There was an excellent thickset gentleman in Madrid, a literary pluralist, who combined the offices of "own correspondent" to several London journals. He was a diligent "snapper-up of unconsidered trifles," who would never set even the Manzanares on fire. He met me after I had despatched my version of Castelar's circular, and was cooling my aching brain on the shady side of the Puerta del Sol. "Did you read that thing of 'Musica's'?" he said. ("Musica" was the nickname of the silver-tongued professor-politician.) "Yes; lovely and long and flimsy as a rainbow," I remarked. "I think you ought to send an epitome of it to London." "I shall not." "Well, I may tell you Chose is sending the whole of it on," he continued. Chose was a most formidable rival. "Who translated it for him?" I asked. "As it is very important I am getting my sons to do it. Indeed, he asked me." "And you never told me." "Ah! you see, he has a reputation to sustain." "And I have a reputation to make." "I'll let you have a _précis_ to-morrow." "No, thanks," I answered, turning on my heel. The thickset gentleman looked mighty blank when he gazed on the paper a few days after with my translation covering nearly two columns of small type, nor did his astonishment lessen when I confided to him that it had been made for me by the Man in the Moon. CHAPTER VI. Warning to Ladies--The Hotel Parliament--An Anglo-Spanish Mentor--The Evil Genii of the Monarchy--The Curses of Spain--Government and Religion Affairs of Climate--The Carlists, Norwegians, and English, all Republicans!--Notions on Heredity--The Five Spanish Parties--The Army the Lever of Power--The Student-Cæsar--Order _versus_ Republic--The Chained Colours--Dorregaray's Appeal to the Soldiers--Influence of the Church--Wanted: a Benevolent Despot. In the first line, it may be generous to warn ladies (if any of the gentler sex there be among my readers) to skip this chapter. There will be no indelicate disclosures--not that indelicate disclosures would bar the inquisitiveness of some females, judging by the ingenuity with which they intrigue for seats at the trials in the Divorce Court, and the avidity with which they devour "spicy," that is scandalous, details; but matter of a political, speculative, and quasi-philosophical nature is to be discussed, and I fear me much it will be dry and prosy.