othic likewise, giving access to a half Arab palace.

The Count of Altamira is the proprietor of this place, but neither he
nor any of his family have inhabited the edifice for several years, and
it is allowed to go to decay. Some of the _artesonado_ ceilings, more
especially that of the chapel in form of a cupola, admit the light
through the joinings of the gilded woodwork. A large hall on the
first-floor, which formed the anteroom to a suite of inner apartments,
decorated in the Arab style, has been taken possession of by the _haute
volee_ of Torijos for their public ball-room. A tribune for musicians is
placed against one of the end walls, and adorned with paper festoons. A
placard, inscribed with the word _galop_, was visible in front of the
seat of the leader of the band, indicating that the Torijos balls
terminate with that lively dance. There was no furniture in that nor any
other part of the house, with the exception of an _entresol_ inhabited
by the count's steward. This person no sooner learned that I was an
Englishman, than he commenced setting in the best possible light the
advantages the premises possessed for the establishment of every sort of
manufactory.

It appears the proprietor is anxious to dispose of the building; and as
all the English pass here for manufacturers, owing to the principal
articles of common use, introduced by smugglers, being English, the
worthy factotum had instantly made up his mind that I was the purchaser
sent by Providence to take the old edifice off his master's hands. He is
evidently either promised a bonus on the success of his efforts to sell,
or he wished to pass with the property; for his idea produced a degree
of zeal most useful towards the satisfaction of my curiosity, and
without which his patience would have been exhausted before I had
completed the view of the building. One peculiarity of the rooms
consists in the ceilings--that is, the ornamental ones--being nearly all
either domes, or interiors of truncated pyramids. There is only one
flat. It is ornamented with the shell of the arms of the Cardenas
family--each of the hundreds of little square compartments having one in
its centre. The staircase is adorned with beautiful Gothic tracery.

LETTER XIV.

VALLADOLID. SAN PABLO. COLLEGE OF SAN GREGORIO. ROUTE BY SARAGOZA.

Tolosa.

I should have sent you an account of my excursion to Valladolid at the
time it took place, but was prevented by the shortness