CHARACTERS. 



803 



vates the body. What a eituation 

 to seek for pleasure, and to be 

 able to give oneself up to the gaiety 

 which attends it ! 



We find in this province a sin- 

 gular example of what may be 

 called a democratic constitution, 

 which excludes all superiority of 

 men over one another. The inha- 

 bitants of the Utile town of Casar 

 de Caceres, two leagues from Ca- 

 ceres, who are in number about 

 5,000 persons, consider themselves, 

 among each other, all equal in 

 rank, quality, and condition ; 

 they take the greatest care to pre- 

 vent this equality ever being al- 

 tered by any exterior sign of 

 honours or distinction. In short, 

 they have carried their vigilance in 

 this respect so far, that, some 

 years ago, they had an inscription, 

 which had been placed over the 

 grave of one of their fellow-citi- 

 zens, removed, though he was ge- 

 nerally esteemed and regretted. 



I 



Manners, Habits, Customs, Dress, 

 and Language of the Andalu- 

 siuns. \_Froin the same.'] 



The Andalusians are the Gas- 

 cons of Spain ; they have neither 

 the reserve of the Castilians, nor 

 the cold haughtiness of the Ara- 

 gonese, nor the petulance of the 

 Biscayans, nor the roughness of 

 the Catalonians, nor the nullity of 

 the Valencians; thej' speak a great 

 deal, and particularly of them- 

 selves, of their merit, their wealth, 

 or of the valuable or pleasing 

 things which they possess. They 

 Hkve a natural propensity to boast- 

 ing ; their conversation is full of 

 it, the turn of their phrases, their 



ait-, their gestures, their customs, 

 carry the stamp of it. 



But these qualities are not 

 equall}' conspicuous in every part 

 of Andalusia ; thev are carried to 

 the highest pitch in the kingdom 

 of Seville ; and higher nearer the 

 sea than in the interior of the 

 country. They are stronger, though 

 less evident, in the kingdom of 

 Grenada, and become consider- 

 ably weaker as we go farther 

 into the kingdoms of Cordova and 

 Jean. 



Their country is a country of 

 boasters, who distinguish them- 

 selves from others by their dress; 

 who speak in a high and menacing 

 tone; who bully when they are 

 feared; who fawn when thej' fail 

 to inspire terror ; who are always 

 dangerous when they can strike 

 without risk : in a word, of that 

 kind of coxcombs, known by the 

 appellation oi majos. 



It is likewise the country of 

 majas, or of women, who ought 

 not, from the name, to be con- 

 founded with those beings that 

 have been just mentioned ; and 

 who are as engaging as the majos 

 are repulsive. A free air, an easy 

 turn, a noble mien, a lively, at- 

 tracting, animated eye, an arch 

 and pleasing smile, a slender shape, 

 neatness about the feet, a light and 

 elegant dress, various graces, an 

 harm.onious voice, a natural soft- 

 ness, and expressive gestures, are 

 the attributes of these women, as 

 dangerous as the)' are lovely. 

 Skilled in the art of seducing, they 

 are acquainted with all the means 

 of gaining their aim ; they use it 

 with address, and in general suc- 

 cessfully ; free in their expressions, 

 and freer still in their behaviour, 

 they allure, ihey attack, they in- 



3 F 2 . vite, 



