816 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



Tlie same luxury appears in the 

 carriages. Tliere is a great num- 

 ber of coaches, and many of them 

 very elegant. The physicians 

 have a peculiar kind of carriage of 

 a ridiculous appearance. 



Luxury, however, does not ex- 

 tend to tiie interior of the houses: 

 the furniture is simple ; tapestry 

 and carpets are very rare. We 

 see none of those glasses or clocks, 

 none of those diversified pieces of 

 furniture which embellish our 

 apartments : no elegant chimneys, 

 girandoles, chandeliers, bronzes, 

 and china ornaments ; the walls 

 are bare, or at most lightly paint- 

 ed with some festoons ; the floors 

 are matted ; the chairs are straw- 

 bottomed ; and their large lustres, 

 which constitute the principal or- 

 naments of their rooms, are of 

 white glass 



The women are tolerably hand- 

 some; their persons, which are 

 above the middle size, are slim and 

 light : they have large fine eyes, 

 and a whiter skin than is common- 

 ly met with in Spain. 



Character, Manners, Customs^ and 

 Habits of the Spaniards in 

 general. [^From the same.'] 



. The Spaniards are usually re- 

 presented as lean, dry, meagre, 

 and of a yellow and swarthy com- 

 plexion. They are not indeed of 

 the gross habit usually observed 

 in the inhabitants of the north ; 

 but their thinness is neither ex- 

 cessive nor disagreeable; it is suit- 

 able to their stature. Their com- 

 plexion is swarthy in some pro- 

 vinces ; those, for instance, of the 

 south ; it is so also, but in a less 

 degree, in the Castiles, though 



a shade brighter in New than in 

 Old Castile. It inclines to yellow 

 or olive in the kingdom of Murcia, 

 but white skins are still very com- 

 mon in Spain, especially amongst 

 women and children. 



The general appearance of the 

 Spaniards is usually very good ; 

 the shape delicate, the head beau- 

 tiful, the countenance intelligent ; 

 theii eyes are quick and animated; 

 their features regular, their teeth 

 even. 



The Castilians appear delicate, 

 but they are strong. The Galicians 

 are large, nervous, robust, and able 

 to endure fatigue. The inhabitants 

 of Estramadura are strong, stout, 

 and well made, but more swarthy 

 than any other Spaniards. The 

 Andalusians are light, slender, and 

 perfectly well proportioned. The 

 Murcians are gloomy, indolent, 

 and heavy; their complexion is 

 pale, and often almost lead-colour- 

 ed. The Valencians are delicate, 

 slight, and effeminate ; but in- 

 telligent and active in labour. 

 The Catalans are nervous, strong, 

 active, intelligent, indefatigable, 

 and above the middling stature. 

 The Aragonese are tall and well 

 made ; as robust, but less active 

 than the Catalans. The Biscayans 

 are strong, vigorous, agile, and 

 gay; their complexion is fine, 

 their expression quick, animated, 

 laughing and open ; the Roman 

 historians describe them as brave, 

 robust, endowed with constancy 

 and a firmness not to be shaken ; 

 fierce in their disposition, singular 

 in their customs ; always armed 

 with daggers, and ready to give 

 themselves death rather than suffer 

 themselves to be subjugated or 

 governed by force ; roused to op- 

 position by obstacles, and patient 



of 



