S P A 
SPA 
449 
is conducted on ascertained rules, and to the exclusion of in the true Catholic style, are still common in Spain, and 
petty artifice. are ^ le object of devout attention from a great part of the 
The universities of Spain, formerly 24 in number, have people. The well known national amusement of bull fight- 
been progressively reduced to 11, and of these, few are either ing was discouraged by government in the end of the 18th 
well conducted or much frequented. The antiquated system century, but has since been revived: the national dances the 
of kmc, and other parts of scholastic philosophy, continued Bolero and Fandango, are still performed as in former ages, 
to be & taught until the middle of the 18th century, when the SPA1TLA, a town of Tunis, the ancient Suff'cdula, dis- 
government, roused by ridicule at home, and the example tinguished in an almost unequalled degree by its magnificent 
of improvement abroad, at last prescribed alterations, which, remains of ancient architecture. There are three temples, 
however, still leave the Spanish universities greatly behind two of the Corinthian, and one of the Composite order, 
those of France, Germany, or Great Britain. In most of The roofs, porticos, and facades, are indeed broken down ; 
the monasteries are schools instituted for the education of the but the rest of the fabrics, with the columns, pediments, and 
monks, but open to youth generally. The instruction given entablatures, remain perfect and entire. There is a Com- 
there is replete with superstitions and antiquated notions posite capital, which appeared to Mr. Bruce to be the most 
Madrid has a public library of fully 100,000 volumes; and perfect of its kind now in existence. There is also a sump- 
there are collections on a smaller scale in other cities. tuous triumphal arch of the Corinthian order, with a smaller 
The Spanish language is founded on the batin, with a 
mixture of Celtic, and, in the southern provinces, of Arabic. 
It is sonorous and harmonious; is pronounced almost literally 
as it is written, and is a fine language, when exhibited 
without that tendency to amplification, or rather to bombast, 
so common among Spanish writers. Of the fine arts, 
the Spaniardsbave been most successful in painting and 
architecture. 
In Spain, as in Germany, there prevails a great deal of 
aristocratic pride, and a scrupulous distinction of classes. 
The nobility bear, as in Britain, the titles of duke, marquis, 
or count, and are styled collectively, Titulador. The 
gentry are called Hidalgos, a term applied to all who are of 
genteel birth, or whose designations, such as doctor in law, 
or doctor in medicine, distinguish them from the mass of 
agriculturists, merchants, and manufacturers. But these 
points of etiquette differ materially in different provinces. In 
Estremadura they are little attended to, while in Biscay and 
the Asturias, almost all the inhabitants lay claim to rank. 
Ceremonial is also an object of great attention with the 
Spaniards: the right of standing covered in the presence of 
the king, enjoyed formerly by all who were above the 
common class, was confined, after the accession of Charles 
V. to the imperial crown, to the Titulados. A more sub¬ 
stantial privilege, that of entSiling their estates, is possessed 
by all persons of good family. It was abolished by the 
revolution (1821), but is now restored, being one of the 
chief causes of the backward state of the country. 
National Character, in respect to Spain, exhibits great 
variety, having been peopled from very different quarters, 
and the difficult communication between different districts 
has prevented that approach to uniformity, that blending 
of provincial peculiarities, which active intercourse intro¬ 
duces into a society like that of Holland or England. The 
different provinces of Spain have as little connection, and 
almost as little similarity of character, as those of the Aus¬ 
trian empire, as Bohemia, Hungary, and Carinthia. The 
characteristics most general among the Spaniards, are a 
degree of stateliness or gravity, and the more important 
quality of sobriety. Their backwardness in military 
affairs arises from want, not of courage, but of activity 
and a tardiness in adopting improvement. Indolence 
is the vice of the inland and southern provinces; it may 
in fact be termed the vice of the nation, though striking 
exceptions are afforded by the inhabitants of the provinces of 
Biscay, Galicia, Valencia, and above all, of Catalonia. 
