[12] SECOND DAY.

A Morning Walk. – Boundless Orchards of Orange and Apricot. – The River Trancaô. – Magnificent Bay-tree. – A Fishing-party. – Happy Inclosure. – An Afternoon Ramble to the Palace of the Patriarch, and its immense Parterre. – Musical contest between Frogs and Nightingales.


4th June.

THE sunbeams entering my windows summoned me to enjoy the fresh morning breeze blowing over the uninterrupted mass of foliage which fills up the whole valley belonging to the convent.
After breakfast we walked amongst well-cultivated vegetables, fields of Indian wheat as healthy and vigorous as any that ever flourished in the islands which float about like rafts on the Lake of [13] Mexico, and the most extensive orchards of orange, apricots, and other fruit trees, perhaps in Portugal. Every inch of ground within this enclosure is turned to the most advantageous account: the oranges alone produce from seven to eight thousand cruzados a year. A very active lay-brother has the management of this fortunate spot, and is continually extending its limits over the bare hills in the neighbourhood, many of which are comprised within the domain of the fathers.
The river Trancaõ, which runs through the garden, is diminished to a brook at this season; but that brook is clear, and flows rapidly. Its rocky edges, worn into irregular shapes by winter torrents, bloom with the rose-coloured flowers of the oleander. Their appearance was strikingly beautiful – many of these shrubs had attained the height of fifteen or sixteen feet.
But one of the grandest objects of the [14] vegetable world which ever met my sight is a bay-tree, situated in the thickest part of the orange orchards, above which it towers majestically, clothed with luxuriant boughs that glisten with health and vigour. It consists of about thirty stems, none less than two feet, and some thirtyeight inches in diameter, springing from one root, and rising to the height of sixtyfour feet. I loitered away the sultry hours of mid-day most pleasantly under its deep, fragrant shade.
The Prior had ordered a fishing-party for our amusement; – no great amusement, however, for one who detests the sight of wretched animals, inveigled from their cool aquatic homes, and cast on a dry bank, gasping for life and distending their jaws in torment. Full often have I fancied what woful grimaces we children of Adam would be compelled to make, should ever the colossal inhabitants of a superior planet be permitted on some dread day of [15] retribution to drop down on the earth on an angling tour, and fish us out of our element for their dinner or recreation. No want of sport need be apprehended in this case – plenty would bite. Men have in general such wide-open appetites for the objects of their individual pursuit, that, only render the bait sufficiently tempting, and I promise they swallow it, hook and all. So few set any bounds to their voraciousness, that a shark might be chosen president of a temperance society with equal justice. Courtesy obliged both the Grand Prior and Doctor Ehrhart, as well as myself, to remain much longer than we wished on the banks of the river, witnessing the joy of the anglers, and the struggles of the expiring fish.
About two, we returned home, through shady alleys of curious citron-trees, collected from every part of the Portuguese dominions on this and on the other side of the ocean, divided by tall canes mantled [16] with vines, which promise, like every plant in this happy enclosure, an abundant produce. The nightingales were singing in the recesses of woods impenetrable to the sun, and at the same time, I am sorry to add, frogs were croaking a deep thoroughbass to this enchanting melody.
We dined late for the sake of devouring the produce of our fishery, prepared by the fishermen themselves – a sort of matelotte, which my famous Simon, the most incomparable of cooks, declared, with a smile of ineffable contempt, was only fit to be placed before persons dying with hunger and cast away on some desolate island.
In the cool of the evening we drove through the village 'of Tojal to a palace of the Patriarch, containing nothing very remarkable, except a vestibule with a tribune looking into a church. The walls of this gallery are lined with the richest marbles of Spain and Portugal, disposed [17] in panels, and ornamented with an overwhelming profusion of doubly and trebly gilt bronze ornaments in that style of lavish expenditure carried to such triumphant excess by that most magnificent of modern Solomons, King John the Fifth.
After seeing ourselves reflected on all sides in tablets innumerable, polished like mirrors, we repaired to an immense parterre – the flattest, the richest in red and yellow flowers, and the most like a Turkey carpet, of any I ever had the vexation of visiting either in Holland or Germany. I was glad to escape from this far-spread expanse of pomposity and dulness, and return to the simple orange thickets of my amiable friend, where I walked till almost midnight, listening to the nightingales, who at length had shamed the frogs to silence.

FIRST DAY.

Supreme command given to two distinguished Prelates to visit the Monasteries of Alcobaça and Batalha, and a royal wish expressed that the Author should accompany them. - Preparations in high style for the Journey. - The general Rendezvous. - Departure. - Nossa Senhora de Luz. - Lumiares. - Domain of the Monks of St. Vincent. - Reception there

SECOND DAY.

A Morning Walk. - Boundless Orchards of Orange and Apricot. The River Trancaô. - Magnificent Bay-tree. - A Fishing-party. - Happy Inclosure. - An Afternoon Ramble to the Palace of the Patriarch, and its immense Parterre. - Musical contest between Frogs and Nightingales

THIRD DAY.

Curious Conversation with an Ex-missionary from China. -Wonders of the Imperial Gardens. - Strange Belief of the Emperor of China

FOURTH DAY.

A first-rate Blessing. - The Duke d'Alafoens' Chateau. - The great Highway to the Caldas.- Extensive Fertility. - Cadafaiz. - Boundless Vineyard. - Eggs of the Sun. - A calm Retirement. - Peaceful State of Portugal compared to other parts of the Continent

FIFTH DAY.

