Afr. Jacob's Letters from Spain. 
The researches of the committee into the 
“ancient records have been very diligent ; 
‘and, in addition to the precedents col- 
‘lected, they have invited to the investi- 
gation of the’subject, many of the most 
intelligent public bodies in the kingdom. 
With all this appearance of preparation, 
it is generally believed that the Junta 
will do all in their power to prevent the 
Cortes from assembling. ‘They know 
that, as sdon as the convocation takes 
‘place, their power will be annihilated ; 
and they feel unwilling to return to that 
ebseurity from which nature never de- 
signed them to emerge. 
IT must do justice, however, to some 
individuals of this body, who are known 
to be very sincere in their-endeavours to 
assemble the representatives of the nation, 
‘JoveLianos is one of this number, and 
‘I believe Don Martin Garay, who gave, 
as a toast, when we were dming at Lord 
Wellesiey’s, on the anniversary of the 
-king’s accession, *‘ a speedy assembling 
-of the Cartes of Spain.” As Don Mar- 
tin appears a man of little finesse, I be- 
lieve that he was sincere in the sentiment, 
and not merely flattering his noble host, 
who is known to have urged the measure 
“very strougly. 
~The ladies at the house of the countess 
seldom engage at the card table, but 
form small parties for conversation ; and 
‘do not appear to be at all discomposed 
‘by the tobacco-smoke ‘puffed in their 
faces from the segars of the men. There 
4s a coarseness of manners among the 
shigher ranks very visible in these parties, 
and language sometimes passes which in 
‘other countries would lead to serious 
‘consequences. To calla man a liar, or 
even to take him by the nose, would not 
there produce a duel, nor perhaps be 
ahought of the next day ; the point of ho- 
‘nour isnot observed, and there 13 1n con- 
sequence none of that delicate sensibility 
owhich characterises gentlemen in England. 
Abstractedly considered, the appeal to 
“single combat cannot be justified } but 
when all the circumstances of society 
are considered, it is probable that more 
‘benefit than evil may have arisen from 
the practice. We owe to it in England 
‘much of that gentlemanly feeling which 
neither gives, vor will receive, an ‘insult, 
-vand that.regulation of the passions and 
temper which, next to intellect, is the 
best charm of good society. L-cannot 
‘also but think, that the practice of due). 
ding bas had a tendency to prevent assas- 
“Bimation, by putting even the horrid pas. 
mm © se ehhte hoo j ; 
ee 4 
‘61s 
‘sion of revenge under the regulation of 
the laws of hosour. ‘ 
General Virues has introduced me to 
the house of the Marchioness Calzado, 
where the play is for smaller syms, and 
where the company are gratified with 
music and patriotic songs. Lhis lady és 
the daughter of Don Antonio.de Ullva, 
one of those Spaniards wha were occu- 
pied, jointly with some French mathe- 
maticians, in measuring a degree, of lon- 
gitude at the equator, im order to deter. 
mine the figure of the earth, in the years 
1740, 1741,and 1742. After construct- 
ing triangles on the high mountains of 
Peru, the party separated, mutually dis- 
gusted; Condamine returned to Europe, 
by descending the river- Amazon, which 
crosses the whole continent. of South 
America; while Ulloa passed. through 
Pern and Chili, . He has given the world, 
in the account of that voyage, and in his 
** Noticias Americanas,” more informa- 
tion respecting those parts of the globe, 
than-is to be found in the works of any 
other author. -The Marchioness is a 
charming woman, and is universally es- 
teemed; her society is more select than 
Villamanriques; but here too the men 
smoke, and the only lady I have seen in- 
dulging in that practice was at this house: 
this is so common with the men that it 
ceases to be disgusting, but I cannot re- 
concile myself toa segar in the mouth 
of a woman, and I believe it is a very 
uncommon sight, even in this country. 
Imet at the house of Angulo, an ad- 
vocate of eminence, where General Vi- 
ruesresides,a party of a different descrip. 
tion, chiefly composed of persons who 
have escaped from Madrid; and,as those 
who aprive daily, naturally associate wih 
their former friends, the latest informa. 
tion from that city is to beacquired here. 
All who have recently left that capital 
give shocking accounts of the conduct of 
the French and_ the severe sufferings of 
the Madrilenos. The public places are 
deserted, and the theatre and the Paseos 
left to the French officers. No lady 
ventures out of her house, and few. men, 
who walk in the streets, are bold enough 
to recognise or speak to any of their ac- 
quaintance whom they may chance to 
meet; the houses of the nobility are 
stripped of the plate; andthe furniture, 
from the wantof purchasers, is consumed 
for firing; or.is wautonly destroyed, The 
tradesmen. are starving, «nd the clergy 
turned out to beg where no one hasany 
thing to. bestow. A gendeman whom L 
r met 