Towards strangers the Spaniards are in general reserved ; in 
society they are much otherwise. Their dress, formerly na¬ 
tional and peculiar, is now similiar to the fashions of France 
and England: the men, however, still occasionally wear the 
cloak and slouched hat; the women dress frequently in black 
with white veils. The mode of entertaining is not by dinners, 
but by evening parties, where the refreshments presented to 
guests are very slight. The higher ranks keep a number of 
domestics, who having little to do, are almost entirely lost 
to productive labour. In their dwellings the great object of 
the Spaniard is to exclude the heat; and as few precautions 
are taken against cold, winter, though comparatively short, 
by no means passes with impunity. Religious processions 
Vol. XXIIJ. No. 1582. 
one on each side of it. From this, all along to the city, 
there is a pavement of black stone, with a parapet wall 
raised breast high on each side, which was destined perhaps 
to hinder the populace from incommoding the emperor in 
his triumphant entrance into the city. Near the end of this 
pavement is a beautiful portico, built in the same style with 
the triumphal arch. The town is agreeably situated on a 
rising ground, and surrounded by large plantations of ju¬ 
niper; 110 miles south-west of Tunis. Lat. 35. 10. N. 
long. 9. 10. E. 
SPAKE. The old preterite of speak .—So spake the arch¬ 
angel Michael, then paused. Milton. 
SPALATRO, a sea-port of Austrian Dalmatia, on the gulf 
of Venice, and the see of an archbishop, who is metropolitan 
of this province and Croatia. It stands on a peninsula, in 
the form of a semicircle, connected with the mainland by a 
narrow isthmus, and has a harbour spacious and deep, 
though not protected from all winds. The town is fortified 
both on the sea and land side, but being commanded by 
several eminences, is not capable of sustaining a regular 
siege, and its security depends in a great measure on the 
strong pass of Clissa among the mountains. The population, 
about 7500 in number, carry on manufactures of woollens, 
silk, and leather. The fishery on the Adriatic is consider¬ 
able, as well as the shipping business. The Turkish caravans 
from Bosnia and Servia to Venice, usually deposit their 
goods in the Lazaretto in this place. Spalatro contains 
several Roman edifices. Dioclesian, on abdicating the 
imperial crown, retired to Illyria, built a palace in the 
neighbourhood of Salona; and two-thirds of the present 
city of Spalatro stand within the walls which surrounded 
this retreat. They form a regular quadrangle, with a gate on 
each side. The whole of this part of the city is full of 
ancient arches and ruins. A temple belonging to the palace, 
is still in preservation. It is richly ornamented with colo- 
nades, figures in relief, and other antique decorations; though 
considerable changes have been made in the internal arrange¬ 
ments, in order to fit it for its present purpose, a cathedra] ; 
110 miles north-west of Ragusa, and 30 south-east of Se- 
benico. 
SPALDFORD, a hamlet of England, in Nottingham¬ 
shire; 7 miles east-by-south of Tuxford. 
SPALDING, an ancient and considerable market town 
of England, in the county of Lincoln. It is situated on the 
river Welland, in the midst of the great fenny district which 
extends over this part of the county The river runs through 
the town ; and having numerous drains in its vicinity, it has 
much the appearance, and has with propriety been compared 
to a Dutch town. The houses are neat, and the streets very 
clean. The church is a large and ancient building, with a 
handsome spire, having crockets at the angles. Since the 
Welland has been made navigable to the town, Spalding 
has acquired a considerable traffic in coals and corn. Sloops 
from 40 to 60 tons burden come up to the centre of the 
town; and by these a regular coasting trade is carried on to 
London, Hull, Lynn, &c. There are two quays for landing 
goods, and spacious store-houses for their reception. Vessels 
of greater burden come only to Boston scalp, nine miles 
distant. Spalding has no manufactures, though attempts 
5 Y have 
