ACCOUNT OF BOOKS. 
arches, and laced all through with 
open-work like filigree : the win- 
dows and doors are embellished 
with innumerable figures, admira- 
bly carved in stone, and in perfect 
preservation; the dome ever the 
nave is superb, and behind the grand 
altar there is a spacious and beauti- 
ful chapel, erected by a duke of 
Frejas, who lies entombed with his 
duchess within-a stately monument, 
recumbent with their heads resting 
upon cushions, in their robes and 
coronets, well sculptured in most 
exquisite marble of the purest white. 
The bas-relieves at the back of the 
grand altar representing passages in 
the life and actions of our saviour, 
are wonderful samples of sculpture, 
and the carrying of the cross in par- 
ticular is expressed with all the deli- 
cacy of Raphael’s famous Pasma de 
Sicilia. ‘Vhe stalls of the choir in 
brown oak are finely executed and 
exhibit an innumerable groupe of 
figures : whilst the seats are Judi- 
crously inlaid with grotesque repre- 
sentations of fauns and satyrs unac- 
countably contrasted with the sa- 
cred history of the carved work, 
that encloses them. The altars, 
chapels, sacristy and cloisters are 
equally to be admired, nor are there 
wanting some fine paintings, though 
not profusely bestowed. ‘The priests 
conducted me through every part 
of the cathedral with the kindest at- 
tention and politeness, though mas3 
was then in high celebration. 
» «© When I was on my departure, 
and my carriages were in waiting, 
a parcel of British seamen, who had 
been prisoners of war, most impor- 
tunately besought me, that | would 
ask their liberation of the bishop of 
Burgos, and allow them to wake 
their way out of the country under 
my protection, ‘This good bishop, 
1085 
in his zeal for making converts, 
had taken these fellows ' upon their 
word into his list of pensioners, as 
true proselytes, and allowed them 
to establish themselves in yarious 
occupations and callings, which 
they now professed themselves most 
heartily disposed to abandon, 
and doubted not but I should find 
him as willing to releasethem, as the 
were to be set free. Though I gave 
little credit to their assertions, 1 did 
not refuse to make the experiment, 
and wrote to the bishop in their be- 
half, promising to obtain the release 
of the like number of Spanish priso- 
ners, if he would allow.me to take 
these men: away withime. ‘Lo my 
great surprise | instantly received his 
free consent and permit under his 
hand and seal to dispose of them as 
I saw fit. This 1 accordingly did, 
and by occasional reliefs upon the 
braces of my carriages marched my 
_ party of renegadoes entire into Ba- 
yonne, where I got leave upon 
certain conditions to embark them 
on board a neutral shin bound to 
Lisbon, and consigned them to come 
moore Johnstone, or the command. 
ing oflicer for the time being, to be 
put on board, and exchanged for 
the like number of Spanish priso- 
ners, which accordingly was done 
with the exception of one or two, 
who turned aside by the way. 1 
have reason to believe the good 
bishop was thoroughly sick of his 
converts, and [ encountered no op- 
position from the ladies. whom two 
or three of them had taken to wife, 
*¢ We pursued our eighth day’s 
journey over a deep rich soil, with 
mountains in sight covered: with 
snow, which had fallen twe days be- 
fore. There was now a scene of 
more wood, and the face of the 
country much resembled parts of 
England, 
