succession of labour, assisted by irrigation, and aided by a warm climate, produces a never-ending renewal of beauty and vegetation. One charm of Aranjuez, however, the season did not permit me to taste. I am told, that walking among the woods of Aranjuez in the months of April or May, one would say that they had robbed the two Castiles of their singing birds, so full and charming is even the noon-day chorus of nightingales. After walking over the gardens, which are kept in the most inimitable order, and where every fruit and vegetable suited to furnish forth a kingly banquet may be seen, I had no more time left than just permitted me to walk hastily over the principal apartments of the palace. I found it quite equal to the wants even of a king; and with this observation, I shall pass it over, having so lately occupied a chapter with the Escurial and St. Ildefonso: descriptions of houses are at no time very interesting. I received the greatest possible attention from Don Lorenzo Bonaria, who would scarcely excuse me from spending a day or two at Aranjuez; a pleasure in which I would willingly have indulged myself, but for the necessity of proceeding south, and of passing the Sierras of Granada, before the approach of bad weather. I left Aranjuez about five o’clock, having two leagues only to Ocaña. The moment I emerged from the belt of level ground, I found myself again in a wild ill-cultivated country, with as little water, and as few trees, as on the other side of the Tagus. We continued to ascend among low wild hills, with olives here and there scattered over them; and about seven o’clock, I arrived at the posada at Ocaña. Here I was obliged to wait supper until the arrival of the diligence from Madrid: fortunately, a good luncheon at Aranjuez, especially some delicious melon from the royal garden, had fortified me against delay; but had this been otherwise, I should nevertheless have been obliged to be contented, for nothing is more hopeless than an attempt to hasten the operations of a Spanish kitchen. A traveller may indeed take the care of his supper upon himself; and if he possesses the faintest idea of the art of cookery, this will generally be his wisest plan. The diligence arrived about eight o’clock, and supper was immediately served. Every where south of Madrid, the first two dishes placed upon the supper table are soup--so called--and boiled eggs: the soup however is not soup, the whole of the liquid being generally absorbed by the bread: and the eggs are always boiled as if for a salad; but when bruised, and eaten with vinegar, and pepper, and bread, this part of the supper is not to be rejected; because it is more than probable, that the stew, or fowl, which follows, will be found reclining upon a bed of oil and garlic, from which it is impossible to extricate an untainted morsel. A few glasses of good Val de Peñas, and some delicious grapes and melons, go far however towards supplying deficiencies; and these luxuries are never