A Ramble over the Hills. - Beautiful Grotto.- Reminiscences of Gil Blas. - Journey resumed. - First Sight of Alcobaça. - Pompous Reception. - The Three Graces of Holiness. - Gloomy Church. - Sepulchral Chapel of Pedro the Just and Iñez. - Interrupted Reveries. - Enormous Kitchen. - Hospitable Preparations. - The Banquet Hall. - The Banquet. - Tiresome Minuets. - Ineffectual Offer. - Ceremonious "Good Nights"

SIXTH DAY.

Endless Corridors and a grim-looking Hall. - Portrait of St. Thomas à Becket. - Ancient Cloister. - Venerable Orangetrees. - Sepulchral Inscriptions. - The Refectory. - Solemn Summons to Breakfast. - Sights. - Gorgeous Sacristy. Antiquities. - Precious Specimen of Early Art. - Hour of Siesta. - A Noon-day Ramble. - Silence and Solitude. - Mysterious Lane. – Irresistible Somnolency of my Conductor. - An unseen Songstress. - A Surprise. - Donna Francisca, her Mother and Confessor. - The World of Alcobaça awakened. - Return to the Monastery, - Departure for Batalha. - The Field of Aijubarota. - Solitary Vale. - Reception at Batalha. - Enormous Supper. - Ecstasies of an old Monk. - His sentimental Mishap. - Night Scene. - Awful Denunciations

SEVENTH DAY.

Morning. - The Prior of Batalha. - His Account of the Nocturnal Wanderer. - A Procession. - Grand Façade of the Great Church. - The Nave. - Effect of the golden and ruby light from the windows. - Singularly devout celebration of High Mass. - Mausoleum of John the First and Philippa. - Royal Tombs. - The Royal Cloisters. - Perfect Preservation of this regal Monastery. - Beautiful Chapter-house. - Tombs of Alphonso the Fifth and his Grandson. - Tide of Monks, Sacristans, Novices, &c. - Our Departure. - Wild Road. - Redoubled kindness of my Reception by the Lord Abbot, and why. - Dr. Ehrhart's visit to the Infirmary, and surgical raptures. - A half-crazed Poet and his doleful tragedy. - Senhor Agostinho in the character of Donna Iñez de Castro. - Favouritism, and its reward

EIGHTH DAY.

Too much of a good thing. - My longing for a Ramble. -Sage resolves. - A Gallop. - Pure and elastic Atmosphere. - Expansive Plain. - Banks of the River. - Majestic Basilica of Batalha. - Ghost-like Anglers. - Retrospections. -The Conventual Bells. - Conversation with the Prior. - A frugal Collation. - Romantic Fancies. - The Dead Stork and his Mourner. - Mausoleum of Don Emanuel. - Perverse Architecture. - Departure from Batalha. - Twilight. - Return to Alcobaça

NINTH DAY.

Lamentations on our Departure, and on the loss of Monsieur Simon. - Mysterious Conference. - A sullen Adieu. - Liveliness of the Prior of St. Vincent's. - Pleasant Surprise. -Vast and dreary Plain. - A consequential Equerry. - An Invitation. - The Bird-Queen. - Fairy Landscape. - The Mansion. - The great Lady's Nephews. - Reception by her Excellency. - Her attendant Hags. - The great Lady's questions about England and dismal ideas of London. - The Cuckoo. - Imitations. - Dismay of her Sublime Ladyship and her Hags. - Our Departure from the bird-ridden Dominions. - Cultivated Plain. - Happy Peasantry, and their gratitude to the Monks of the Royal Convent. - Their different feelings towards the great Lady. - Female Peasants bearing Offerings to our Lady of Nazarè. - Sea View. - Pedraneira. - Banquet of Fish. - Endless Ravine. - Alfagiraõ. - Arrival at the Caldas. - Sickly Population. - Reception of Dr. Ehrhart. - His Visit to the Invalids, and contempt of the Medical Treatment of the place. - A determined Bore. - His Disaster

TENTH DAY.

Knavish Provedore. - Leave the Caldas. - Obidos. - Aboriginal-looking hamlet. - Exquisite Atmosphere. - Pastoral Hymns to St. Anthony. - Bonfires on the Eve of his Festival. - Reception at Cadafaiz. - Delightful change

ELEVENTH DAY.

Excursion to a Franciscan Convent. - A Miracle. - Country resembling Palestine.-Innumerable Assemblage of Peasants. - Their sincere Devotion. - Sublime Sight. - Observations of the Prior of Aviz. - The Benediction. - Ancient Portuguese Hymn. -Its grand effect on the present occasion. - Perilous descent from the Mountain. - A Mandate from the Prince. - Evening. - Music and a Morisco Dance

TWELFTH DAY.

Dreary expanse of Country between Cadafaiz and Queluz. - Arrival at the Palace. - Court Lumber. - Observations of the Marquis of Anjeja relative to the Prince-Regent. - Promised Promised Audience of his Royal Highness. - Visit to the forbidden Gardens. - Surprise of an African Gardener. - A Pavilion. - Night-scene. - Preparations for a Fête. - The Infanta's Nymph-like Attendants. - The young Marquis of Marialva. - Interview with her Royal Highness. - A Race. - A Dance. - The Prince's Summons. - Conversation with him. - Character of that Sovereign. - Baneful influence of his despotic Consort. - Unhappy Aspirants to Court Benefits. - Private Conference with the Marquis. - The Prince-Regent's Afflictions. - His Vision. - Anjeja's urgent Request. - Terrible Cries from the Queen. - Their effect on me. - My Departure from the Palace