SPAIN, 



ments to which the Spaniards are much addicted. Bcfides 

 thofe dar.ces which are provincial, they have three which 

 are national ; vix. the fandango, the bolero, and the fequi- 

 dilla. The fandango is very ancient ; it is probably re- 

 fen-ed to by Martial, and it i< defined by Baretti to be a 

 regular and harmonious convulfion of all parts of the body. 

 The bolero, which is quite modern, is an imitation of the 

 former, but (hortened and modified, and llrippcd of all 

 thofe acceflaries, which give to the fandango fo very free a 

 character. The feqnidilla is an imitation of the fteps of 

 the two others formed into a ballet. Thefe dances are 

 ufually performed to the found of the guitar, accompanied 

 by the voice of the player. The women very correSly 

 mark, the time with the heel, a motion which adds a new 

 grace. 



Climate, Soil, and Agriculture. — The climate of Spain is 

 equal, if not l;;perior, to that of any country in Europe ; 

 it is in general very dry, and irrigation is rendered difficult 

 by the chains of mountains that interfeft it. The climate 

 is various in different provinces, and in thofe that lie to the 

 fouth the heat is infalubrious, and fometimes occafions epi- 

 demic difeafcs that are very fatal. Thefe are partly owing 

 to flagnant and undrained marihes, and to the negleft of 

 proper cultu.-e. The chains of mountains that interfe£t 

 the country at va'ious diftances from E. to W. ferve to 

 temper the climate, and fupply cooling breezes. In the 

 fouth the fea-brpeze, commencing about nine in the morning, 

 and continuing till five in the afternoon, moderates the heat 

 of fummer : and the feverity of winter in the northern pro- 

 vinces is allayed by the gales of the ocean, at no great 

 diftance. It has been obferved, that the temperature of 

 Spain is influenced by its peculiar configuration, and by 

 the Angular height of this country above the level of the 

 fea, infomuch, that although from the N.E. it gradually 

 becomes lower, yet the high plain, or table land of the 

 Caltiles, has an elevation of upwards of 300 fathoms. Ac- 

 cording to the obfervations of Humboldt, the interior of 

 Spain is an elevated plain, and the higheit of any of the fame 

 kind in Europe, which occupies a large extent of country. 

 The mean height of the barometer at Madrid, obferved 

 by Don Felipe Bauza, fhevvs that capital to be elevated 

 at 309^- fathoms above the level of the ocean, allowing the 

 barometer on the coafts to be at 338 ar.il 24 lines. Hence 

 it appears that the elevation of Madrid is 15 times greater 

 than that of Paris, three times greater than that of mount 

 Valerian, and alfo three times greater than that of Geneva, 

 which is 188 fathoms above the level of the fea. This 

 height of the plain of the Caftiles has an obvious effeft 

 upon its temperature. The mean temperature of Madrid 

 appears to be 59° of Fahrenheit, while that of Peterfbnrgh 

 Is 39° 52' 30" ; that of Berlin, 46" 57' 30" ; that of Paris, 

 53° 56' 15"; that of Marfeilles, 58^ 33'; that of Toulon, 

 61° I j' ; that of Naples, 63° 30' ; and that of the countries 

 fituated under the equator and on the level of the ocean, 

 from 79° to 81°. Genoa is four degrees more to the north 

 than Madrid, and yet the temperature of Genoa raifes the 

 glafs almoft two degrees higher than that of the capital of 

 Spain. Such is the influence of local caufes, of the eleva- 

 tion of fcite, the proximity to the fea, a chain of moun- 

 tains which keeps off the cold northerly winds, and a great 

 number of little circumllanccs, the combination of which 

 moderates the temperature of places. 



if the mean temperature of the elevated plains of Spain 

 h 59° of Fahrenheit, that of the coalls from the 4iil de- 

 gree of latitude to the 36tli, is between 63!" and 68" Fah- 

 renheit. Thus we fee banana-trees, heliconias, and fugar- 



VoL. XXXIII. 



canes, growing upon thefe coafts in fituations that are fliel- 

 tered from the cold wind'.. 



