a more rational manner at the card-table-ence with the los amigos del pais at Madrid; but Besides the ample funds with which these hos- little good has been effected as yet by these pital are provided, they derive also a considerable societies revenue from one third of the net produce of all theatres, and the total produce of all bull bitings, which in the year 1804 amounted to 1,705,151 reals. Besides these two grand hospitals, there are several more in Madrid of a smaller size, namely, the French, Italian, Flemish, Irish, Portuguese, &c. hospitals. In these smaller hospitals every patient has a room to himself— Madrid likewise posseses a lying-in and a foundling hospital, which are equally well provided and administered. A public institution for lending money upon pledges without interest, established in Madrid, is particularly honourable to the Spa- || niards. It is left entirely to the justice and gratitude of the debtor, whether he chooses to pay a small sum, in lieu of interest, on redeeming his pledge. A committee for relieving the wants of the poor is appointed in every parish. Their principal care is directed to relieve such as are ashamed to make their necessity publicly known. The numerous religious fraternities existing in Spain contribute likewise kindly to relieve the neces ities of those that are in distress. Many grandees of the first class are members of these pious associations,

Madrid contains many public libraries. The royal library is the most complete, and open every day. Any one may without difficulty obtain the book he wants; but this library as well as all others, contains very few modern works of eminence. The philosophical writings of the English, Germans, and French, are entirely excluded. A separate apartment is allotted to prohibited books, which are extremely difficult to be obtained. With the royal library there is also connected a very valuable collection of scarce gold and silver coins: it possesses likewise a great number of ancient manuscripts. The royal collection of natural curiosities is extremely rich in minerals. The collection of precious stones is more complete and valuable than any in Europe.

The state of the Spanish universities is very lamen able: they are seminaries of superstition. The number of students at Salamanca once amounted to fifteen thousand; at present it does not exceed four thousand. The life of the students is dissolute in the extreme. The grammar schools are not better than the universities. The Spaniards speak their language with great purity. The Spanish language not being crowded with 100 many "consonants, is much superior in harmony to the French, English, and German, and possesses a more numerous mass of popular songs and ballads thin any other European lan guage Cervantes, Lopez de Vega, Garcilasso, Calderon, Gongora, Boskan, Augustine Moreto, Anthony de Solis, are the favourite authors of the nation They have distinguished themselves by romances, novels, poetry, and plays. Cervantes, besides his celebrated Don Quixotte, has written many works, as novels, comedies, and eight smaller pieces, called entremezes (inter mezzos), which, by their comic spirit, are rendered far superior to his plays. None of his novels are deemed equal to his Quixotte: they are twelve in number, and contain a most faithful and animated description of the manners of his age. Of his plays, twelve only are extant. Angels, devils, and sorcerers, are the leading characters. Cervantes lived and died in poverty, and frequently was on the point of starving. Lopez de Vega and Calderon are the principal Spanish dramatists. Lopez de Vega was born in 1562, at Madrid, and died on the same day with our immortal Shakespeare; a coincidence very remarkable Cervantes, Calderon, and Quevedo, were his cotemporaries. He acquired an immense fortune by his writings, which are uncommonly numerous. He is notorious for having neglected all rules of the dramatic art, a defect which also distinguishes the numerous works of Calderon. He is less original than Lopez de Vega. His Cat-Epopee (Gatomachia) is the most finished of all his works. Augustine Moreto occupies the third rank among the Spanish dramarists. A drama, entitled the Cavalier, is reckoned the most eminent of his compositions. Gongora has written satiric-lyric poems, which are highly valued, but difficult to be understood. The miscellanous poems of Boskan and Garcilasso are much easier. The compositions of the latter are strongly tinctured with a melancholy cast, which is said to have been the effect of many domestic misfortunes. Quevedo has rendered himself famous by his novels and dreams. The prominent characteristic of his writings are a

There are several academies of arts and sciences at Madrid, namely, the royal academy of Spain, and the academies of history, painting, and medicine. The former has published an excellent dictionary of the Spanish language, in six large quarto volumes, The medical academy is the least respected. The academy of painting has of late contributed very much to the promotion of the fine arts in Spain. The lectures on drawing, mathematics, and architecture, are open to all who wish to profit by them. The admission is gratis. No foreigner can obtain the prizes annually distributed by this academy. Agricultural societies are established in several parts of the country. They keep up a constant correspond-satirical wit, original humour, and knowledge No. XX. Vol. III,

