The Land of the Castanet : Spanish Sketches. By H.
C. Chat- field-Taylor. (Gay and Bird.)—We need not stop to criticise the introductory chapter. We can only wish that Mr. Chatfield- Taylor's hopes for the future of Spain will be realised. (It is a little hard on Espartero with " O'Donnell, Serrano, and the Carlist pretenders.") The sketches that follow of cities and men are sufficiently vigorous. He goes to lunch with Castelar, and gives us an interesting picture of that eloquent Republican. He pictures Spanish society, and gives an opinion not enthusiastic on Spanish women. They know very little, are fierce politicians, are not very handsome, but whatever they are, or are not, are not " new." After spending some time in Madrid, we are taken to Seville. The bull-fight does not please him. It has de- generated. " It is no longer a sport for gentlemen alone." Professionalism has ruined it, as it promises to ruin other things. Seville rejoices in cock-fighting as well as in the bull-fight. More to English taste is "Pelota," a kind of racquets, or rather fives, the hand and arm being fitted with a basket-work scoop. Cordova and Granada and other places are visited, and the book finishes with what we may call a sympathetic chapter on Gibraltar. Our American traveller is not sorry to find himself again among kinsfolk.
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