t of
the promenades of Seville, that called the Alameda. One of them is
surmounted by the statue mentioned above, and the other by one of Julius
Caesar. Venus is also stated to have shared with Hercules the devotions
of the Sevillanos. The existence of her worship in ancient times is
placed beyond a doubt by the well authenticated martyrdom of Saints
Justa and Rufina, condemned for refusing to do honour to the rites of
that goddess, and to figure in her processions.

These two martyrs to the Christian faith have pursued, on various
subsequent occasions, a conduct calculated to afford a degree of
advantage to an adversary, should he presume to accuse them of renegade
propensities. They have manifested themselves determined protectors of
the Arab tower, on every occasion of its being threatened with danger.
Numerous instances are on record; the most remarkable of which, is one
that has given rise to much controversy, and employed in more recent
times the researches of learned men. The tradition states, that, during
an earthquake, which took place in the year 1504, and of which a vivid
description may be found at the end of a book, called the Regla Vieja,
which exists in the archives of the cathedral--the two virgins were seen
to support the tower and prevent it from falling, surrounding it with
their arms, one on each side. It is also related that, on the occasion
of a previous earthquake, that of the year 1396, voices were heard in
the air, articulated by demons, crying, "Throw it down, throw it down;"
and that others replied, "No, we cannot, for those villanous saints,
Justa and Rufina, are guarding it." For these reasons it is usual, in
paintings representing the Giralda, to place the figures of the two
virgin Saints supporting it, one on either side; and a small model thus
supported by images of the two martyrs, executed in wood, is carried in
the principal religious processions. In all these representations, the
figures stand rather taller than the tower.

The hospital of La Caridad is one of the principal attractions to
strangers at Seville; for in its chapel is contained the picture, which
passes for the master-piece of Murillo. The chapel is narrow and lofty,
and the picture placed as near as possible to the ceiling. A sight of it
can only be obtained at an angle of about twenty degrees. But the aching
of the neck is unheeded during the examination of this superb picture.
It is called Las Aguas, the Waters. Moses