With conquest's well-bought wreath were braver skirts of Ettrick forest. It is known to the English

A belief in the existence and nocturnal revels of

account of the "Fated Chamber" of Don Roderick, as given by his namesake, the historian of Toledo, contrasted with subsequent and more romantic accounts of the same subterranean discove

the fairies still lingers among the vulgar in Sel-give the archbishop of Toledo's tale in the words of Nonius, who seems to intimate (though kirkshire. A copious fountain upon the ridge of Minchmore, called the Cheesewell, is supposed very modestly,) that the fatale palatium, of which so much had been said, was only the ruins of a to be sacred to these fanciful spirits, and it was Roman amphitheatre. customary to propitiate them by throwing in something upon passing it. A pin was the usual oblation, and the ceremony is still sometimes practised, though rather in jest than earnest.

4. the deeds of Græme.-P. 368. Over a name sacred for ages to heroic verse, a poet may be allowed to exercise some power. I have used the freedom, here and elsewhere, to alter the orthography of the name of my gallant countryman, in order to apprize the southern reader of its legitimate sound;--Graham being, on the other side of the Tweed, usually pronounced as a dissyllable.

"Extra muros, septentrionein versus, vestigia Rodericus Toletanus Archiepiscopus ante Arabum magni olim theatri sparsa visuntur. Auctor est in Hispanias irruptionem, hic fatale palatium fuisse; quod invicti veetes, æterna ferri robora claudebant, ne reseratum Hispaniæ excidium adferret; quod in fatis non vulgus solum, sed et prudentissimi quique credebant. Sed Roderici ultimi Gothorum Regis animum infelix curiositas subiit, sciendi quid sub tot vetitis elaustris observaretur; ingentes ibi superiorum regum opes et arcanos thesauros servari ratus. Seras et pessulos perfringi curat, invitis omnibus, nihil præter arculam repertam, et in ea linteum, quo explicato novæ et insolentes hominum facies habitusque apparuere, cum inscriptione Latina, Hispania excidium ab illa gente imminere; vultus habitusque Maurorum erant. Quamobrem ex Africa tantam cladem instare regi cæterisque persuasum; nec falso ut Hispaniæ annales etiamnum queruntur."—Hispania Ludovic. Nonij, cap. lix.

But about the term of the expulsion of the Moors from Grenada, we find, in the "Historia Verdadera del Roy Don Roderigo," a (pretended) translation from the Arabic of the sage Alcayde Albucacim Tarif Abentarique, a legend which puts to shame the modesty of the historian Roderick, with his chest and prophetic picture. The custom of ascribing a pretended Moorish original to these legendary histories, is ridiculed by Cervantes, who affects to translate the history of the Knight of the Woful Figure, from the Arabic of the sage Cid Hamet Benengeli. As I have been indebted to the Historia Verdadera for some of the imagery employed in the text, the following literal translation from the work itself may gratify the inquisitive

reader:

5. For fair Florinda's plunder'd charms to pay.-P. 369. Almost all the Spanish historians, as well as the voice of tradition, ascribe the invasion of the Moors to the forcible violation committed by Roderick upon Florinda, called by the Moors Caba or Cava. She was the daughter of count Julian, one of the Gothic monarch's principal lieutenants, who, when the crime was perpetrated, was engaged in the defence of Ceuta against the Moors. In his indignation at the ingratitude of his sovereign, and the dishonour of his daughter, count Julian forgot the duties of a christian and a patriot, and, forming an alliance with Musa, then the caliph's lieutenant in Africa, he countenanced the invasion of Spain by a body of Saracens and Africans, commanded by the celebrated Tarik; the issue of which was the defeat and death of Roderick, and the occupation of almost the whole peninsula by the Moors. "One mile on the east side of the city of ToleVoltaire, in his General History, expresses his do, among some rocks, was situated an ancient doubts of this popular story, and Gibbon gives him tower, of a magnificent structure, though much some countenance. But the universal tradition is dilapidated by time, which consumes all four es quite sufficient for the purposes of poetry. The tadoes (i. e. four times a man's height,) below it, Spaniards, in detestation of Florinda's memory, there was a cave with a very narrow entrance, and are said, by Cervantes, never to bestow that name a oate cut out of the solid rock, lined with a strong upon any human female, reserving it for their dogs. covering of iron, and fastened with many locks; Nor is the tradition less inveterate among the above the gate some Greek letters are engraved, Moors, since the same author mentions a promon- which, although abbreviated, and of doubtful meantory on the coast of Barbary, called "The Cape ing, were thus interpreted, according to the exof Caba Rumia, which, in our tongue, is the Cape position of learned men:-The king who opens of the Wicked Christain Woman; and it is a tradi- this cave, and can discover the wonders, will distion among the Moors, that Caba, the daughter of cover both good and evil things.-Many kings count Julian, who was the cause of the loss of Spain, lies buried there, and they think it ominous to be forced into that bay; for they never go in otherwise than by necessity."

