protection of man-the true Ishmaelites of the canine race. They have a peculiarly wild and ferocious. aspect; and seldom stir out during the day; but at night, troops of fifteen or twenty of these ravenous creatures come rushing along the deserted and illlighted streets; stopping to revel on some recent offal; and should any unhappy stranger fall amongst them, he is instantly set upon and devoured on the spot. The dogs of Lisbon are nothing in number now to what they were some years ago, when it was absolutely dangerous to open the doors once the doghowl began. They are, however, under the present police surveillance, a necessary evil; there being no sewers, or any means of removing nuisance and offal in this most filthy of cities, and no paving corporation to compel cleanliness, these dogs are, therefore, the only scavengers. The clergy endeavoured at one time to keep down their numbers, till the occupation of this place by the French, who compelled them to turn scavengers themselves— since this they have rather encouraged their increase, to prevent the recurrence of a similar degradation. Another cause of the vast number of dogs formerly arose, from the people up the country having, during the vintage, regularly shipped them down the river to Lisbon, to prevent them destroying the grapes, and sending for them when the harvest was over. This has, however, been stopped : and the government lately issued an order to have all dogs destroyed by the police, not wearing a collar

THE INQUISITION.

47

with the owner's name, &c. Since then, numbers have been destroyed by poison: and, dying in the streets, at every turn, are quite disgusting, and enough to cause a pestilence. In fine, though greatly diminished, they are still very numerous. But as sewers are now being made through the principal streets, the necessity for them will soon cease. It is very remarkable, that, notwithstanding the number of dogs, hydrophobia is hardly known.

The square of the inquisition is a handsome area, and there stand the scorched and blackened walls of that blot upon humanity, now burned to the ground. It was last used as a treasury, but the vengeance of heaven seemed to follow it, and it was reduced to ashes, for the second time, last year. On its being first transferred to the government, every effort was made by the clergy to obliterate all traces of the wretched inmates of those dismal cells; yet many were the names discovered; and, on the destruction of those walls, several skeletons were found built up in their substance, sad mementoes of the deeds of infamy practised on the unfortunates brought within its accursed precincts. The Palacio de Cortes is a handsome building; and was, like all other fine edifices here, once a convent. The number of the Cortes is about sixty; they meet in the broad, open day, and their sittings are free to all; but the voice of the speakers is quite lost in the gallery, by a row of attic windows which have been opened round it. There is a good like

ness of the queen over the president's chair. A decorum and politeness reigned throughout this quiet assemblage of gentlemen, not always to be found amongst the midnight legislators of St. Stephen's Chapel. The members receive a salary from their constituents; and the president calls on each member, in his turn, to address the house.

The chamber of peers is now abolished, and none of the ministry can hold a seat in the Cortes. Many of the states were so indifferent or so penurious as to forfeit their elective franchise for the time, and had no representatives.

The cathedral is large, with a finely-groined roof; the walls of the interior covered with the never

ending blue tile. This crockery prevails every where, but the rage for it has somewhat abated of late; the subjects painted on it are generally of heathen mythology, and in some places it is pleasant, cleanly, and cool. In hospitals, particularly, it is valuable, being so easily cleaned, and not so liable to retain infection, as whitewash. Owing to their once extensive slave trade, and large negro population, there are more black people seen in Lisbon than in any city in Europe, and their prejudices are more studied than elsewhere. In this cathedral there are two altars flanking the upper central one; on that to the right, is an image. of the Virgin and child, white, and highly decorated with artificial flowers, &c. ; while on that to the left is one similar in every respect, save that the faces

and hands of both mother and child are black. Behind this central altar, the holy crows of Saint Vincent are quartered; the priests are rather chary of exhibiting them at present, and the day I visited here, only one made his appearance. It was the general report that the other had gotten a severe fit of the gout. All the world knows the story of the patron saint of Lisbon, Saint Vincent, who having been murdered abroad, and the crew of his vessel dying, his body was brought safely into the Tagus by two crows, one taking the helm, while the other manned the yards. Since then, a pair of crows is quartered on the city arms, and those in this cathedral are said to be their lineal descendants.

The theatre is, I understand, a wretched concern, but the opera is justly celebrated is justly celebrated; the house is beautifully proportioned, and said to be, next to that at Milan, the finest in Europe. The stage is larger in proportion than any I ever saw; the whole lighted by a magnificent chandelier in the centre. The opera was good, and the ballet really admirable; it is the principal part of the performance; at the finale of it, was a naval fight, which seemed to give great satisfaction, and was much enjoyed by the gallant Admiral Napier, who was present, and was received with loud cheers on his entrance.

The drop-scene is a beautiful representation of the aqueduct of Alcantara. The house was well attended, and the dress-circle principally filled by English residents, and the officers of our fleet.

VOL. I.

E

The hospital of San Joseph is an admirable institution, of immense size, and well kept. It was formerly a convent of Jesuits, and the chapel is now in ruins, having suffered much in the earthquake of '55. It is the general hospital for the city, is capable of containing upwards of 1500 patients, and is divided into medical, surgical, lunatic, and obstetric departments. There are four wards, of vast extent, exceedingly clean and well ventilated, with four rows of beds in each; and at eleven o'clock, when the patients have dined, the shutters are closed and all made quiet for them to enjoy their siesta. The tiled floors are watered every morning, which keeps them very cool, and the walls are completely and appropriately covered with blue pottery. There is a small lecture and dissectingroom, but no museum ; and anatomical subjects are supplied from the hospital, and are very cheap. The school of surgery, also under this roof, was made royal by the late king, whose picture hangs in the hall, where, at the time of my visit, candidates were undergoing a public viva voce examination for the professorship of the practice of physic. The college is authorised to grant licenses, and permits its members to prescribe in medicine; but medical degrees can be conferred at Queensboro' only. The hospital is advantageously situated on a considerable height, and altogether struck me as being a noble establishment.

There is another small hospital for elephantiasis, a disease which is very common here.