I left San Felipe about day-break; and after skirting the huerta, we began to ascend the range of hills that separated us from the plain of Valencia. I had set out on foot from San Felipe, and made but slow progress towards these hills, being often tempted to stand and look back towards the ruins, which had alone caught the golden hue of sunrise. I had for some time observed a friar before me, upon a small mule, and in ascending the height I overtook him, and we entered into conversation. He complained of his manner of travelling, not being accustomed to ride, and readily accepted a seat in the tartana. I bore him company for the sake of society, and my muleteer mounted his mule. He was a young friar of the Dominican order, then scarcely eighteen,--his youth rendered him communicative, more so than might perhaps have been approved of by his superior; and I obtained from him some particulars respecting himself and his convent. He had entered the convent at thirteen. I asked him what was his motive? He replied, that it was attachment to the monastic life that led him to adopt it, and that he had entered upon it contrary to the wishes of his parents, especially his mother. When I observed that it would have been a greater virtue, and more his duty, to have remained with his mother, to comfort and cherish her,--he said it was better as it was, for that now he was sure of meeting her in heaven, which otherwise might have been doubtful. When I remarked that thirteen was too early an age to enter into a convent, he replied that it was better and safer never to have known the world; and when I enquired of him whether he would still enter a convent, supposing him to be now free? he answered that he would; for that it was the only sure road to heaven: but when we became better acquainted, he admitted that the monastic life was _triste_; and I could discover, that he occasionally doubted whether he was happy. Ignorance of the world, and the seclusion of a monastery from childhood, are insufficient to change human nature; or to hinder the indulgence of a suspicion, that the world is not barren of enjoyments.