desired to know the mystery of this tower, and sought to find out the manner with much care: but when they opened the gate, such a tremendous noise arose in the cave, that it appeared as if the earth was bursting; many of those present sickened with fear, and others lost their lives. In order to prevent such great perils, (as they supposed a dangerous enchantment was contained within,) they secured the gate with new locks, concluding, that though a king was destined to open it, the fated time was not yet arrived. At last king Don Ro drigo, led on by his evil fortune and unlucky des

་

We heard the tecbir; so these Arabs call

8. By heaven, the Moors prevail!-the "hristians yield!
Their coward leader gives for flight the sign!
The scepter'd craven mounts to quit the field-

landing. He was joined by count Julian, ravaged Andalusia, and took Seville. In 714 they returned with a still greater force, and Roderick marched into Andalusia at the head of a great army to give them battle. The field was chosen near Xeres, and Mariana gives the following account of the ac tion:

tiny, opened the tower; and some bold attendants God is most mighty) was the original war-cry whom he had brought with him entered, although of the Saracens. It is celebrated by Hughes, in agitated with fear. Having proceeded a good way, the siege of Damascus. they fled back to the entrance, terrified with a frightful vision which they had beheld. The king Their shout of onset, when with loud appeal was greatly moved, and ordered many torches, s0 They challenge heaven, as if demanding conquest. contrived that the tempest in the cave could not The Lelie, well known to the christians during extinguish them, to be lighted. Then the king the crusades, is the shout of Alla illa Alla, the entered, not without fear, before all the others. Mahommedan confession of faith. It is twice used They discovered, by degrees, a splendid hall, ap-in poetry by my friend Mr. W. Stuart Rose, in parently built in a very sumptuous manner; in the the Romance of Partenopax, and in the Crusade middle stood a bronze statue of very ferocious ap- of St. Lewis. pearance, which held a battle-axe in its hands. With this he struck the floor violently, giving it such heavy blows, that the noise in the cave was Is not yon steed Orelia?--Yes, 'tis mine!-P. 370. occasioned by the motion of the air. The king, Count Julian, the father of the injured Florinda, greatly affrighted and astonished, began to conjure with the connivance and assistance of Oppas, archthis terrible vision, promising that he would re- bishop of Toledo, invited, in 713, the Saracens turn without doing any injury in the cave, after he into Spain. A considerable army arrived under had obtained sight of what was contained in it. the command of Tarik, or Tarif, who bequeathed The statue ceased to strike the floor, and the king, the well-known name of Gibraltar (Gibel al Tawith his followers, somewhat assured, and reco-rik, or the mountain of Tarik) to the place of his vering their courage, proceeded into the hall; and on the left of the statue they found this inscription on the wall; Unfortunate king, thou hast entered here in evil hour.' On the right side of the wall these words were inscribed, By strange nations tf.ou shalt be dispossessed, and thy subjects foully degraded.' On the shoulders of the statue other words were written, which said, 'I call upon the "Both armies being drawn up, the king, acArabs. And upon his breast was written, I do cording to the custom of the Gothic kings when my office. At the entrance of the hall there was they went to battle, appeared in an ivory chariot, placed a round bowl, from which a great noise, clothed in cloth of gold, encouraging his men; Talike the fall of waters, proceeded. They found no rif, on the other side, did the same. The armies, other thing in the hall; and when the king, sor- thus prepared, waited only for the signal to fall rowful and greatly affected, had scarcely turned on; the Goths gave the charge, their drums and about to leave the cavern, the statue again com- trumpets sounding, and the Moors received it with menced its accustomed blows upon the floor. Af- the noise of kettle-drums. Such were the shouts ter they had mutually promised to conceal what and cries on both sides, that the mountains and they had seen, they again closed the tower, and vallies seemed to meet. First they began with blocked up the gate of the cavern with earth, that slings, darts, javelins, and lances, then came to no memory might remain in the world of such a the swords; a long time the battle was dubious, portentous and evil-boding prodigy. The ensuing but the Moors seemed to have the worst, till D. midnight they heard great cries and clamour from Oppas, the archbishop, having to that time conthe cave, resounding like the noise of a battle, and cealed his treachery, in the heat of the fight, with the ground shaking with a tremendous roar; the a great body of his followers, went over to the inwhole edifice of the old tower fell to the ground, fidels. He joined count Julian, with whom was a by which they were greatly affrighted, the vision great number of Goths, and both together fell upon which they had beheld appearing to them as a the flank of our army. Our men, terrified with dream. that unparalleled treachery, and tired with fight"The king, having left the tower, ordered wise ing, could no longer sustain that charge, but were men to explain what the inscription signified; and easily put to flight. The king performed the part having consulted upon and studied their meaning, not only of a wise general but of a resolute soldier, they declared that the statue of bronze, with the relieving the weakest, bringing on fresh men in motion which it made with its battle-axe, signified the place of those that were tired, and stopping Time; and that its office, alluded to in the inscrip- those that turned their backs. At length, seeing tion on his breast, was, that he never rests a single no hope left, he alighted out of his chariot for fear moment. The words on the shoulders, 1 call of being taken, and, mounting on a horse, called upon the Arabs,' they expounded that in time Orelia, he withdrew out of the battle. The Goths, Spain would be conquered by the Arabs. The who still stood, missing him, were most part put words upon the left wall signified the destruction to the sword, the rest betook themselves to flight. of king Rodrigo; those on the right, the dreadful The camp was immediately entered, and the bagcalamities which were to fall upon the Spaniards gage taken. What number was killed is not known: and Goths, and that the unfortunate king would I suppose they were so many it was hard to count be dispossessed of all his states. Finally, the let-them; for this single battle robbed Spain of all its ters on the portal indicated, that good would betide to the conquerors, and evil to the conquered, of which experience proved the truth."-Historia Verdadeyra del Rey Don Rodrigo. Quinta impression. Madrid, 1654, 4. p. 23.

