"The chamber in the Escurial Palace where Philip II. died is that in which he passed the three last years of his life, nailed by the gout to a sofa. Through a narrow casement, his alcove commanded a view of the high altar of the chapel. In this manner, without rising, without quitting his bed, he assisted every day at the holy sacrifice of the mass. His ministers came to work with him in this little chamber, and they still show the little wooden board which the king made use of when writing, or signing his name, by placing it upon his knees." TOMBS OF CHARLES AND PHILIP. "At the right and left of the altar, at the height of about fifteen feet, are two large parallel niches hollowed out in the form of a square. The one at the left is the tomb of Charles V., that at the right of Philip II. At the side of Philip II., who is on his knees in the attitude of prayer, are the prince, Don Carlos, and the two queens whom Philip successively espoused, all three also on their knees in prayer. Underneath, one may read in letters of gold: PHILIP II., KING OF ALL THE SPAINS, OF SICILY, AND OF JERUSALEM, REPOSES IN THIS TOMB, WHICH HE BUILT FOR HIMSELF WHILE LIVING. "THE EMPEROR CHARLES V. is also represented on his knees in the act of prayer. He too is surrounded by a group of kneeling personages who are identified in the inscription, of which we give only part. TO CHARLES V., KING OF THE ROMANS, HIGH AND MIGHTY EMPEROR, KING OF JERUSALEM, ARCHDUKE OF AUSTRIA, HIS SON PHILIP. "All these statues are of gilt bronze, of a grand style and admirable effect. Those of the two sovereigns, above all, with their armorial mantles, are of a severe magnificence."—_Alex. Dumas, the Elder._ SWORD AND GOWN IN CALIFORNIA. California is the name[1] given in an old Spanish romance to a fabulous island of the sea lying out toward the Indies. After a time, the Spaniards found out that what they had supposed to be a large island[2] was really a peninsula, so the name presently spread to the mainland. Cabrillo[3] sailed yet higher up, and others higher still, till the work of tracing the coast as far as Cape Mendocino[4] itself was completed. [Illustration: CALIFORNIA COAST.] Spanish power in the New World received now and here its first serious check, though possibly little was thought of it at the time, in Europe. Like David before Goliath, little England confronted the bully of Europe where least expected, with menace to her great and growing empire of the West.