374 Notes on Sport and Travel iv 



old convent of La Pena, which stands on one of 

 the peaks, is terribly tinkered up to make a hunting- 

 lodge, and is nearly spoiled. The cloisters are, 

 however, still beautiful ; the pillars are of breccia, 

 the walls covered with tiles ; and all that is original 

 shows the stamp of the best form of Moorish art. 

 In the chapel is an altar-piece exquisitely carved 

 out of white marble, but utterly spoiled by groups 

 of common, coarsely -painted holy figures in front, 

 and never enough to be execrated, — a Madonna in 

 a white satin gown, probably a crinoline, and 

 certainly a quantity of mock jewels of the coarsest 

 Palais Royal tinsel ! What detestable taste the 

 modern Roman Catholic priests have ! The rocks, 

 too, outside are spoiled by a stupid ill-cut statue 

 perched on one, and a crucifix on another, high 

 enough to dwarf the rocks, without being high 

 enough to make a decent pedestal of them. The 

 pleasantest thing is a real old Moorish castle, care- 

 fully preserved, from which one has a wonderfully 

 extensive view, but without any particular feature 

 except that of universal brownness. Mafra looms 

 enormous and gray in the distance. The north 

 side about the town is very pretty indeed, and 

 must in summer be a most delicious quarter to 

 live in. It is a great place for villas and picnics. 

 There is an Englishwoman who keeps a tavern in 

 the town, who is supposed to know every officer in 

 Her Majesty's Navy above the age of fifteen. Her 

 legends are delicious and endless, and her dinners 



