Badajoz, was likewise on the Anas, where its direction changes from West to South. 25. The Bætis, after quitting the Bastitani, passes by Uciense Marmolexa, Epora Montoro, Decuma, Basilippo Cantillana; it then runs through Libystinus Lacus, now probably the I. Menor, and finally enters the sea near Ebura Biejo, and Cepionis Turris Chipiona; in the neighbourhood of this last there was a temple to Diana. Silicense fl. Guadajoz is a small river which joins the Batis at Corduba; upon its banks stood Ulia Castro el Rio. Considerably to the E. of Seville were Ursaon Osuna, Estepa Astapa, and Antiquaria Antequera. Asido Cæsariana Medina Sidonia, was E. of Cadiz: below it, on the coast, Basippo and Bælo still exist in Barbate and Belonia. Julia Traducta Tarifu, the inhabitants of which were removed here by the Romans from the opposite coast of Africa, Mellaria Val de Vacca, and Tingentera Va. Vieja, the birth-place of Pomponius Mela, may be mentioned amongst the most Southern places in Spain. On the coast of the Mediterranean were Barbariana T. Guadiaro, Salduba, or Cæsar Augusta, Zaragoza, Mænoba, or Mænaca, Velez Malaga, Selambina Salobreno, Urei Almeria, and Barea Vera, bordering on the Bastitani. The little island El Alboran, 45 miles South of Abdera, seems anciently to have borne the the name I. Erroris. In Bæturia, N. of the mountains, were Carcuvium Cabezas Rubias, Cotinæ, famed for its mines, Mirobriga Capilla, Regina Llerena, Arucci Vetus Aroche, and Serpa Serpa. Between the mountains and the Bætis were Laconimurgis, or Constantia Julia Constantina, Mellaria Fuenteovejuna, and Calentum Cazalla. The Bætis near its mouth receives, on its right bank, the Menoba Guadiamar, on which was a cognominal town: farther W. the Urius Tinto, and Luxia Odiel, run into the B. of Cadiz, near Onoba Gibraleon: Læpa Lepe, and Esuris Ayamonte, were the two last towns of Batica in this direction. 26. LUSITANIA.-The Lusitani, properly so called, were cantoned in the North Western part of the province, to which they communicated their name; they extended from the Tagus to the Durius, and occupied parts of Beira and Portuguese Estremadura. Their chief cities were Olisipo Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, at the mouth of the Tagus; it was a municipium, with the surname Felicitas Julia, and was fabled to have been built by Ulysses; the surrounding country was famous for its breed of fleet horses. Scalabis, a colony with the surname Præsidium Julium, was higher up the Tagus, at Santarem; Conimbrica Coimbra, on the Mondego, Eminium Avelans, and Talabrica Terocas, were also in the territory of the Lusitani. The Vettones occupied Eastern Lusitania from the Durius to the Anas, and dwelled in parts of Leon, Beira, and Spanish Estremadura: their principal cities were Salmantica Salamanca, probably the same with Elmantica, conquered by Hannibal, Ocellum Durii Fermoselle, Lancia Oppidana Guarda, and Lancia Transcudana Ciudad Rodrigo, the latter being so called with respect to Cuda fl. Coa, which runs Northward into the Douro. Besides these, they possessed Igædita Idanha a Velha, Capara Cavarra, and Norba Casarea Alcantara, where was a fine bridge over the Tagus, built by 50 50 At Vettonum alas Balarus probat æquore aperto. Sil. Ital. III. 378. 51 the united efforts of several cities, and dedicated to the emperor Trajan. The Celtici, a remnant of the great Celtic horde with which Spain was inundated, inhabited Southern Lusitania, and dwelled in Algarve, Alentejo, and parts of both Estremaduras. Their principal city was Emerita Augusta Merida, on the Anas, the metropolis of the province, founded by Augustus, who, at the end of the Cantabrian war, sent here a colony of Emeriti, or such veterans as had served their time; it was famed for its scarlet dye and excellent olives. Other towns of the Celtici were Budua, or Burdova Botua, Ammia Portalegre, Moron Almeirim, fortified by Brutus Callaicus when reducing the Lusitani to obedience, Cætobrix Setubal, at the mouth of Callipus fl. Caldao, Ebora Evora, and Pax Julia Beja. The inhabitants of Algarve, and Southern Alentejo, were termed Cunei, from the Latin word Cuneus, signifying a wedge, owing to the shape of their country: to them belonged Mirtylis Mertola, on the right bank of the Anas, Balsa Tavira, Ossonoba Faro, and Laccobriga Lagos, the three last places being on the sea coast. 27. Lusitania was inhabited by a number of petty tribes, so that fifty were reckoned from the river Tagus to the Artabri. To the South of the Durius were the Turduli Veteres, who migrated from Baetica, the Barduli, Tapoii, and Pasuri, whose name seems to exist in Viseu. As additional towns of the Lusitani we may notice Chretina Torres Vedras, not far from Luna M. C.Fiseraon, off which was Londobris I. Berlengas; Eburobritium Evora de Alcobasa, Tubucci Abrant es, on the Tagus, Concordia Boncordin, Langobriga Lanheres, besieged in vain by Metellus, and Lama Lamego. To the Vettones were reckoned Albucella Villadepera, Cottæobriga Castel Rodrigo, Sentice Los Santos, Baniensis Banos, and Canrium Cora; and South of the Tagus, Turmuli Alconeta, Castra Julia, or Trogilium, Truxillo, Lacipea Robledollano, and Alea Alia. Amongst the Celtici were Plagiaria La Rivera, Fraxinus Alpahano, Cepiano Cantonco, the colony Salacea Alcacer de Sal, Tribola Arrayolos, Rarapia Ferreira, Aranni Ourique, and Cunistorgis Silves, their old metropolis, the last three being reckoned to the Cunei. The Celtici, as has been already stated, extended a little way into Batica. SPAIN. 