48 SPANISH DOVECOTES. [CHAP. n. 



But Mr. Borrow, who is always amusing, though he 

 is often severe upon the ignorance of the parish priests 

 of the Peninsula, gives an entertaining instance of 

 clerical privileges in connection with Pigeon-houses. A 

 priest, who afterwards talks of Holy Pablo's (Paul's) first 

 letter to Pope Sixtus, (Qu. ? the Epistle to the Romans,) 

 is made to say, " * I hope you will look in upon me, Don 

 Jorge, and I will show you my little library of the 

 Fathers, and likewise my Dovecote, where I rear nu- 

 merous broods of Pigeons, which are also a source of 

 much solace and at the same time of profit.' 



" ' I suppose by your Dovecote,' said I, ' you mean 

 your parish, and by rearing broods of Pigeons, you al- 

 lude to the care you take of the souls of your people, 

 instilling therein the fear of God and obedience to his 

 revealed law, which occupation must of course afford 

 you much solace and spiritual profit.' 



" ' I was not speaking metaphorically, Don Jorge,' 

 replied my companion ; ' and by rearing Doves, I mean 

 neither more nor less than that I supply the market of 

 Cordova with Pigeons, and occasionally that of Seville ; 

 for my birds are very celebrated, and plumper or fatter 

 flesh than theirs, I believe, cannot be found in the whole 

 kingdom. Should you come to my village, Don Jorge, 

 you will doubtless taste them at the venta where you will 

 put up, for I suffer no Dovecotes but my own within my 

 district. With respect to the souls of my parishioners, I 

 trust I do my duty I trust I do, as far as in my power 

 lies.'"* 



Private property in Pigeons is more strictly protected, 

 and any infringement of it more severely punishable 

 by English law, than is generally imagined. An Act 



* The Bible in Spain, vol. i. p. 355. 



