my last look at the Alhambra from the mountain road of Granada, I felt like a sailor who has just left a tranquil port to launch upon a stormy and treacherous sea.

* **

I left the Alhambra on the 29th July, after having passed between two and three months there in a kind of oriental dream. Never shall I meet on earth with an abode so much to my taste, or so suited to my habits and pursuits. The sole fault was, that the softness of the climate, the silence and serenity of the place, the odor of flowers and the murmur of fountains had a soothing and voluptuous effect that at times almost incapacitated me for work, and made me feel like the Knight of Industry, when so pleasingly enthralled in the Castle. of Indolence.

* *

I set out for Granada on my long journey for England in company with a young Englishman, Mr. Ralph Sneyd. He is an Oxonian, and well bred, intelligent, and amiable. We have made our journey to this place in a kind of covered cart called a Tartana, drawn by a mule. In this we put two mattresses, on which we lolled as we were trundled along the mountain roads at the average of about twenty-eight miles a day. The heat of the weather at this season of the year made it unadvisable to travel on horseback, and as it was, we were obliged to lie by several hours during the heat of the day, and travel very early in the mornings and in the evenings.

To his brother Peter, he writes six days before from Murcia, when only about two hundred miles on his journey:

Our Tartana resembles a covered English market cart. ** It is the most lounging mode of travelling I ever knew. We walk a great part of the way where the road is pleasant and good. Our journey has been through a mountainous, sunburnt

* *

country, wild and solitary, with here and there little valleys of great verdure and luxuriance, contrasting strongly with the general sterility. In the course of our journey I met with unexpected marks of the kindness and friendship of the Duke of Gor. Within a league of Guadix a carriage was waiting for us in which was the administrator of the duke's estates in that neighborhood. He conducted us to the duke's house in Guadix, which he informed us was at our command as long as we chose to remain there. Several canons of the cathedral and other persons of the place called to see us in the course of the evening. Ices and other refreshments were served us, and an excellent supper prepared for us. Sancho Panza would have considered himself in paradise in such an abode, but we left it about daybreak, and proceeded to Gor, a small village from which the duke takes his title. It is situ ated in a little green valley at the foot of lofty and rocky mountains. Here we passed the heat of the day and dined in the old family castle, now almost a ruin and inhabited as a farm house by one of the administrators of the duke, who had received orders to entertain us. I was extremely gratified by these marks of attention of the duke, as he had said nothing to me on the subject.

I have been unexpectedly pleased with Murcia, of which I had heard nothing. It is situated on the banks of a little river, in the midst of delightful gardens and orchards, filled with the finest southern fruits, with here and there lofty palm trees to give an oriental character to the scenery.

*

Two days later, August 6th, he writes to Peter from Alicant:

VOL. II.-18