28. SPAIN is bounded on the N. by the Pyrenees and the Bay of Biscay, on the W. by the Atlantic Ocean and the Kingdom of Portugal, on the S. by the Bay of Cadiz and the Mediterranean, and on the E. likewise by the latter sea. Its greatest length from N. to S. is about 460 miles, and its greatest breadth from E. to W. about 570, but its average breadth does not exceed 350. Including the Balearic Islands, it occupies a superficial extent of 145.100 square miles, and, according to the census taken in 1826, contained 13,732,200 inhabitants. The Moors invaded Spain about A. D. 711, and after the loss of a great battle, which cost Roderick the King of the Goths his life, they succeeded in a few years in overrunning the whole country, excepting the Asturias. Thither the remainder of the Gothic forces for a while retired; but sallying from their strong holds, under some noble and gallant leaders, they soon 51 Gaudent jocosa Canio suo Gades, Emerita Deciano meo. Mart. I. ep. Ixii. 10. recovered parts of Leon and Castile: Shortly afterwards Old Castile and Aragon were entirely recovered, and about the year 1080, the Christians conquered the whole of New Castile, including Madrid and Toledo. These attacks on the Moorish power were facilitated by its division into several distinct principalities or kingdoms. At last, the Christian kingdoms of Leon, Castile, and Aragon, having been united by the marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon with Isabella of Castile, the Moors were unable to resist so powerful a union, and accordingly, eighteen years afterwards, A. D. 1492, Granada, the last and most valuable of their Spanish possessions, was wrested from them. 29. The government of Spain is an absolute hereditary monarchy, females being capable of succeeding to the Crown. It was for a long time somewhat limited, the people being represented by their Cortes, an assembly which, though exceedingly rude and irregular, performed the office of checking tyranny as well as of guarding the public purse, and of making known the public grievances. But after the union of the different provinces into one kingdom, in the fifteenth century, the concentration of power in the executive branch, enabled the latter to dispense with the Cortes, and to encroach on the liberties of the provinces; so that, on the accession of the Bourbon Dynasty in 1700, there remained hardly any vestige of independence, except in Biscay. The heir apparent to the crown of Spain is styled Prince of the Asturias; the other princes of the royal family are called Infants, and the princesses Infantas. The established religion of the country is the Roman Catholic, of the most superstitions and bigoted character, and no other sect is tolerated by law. The clergy are a numerous body, irrationally zealous in their opinions, and disgracefully lax in their morals. The number of ecclesiastics, of all denominations, is about 160,000, and to these, the people are slaves. In support of the church, the dreadful tribunal of the Inquisition exercises its disgraceful and inhuman power; it was established soon after the year 1492, in order to watch over the religion of the kingdom, and, eventually, to clear it of the Moors and Jews, but it soon found means to extend its baneful influence over the Christian sectaries, and is now little else than an engine of political rapine. Its judges, in former ages, were chiefly Dominican monks; but they have latterly consisted of the regular clergy, with a certain proportion of laymen. Spain once possessed 24 universities, but it has now only 11; these are, Salamanca, Valladolid, Alcala, Seville, Valencia, Grenada, Cervera, Saragossa, Oviedo, Huesca, and Compostella. Little encouragement, however, is given, either to learning or to learned men. Improvement is checked by the bigotry of superstition, and by the influence of the Roman Catholic clergy, who, being illiterate themselves, endeavour, as far as possible, to suppress all scientific accomplishment among the laity, and to keep them in ignorance and subjection. The progressive diminution of its universities has been followed by the gradual degradation of those which remain: and though the antiquated and careless system of education, carried on in them, has been of late years somewhat improved, they are still very far behind those of Great Britain, Germany, or France. 