of a kingdom, and that kingdom itself became a province of the Spanish monarchy. This, as is well known, was effected by the union of Ferdinand, surnamed the Catholic, with the celebrated Isabella, heiress of the kingdoms of Leon and Castile.

In point of situation, Saragossa is believed to have inclined formerly, like its celebrated leaning tower,* a little more to the eastward,—it is said as far as where the wooden bridge is now seen. It was so extensive as to fill the whole space between the wall of Augustus, the street of the Coso, and the part occupied by the convent of St. Sepulchre, the church of Our good Lady of the Pillar, and farther on. The four gates of the ancient wall stand opposite one another, and are now known as the gates of Valencia, del Puente, Toledo, and Cineja, of which the last name has afforded antiquarian scholars great latitude for derivation; some asserting that it took its appellation from Cinegius, the Roman prætor; while others maintain that it sprung from the word Cineriarea, from the enormous quantity of ashes of consumed martyrs, barbarously burnt here by order of Dacien.

The site of Saragossa, even what it now is, struck

*This tower, of which a view is here given, is singularly enough characterized as the new tower, although erected as far back as the year 1503 or 4. It is built entirely of bricks, and stands in the centre of the square of San Felippo, in solitary grandeur, insulated and lofty. It is ascended by stairs extending

to 284 steps; it has evidently lost its perpendicular altitude, leaning, as the reader may see, in a surprising manner; perhaps as much, says M. de la Borde, as the famous tower of the cathedral of Pisa, though not so generally celebrated.

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A GREAT LANDLORD.

us as being commanding, and its approach and aspect almost magnificent. The vast open plain, stretching on all sides, smiled rich and fertile, as if the voice of war would never scare its children from their peaceful pursuits; the noble stream of the Ebro,-the source of former, and we trust of future wealth,-flowing between the city and the suburbs, bathed the walls; while its tributary rivers, the Galego and the Huerva, at a little distance, help to enrich the country to the east and west, where they severally pursue their track. Here, too, the grand new canal of Aragon runs through the land; well-cultivated fields embellish the environs of the river, affording various and picturesque sites, adorned with spacious and fruitful gardens; a teeming soil, rapid vegetation, with a clear sky, a moderate and rather bracing air and climate, complete the charm and beauty of this queen of all provincial cities. We counted no less than twelve gates, and two bridges over the Ebro; the latter of which, erected in 1437, has been aptly called by the inhabitants a great landlord, from the circumstance of its absorbing the revenues of a number of villages for its support. Though the greater part of the streets are narrow and irregular, paved with rough pebbles, there are not a few which are both wide and extensive: among these the Calle Santa, or Holy Street, so called from the martyrdom of the early victims of the faith, ranks the foremost. It is now known by the name of the Calle del Coso, and runs through the southern and more modern portion of the city, adorned with numerous handsome edifices. It was long the favourite promenade of the

ASPECT OF THE CITY.

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people, and the scene of their festivals; and though modern improvements have deprived it of much of its former honours, especially the celebration of its martyrs' festivals, it is still one of the most public resorts in Saragossa. Though antique-looking, we found the houses generally built with great regularity. Their exterior decorations give them at a distance an imposing appearance, which, however, is not borne out upon a nearer inspection. We particularly remarked this on reaching the convent of nuns on the left bank of the Ebro; yet when seen from the bridge, which we cross in coming from Barcelona, it has a beautiful appearance, presenting a long colonnade, separated by recesses like openings of porticoes, while the angular and regular form of the building serves to complete the illusion.

Besides its neighbouring convents, Saragossa is richly provided with churches and colleges. The metropolitan, called La Seu, is situated in a small square, which also contains the archiepiscopal palace. Its front is noble, and without ornaments; but the modern portal is decorated with Corinthian columns and three statues, representing our Saviour, St. Peter, and St. Paul, the work of Emanuel Gira. On one side rises the lofty tower, erected in 1683 from a design by Contini. It serves for a belfry, has four stories, and a great number of statues by Arali, chiefly allegorical. Time and Vigilance, in the second story, support the dial of the clock, and figures of the cardinal virtues decorate the summit; the whole at a little distance has a beautiful effect. The architecture is