ANTIQUITIES. 



879 



in the year 1344. The first absur- 

 dity that strikes us here is a wood- 

 en image of the Virgin Mary, placed 

 in a niche near the inscription, and 

 which has been opened purposely 

 for its reception. A little further 

 on, in a recess, is an altar and a 

 picture, which, we are informed, by 

 a long inscription in letters of gold, 

 was the second likeness ever taken 

 by St. Luke of the most holy vir- 

 gin — let us attend no more to such 

 absurdities ! 



After passing through various 

 Moorish arches, we arrive at the 

 square of the cisterns, so called from 

 two great reservoirs beneath the 

 surface, where the water oftheI>ar- 

 ro is brought in a conduit from the 

 distance of about half a league ; this 

 square is on the highest part of the 

 ridge ; the views from it are grand 

 and interesting ; and it was there- 

 fore chosen by the Spaniards as a 

 spot for erecting the greatest ab- 

 surdity within the walls of the Al- 

 hambra. On one side of the square 

 stands the palace of Charles the 

 Fifth, commenced by him with the 

 design of showing the great superi- 

 ority of the Christian architecture 

 over that of the Moors, but which 

 has never yet been finished; the 

 plan of the building is noble and 

 simple, the execution is excellent 

 throughout, and the whole, if com- 

 pleted, would be a habitation wor- 

 thy of a great monarch, yet, placed 

 where it is, and with the poor de- 

 sign of insulting, if I may so say, 

 the finest monument of ancient 

 Moorish architecturein Europe, we 

 -lose all sight of its beauties, and 

 can regard it only as a more sys- 

 tematic absurdity than the image 

 of the Virgin, or the picture paint- 

 ed by St. Luke ! 



With these impressions we turn 



with more pleasure to the ancient 

 palace of the Moorish kings. The 

 principal gate fronts the south, 

 and is thus concealed by the palace 

 of Charles the Fifth ; it is formed 

 of a circular arch, on two thick 

 pillars, above which are three win- , 

 dows, with carvings of flowers and 

 leaves, amid which is an Arabic 

 inscription, signifying "God alone 

 is Conqueror;" a motto which is 

 repeated incessantly throughout 

 the building. Through the gate 

 we enter a low gallery adorned, in 

 like manner with various figures 

 and inscriptions, and supported 

 upon eight columns ; the diameter 

 of these columns is the same from 

 the base upward, the capitals are 

 variously adorned, and flowers, 

 leaves and shields, on which are 

 inscribed the words "God alone is 

 Conqueror," are scattered about 

 in great profusion. Above is an- 

 other gallery, nearly corresponding 

 in all i-espects with the one be- 

 neath. From the gallery we enter 

 the principal court, surrounded by 

 walls of twenty-five feet in height, 

 and having in the middle a pool 

 of water nearly one hundred and 

 thirty feet in length, by thirty in 

 breadth ; this served for the purifi- 

 cation of those who went to pra3'er 

 in the royal mosque, which was 

 within the palace. From this court 

 another gallery conductsus through 

 an outer apartment to the hall of 

 Comaresch, or the hall of audi- 

 ence, where ambassadors were pre- ' 

 sented to the king. Here the 

 Moorish artists appear to have ex- 

 erted all their skill to produce a 

 brilliant and imposing effect ; the 

 form is a square of about forty- 

 two feet, and the height nearly 

 seventy; nine windows, three in 

 each of three sides, are so placed 



as 