D

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Jones. He is, however, closely watched by the inquisition, which has already prevented the publication of the translations of several important works, as for instance, the Encyclopedia and Robertson's history of America. The month

of the human heart. His dreams have been translated into several languages, and frequently imitated. He has also written several works on historical, political, and theological subjects. The most eminent modern authors are, Vego, Sarmiento, Flores, Buriel, and Isla, all of them eccle-ly publications which appear display also many siastics. Isla has written a keen satire upon indifferent preachers, under the title of Historia del famoso preditator fray Gerundio, in which he attempts to reform the Spanish preachers; but his excellent plan was frustrated by the persecutions of ignorant and fanatic priests. Many of the latest writers display a considerable degree of good taste. The most distinguished of them is Yriarte, who has translated several English works, amongst which are, the Spectator, Rambler, and Hume's History; besides some others of the amusing kind, as Clarissa Harlowe and Tom

proofs of an increasing refinement of taste, and enlightened understanding. The best historians of the Spaniards are, Mariana, Solis, and Herreras. None has, however, distinguished himself by a philosophical spirit. Father Isla has written the best compendium of the History of Spain. The Spaniards have done much for typographical beauty. The most splendid works are, Mariana's History and a Translation of Sallust, by the Infant Don Lewis. The price of the latter work is an ounce of gold.

SINGULAR FASHIONS.

to put their girls in possession of this singular accomplishment, the mothers fasten strong rings round the legs of their female infants, below the knee, and above the ancles, which they wear all their life. These rings, obstructing the free circulation of the blood, force it to extend that part of the leg which they confine; whence the calves attain a most astonishing size, which affords to these Indian belles a charm whose all-conquering

THE rage of fashion is not confined to the female sex in Europe alone; it extends its fantastic sway over the whole globe; and proud as our fashionable belles may be of their refinement in dress, we may venture to assert, without fear of contradiction, that they will never succeed in eclipsing the inventive genius which the fair-ones in the interior of America display in the disposal of their attire-though it consists of nothing else but the skin with which kind nature has furnish-power no young Indian gentleman is able to

ed them.

No female Indian in America would be so indecent as to go abroad naked; the women in the interior of America being invariably compelled, by the tyranny of custom, to appear in public completely dressed, which they perform by besmearing the whole body with oil, and painting on it a great variety of figures in different colours; and travellers protest, that when thus arrayed they appear to great advantage at a distance. Another article of their dress consists of large teeth of fishes, suspended from their ears, which hang down to the shoulders, the tips of them being pierced by their mothers in their earliest infancy, and the holes gradually extended so much, that a hand might pass through. They wear rings in their nostrils, which hang down to the upper lip, a necklace composed of monkies teeth, and bracelets consisting of shells; ornaments which render them objects irresistibly bewitching in the eyes of the young men of taste and fashion.

The women of a certain Indian nation in America consider a very bulky calf to the leg as one of the greatest personal charms, and in order

resist. The beaus of the ladies with these bulky calves wear enormous wigs made of feathers, which in size completely correspond with the protuberant charms of the belles. An assembly of this nation, consisting of naked men with enormous wigs of feathers, and of girls with calves of such an unnatural size, must exhibit as ridiculous a sight as a party of French ladies and gentlemen of fashion in the 16th century, when the former wore enormous artificial posteriors stuffed with horse-hair, and the latter bellies of an astonishing size, consisting of cushions filled with

husks.

The Achaguas reckon it one of the most charming ornaments to wear large artificial whiskers, covering one half of the face, and uniting on the chin. These whiskers are so durable that nothing is capable of removing them. The mother takes a fish's tooth as sharp as a lancet, tattooing with it the figure of a pair of whiskers on the lips, cheeks, and the chin of the child, and after having wiped off the blood, rubs the incision with a black powder, which produces the figure of a pair of whiskers never to be effaced.

same occasion in the eastern countries. The ancient Romans are known to have taken a gentle emetic during dinner, in order to make room for an additional quantity of victuals, a custom of which the fashionable world at Vienna are likewise accused by several travellers, though we have great reason to suspect that this charge is utterly unfounded, and nothing but the effect of a foolish desire of saying something new, though at the expence of truth.

SABINA;
OR,

MORNING SCENES IN THE DRESSING-ROOM OF A ROMAN LADY. [Continued from Vol. II. Page 128.]

