The books about Spain are legion, and the best of it is that they are also infinitely delightful, so that, while improving our minds, we may do it with thorough enjoyment to ourselves. Here, too, the foreigner has been most bountiful, and has endowed Spanish literature with jewels of research and beauty. To begin only with those of America, we have Washington Irving’s _Conquest of Grenada_, and the _Alhambra_, Prescott’s _Ferdinand and Isabella_, _Philip the Second of Spain_, and the _Conquest of Mexico and Peru_. Amicis, also, has a charming book on _Spain and the Spaniards_, and there are one or two, not very new, but exceedingly interesting, by the Rev. Hugh James Rose, one of them called _Untrodden Spain_, and a newer one by J. A. O’Shea, called _Romantic Spain_. If we do not read Spanish, we may enjoy Longfellow’s beautiful translations from the Spanish poets, and if we do know it, we may read the great novelist, Fernan Caballero. Perhaps it will surprise you to hear that Spain possesses several very able female novelists, besides the lady I have mentioned, and another one, Emilia Bazan Pardo. In the story of the nations, we have _The Moors in Spain_, by Stanley Lane Poole, which should also be read, and you will find Murray’s _Handbook for Spain_, a perfect and voluminous guide. There are several others as well. Spain has fewer foreigners than any other European country resident in her borders, and she has the smallest population in proportion to her size. Travelling in Spain will be of the greatest use to you in cultivating the virtue of patience, and you can, at the same time, take lessons in politeness. If you do not know anything of Italian, you will find Spanish much pleasanter to learn, for the one language seems to act as an extinguisher to the other, in my mind, and I hear others say the same thing, for they are so much alike, and yet quite different. A smattering of Spanish, however, will be very useful to you, as English is not so well known as in other countries. Murray’s _Handbook_ was written by Richard Ford, and he has also written _Gatherings from Spain_, and he is the standard authority on everything connected with its study. There is a book by a Miss Thomas, called _A Scamper through Spain and Tangier_, which would be useful to those who wish to make a cheap tour in Spain. She visited the chief Spanish cities. Ticknor’s _History of Spanish Literature_ is the standard work on the subject.