Retrospect of French Lttcrature—Misccllanies. C59 



tircly covered with licath, more cfpeci- 

 allv ill Tra-los-Montcs, which, liowevcr, 

 at icnft conceals tiie aridity ot" the foil. 



" At two Icai^ues from (Johnbra, tlie 

 capital of Beira,- and the fecond city in 

 Portugal, and on the fuiiimit of a lofty 

 luouulain, is built a coment, which at « 

 fliitance refenibles the ueft of ai) ea^^le. 

 Till! Hpproacli to it is on ail lido-; very 

 UK'ianch'jlv,- and the Anchorites wiio in- 

 liiibit this luifcrahlc fpot, appear to be 

 ♦-ntirclv iniblated from ail mankind. Tliey 

 cC'-er dcfcend from their nioiuiflcry, 

 trcrted in the tnidlc of a fohtiule, around 

 which black dentelated rocks are fulpoiiil- 

 ed. Skulls and human bones couiiitutc the 

 fail decorations as yon approach, and ex- 

 kiliit in a innnncr fufficiently enercclir, 

 tiie holy fcorn of the Anchorites for that 

 life, fo fupitive and fo raiferabie, which 

 we every where elfe endeavour to render 

 jray by means of ornaments crjually fri- 

 volous and iilufory. Tiicy have ikj man- 

 ner of connexion or converfation, except 

 with Heaven; for they obierve in regard 

 to themfelves, hke the monks of La 

 Trappe, a perpetual fiiencc ; and tliey 

 never open their mouths uulefs it be in 

 praile of tlie Supreme Being, at their Ipi- 

 ritiia! concerts. 



" Wheu a f£ranp:er has at lonslh ar- 

 riverl at the convene, a fcene not lefs pic- 

 t»irel"que than unexpected meets tiie^eye. 

 Religion has made even the horrible di- 

 liBrtiofmile. All on a ludden you dillo- 

 ver, in the midd of this fohtary retreat, 

 4 thicli? fureft of oak and hr-trees, while 

 you, at the fame time, dil'oover I'everal 

 itrftiuiis of water, the crave and folemn 

 murmurs of whicii refouud iu the ears of 

 tliefo mute Anchorites, who !i\e and die 

 in the esercilii; of the ftrictell peni- 

 tence." . 

 r T/je plains and valleys of Potiunal pre- 

 fmit a diverlity of pictures no kls alto- 

 nilhing than the mountains. Several of 

 the cantons are entirely de(titut<;,of trees. 

 Uiithe banks of the Douro, the Ibil is 

 rocky and iterilc. Tliis coutiried ftream 

 rolls its waves rapidly between Iteep 

 rocks. The Minho and the Tajo, ufually 

 termed the Tui^us bv the Englilh, enjoy 

 a free.' and caUcr couile, while their 

 banks, on both hdes, abound with rare 

 and valuaijlo plants. 



'l'hr<)u;;hout nearly the whole exteut of 

 the kingdom, indeed, the earth is ma;;- . 

 uilicenlly decked out. The Sabor and the . 

 IJaua, rw(» verv pretty firoams, adorned 

 with tiiickcts and majeiiic ^ro\e.s, occa- 

 tiyMally difappear, ou |>.urpofe U> tlovv 



peaceably under bowerB of verdure. . ' 

 . I'he Lmiia, in particuhu', is to tlie futi 

 as nxuch celebrated among the Portu- 

 guelt!, as tile i^i^uon and Uardon among 

 tue i'rencii. 'ihe fields fotiiwcd by thus 

 nver, are ufually the tiieatre on which 

 the romaiiee-wnters of this couuiiy an* 

 accutlonied to place their heroes. 



Pouutauij! of pure water ivfreili the str 

 mofplKjre ot all the provinces of J\>rtugal; 

 while the inierior country of .S^jaii* is iil-- 

 molt totally deprived , of fuch ai precious 

 relburce. lu the province of Beira alouc, 

 no lefs iliaii three tiioutaiid lprin;4s have 

 been reckoned ; hut I he fuddtui incruiile 

 of the rivers often occuhoiis great rjivagca. 

 during the winter, ,i I i ■ > 



" \Ve difcover in this country," fays 

 the author, " an a(ireeahle aiuxiure ot' 

 productions, fome of whicli are not to be 

 met wiih in other piu:t» of' the woriii» 

 TI113 kingdom, formerly called Luhtania, 

 on account of its ulmoad-Uxe-i, cxlubiti 

 liio moll uiaguiliceiit vet;ct4L(on. No^ 

 thing IS comparable to the. beauty of the 

 Portuc,ucfe iandfcapes. In certain vil- 

 lages, the inlr.ibitan'.s live in the ihade o£ 

 the foliage, ivural riches ,'iitcumulale 

 around lliein. Olives, almond-trees, mul-- 

 hemes, and ligs, furrouyd their habita- 

 tions. The elm and poplar, rearipg their 

 lofty heads above the refi, appear like (o- 

 many coluiiins in the middle of groies, . 

 and tend not a Utile tj decorate the ro- 

 mantic Icene. 



" AlmoU in every place, and more 

 efpecially in Beira, li\e hedge?, jiiter- 

 mingled with oak, divide the tields. The . 

 ^ye wanders over green meadows covered 

 With herd:; ot cattle, while vines of about- 

 half u foot in ihicknefs climb around the 

 trees, to the height of from lorty to tifty 

 feet, \n feveral yf the valleys, the orange, 

 the citron, the laurel, and the broom,, 

 compofe thofe enchanting groves, vvhence 

 are exiiqled tlie moft delicate oilours. in \ 

 line, nearly all the fcnfes aia f><tisfied, ■ 

 and man ioliut too forttmate, under thefe 

 uuibiageoiis coverings, and amidlt tlii:j 

 Imiling fcer.c, to live unknown to the rclt . 

 of the uiiiveile, and to pals his days tran- . 

 quiUy, in the enjoyment of fylvan deligltt?-. , 

 The Portugutle tranl'port into the very 

 lieart of thfir cipes, liiofe images of ,iia- , 

 ture, fo gay and fo delightful. They der . 

 corale thoir llreets with tre^s, which fcat- 

 tev their perfumes around, and, ut the 

 fame time, bellow an iiuip;;recii»bie charm , 

 ou the habitations of the tow:nfii)eu, , 



'' In tjiis little kingdom vvaji .planted , 

 tlie lirii oruujje-trce, which the Jel'uits 

 brouiiht . 



