collegiate church, a market-hall for the sale of silk, a Plaza del Toro, some hospitals, a number of convents, and several delightful promenades.

The railway now leaves behind the mountainous tract, and enters upon a well-cultivated country. It is this part, with Andalusia, that the Moors called the "Paradise of the West." The climate is superb, and the whole country very fruitful-rice, wheat, barley, pepper, citrons, oranges, olives, and palm-trees growing in great luxuriance. Passing several places which call for no particular mention, we reach

VALENCIA (318 miles) (Hotels: de Paris, del Cid, Madrid, Francesca), population, 146,000. This is a large and beautiful city, the capital of the province of the same name, situated on the banks of the Guadalaviar. It is the see of an archbishop, the residence of a captain-general, and the seat of a University. The city is almost circular in form, and surrounded by walls, which were built in 1356, and are still in a tolerably perfect condition.

Valencia has regular and frequent steam communication with all the Mediterranean ports. The climate is delicious. The Cardinal de Retz called this region the most beautiful garden in the whole world. It has been, in turn, the favourite of the Roman, the Goth, and the Saracen-to the last of whom it owed its chief increase and magnificence. As a seat of learning in the best days of Mahommedan Spain, Valencia ranked second only to Cordova. In the 11th century it was wrested from the Moors by Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar, surnamed the Cid. He maintained his conquest to the close of his life, when the Christians were obliged to abandon the place, taking with them the body of

their deceased lord. It was borne on a litter, attended by the entire garrison marching in procession, before which the astonished Moors, not aware of the Cid's death, opening a passage, fled. During the 13th century, Valencia again fell to the Christians. King James of Arragon, joined by a body of French led by the Bishop of Narbonne, besieged the city; and at length the Moors, reduced by famine, were compelled to surrender it.

THE CATHEDRAL (called La Seo) has been greatly injured by modern additions. It occupies the site of a Roman temple of Diana. It became a church under the Goths, and a mosque under the Arabs. The octagonal steeple, called El Miguelete, is 130 feet high. The interior has three vaulted naves, supported by pillars with Corinthian capitals. One side of the choir is encrusted with alabaster, and adorned with splendid paintings of subjects taken from Scripture history. The Cathedral possesses an immense quantity of relics and beautiful ornaments; also some curious old documents and liturgies, including an English missal said to be from Westminster Abbey.

Amongst the churches worth visiting are those of San Martin, with a noteworthy statue over the door, of the saint on horseback, parting his cloak in order to give alms to the poor, and in which are some fine paintings; San Nicolas, formerly a Moorish mosque; Santa Catalina, an ancientmosque, with its light and elegant tower; Santos Juanes,containing fine frescoes and marbles; San Salvador; San Andres, containing some good paintings; and San Juan del Hospital, where is the tomb of the Empress Constance-Augusta, of Constantinople, who took refuge in Spain, and died there. Va

The

lencia possesses many convents, the most important of which is that of the Temple, an ancient Moorish palace, transformed into a convent by the Templars. Amongst the many public establishments the most important is the Colegio de Corpus, founded in 1586, and finished in 1605, by Archbishop Juan Ribera. The chapel of the college should be visited during the service on Friday morning, at 10. interior is purposely darkened, and the service is very interesting. The picture above the high altar is removed by invisible machinery, and the vacancy is supplied in turn by several sombre veils, of different colours, till at length appears the representation of the Crucifixion-a superb specimen of carving in dark wood. During all this time the Miserere is chanted by the choir.

Valencia possesses several hospitals, and a University with a library of 40,000 volumes. The Museum, formerly a convent, possesses many pictures, the best being those by the Spanish masters; one being a modern painting of Don Quixote and his trusty servant Sancho, by a young Catalan artist, named Serran. This picture gained the prize at the Exhibition in Madrid, in 1867, and was bought by ExQueen Isabella, and presented by her to this Museum. The Casa Consistorial contains some good paintings.

The promenades are very fine. The most agreeable are the Glori eta, a charming garden, planted with flowers and trees, where a military band plays every evening; the Alameda, at the entrance to the city; the Botanical Garden; and the Queen's Garden, noted for the beauty of its fruits and flowers. Some fine houses round the city possess excellent gardens.

Valencia is a place of commercial importance, and has a fine harbour. Very curious and primitive public vehicles are here used, called tartanas, a kind of covered cart without springs.