7. The tecbir war-ery, and the lelies' yell.-P. 370, The teebir (derived from the words Alla acbar,

glory, and in it perished the renowned name of the Goths. The king's horse, upper garment, and buskins, covered with pearls and precious stones, were found on the bank of the river Guadelite, and there being no news of him afterwards, it was supposed he was drowned passing the river."-MA RIANA'S History of Spain, book vi, chap. 9.

Orelia, the courser of Don Roderick, mentioned is even now enabling them to besiege and retake in the text, and in the above quotation, was cele- the places of strength which had been wrested brated for her speed and form. She is mentioned from them,-is a tale hitherto untold in the revorepeatedly in Spanish romance, and also by Cer-lutionary war. To say that such a people cannot

vantes.

9. When for the light bolero ready stand

be subdued, would be presumption similar to that of those who protested that Spain could not defend herself for a year, or Portugal for a month; but The Mozo blith, with gay Muchacha met.-P. 371. The bolero is a very light and active dance, that a resistance which has been continued for so much practised by the Spaniards, in which casta-long a space, when the usurper, except during the nets are always used. Mozo and Muchacha are short-lived Austrian campaign, had no other enemies on the continent, should be now less successequivalent to our phrase of lad and lass.

10. While trumpets rang, and heralds cried, “Castile."-ful, when repeated defeats have broken the repu

P. 372.

The heralds at the coronation of a Spanish monarch proclaim his name three times, and repeat three times the word Castilla, Castilla, Castilla; which, with all other ceremonies, was carefully copied in the mock inauguration of Joseph Buo

naparte.

