venerability was her spiritual guide.”  “True, true,” said the old gentleman, sighing, “I remember you now.  Ah, Antonio, things are strangely changed since then.  A new government—­a new system—­a new religion, I may say.”  Then looking again at me, he demanded whither I was journeying?  “I am going to Spain,” said I, “and have stopped at Lisbon by the way.”  “Spain, Spain!” said the old man; “surely you have chosen a strange time to visit Spain; there is much bloodshedding in Spain at present, and violent wars and tumults.”  “I consider the cause of Don Carlos as already crushed,” I replied; “he has lost the only general capable of leading his armies to Madrid.  Zumalacarregui, his Cid, has fallen.”  “Do not flatter yourself; I beg your pardon, but do not think, young man, that the Lord will permit the powers of darkness to triumph so easily; the cause of Don Carlos is not lost; its success did not depend on the life of a frail worm like him whom you have mentioned.”  We continued in discourse some little time, when he arose, saying that by this time he believed the refection was concluded.

He had scarcely left me five minutes when three individuals entered the stone hall, and advanced slowly towards me;—­the principals of the college, said I to myself! and so indeed they were.  The first of these gentlemen, and to whom the other two appeared to pay considerable deference, was a thin spare person, somewhat above the middle height; his complexion was very pale, his features emaciated but fine, his eyes dark and sparkling; he might be about fifty—­the other two were men in the prime of life.  One was of rather low stature; his features were dark, and wore that pinched and mortified expression so frequently to be observed in the countenance of the English -:  the other was a bluff, ruddy, and rather good-looking young man; all three were dressed alike in the usual college cap and silk gown.  Coming up, the eldest of the three took me by the hand and thus addressed me in clear silvery tones:-

“Welcome, Sir, to our poor house; we are always happy to see in it a countryman from our beloved native land; it will afford us extreme satisfaction to show you over it; it is true that satisfaction is considerably diminished by the reflection that it possesses nothing worthy of the attention of a traveller; there is nothing curious pertaining to it save perhaps its economy, and that as we walk about we will explain to you.  Permit us, first of all, to introduce ourselves to you; I am rector of this poor English house of refuge; this gentleman is our professor of humanity, and this (pointing to the ruddy personage) is our professor of polite learning, Hebrew, and Syriac.”

Myself.—­I humbly salute you all; excuse me if I inquire who was the venerable gentleman who put himself to the inconvenience of staying with me whilst I was awaiting your leisure.

Rector.—­O! a most admirable personage, our almoner, our chaplain; he came into this country before any of us were born, and here he has continued ever since.  Now let us ascend that we may show you our poor house:  but how is this, my dear Sir, how is it that I see you standing uncovered in our cold damp hall?