718 
ARANJUEZ. 
concur in opinion, that the city, the tower, and the surrounding contj- 
try, exhibit nothing but a scene of desolation, fulfilling with terrible 
exactness the following prediction delivered by the prophet: 
“And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ 
excellency, shall be as when God overthrew' Sodom and Gomorrah. 
It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dw'clt in from gene- 
ration to generation ; neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there, 
neither shall the shepherds make their fofd there. But wild beasts 
of the desert shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of doleful 
creatures; and owls shall dw'ell there, and saUrs shall dance there ; 
and the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, 
and dragons in their pleasant palaces ; and her time is near to come, 
and her days shall not be prolonged.” Isaiab xiii. 19, &c. 
Aran jUEz. 
This is the name of a beautiful palace belonging to the kings of 
Spain, situated on an island formed by the Tagus, the Xarama, and 
a canal, in the province of Toledo, six and a half Spanish leagues 
from Madrid. The country on which it stands is one of the most 
delightful in Spain. The ground was appropriated to the purpose by 
Charles I. and the foundation laid by his son Philip II. Succeeding 
monarchs, in particular Ferdinand VI. and Charles III., contributed 
their share to its enlargement and embellishment. This palace is 
remarkable, not for its magnitude, but for combining various claims 
to admiration, on the score of beauty and interest. It contains an 
excellent collection of paintings, of ancient and modern busts, 
marble staircases, superb mirrors from the manufactory of St. Ilde- 
fonzo, and an apartment filled with beautiful specimens of porce- 
lain from the works at Madrid. But even these are exceeded in 
interest by the gardens, which are in the form of a star, and excite 
the admiration of every observer. The elm- tree alleys are particu- 
larly fine, being so wide that four carriages can go abreast, while 
between each double row there flow’s a small canal. The main alley 
is between six and seven hundred paces long, and twelve feet broad, 
and is enclosed with a lofty hedge. At every seventy or eighty paces 
are resting places in the form of squares or hexagons, while fountains 
and jets-d’eau play beautifully in every corner. The water is brought 
b} an aqueduct from the small lake called Mar de Ontigola, about a 
mile distant. Near this lake is the village of .Ontigola, the usual 
residence of foreign ministers, when the court is at Aranjuez. The 
common practice is for the court to come here a little after Easter, 
and remain till the end of June. In July and August the air becomes 
unwholesome, and engenders violent fevers. 
The adjoining town of Aranjuez was at first an inconsiderable 
village, and is indebted for its enlargement and present importance 
to Ferdinand VI. It is built somewhat in the Dutch style, and in 
conformity to a model laid dow'ii by government, who make over lots 
of ground to those who undertake to build according to the prescribed 
plan. Broad and parallel streets, with fine pavements, here intersect 
each other at right angles. The houses are built in the simplest form 
