I have mentioned in a former chapter, that the bread of Spain is, without exception, excellent; and it is nowhere finer than in Madrid. The finest, is called _pan de Majorca_; but this bread is made partly with milk, and is not fitted for general use; the bread used by the better classes, is the _pan Frances_, very ill named, because it is much superior to any French bread. The lower orders, and many too among the middle classes, use _pan Candeal_, in which there is no leaven, and no salt. I must not omit the mention of fuel; this is an expensive article in winter to a stranger who is not accustomed to sit without a fire. The American minister told me, that his fuel cost him 20_s._ per day in the month of August. There is only one thing in Madrid remarkably cheap; that is, the keep of horses. From the same authority I may state, that the keep of a horse does not exceed 20_l._ per annum. The usual food of horses is cut straw, and a little barley; and it appears that they thrive well upon this regimen: but in Spain, horses are lightly worked, no one travelling with his own horses, but invariably with mules hired for the purpose. CHAPTER IX. STATE OF PARTIES, AND POLITICAL PROSPECTS. In dedicating a chapter to the consideration of the state of parties, and the probable political prospects of Spain, I am anxious to avoid the imputation of any assumption of superior knowledge, or exclusive information. My knowledge upon these subjects has no farther claim to superiority than that which arises from its having been gathered upon the spot: this ought, no doubt, to count for something; both because a resident in a country is better situated for judging of the authenticity of information, and is able to avail himself of a greater number of sources; and because, from personal observation, many helps are obtained. During the several months that I remained in Madrid, my acquaintance lay among men of all parties. With Carlists, Royalists, and Liberals, I was upon terms of equal intimacy; and I never found, among men of any party, the least backwardness in speaking privately the sentiments of their party; or in avowing its views, and speculating upon its prospects. Many have been so candid as to avow themselves hypocrites. Military men in Madrid, and at Barcellona, sworn to support the government, have admitted to me that they were Carlists,--associated in private societies of that party which held their meetings every second night: and employées in Toledo, dependents upon the existing government, who, in that hot-bed of ultraism, found it prudent even to pretend some sympathy with the opinions of the Carlists, have told me in confidence, that they were neither Loyalists nor Carlists, but Liberals. From this it may be gathered, that a person residing in Spain, and unsuspected of any improper object, may, without much difficulty, learn the opinions and views of men of different parties. The conclusions