THE BULL. 



the ihouts of a thoufand voices ; but if the blow does not prove deciflve,. if 

 the Bull furvives, and ftill feeks to brave the fatal fteel, murmurs are heard 

 on all fides, and the Matador, whofe glory was about to be raifed to the fkies, 

 is conlidered only as an unfkilful butcher. He endeavours to be foon 

 revenged, and to difarm his judges of their fe verity. His zeal fometimes 

 degenerates into blind fury, and his partizans tremble for his fafety. He at 

 length directs his blow better. The animal vomits up blood ; he ftaggers 

 and falls, while his conqueror is intoxicated with the applaufes of the people. 

 Three mules, ornamented with bells and Itreamers, come to terminate the 

 tragedy. The Bull is dragged ignominiouily from the arena by a rope tied 

 round his horns, and leaves only the traces of his blood, and the remembrance 

 of his exploits, which are foon effaced on the appearance of a fucceffor. On 

 each of the days fet apart for thefe entertainments at Madrid, fix Bulls are 

 thus facrificed in the morning, and twelve in the afternoon. The three lafb 

 are given exclulively to the Matador, who, without the affirtance of the 

 Pic adores, exerts his ingenuity, to vary the pleafure of the rpeAators. 

 Sometimes he caufes the Bull to be combated by fome intrepid Granger, who 

 attacks him mounted on the back of another Bull ; and fometimes he matches 

 him with a Bear, to pleafe the populace. The Bull, when thus engaged, has 

 fomething wrapped round the points of his horns, which prevents him from 

 giving mortal wounds. The animal, in this flate, is called embolado, and has 

 not power to pierce or tear his antagonifl. The amateurs then defcend in 

 great numbers to torment him, and often expiate their cruel pleafure by 

 violent contunons ; but the Bull at length falls under the llroke of 

 the Matador. The few fpe&ators, who are not infected by the general 

 madnefs for this lport, regret that the wretched animals do not, at leaft* 

 purchafe their lives, at the expence of fo many torments, and fo many efforts 

 of courage, and would willingly aliift them to efcape from their perfecutors. 

 In fuch minds difguft fucceeds to compafTion, and fatiety fucceeds to difguft. 

 Such a feries of uniform fcenes makes that interefl become languid, which was 

 excited by an expectation of entertainment at the beginning of the fpedacle. 

 But to connoilfeurs, who have ftudied all the ftratagems of the Bull, the 



