LISBON. 25 



paratively mean streets and bumble buildings, and made 

 way for the more Hpacious thoroujj^lifares and more im- 

 posing; houses by which they were replaced : so tliat, as it 

 JH.an ill wind that blows no good, oven that dire catas- 

 trophe, the earthquake, might assume to itself the boast 

 of the Roman Emperor Augustus, * Where 1 found a city 

 of brick, I liave left a city of marble.' 



As during the few weeks of my sojourn in Lisl>on, I 

 spent a considerable portion of each day in rambling uver 

 the 'tity and was never tired of exploring its faithest 

 corners, I made myself tolerably familiar with many of its 

 details, as well as its general aspect. For the latter, one 

 has but to climb to one of the many commanding positions 

 which abound at all points, and the whole city lies mapped 

 before you. Conspicuous amongst these elevations stands 

 the Castello de S. Jorge ; and it is well worth the labour 

 to thread the narrow streets which lead to its summit, 

 for the sake of the view of the older and more eastern 

 portions of the city which nestle beneath the protection of 

 this fort. Possibly the enterprising traveller ^Yho pene- 

 trates some of these uninviting streets may demur to the 

 character for cleanliness which I have ventured to impute 

 to Lisbon : but then it must be remembered that an 

 exception proves the rule, and also that this portion of 

 the city was least injured by the earthquake, and so offers 

 the best sample v/e have of the original town. Not, hovv- 

 ever, that in that general catastrophe any part came of? 

 unscathed ; for, I suppose, scarcely a single building 

 escaped scot free, or without more or less injury. At all 

 events the Se or Cathedral, v/hich stands immediately 

 below the castle, and is sliirlitlv raised above this older 



O ■J 



part of the city, was in great degree demob shed by the 

 earthquake, and then suffered still more from tlie fire 

 which burst out amongst the ruins. Whether it had at 

 any time any pretensions to beauty I cannot say, but it is 