11. High blazed the war, and long, and far, and wide.

P. 372.

tation of the French armies, and when they are likely (it would seem almost in desperation) to seek occupation elsewhere, is a prophecy as improbable as ungracious. And while we are in the humour of severely censuring our allies, gallant and devoted as they have shown themselves in the cause of national liberty, because they may not instantly adopt those measures which we in our wisdom may deem essential to success, it might be well, if we endeavoured first to resolve the Those who were disposed to believe that mere previous questions,-1st, Whether we do not at virtue and energy are able of themselves to work this moment know much less of the Spanish arforth the salvation of an oppressed people, surraies than of those of Portugal, which were so prised in a moment of confidence, deprived of their promptly condemned as totally inadequate to as officers, armies, and fortresses, who had every sist in the preservation of their country? 2d, Whemeans of resistance to seek in the very moment ther, independently of any right we have to offer when they were to be made use of, and whom the more than advice and assistance to our independ numerous treasons among the higher orders de-ent allies, we can expect that they should renounce prived of confidence in their natural leaders, entirely the national pride, which is inseparable those who entertained this enthusiastic but delusive opinion, may be pardoned for expressing their disappointment at the protracted warfare in the peninsula. There are, however, another class of persons, who, having themselves the highest dread or veneration, or something allied to both, for the power of the modern Attila, will nevertheless give the heroical Spaniards little or no credit for the long, stubborn, and unsubdued resistance of three years to a power before whom their former well-produced by abusing them in newspapers and peprepared, well-armed, and numerous adversaries fell in the course of as many months. While these gentlemen plead for deference to Buonaparte, and

crave

Respect for his great place and bid the devil Be duly honour'd for his burning throne, it may not be altogether unreasonable to claim some modification of censure upon those who have been long and to a great extent successfully resisting this great enemy of mankind. That the energy of Spain has not uniformly been directed by conduct equal to its vigour, has been too obvious; that her armies, under their complicated

disadvantages, have shared the fate of such as were defeated after taking the field with every possible advantage of arms and discipline, is surely not to be wondered at. But that a nation, under the circumstances of repeated discomfiture, internal treason, and the mismanagement incident to a temporary and hastily adopted government, should have wasted, by its stubborn, uniform, and prolonged resistance, myriads after myriads of those soldiers who had overrun the world-that some of its provinces should, like Galicia, after being abandoned by their allies, and overrun by their enemies, have recovered their freedom by their own unassisted exertions; that others, like Catalonia, undismayed by the treason which betrayed some fortresses, and the force which subdued others, should not only have continued their resistance, but have attained over their victorious enemy a superiority, which

from patriotism, and at once condescend not only to be saved by our assistance, but to be saved in our own way? 3d, Whether, if it be an object (as undoubtedly it is a main one,) that the Spanish troops should be trained under British discipline, to the flexibility of movement, and power of rapid concert and combination, which is essential to modern war, such a consummation is likely to be

riodical publications? Lastly, Since the undoubted authority of British officers makes us now acquainted with part of the horrors that attend in

vasion, and which the Providence of God, the valour of our navy, and perhaps the very efforts of these Spaniards, have hitherto diverted from us, it may be modestly questioned whether we ought to be too forward to estimate and condemn the feeling of temporary stupefaction which they create; lest, in so doing, we should resemble the wor thy clergyman, who, while he had himself never snuffed a candle with his fingers, was disposed severely to criticise the conduct of a martyr who winced a little among his flames.

12. They won not Zaragoza, but her children's bloody

tomb.-P. 373.

The interesting account of Mr. Vaughan has made most readers acquainted with the first siege of Zaragoza. The last and fatal siege of that gallant and devoted city is detailed with great eloquence and precision in the "Edinburgh Annual Regis ter" for 1809,-a work in which the affairs of Spain have been treated of with attention corres ponding to their deep interest, and to the peculiar sources of information open to the historian. The following are a few brief extracts from this splen◄ did historical narrative:

"A breach was soon made in the mud walls, and then, as in the former siege, the war was car ried on in the streets and houses; but the French had been taught, by experience, that in this species

of warfare the Zaragozans derived a superiority flict, the roof, shattered by repeated bombs, fell from the feeling and principle which inspired in; the few who were not crushed, after a short them, and the cause for which they fought. The pause, which this tremendous shock and their only means of conquering Zaragoza was to destroy own unexpected escape occasioned, renewed the it house by house, and street by street, and upon fight with rekindling fury, fresh parties of the this system of destruction they proceeded. Three enemy poured in; monks, and citizens, and solcompanies of miners and eight companies of sap-diers came to the defence, and the contest was pers carried on this subterraneous war; the Spa- continued upon the ruins, and the bodies of the niards, it is said, attempted to oppose them by dead and the dying.” countermines: these were operations to which they Yet, seventeen days after sustaining these exwere wholly unused, and, according to the French tremities, did the heroic inhabitants of Zaragoza statement, their miners were every day discovered continue their defence; nor did they then surrender and suffocated. Meantime the bombardment was until their despair had extracted from the French incessantly kept up. Within the last forty-eight generals a capitulation, more honourable than has hours,' said Palafox, in a letter to his friend ge- been granted to fortresses of the first order. neral Doyle, 6000 shells have been thrown in. Who shall venture to refuse the Zaragozans the Two-thirds of the town are in ruins; but we shall eulogium conferred upon them by the eloquence of perish under the ruins of the remaining third Wordsworth?" Most gloriously have the citirather than surrender.' In the course of the siege zens of Zaragoza proved that the true army of above 17,000 bombs were thrown at the town; the Spain, in a contest of this nature, is the whole stock of powder with which Zaragoza had been people. The same city has also exemplified a stored was exhausted; they had none at last but melancholy, yea, a dismal truth,-yet consolatory what they manufactured day by day; and no other cannon-balls than those which were shot into the town, and which they collected and fired back upon the enemy."

