Three English Sages 



tone of expostulatory surprise at such an error — " he was a 

 Frenchman.") 



Happening to see three small Wedgewood porcelain busts 

 of familiar faces on the chimney-piece, we inquired who they 

 were. 



" Tres filosofos Ingleses." (Three English philosophers.) 

 " This." he said, pointing to Pope, " is the famous Chiquiper ; 

 this," pointing to Johnson, " is the wise Poppy ; and this," 

 laying his hand on Shakespeare's round forehead, "is the 

 prudent Honsoon." 



There was one set of rooms prettily decorated in mar- 

 queterie wainscot, by Carlos IV., who himself worked at it. 

 A cipher of his name is shown as the royal handiwork. All 

 the door-handles and hardware fittings were of elaborate cut 

 steel, inlaid with gold. 



Philip II. 's bedroom — a dark, cold, uncomfortable cell as 

 need be — is only separated by a glass-door from the vast 

 and lofty church. We were made to sit down in its 

 ante-chamber, on a straight-backed armchair and backless 

 stool ; and when thus seated opposite each other, were 

 informed that here and thus sat Philip and his prime 

 minister Olivarez. We were not so much affected by our 

 unforeseen position as our conductor seemed to expect, 

 only remarking, that if Philip and Olivarez had been 

 informed that we were about to fill their places, they would 

 probably have been more astonished and ashamed, than we 

 were proud and delighted. 



We now descended into the sacristia, where our blind 

 man met us again ; also a fat young man, and the sacristano^ 

 who conducted us all down into the Panteon^ by a dark 

 flight of steps, plunging into the entrails of the earth. The 

 vault was not to be entered, the gates being closed during 

 the lying in state of the little Prince of Asturias. 



