perfect health.

I am, dear Sir, &c.

_P.S._ Before I quit Barcelona, it will be but just to say, that it is a
good city, has a fine mole, and a noble citadel, beside _Monjuique_, a
strong fort, which stands on a high hill, and which commands the town as
well as the harbour. The town is very large and strongly fortified,
stands in a large plain, and is encompassed with a semi-circular range
of high hills, rather than mountains, which form _un coup-d'oeil_,
that is very pleasing, as not only the sides of the hills are adorned
with a great number of country houses, but the plain also affords a
great many, beside several little villages. The roads too near the town
are very good. As to the city itself, it is rather well built in
general, than abounding with any particular fine buildings. The
Inquisition has nothing to boast of now, either within or without,
having (fortunately for the public) lost a great part of its former
power: it, however, still keeps an awe upon all who live within its
verge. I never saw a town in which trade is carried on with more spirit
and industry; the indolent disposition of the Spaniards of _Castile_,
and other provinces, has not extended ever into this part of Spain. They
have here a very fine theatre; but those who perform upon the stage are
the refuse of the people, and are too bad to be called by the name of
actors. They have neither libraries nor pictures worthy of much notice,
though they boast of one or two paintings in their churches by natives
of the town, Francois _Guirro_, and John _Arnau_. In the custom-house
hangs a full-length of the present King, so execrable, that one would
wonder it was not put, with the painter, into the Inquisition, as a
libel on royalty and the arts. I am told, at _La Fete Dieu_ there are
some processions of the most ridiculous nature. The fertility of the
earth in and about the town is wonderful; the minute one crop is off the
earth, another is put in; no part of the year puts a stop to vegetation.
In the coldest weather, the market abounds with a great variety of the
choicest flowers; yet their sweets cannot over-power the intolerable
smell which salt fish, and stinking fish united, diffuse over all that
part of the city; and rich as the inhabitants are, you will see the
legs, wings, breasts, and entrails of fowls, in the market, cut up as
joints of meat are in other countries, to be sold separately: nor could
I find in this great city either oil, olives,