About each arch is arabesque work, surrounded with a rim of characters, consisting, for the most part, of verses from the Koràn. Unhappily, a modern roof of red tiles disfigures this beautiful Court, which is the most highly-prized fountain-court in the Palace. In the centre of the Court are the twelve marble lions, conventionally treated. Supported on the backs of the animals is the beautiful basin of the fountain--in form, a dodecagon--out of which rises a lesser basin. A large volume of water falling into [Illustration: THE COURT OF THE LIONS.] [Illustration: THE COURT OF THE LIONS.] [Illustration: GENERAL VIEW OF THE COURT OF THE LIONS.] [Illustration: GENERAL VIEW OF THE COURT OF THE LIONS.] the basins, once issued from the mouths of the lions to a large reservoir, whence it was conveyed to the apartments of the Palace. Notwithstanding that these lions exhibit the want of development in the art of sculpture amongst the Arabs, they yet possess a spirited, if primitive, grace. The inscription around the basin has been variously given: the rendering of Pascual de Gayángos is regarded as the most [Illustration: LITTLE TEMPLE IN THE COURT OF THE LIONS.] [Illustration: FOUNTAIN IN THE COURT OF THE LIONS.] authoritative. The verses, which may, perhaps, consist of twelve or so, are couched in the usual double-shotted language of the Oriental. Two or three are subjoined: “Blessed be He who gave the Imam Mohammed a mansion which in beauty excels all other mansions. “Look at this solid mass of pearl glistening all around, which falls within a circle of silvery froth, and then flows amidst translucent jewels of surpassing loveliness; exceeding the marble in whiteness, and the alabaster in transparency. “O thou who beholdest these lions couching, fear not; _life is wanting to enable them to show their fury_.” The salutary warning here given irresistibly reminds one of “the shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort” with whom the mad spirit, Robin Goodfellow, made such frolic--the immortal [Illustration: A LITTLE TEMPLE IN THE COURT OF THE LIONS.] [Illustration: A PEEP INTO THE COURT OF THE LIONS.] Athenian weaver, who opines--“To bring in--God shield us!--a lion among ladies is a most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful wild-fowl than your lion living.” Yet the admonition may not have been altogether superfluous amongst the beauties of the hareem, who seldom contemplated graven images. It must not be forgotten, moreover, that the Mohammedans of Spain were somewhat lax in the matter of obedience to certain precepts of the Koràn. [Illustration: GENERAL VIEW OF THE COURT OF THE LIONS.] [Illustration: PLATE XLI. Centre Ornament of the Window. Dado. Dado. Pilaster. Pilasters. No. 50. Mosaic Dado in centre window on the N. side, Hall of Ambassadors.