In the midst of these horrors and privations, the pestilence broke out in Zaragoza. To various causes, enumerated by the annalist, he adds, " scantiness of food, crowded quarters, unusual exertion of body, anxiety of mind, and the impossibility of recruiting their exhausted strength by needful rest in a city which was almost incessantly bombarded, and where every hour their sleep was broken by the tremendous explosion of mines. There was now no respite, either by day or night, for this devoted city; even the natural order of light and darkness was destroyed in Zaragoza; by day it was involved in a red sulphureous atmosphere of smoke, which hid the face of heaven; by night the fire of cannons and mortars, and the flames of burning houses, kept it in a state of terrific illumination.

and full of joy,-that when a people are called suddenly to fight for their liberty, and are sorely pressed upon, their best field of battle is the floors upon which their children have played; the chambers where the family of each man has slept, (his own or his neighbour's;) upon or under the roofs by which they have been sheltered; in the gardens of their recreation; in the street, or in the market place; before the altars of their temples, and among their congregated dwellings, blazing or uprooted.

"The government of Spain must never forget Zaragoza, for a moment. Nothing is wanting to produce the same effects every where, but a leading mind, such as that city was blessed with. In the latter contest this has been proved; for Zaragoza contained, at that time, bodies of men from almost all parts of Spain. The narrative of those two sieges should be the manual of every Spaniard. He may add to it the ancient stories of Numantia and Saguntum; let him sleep upon the book as a pillow, and, if he be a devout adherent to the religion of his country, let him wear it in his bosom for his crucifix to rest upon."

"When once the pestilence had begun, it was impossible to check its progress, or confine it to one quarter of the city. Hospitals were immediately established,-there were above thirty of 13. the vault of destiny.-P. 374. them; as soon as one was destroyed by the bom- Before finally dismissing the enchanted cavern bardment, the patients were removed to another, of Don Roderick, it may be noticed, that the leand thus the infection was carried to every part of gend occurs in one of Calderon's plays, entitled, Zaragoza. Famine aggravated the evil; the city La Virgin del Sagrario. The scene opens with had probably not been sufficiently provided at the the noise of the chase, and Recisundo, a predecommencement of the siege, and of the provisions cessor of Roderick upon the Gothic throne, enters which it contained, much was destroyed in the pursuing a stag. The animal assumes the form of daily ruin which the mines and bombs effected. a man, and defies the king to enter the cave, which Had the Zaragozans and their garrison proceeded forms the bottom of the scene, and engage with according to military rules, they would have sur-him in single combat. The king accepts the chalrendered before the end of January; their batte- lenge, and they engage accordingly, but without ries had then been demolished, there were open advantage on either side, which induces the genie breaches in many parts of their weak walls, and to inform Reci sundo, that he is not the monarch the enemy were already within the city. On the for whom the adventure of the enchanted cavern Soth above sixty houses were blown up, and the is reserved, and he proceeds to predict the downFrench obtained possession of the monasteries of fall of the Gothic monarchy, and of the christian the Augustines and Les Monicas, which adjoined religion, which shall attend the discovery of its each other, two of the last defensible places left. mysteries. Recisundo, appalled by these propheThe enemy forced their way into the church; eve-cies, orders the cavern to be secured by a gate and ry column, every chapel, every altar, became a bolts of iron. In the second part of the same play point of defence, which was repeatedly attacked, we are informed, that Don Roderick had removed taken, and retaken; the pavement was covered the barrier and transgressed the prohibition of his with blood, the aisles and body of the church ancestor, and had been apprized by the prodigies strewed with the dead, who were trampled under which he discovered of the approaching ruin of his foot by the combatants. In the midst of this con- kingdom.