{13} I know of no city honoured with so proud a list of illustrious men in so many departments of literature, as Cordoba. Strabo (Cap. iii.) speaks of the learning of its inhabitants, and so does Cicero (Orat. pro Archiâ). The two Senecas and Lucan among the Romans; Averröes; his rival Avicenna, and Abenzoar, distinguished Arabic writers; the three most famous Hebrew Rabbies, Abenezra, Kimki and Maimonides; Ferdinand the logician; Juan de Mena, the father of Spanish poetry; Arias Montano, Nebrixa, Gongora, the poet, and Cespedes, the every thing—were all natives of Cordoba. Repeated attempts have been made to revive the spirit of learning in this interesting capital, and the literary societies there have published several striking appeals on the subject; but Cordoba continues without even a bookseller’s stall;—a striking monument of the triumphs of monkery and ignorance over all that is great, good and generous in the human character. {14a} Notwithstanding the many discussions as to the birth-place of Cervantes, and the numerous copies that have been made of the register of his baptism, since the claims of Alcalá to the honour of his birth-place have been admitted, it is surprising that no one should have remarked that the name of his father is spelt _Carvantes_ in the original parish record, which I consulted. It is in the oldest of the registers of the church of St. Mary Mayor, at page 192. Fray Jayme Villanueva mentioned a curious circumstance to me at Valencia, connected with Cervantes;—that among the ecclesiastical documents he had examined at Tarragona, there were a great number of letters addressed to the Cabildo, relating various acts of robbery and murder committed by Roque Guinart and his band, (vide Don Quixote, Vol. IV. Par. ii. Cap. 60,) and imploring their assistance to rid the country of these freebooters: these letters are dated 1614. Now the second part of Don Quixote was published in 1615. How soon did Cervantes avail himself of these events, and how rapid must his composition have been! Cervantes! idol of my happiest hours! Generous and joyous spirit! who hast brought From thy rich storehouse of romantic thought Wisdom and truth and valor!—All the powers Of Poetry and Music fill thy bowers. Proud is the monument thy hands have wrought, And beautiful the lesson thou hast taught;— And now the muse of many nations showers Garlands upon thy tomb:—yet thou wert poor And desolate in life—of all bereft, In misery and melancholy left To fix thy dim eye on a prison door! Shame on the world! No other star shall shine Upon that world with such a light as thine! “Se engendró (el Quixote) en una carcel donde toda incomodidad tiene su asiento y donde todo triste ruido hace su habitacion.” _Prologue_ to Don Quixote.