nally occupied.

A lofty wall, filling the side of the small square, called the Plaza de
Pilatos, and surmounted by a balustrade, forms the outer enclosure of
the palace. You enter through a large plain arched doorway, and pass
through a court, containing the porter's house, and other out-buildings
devoid of ornament. A small door on the left leads from this enclosure
to the principal court. Here you might imagine yourself still in the
Alcazar. The ornament is in the same style; only the arcades are
inferior in lightness and beauty. It contains, however, a fountain very
superior to that of the principal court of the Alcazar.

At the four angles are colossal statues of white marble, representing
deities of the Grecian mythology. They are antique, and of Roman origin.
Under the arcades a series of busts of the Roman emperors, are placed
round the walls; the greater part of them are also antique. On one side
of this court is the chapel, very small, and entirely covered with
Arabesque ornament. At one side is placed erect against the wall a black
cross, said to be a facsimile imitation of that actually carried by our
Saviour, which occupied a similar situation in the palace at Jerusalem.
Its length is about seven feet, and the thickness of the wood about four
inches by two. Opposite to the cross is a Madonna by Raffaelle. As no
light enters the chapel, excepting through a small door, and that placed
under the arcades, and the picture is hung at a considerable height, it
can only be examined by the aid of a ladder, which is kept near it, and
then only very imperfectly. At the time the chapel was habitually used,
it probably contained candles always burning.

The great staircase is very ornamental and leads to several handsome
suites of rooms. There is a colonnade on one side of the garden, under
which lies a valuable collection of antique busts, columns, capitals,
and fragments of all sorts, "in most admired disorder." The proprietor
never visits this residence, and every part of it is in a very neglected
state.

Seville lays claim to no less a founder than Hercules. A magnificent
temple dedicated to him is said to have existed on the spot at present
occupied by the parish church of San Nicholas. Near it a statue of the
demigod has been discovered, together with six columns, four of which
are sunk so deeply in the earth that they cannot be brought to light.
The other two are placed on lofty pedestals, and adorn the larges