never realised; that, so far from remaining the greatest nation of the
Western World, Spain has gradually sunk back into a condition that
leaves her to-day outside of international politics; and that, with the
loss of her last colonies overseas, she appears to the superficial
observer to be a dead or dying nation, no longer of any account among
the peoples of Europe.

But this is no fact; it is rather the baseless fancy of incompetent
observers, to some extent acquiesced in, or at least not contradicted,
by the proud Castilian, who cares not at all about the opinions of other
nationalities, and who never takes the trouble to enlighten ignorance of
the kind. True, there was an exhibition of something like popular
indignation when the people fancied they discovered a reference to Spain
in the utterances of two leading English statesmen, during the war with
America, and the feeling of soreness against England still to some
extent exists; in fact, strange as it may appear, there is far less
anger against America, which deprived Spain of her colonies, than
against England, which looked on complacently, and with obvious sympathy
for the aggressor. But all this is past, or passing. The Spaniards are a
generous people, and no one forgets or forgives more easily or more
entirely. Those who knew Madrid in the days of Isabel II., would not have
imagined it possible that the Queen, who had been banished with so much
general rejoicing, could, under any circumstances, have received in the
capital a warm greeting; in fact, it was for long thought inexpedient to
allow her to risk a popular demonstration of quite another character.
But when she came to visit her son, after the restoration of Alfonso
XII., her sins, which were many, were forgiven her. It was, perhaps,
remembered that in her youth she had been more sinned against than
sinning; that she was _muy Espanola_, kind-hearted and gracious in
manner, pitiful and courteous to all. Hence, so long as she did not
remain, and did not in any way interfere in the government, the people
were ready to receive her with acclamation, and were probably really
glad to see her again without her _camarilla_, and with no power to
injure the new order of things.

No nation in the world is more innately democratic than Spain--none,
perhaps, so attached to monarchy; but one lesson has been learned,
probably alike by King and people--that absolutism is dead and buried
beyond recall. The ruler of Spai