Romantic Spain: A Record of Personal Experiences (Vol. I) — Background and Themes

Which, being non-essential, treats partly of Spain, but principally of the Writer 1-23

The Old-Fashioned Invocation--"Them 'ere Spanish Kings!"--Candidates for a Throne--_En Voyage_--Bordeaux and the Back-ache--An Unmannerly Alsatian--The Patriot gets a Roland for his Oliver--Small Change for a Hot Bath--Plan for Universal Coinage--Daughters of Israel--The Jews Diagnosed--Across the Border--The Writer is Saluted "Caballero"--Bugaboo Santa Cruz--Over a Brasero 24-42

A Make-Believe Spain--The Mountain Convoy--A Tough Road to Travel--Spanish Superiority in Blasphemy--Short Essay on Oaths--The Basque Peasants--Carlism under a Cloak--How Guerilla-Fighting is Conducted--A Hyperborean Landscape--A Mysterious Grandee--An Adventurous Frenchman--The Shebeen on the Summit--Armed Alsasua--Base Coin 43-60

Madrid--The Fonda and its Porter--The Puerta del Sol--Postal Irregularities--Tribute to the Madrileños--The Barber's Pronunciamiento--Anecdotes of King Amadeus--Checkmating the Grand Dames--Queen Isabella--The Embarrassed Mr. Layard of Nineveh--The Great Powers Hesitate--America Goes Ahead--General Sickles--Mahomet and the Mountain--Republicanism among the Troops--A Peculiar Pennsylvanian Dentist--Castelar under Torture--The Writer meets one of his Sept--Politicians by Trade--Honour among Insurgents--Alonso the Reckless 61-91

A Late Capital--The Gambling Mania--A French Rendezvous--The Duke de Fitzpepper--The Morality of Passing Bad Money--Spanish Compliments--Men in Pickle--A Licentious Ballet--Federal Manners--Prim's Artifice--Nouvilas Goes North--A Carlist Proclamation--Don Alfonso--Midnight Oil--Castelar's Circular 92-112

Warning to Ladies--The Hotel Parliament--An Anglo-Spanish Mentor--The Evil Genii of the Monarchy--The Curses of Spain--Government and Religion Affairs of Climate--The Carlists, Norwegians, and English, all Republicans!--Notions on Heredity--The Five Spanish Parties--The Army the Lever of Power--The Student-Cæsar--Order _versus_ Republic--The Chained Colours--Dorregaray's Appeal to the Soldiers--Influence of the Church--Wanted: a Benevolent Despot 113-131

The Carnival--About Kissing Feet--Mummers and Masquers--The Paseo de Recoletos--The Writer is taken for Cluseret--Incongruity in Costume--Shrove Tuesday--Panic on the Prado--A Fancy Ball--The "Entierro de la Sardina"--Lenten Amusements--A Spanish Mystery--"Pasion y Muerte de Jesus"--Of the Stage Stagey--Critical Remarks 132-160

Another Chat with Mentor--A Startling Solution of the Spanish Question--The Penalties of Popularity--The Republic another Saturn--The New Civil Governor--The Government Bill--Outside the Palace of the Congress--Providential Rain--Wild Rumours--Federal Threats--The Five Civil Guards--Inside the Chamber--The Great Debate--The Two Reports--Compromise--Minor Speechmakers--A Pickwickian Contention--The Division--Victory for the Ministry--The Five Civil Guards Trot to Stables 161-182

The Inventions of Don Fulano de Tal--Stopping a Train--"A Ver Fine Blaggar"--The Legend of Santa Cruz--Dodging a Warrant--Outlawed--Chased by Gendarmes--A Jack Sheppard Escape--The Cura becomes Cabecilla--Sleeping with an Eye Open--Exploits and Atrocities--Dilettante Carlists in London--The Combat of Monreal--Ibarreta's Relics--A Tale for the Marines--The Carlists Looking-up 183-200

Barbarism of Tauromachy--A Surreptitious Ticket--The Novillos--Islington _not_ Madrid--Apology for Cock-Fighting--Maudlin Humanity--The Espada a Popular Idol--In the Bull-Ring--A Precious "Ster-oh"--The Trumpets Speak--The Procession--Play of the Quadrille--The Defiance--"Bravo, Cucharra!"--"Bravo, Toro!"--The Blemish of the Sport--An Indignant English Lassie 201-224

The Shamrock of Erin and Olive of Spain--Hispano-Hibernian Regiments--The Spanish Soldier--An Unpopular Hidalgo--Flaw in the Harness--The Organization of the Army--The Guardia Civil--The Cavalry, Engineers, and Infantry--General Cordova--The Disorganization of the Army--Mutiny in Pampeluna--Officers Out of Work--Turbulent Barcelona--Irresolute Contreras--Pistolet Discharges Himself--The Madrid Garrison 225-248

Luring the Reader into a Stony Desert--A Duel on the Carpet--Disappointment of the Special Correspondents--The People Amuses Itself--How the Ballot Works--A Historic Sitting of the Congress--Castelar's Great Oration--The Glory of Spain--About Negro Manumission--Distrust of "Uncle Sam"--Return of Figueras--The Permanent Committee--A Love-Feast of Politicians--The Writer Orders Wings 249-265

The Writer Turns Churlish and Quits Madrid--Sleep under Difficulties--A Bad Dream--Santa Cruz again--Off St. Helena!--Dissertation on Stomach Matters--A Hint to British Railway Directors--"Odds, Hilts and Blades"--A Delicate Little Gentleman is Curious--The "Tierra Deleitosa"--That Butcher again 266-281

Delectable Seville--Don Juan Scapegrace--The Women in Black--In the Triana Suburb--The City of the Seven Sleepers--Guide-Book Boredom--Romance and Reality--The Prosaic Manchester Man--King Ferdinand Puzzling the Judges--Mortification by Proxy--Some Notable Treasures--Papers and Politics--The Porcelain Factory--"The Lazy Andalusiennes"--About Cigars--The Gipsy Dance 282-311

Which, being non-essential, treats partly of Spain, but principally of the Writer.