Historia de Barcelona

We were surprised to find the bishop’s palace not more considerable than most of the better sort of houses in the town. The present prelate is much esteemed, and we heard from the English residents here a very favourable character of the Spanish hierarchy. We observed among the middle and lower orders of people that attention to religion which we expected. The booksellers’ shops have an enormous proportion of theological literature: hardly any door is without a print of the Virgin or some saint; and it is a common custom here to bow to a church in passing, when the bell is tolling.

About half-past one we walked to the maison de plaisance of Mr. ___, who had invited us to dinner: it was about two miles from the city. The whole surrounding country was sprinkled, over with little boxes, generally consisting of a kitchen below, and above stairs a dining room, a bed room or two, and an open arcade; principally places for retirement and relaxation, but hardly any of them large enough for receiving a family. In our way to Mr. ___’s, we passed an ugly painted house, with four towers ending in short spires, built by a viceroy of Peru, who sent the plan over from that country; and it is said to be a specimen of the Peruvian style of architecture: nothing can be more frightful, and it appears very small for an officer holding so high and lucrative a post. It stands close to the road, and is merely surrounded by a little garden.

After dinner we returned to Barcelona, which from the country has a pretty appearance, by a road bounded on each side by a hedge of lofty aloes. We were in time for the ballet, and the second act of the opera; which is performed twice a week by a company of Italians, at the theatre already described, which is indeed the only one in the city: it was executed in a very creditable style, and the first female has considerable vocal powers. The house was extremely crowded. We visited the academy of arts, instituted in the palace of commerce, and supported in the most magnificent manner by the merchants of Barcelona. We were conducted through a long suite of apartments, in which seven hundred boys were employed in copying and designing: some of them, who display superior talents, are sent to Rome, and to the academy of St. Fernando at Madrid; the others are employed in different ways by the merchants and manufacturers. The rooms are large and commodious; and are furnished with casts of celebrated statues, and every proper apparatus. We observed a few drawings of considerable merit, produced by the scholars: but the grand picture before us of liberality and industry, amply rewarded our visit; and was the more striking to us, from having of late been continually accustomed to lament the traces of neglect and decay, so visibly impressed on every similar institution in the impoverished cities of Italy.