Scene VI.-Droso fetches the Robes; Washing of Hands; View of the Wardrobe and of the Apartments of the Slaves; Presses for Clothes; Shoes; the Tunic.

wale flies back to the wardrobe, and ccompanied by two other maidens brings the Domina's dress But let us first attend the swift footed stove into the wardrobe apartment. situated in the left wing of the house, near the rooms of the weav r, the embroiderers and the fford our dress-makers, and which promises to curiosity for a few moments abundant gratification.

pellation, and were called nestiplice (folders of clothes) As etiquette torb de the Roman lads of distinction to appear in public in any other costume than that appropria ed to matróns, excepting the purple flounce, and the stripes of gold in the tunic, this dress admitted of no other colour than write for the upper garment, and no other material than the bey woollen or halfsilk; and no pains were spared to give these

and brilliancy of which they were susceptible. For this purpose they used particular presses, beneath which the clothes were kept, till they were taken out for use. Before they w re put into his machine, they were folded with the greatest care, and this practice was also extended to the garments of the men of Rome, when they became as effeminate as the women. From this employment then these slaves received their appellation, and in this apartment we observe several presses and smoothing machines, for the above mentioned purpose In the exquisitely polished chests ranged round the room contained all the treasures of our Domina's wardrobe. The inscriptions afford some idea of the multiplicity of the garments kept here, for Sabina in private parties of pleasure was fond of imitating the coloured fancy dresses of feinales of easy virtue, and had a distinct wardrose for each particular festival and for every

are

Figure to yourself the back part of the spaci-white garments the highest degree of smoothness ous place where Sabina resides, swarming like an ant's nest with slaves of both sexes, who have no other employment than by the exercise of every kind of art and profession to supply in the cheapest manner every want of the Domina, to gratify her every whim however impracticable it may appear. Here a whole wing is divided partly into small chambers in which the female slaves are obliged to make a wretched shift, and par ly into larger rooms where certain occupations require the joint labouts of many. The firs: apartment backward is the spinning and we ving room. This we may know rom the singing of the industrious weavers and spinners; for thus these poor creatures who are obliged to work late and early in order to execute their allot.ed tasks, beguile their tedious 1 bour. The spinners are sup intended by a very severe task mistress, and some of them by the commands of he Domina are even compelled to do a double portion of work as a punishment Near them are the weavers who are employed in weaving a kind of fine muslin after a new pattern for a summer dress for the Domina. Formerly in the more virtuous and happy days of Rome, the mistress of the family occupied herself in spinning and we ving in the great hall, in the mids of her female slaves. This practice had however been relinquished long before the days of our Sabina ; and it was regarded as mere affecration in the Empress Livie, that she was determined to make all the ordinary clothes won by her husband, the Emperor Augustus. Now a Roman lady of fashion had scarcely time to revise the accoun's of her overseer once in a decade, and to give her a new pattern for a torment to her wretched spin.

ners and weavers.

season.

"Dorcas!" cried the half breathless Droso, as she entered the apartment containing the wardrobe, to one of her companions, "make haste and get ready the train with the flounce festooned with pearls! The Domina has chosen that dress for the day!" Dorcas had fortunately received an early intimation from Kypassis, and had already sewed the purple train decorated with pearls, to the most beautiful new and brilliant white tunic. The other garments has long been ready; and the little troop of clothes-folders instantly set off with the different parts of the Domina's dress carefully laid over their arms, and carried them, exhaling the most costly perfumes into Sabina's dressing-room. Karmion had just put

on the feet of her mistress the shoes of the finest white leather, paying par icular atten

*Though in Ovid's Art of Love and other poets, we find mention made of as many different colours for ladies clothes, as there are among the

The next apartment is occupied by the dressmakers. Though a rich Roman lady might perhaps purchase the most costly stufs of Syrian and | Alexandrian merchants, they were always made up by her own slaves kept in the house for that particular purpose. Close to this was the apart-patterns of modern times; it should not be ment of the embroiderers, of whose skill and ingenuity we shall soon see a specimen; and next came the room containing the war robe itself, where some slaves especially employed there, awaited with eager expectation Dr so's return. These females had also a peculiar ap

forgotten that they are speaking only of that class of dressy and good-natured females who were called at Rome, libertine, and not of matrons, who wore no other coloured stuffs than gold and purple, unless they chose wantonly to degrade themselves.