Valencia was the first city in Spain where a printing office was established. In 1808 the inhabitants exhibited great spirit in rising against the French. Three hundred French were massacred at the citadel, where they had taken refuge. Marshal Moncey besieged the place, but was compelled to raise the siege.

In 1812 the city was retaken by Marshal Suchet, who was named the Duke of Albuféra, from a lake in the neighbourhood. The Valencians signalised themselves in 1835 by an insurrection; in 1836 by a fresh outbreak; in 1838 by a sanguinary tumult. In 1843 Valencia began the military insurrection which restored the kingdom to the Queen mother, and gave to the chief of the movements, General Narvaez, the title of Duke of Valencia.

Argamasilla de Alba (1083 miles). The village of this name is some distance from the station. The place has received some notoriety from being reported as the spot where Cervantes wrote the first chapters of his celebrated romance. The house was occupied some years since by a printer of Madrid, M. Ribadeneira, who turned it into a printing-office, and issued from thence a very fine edition of "Don Quixote." We obtain a view of the mountain range of the Sierra Morena as we approach.

Manzanares (123 miles), (Hotel: Et Parador), population, 9250. This is a pleasant, well-built town, with a modern Gothic stone church. (A branch line turns off to Ciudad Real.)

The country around is very delightful and fruitful. Extensive vineyards will be seen on the approach to Val de Penas (1344 miles), population, 11,500. This town is celebrated for the wine which bears its name.

La Venta de Cardenas (167 miles). This neighbourhood is famed as being the scene of Don

stone platform above the river, there is a monument to the Archangel Raphael, the guardian of the city.

There are some fine promenades and fountains.

On leaving Cordova the railway proceeds in a straight line across the magnificent plain which surrounds the great Moorish city.

Almodovar (290 miles), population, 1400. Behind this town is an ancient castle, built by the Moors, some parts of which still remain in a tolerable state of preservation. The principal tower is about 125 feet high. There are four other mutilated towers. The view from the high tower extends an immense distance across the country, and, in one direction, to the Sierra Morena.

Lora del Rio (321 miles), population, 5000. An ancient Roman city, surrounded by hills. In this neighbourhood, on the Monte de Sete Fillas, is a chapel dedicated to the Virgin, and containing an image to which miraculous powers are attributed. This chapel is visited once a year by the whole population, which is the occasion of a grand fête.

We cross the Guadalquivir before reaching Carmona (333 miles), population, 18,200, an ancient Moorish city, built on the summit of a hill which overlooks the plain, and surrounded by the ruins of its fortifications.

This city is remarkable for the number of its Roman and Moorish remains. The Gate of Carmona is a monument of the massy workmanship of its Roman colonists. It is thought to be of the time of Trajan, and in some parts it has been injudiciously repaired in the modern style. Among other antiquities there is a beautiful Roman temple. Carmona commands a view of an extensive country covered with olive-trees,

and producing abundance of wheat of the best quality.

SEVILLE (3563 miles), (Hotels: see "HOTEL LIST.") Population, 152,000.

Admirably situated on the banks of the Guadalquivir, in the midst of a fertile plain, this ancient city is defended by walls more than a league in circumference.

Seville ranked the first of the four Andalusian capitals - the most extensive city in the kingdom; and it was a favourite saying of the old Andalusians, that whoever had not seen the famous city had not seen a wonder.

Under the sway of the Moors, it attained its highest degree of prosperity and power; and the surrounding country had the appearance of one vast garden.

Seville was the chosen residence of one of the first conquerors of the Goths-the celebrated Muza, who laid the foundation of its splendour and prosperity. The modern city is divided into thirty parishes; it has eighty-four convents, and twenty-four hospitals. Seville has retained its ancient character-its narrow, winding streets and fine houses presenting more the appearance of a Moorish town than many others in Spain.

The modern houses, of two or three storeys, have a pretty appearance, painted in light blue, pale yellow, pale rose colour, or grey. Most of them have miradores projecting glazed balconies, ornamented with flowers and elegant drapery.

Many of the inhabitants have patios, or inner courts, which are generally separated from the street by halls paved with white and black marble, and closed in, from the halls, by exquisitely. worked iron grilles. All round the patio is a colonnade, along which is a gallery which forms