30. Spain is divided into several great provinces; these formed as many separate governments under the Christian and Moorish chieftains, and though, at the close of the fifteenth century, they were all united under one head, the divisions, and even the titles (generally of kingdoms) have been retained. These provinces are 14 in number, and contain 56 subdivisions, which, with their chief towns, and the estimated population of the latter, may be seen in the following table: 31. Madrid, the metropolis of Spain, is situated on a small tributary of the R. Tagus, called the Manzanares; it is nearly in the centre of the kingdom, and stands on several eminences, in a large plain, 2,200 feet above the level of the sea, being the most elevated capital in Europe. It is of an oblong form, about six miles in circuit, and is surrounded by a high, earthen wall, but has no ditch, or any other means of defence. Before the reign of Henry 4th, it was an insignificant place, with a small castle, which served as a royal hunting seat; but it is now a handsome city, the head quarters of the Spanish government, and the residence of the king: it contains about 201,000 inhabitants. The plain in which Madrid stands is sandy and dry, and bounded, on all sides, by mountains: the environs are miserably cultivated, owing to the oppressive exactions of the Spanish government. The Escurial, the favourite residence of the king, is a superb palace, 22 miles to the N. W. of Madrid, in a corner of a lofty ridge of mountains, and environed by woodlands and green fields: it is built in the form of a gridiron, and is the largest, though by no means the most elegant palace in Europe. It was commenced by Philip 2nd, A. D. 1557, in commemoration of the victory of St. Quentin, which he gained over the French, on the day of St. Lorenzo, the Spanish saint, after whom it was named; hence its whimsical shape, in allusion to the manner of his death. 32. In the North Western part of the Peninsula, upon the shores of Galicia, stands Corunna, memorable for the defeat which the French, under Soult, suffered from the British, under the command of the gallant Sir John Moore, who was killed in the action, A. D. 1809; this obstinate battle was followed up by a series of splendid victories, which finally compelled the French to evacuate the country. Corunna has a very commodious harbour, which is one of the principal points of communication between Spain and her colonies: the intercourse, likewise, between our own country and Spain, is kept up by packets from Falmouth to Corunna. But the great naval arsenal of the kingdom is at Ferrol, about 12 miles N. E. of Corunna; it is exceedingly strong, and well fortified, and in it, during the late wars, both the Spanish and French fleets were glad to find security from the English navy. In the Southern part of Leon is the fortified town of Ciudad Rodrigo, situated on the little river Agueda, which is a tributary of the Douro; it is only 15 miles from the frontiers of Portugal, and was taken by storm, from the French, by Lord Wellington, in the year 1812. To the N. E. of it, on the banks of the Tormes, another tributary of the Douro, lies the ancient city Salamanca, containing the most celebrated university in Spain; it is by no means well attended, notwithstanding the absurdly exaggerated accounts of the number of its students, which is frequently met with in the history of former times; the academical dress is a black cassock, like that of a Roman Catholic priest, with a small cap to cover the head, which is shaved. The neighbourhood of Salamanca is famous for a severe engagement between the British, under the Earl of Wellington, and the French, under Marmont, six months after the preceding victory at Ciudad Rodrigo: the French were totally defeated, and compelled to retreat upon Burgos. Twelve months afterwards, A. D. 1813, they were again beaten, under Jourdan, by the British, under the Marquis of Wellington, at Vittoria, in Biscay; this little town, situated on the banks of the R. Zadora, which runs into the Ebro, obtained its name from a victory gained there by the Spaniards over the Moors. The city of Saragossa stands on the Ebro, about the middle of its course, and at the confluence of its two tributaries the Gaillego and Guerra: it is a large and populous city, surrounded by an earthen wall, but otherwise unfortified, and is celebrated for the gallant resistance it made against the French in two sieges during the year 1808, shortly after they had obtained possession of Navarre. The first of these sieges took place in the summer, and, after a severe loss, the French were compelled to raise it, and to retire; but the second, which was laid six months afterwards, was closely followed up by a dreadful bombardment of six weeks, and by a very unequal contest in mining, and these, together with a desolating fever, which broke out amongst the garrison, caused Saragossa to surrender. Barcelona, the second metropolis in Spain, is the most flourishing and commercial city in the whole country; it is distinguished for the industry of its inhabitants, and owes its prosperity and opulence chiefly to its admirable situation upon the shores of the Mediterranean, which is highly convenient for traffic with foreign nations. 33. Toledo is an ancient city in the N.W. of New Castile, situated on the R. Tagus, about 30 miles to the S.W. of Madrid; the river is said to have been navigable thus |