BULL-FIGHTS. 



221 



XV. 



They have slipped a noose around his feet, six horses are 



brought in, 



And away they drag Harpado with a loud and joyful din. 

 Now stoop thee, lady, from thy stand, and the ring of price 



bestow 

 Upon Ganzul of Agalva, that hath laid Harpado low. 



"The excessive fondness of the Spaniards for bull- 

 fights is a remarkable feature in their manners, and 

 is hostile to the feelings of other European nations, 

 who are less familiar with such sights. The Spani- 

 ards themselves regard this practice as the means of 

 preserving energy of character, and of habituating 

 them to strong emotions, which are only terrible to 

 timid minds. In these sentiments the Spaniards are 

 not singular ; for it may be recollected that an en- 

 lightened legislator, the late Mr Windham, attempt- 

 ed to defend on the same principles the equally cruel 

 sport of bull-beating in England, when a proposal 

 was made for a legal enactment to suppress that bar* 

 barous practice. But although bull-fighting was for- 

 merly reckoned among the royal festivals in Spain, 

 attempts have been made, if not entirely to abolish 

 the entertainment, at least to diminish the number 

 of the exhibitions. 



" These bull- fights are attended with very consi- 

 derable expense, but they are also profitable to the 

 undertakers ; for the spectators pay for admission as 

 to any other spectacle, and the price of the best and 

 most commodious seats is as high as a dollar. The 

 profits which remain after defraying the expense of 



