812 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



rupt tone, have something very 

 repulsive to those who do not 

 know him. This is what he is 

 charged with ; but truth obliges us 

 to observe that these defects are 

 fully compensated by truly estima- 

 ble qualities. 



If the Aragonese are cold and 

 serious, they are considerate, pru- 

 dent, possessed of solid judgment 

 and good sense. Their preposses- 

 sions in favour of their country do 

 not blind them to the advantages 

 possessed by others ; they know 

 them, and readily pay respect to 

 the merit of foreigners. If they 

 are proud, they are likewise civil ; 

 their reception of strangers, al- 

 though cold and serious, is perhaps 

 more sincere than the politeness 

 met with in other provinces. They 

 have a lively imagination, and quick 

 conception. They are skilful cour- 

 tiers without falsehood, courage- 

 ous without ostentation, and brave 

 to rashness : their soldiers have 

 alwaj's distinguished themselves in 

 the Spanish army, and the province 

 has produced many excellent com- 

 manders. Their character is natu- 

 rally decided, firm, and immove- 

 able : they are haughty, daring, 

 and ambitious, to which they often 

 add indocility; and they never yield 

 when it is necessary to fight for the 

 defence of their privilege and their 

 laws ; this has often given rise to 

 the greatest troubles. 



This character of the Aragonese 

 influences their habits and cus- 

 toms. They have always an air of 

 reserve and ceremony, which gives 

 a gloomy appearance even to their 

 amusements. Every thing among 

 them is done by rule and compass ; 

 every thing influenced by ancient 

 usages ; and the little they have 



copied from their neighbours is 

 confounded with their old habits. 



Character, Manners, Habits, and 

 Customs of the Valencians. 

 \_From the same.'\ 



Valencia, take it altogether, is 

 an agreeable town, inhabited by an 

 opulent nobility, a great number of 

 rich merchants, an active and in- 

 dustrious people, and a wealtJiy 

 clergy ; it has play-houses, and 

 other places of resort ; a taste for 

 pleasure is manifested every where ; 

 the streets are clean, the houses 

 agreeable, and we meet with smil- 

 ing faces : all is gaiety, pleasures 

 are multiplied, and feast succeeds 

 feast: we scarcely believe that we 

 are in Spain, on finding ourselves 

 in the midst of an airy, lively peo- 

 ple, passionately fond of singing 

 and dancing, of all that can amuse 

 them, and who outwardly appear 

 warm and cordial. 



The Valencians arc described as 

 light, inconstant, and only sociable 

 for the sake of pleasure, not asso- 

 ciating through affection. This is 

 the picture drawn of them through- 

 out Spain, the picture given by 

 their own authors : " The agree- 

 ♦' able town of Valencia," says 

 Gracian, " noble, handsome, and 

 «' gay, replete with all that is un- 

 " substantial." Murillo has painted 

 the Valencians as " light both in 

 mind and bodj\" It is even be- 

 come a proverb among the Spa- 

 niards, who say, in speaking of 

 Valencia, 



La earns es yerva, la yerva agua, 



Los bombres mugeres, lasmugeresnada- 



that 



