LEON. 



711 



t.co. . IT-- gathered into a row or bandage over the bosom, 

 ""',""' a::.! :'.!iing in successive rows down to the knee, (q) 

 LEON, the capital city of the last mentioned pro- 

 vince, is situated between the two sources of the Exla, 

 south from the mountains of Asturias, and is one of the 

 most ancient towns in Spain. It was founded before 

 the reign of Calba, and received its name from the cir- 

 cumstance of the I-egio Septima Germanica having been 

 stationed there. It was known at a very early period 

 also as an episcopal see ; and, in the time of the Gothic 

 kings, possessed the privilege of appealing immediately 

 to Konie. It was the first town of any importance re- 

 covered from the Moors ; and was for three centuries 

 after that period the residence of the first Catholic kings 

 ~,iain. It contains 13 parish churches, one colle- 

 giate church, four convents of monks, five of nuns, and 

 a number of hospitals and hermitages. There are also 

 the royal houses of San-Isidoro, and San-Marcos, of the 

 order of St. James ; and a chapter of noble cnnonesses, 

 not cloistered, but who take the vows. But little now 

 remains of its ancient splendour and population ; and 

 the exterior magnificence of its public buildings forms 

 its principal boast and attraction. A great part of its 

 walls i* constructed of green marble ; and at the bot- 

 tom of one of the gates, which was formerly a famous 

 prison, i* a statue of King Pelagius. The ancient pa- 

 lace of its sovereigns, which stands close to the wall on 

 the western tide, is now in a decayed state, and has 

 been converted into a cloth manufactory. The edifices 

 most worthy of notice, and still in a good state of re- 

 pair, are the monastery of the regular canons of St. Au- 

 gust in, and the royal convent of St. Mark, which are 

 Both of tolerable architecture ; the hotel of the Counts 

 of Luna, which is a large and handsome building ; the 

 palaoe of the Guzman*, remarkable for its trong walls 

 and superb portal ; the town-house, which has a toler- 

 ably regular front, and good appearance. The Place 

 Mayor, opposite to the town- house, contains several 

 beautiful and uniform buildings ; and there are several 

 squares and hand-tome fountain*. But the great boast 

 N of the place is the cathedral church, which is esteemed 

 one of the finest in Spain, and furnishes a beautiful spe- 

 cimen of Gothic architecture, distinguished for its height 

 and boldness, just proportions, and admirable lightness 

 of ttructure. It contains the tombs of one emperor, 

 and 37 kings ; and the shrines of several saints, parti- 

 cularly of St. Isidore and St. Vincent. 1'here are a few 

 manufactories of woollens, linens, stockings, and leather 

 gloves; but the town is chiefly supported by the expen- 

 diture of the churchmen. The streets are covered with 

 filth, and full of beggar*, who are fed at the convents. 

 The adjoining country i* very beautiful, and is orna- 

 mented with numerous avenues of noble trees ; but lit- 

 tle is done in the way of cultivation ; and the produce 

 ctrrnii^t more of vegetables, fruits, and pastures, than 

 of (rrin. The population of the town is estimated at 

 6000. (o) 



IkLA Dt), a town and insulated district in 

 the vicinity of Cadis, which has recently increased in 

 population and wealth ; and forms a singular instance 

 of a new and growing town in Spain. The island is 

 formed by a canal which f-urrounds it, and which at 

 high water is so deep (about 2 1 fctt) as to admit the 

 large* ships. This insulated portion is still farther se- 

 parated firinn the continent by a inanity tract, through 

 which a causeway i* constructed ; and the whole ad- 

 joining country js filled with salt pits, in which the 

 heat of the SUB make* the bay-salt, which is so import. 



ant an article in the commerce of Cadiz. This north- Leonidm. 

 ern extremity of the isle is remarkably strong both by N > ~Y"" 1 ~'' 

 nature and art ; and may be considered as one of the 

 principal defences of Cadiz. The road, which leads 

 through the marsh, (which is impassable in any other 

 way,) enters Leon by the bridge of Zuarzo, which is 

 flanked with batteries, and defended by gun-boats. 

 This bridge has evident marks of a Roman origin ; but 

 its modern structure is ascribed to a Dr. Sanchez Zuar- 

 zo, who died in Segovia in 1437. This island was so 

 entirely deserted in the 17th century, that there was 

 not a single house upon it; but at present the principal 

 street of the town is two miles in length, with shops of 

 every kind on each side of it; and the number of inha- 

 bitants above 40,000. Its extent is so considerable, 

 that, including the suburb of St. Carlos on the north, it 

 is supposed capable of containing double that number. 

 The streets are wide, and the houses large; but, like 

 other Spanish towns, it displays a strange mixture of 

 grandeur and poverty. The hotel de ville, in the great 

 square, is a handsome building; and the house of the 

 Marquis d'Urena is provided with a well-chosen libra- 

 ry, a philosophical apparatus, and a fine collection of 

 paintings. The principal church equals most of the 

 religious edifices of Spain in point of decorations ; but 

 one of the most striking objects in the place is the re- 

 pository of the deceased ecclesiastics, called the Pan- 

 theon. This is an open court, of an oval form, with a 

 corridor built on arches, and supported by pillars. In 

 the walls, which are of competent thickness, are recep- 

 tacles for the remains of the clergy, resembling the 

 mouths of ovens, which after interment are clo?ed with 

 bricks, and of which Mr. Jacob reckoned five hundred. 

 The town is much occupied by naval and military offi- 

 cers and establishments ; and presents a busy animated 

 scene. See Laborde's View t;f S/>fii>t ; Burgoane's Tra- 

 vels in S fiii in ; and Jacob's Travels in Spain. (9) 



LEONIDAS, one of the kings of Sparta, wiio was 

 appointed to check the progress of the Persian army at 

 the pass of Thermopylae, and who bravely devoted his 

 life to the cause of his country. Coolly contemplating 

 the desperate nature of the service assigned them, he 

 and his little band, before leaving Laceda?mon, celebra- 

 ted their own funeral rites, and took a final farewell of 

 their relatives and friends. The general facts of hi* 

 determined and reasonable resistance to the overwhelm- 

 ing force of the invaders, are sufficiently established to 

 warrant the eulogies which all succeeding ages have be- 

 stowed upon his magnanimous conduct ; but a variety 

 of circumstances, resting rather on the authority of tra- 

 dition than of history, have been detailed by his partial 

 countrymen, in illustration of the daring and deliberate 

 courage by which he and his heroic band were anima- 

 ted in this patriotic enterprise. When reconnoitred by 

 a Persian horseman, at their fatal post, they were ob- 

 served exercising themselves in martial sports, and de- 

 corating their flowing hair, according to the custom of 

 their country. When haughtily required by the Per- 

 sian monarch to lay down their arms, Leonidas return, 

 ed the laconic reply, " Come and take them." When 

 promised a kingdom from the invader, upon condition 

 of surrendering at discretion, he gallantly replied, that 

 " the Spartans were accustomed to acquire kingdoms 

 by valour, and not by treachery." When informed that 

 the Persians were so numerous that their darts would 

 darken the sun, the answer was briefly given, " then 

 we shall fight in the shade." When surrounded on the 

 third day of the contest, and determined with his three 



