you might almost fancy
yourself on a Paris boulevard. Barcelona has increased so rapidly that
all the new part, including the rich suburb of Gracia--its West-End--is
twice as large as the old. All its great buildings are modern; and
modern, though specially bright and engaging, is the scene of its port
and harbour.

Yet with few vestiges of age, Barcelona has an historical past. In both
a religious and military sense, she has played her part in the annals of
Spain. More than one document in the archives of Samancas holds records
to her honour and glory.

Her days are said to go back to four centuries before Rome, and
tradition credits Hercules with her foundation. Two hundred years later,
under the Romans, it became a city, and about the year 400 A.D. began to
prosper. Tarragona was the capital when the Moors destroyed it, and
Barcelona, wise in its generation, yielded to the conquerors and
succeeded as chief town. In the ninth century it was ruled by a
Christian chief of its own under the title of Count of Barcelona, merged
later on into that of King of Aragon.

But it was in the Middle Ages that Barcelona was great, and these Middle
Ages have left their mark on her ecclesiastical history. Powerful, she
used her power well; rich, she spent wisely.

[Illustration: INTERIOR OF CORO, GERONA CATHEDRAL.]

At that time, she divided with Italy the commerce of the East,
practically the commerce of the world. She was the terror of the
Mediterranean. Trade was her sheet-anchor. The Castilians held trade in
contempt, and suffered in consequence; Barcelona, proud of her commerce,
flourished. Her name was great in Europe. The city became famous for
wealth and learning, a rendezvous of kings, the resort of fashion,
voluptuous in its tastes. Ferdinand and Isabella especially loved it,
though self-indulgence played little part in their lives. Here in 1493
they received Columbus after his famous voyage of discovery.

Yet this very connection with Castile led to the decline of Barcelona.
In her policy she has never been consistent, otherwise than consistently
selfish. Now and then, to keep up her prestige, she has claimed the aid
of a foreign power, only to throw it off when her turn was served.
Diplomacy, but not gratitude, has been her strong point--and sometimes
she has overreached herself.

Nevertheless, as we have said, there are passages in her history of
which she may be proud. She behaved bravely, but suffered, at the t