Upon the whole, the face of the country is in moft feafons 

 delightful, abounding with excellent and fruitful pafturage, 

 vineyards, and groves of orange-trees ; and the hills (locked 

 with wild thyme and othT odoriferous plants. The rivers 

 and flreams are numerous ; and the chains of mountains af- 

 ford a great variety to the profpeft. The moft northern of 

 thefe chains is regarded as a continuation of the Pyrenees, 

 palling on the S. of Blfcay and the Afturias into Galicia ; 

 and it is varioufly denominated, as the mountains of Bifcay, 

 the Sierra of Afturias, and the mountains of Mondonedo in 

 Galicia. It is alfo known by the names of the mountains of 

 Santihana, of Vindo, and of the mountains of Oea. We here 

 obferve that the term " Sierra," peculiar to Spain, denotes 

 a chain of mountains, the fucceiTive peaks of which prefent 

 the refemblance of Zifaiv. The gypfeous and argillaceous 

 mountains of this country rarely exhibiting any fupreme ele- 

 vation, like thofe in the granitic chains, naturally fuggelled 

 this appellation. The fecond chain of SpanilTi mountains 

 extends from near Soria on the N.E., and purfues a S.W. 

 diredtion towards Portugal. This chain is called that of 

 Urbia, or Guadarania, and alfo the Montes Carpentanos. 

 The third is that of Toledo, or Guadalupe, running nearly 

 parallel with the laft. Thefe two central chains feem to 

 contain great quantities of granite. Next towards the S. 

 is the Sierra Morena, or brown mountains, which are fol- 

 lowed by the moil fouthern ridge, that of the Sierra Nevada, 

 On the E. there is a confiderable chain, which connefts the 

 two central ridges, and advances towards the Mediterranean 

 in the N. of Valencia. There are alfo confiderable ranges of 

 hills in this part of the kingdom, generally running from N- 

 to S. Near Barcelona is a remarkable folitary mountain, at 

 a diftance appearing like a fugar-loaf, and on a nearer ap- 

 proach jagged like a faw, with pyrainidal rocks ; compofed 

 of farcilite or pudding-itone, formed of limeltone gravel 

 united by calcareous cement ; and fo high, that from its fum- 

 mit may be feen the iflands of Majorca and Minorca, at the 

 diftance of 50 leagues. The circumjacent region confitts 

 of argillaceous fchiltus, with clay and fand. Not far from 

 this mountain, called Montferrat, liear the village of Car- 

 dona, is a hill three miles in circumference, whicli is a maff 

 of rock-falt, ufcd in the dry climate of Spain for vafcs, 

 fnuff-boxes, and trinkets, like our Derbyfliire ipar. 



According to the dcfcription of the ingenious obfervcr, 

 Mr. Townfend, the northern fide of the Pyrenees (which 

 fee) is chiefly calcareous, furmouiited with argillaceous fchif- 

 tu? ; but the fouthern is granite, and of courfe barren. The 

 hills to the S. of Gcrona arc alfo granitic. The highcft 

 ridge in Spain, near Daroca, from which originate the Tajo 

 and the Ebro, feems to be compofed of argillaceous fchiftus, 

 and free-ftone, probably refling on granite. Near Anchu.ib 

 the mountains are limeftone with fhells, a:id m fome places 

 contain beds of redgypfum, with cryftab of the fame colour. 

 In general, gypfum is as abundant in Spain as chalk i^ in 

 England ; and the gypfum produces cryltals of fea-lalt and 

 Eplom fait, and abundance of nitre. The mountains or 

 the N. of Madrid, forming part of the central chain, ar ■ 

 granite. Tlnfe to the N. of Leon arc chiefly marble or 

 limeftone, ' n a bafis of argillaceous fchittu?, rifing in bold 

 and rugged rocks, which afforded a barrier to the rcn.aiK.s 

 of Spanilh liberty. In returning towards the S. the foil of 

 I.,a Mancha is fandy, the rock gypfnni. The higher regions 

 of the Sierra Morena arc grauite : the lower, argilbceoui 

 fchiftus with gypfum and limeftone. The granite is of twi 

 kinds, the red aud the white. NearCord.>va the higheft hilii 

 3 K »re 



