t we have written
above it will have been seen that we are not altogether unacquainted with
the country; indeed we plead guilty to having performed the grand tour of
Spain more than once; but why do we say guilty--it is scarcely a thing to
be ashamed of; the country is a magnificent one, and the people are a
highly curious people, and we are by no means sorry that we have made the
acquaintance of either. Detestation of the public policy of Spain, and a
hearty abhorrence of its state creed, we consider by no means
incompatible with a warm admiration for the natural beauties of the
country, and even a zest for Spanish life and manners. We love a ride in
Spain, and the company to be found in a Spanish venta; but the Lord
preserve us from the politics of Spain, and from having anything to do
with the Spaniards in any graver matters than interchanging cigars and
compliments, meetings upon the road (peaceable ones of course), kissing
and embracing (see above). Whosoever wishes to enjoy Spain or the
Spaniards, let him go as a private individual, the humbler in appearance
the better: let him call every beggar Cavalier, every Don a Senor Conde;
praise the water of the place in which he happens to be as the best of
all water; and wherever he goes he will meet with attention and sympathy.
'The strange Cavalier is evidently the child of honourable fathers,
although, poor man, he appears to be, like myself, unfortunate'--will be
the ejaculation of many a proud _tatterdemalion_ who has been refused
charity with formal politeness--whereas should the stranger chuck him
contemptuously an ounce of gold, he may be pretty sure that he has bought
his undying hatred both in this world and the next.

Here we have a Hand-book for Spain--we mean for travellers in Spain--and
of course for English travellers. The various hand-books which our
friend Mr. Murray has published at different times are very well known,
and their merit generally recognized. We cannot say that we have made
use of any of them ourselves, yet in the course of our peregrinations we
have frequently heard travellers speak in terms of high encomium of their
general truth and exactness, and of the immense mass of information which
they contain. There is one class of people, however, who are by no means
disposed to look upon these publications with a favourable eye--we mean
certain gentry generally known by the name of _valets de place_, for whom
we confess we entertain no pa