the ancient fortress and residence of the Moorish monarchs of Granada. It derives its name from the red colour of the materials which it was originally built with, Alhambra signifying a red house. It appears to a traveller a huge heap of as ugly buildings as can well be seen, all huddled together, seemingly without the least intention of forming one habitation out of them. The walls are entirely unornamented, all gravel and pebbles, daubed over with plaster by a very coarse hand; yet this is the palace of the Moorish kings of Granada, indubitably the most curious place within that exists in Spain, perhaps in the world. In many countries may be seen excellent modern as well as ancient architecture, both entire and in ruins; but nothing to be met with anywhere else can convey an idea of this edifice, except the decorations of an opera, or the tales of the genii.

Passing round the corner of the emperor's palace, one is admitted at a plain unornamented door in a corner. On my first visit, says Mr Swinburne, I confess I was struck with amazement, as I stepped over the Spanish threshold, to find myself on a sudden transported into a species of fairy land. The first place you come to is the court called the communa or del mezclar, that is the common bath; an oblong square, with a deep basin of clear water in the middle; two flights of marble steps leading down to the bottom; on each side a parterre of flowers, and a row of orange-trees. Round the court runs a peristyle paved with marble; the arches bear upon very slight pillars, in proportions and style different from all the regular orders of architecture. The ceilings and walls are incrustated with fret-work in stucco, so minute and intricate, that the most patient draughtsman would find it difficult to follow it, unless he made himself master of the general plan. This would facilitate the operation exceedingly; for all this work is frequently and regularly repeated at certain distances, and has been executed by means of square moulds applied successively, and the parts joined together with the utmost nicety. In every division are Arabic sentences of different lengths, most of them expressive of the following meanings: "There is no conqueror but God;" or, "Obedience and honour to our Lord Abouabdoula." The ceilings are gilt or painted, and time has caused no diminution in the freshness of their colours, though constantly exposed to the air. The lower part of the walls is mosaic, disposed in fantastic knots and festoons. A work so novel, so exquisitely finished, and so different from all that he had ever seen, must afford a stranger the most agreeable sensations while he treads this magic ground. The porches at the ends are more like grotto-work than any thing else to which they can be compared. That on the right hand opens into an octagon vault, under the emperor's palace, and forms a perfect whispering gallery, meant to be a communication between the offices of both houses.

Opposite to the door of the communa through which you enter, is another leading into the quarto de los leones, or apartment of the lions; which is an oblong court, 100 feet in length and 50 in breadth, environed with a colonnade 7 feet broad on the sides and 10 at the end. Two porticos or cabinets about 15 feet square, project into the court at the two extremities. The square is paved with coloured tiles; the colonnade with white marble. The walls are covered five feet up from the ground with blue and yellow tiles, disposed chequerwise. Above and below is a border of small escutcheons, enamelled blue and gold, with an Arabic motto on a bend; signifying, "No conqueror but God." The columns that support the roof and gallery are of white marble, very slender, and fantastically adorned. They are 9 feet high, including base and capital, and 8½ inches diameter. They are very irregularly placed; sometimes singly, at others in groups of three, but more frequently two together. The width of the horse-shoe arches above them is four feet two inches for the large ones, and three for the smaller. The ceiling of the portico is finished in a much finer and more complicated manner than that of the communa, and the stucco laid on the walls with inimitable delicacy; in the ceiling it is so artfully frosted and handled as to exceed belief. The capitals are of various designs, though each design is repeated several times in the circumference of the court, but not the least attention has been paid to placing them regularly or opposite to each other. Not the smallest representation of animal life can be discovered amidst the varieties of foliages, grotesques, and strange ornaments. About each arch is a large square of arabesques, surrounded with a rim of characters, that are generally quotations from the Koran. Over the pillars is another square of delightful filigree work. Higher up is a wooden rim, or kind of cornice, as much enriched with carving as the stucco that covers the part underneath. Over this projects a roof of red tiles, the only thing that disfigures this beautiful square. This ugly covering is modern, put on by order of Mr Wall, the late prime minister, who a few years ago gave the Alhambra a thorough repair. In Moorish times, the building was covered with large painted and glazed tiles, of which some few are still to be seen. In the centre of the court are twelve ill-made lions muzzled, their fore parts smooth, their hind parts rough, which bear upon their backs an enormous basin, out of which a lesser rises. While the pipes were kept in good order, a great volume of water was thrown up, that, falling down into the basins, passed through the beats, and issued out of their mouths into a large reservoir, where it communicated by channels with the jet d'eau in the apartments. This fountain is of white marble, embellished with many festoons and Arabic ditties, thus translated:

"Seest thou not how the water flows copiously like the Nile?"

"This resembles a sea washing over its shores, threatening shipwreck to the mariner."

"This water runs abundantly, to give drink to the lions."

"Terrible as the lion is our king in the day of battle."

"The Nile gives glory to the king, and the lofty mountains proclaim it."

"This garden is fertile in delights: God takes care that no noxious animal shall approach it."

"The fair princess that walks in this garden, covered with pearls, augments its beauty so much, that thou mayst doubt whether it be a fountain that flows, or the tears of her admirers."

Passing along the colonnade, and keeping on the south side, you come to a circular room used by the men as a place for drinking coffee and forbes in. A fountain in the middle refreshed the apartment in summer. The form of this hall, the elegance of its cupola, the cheerful distribution of light from above, and the exquisite manner in which the stucco is designed, painted, and finished, exceed all powers of description. Everything in it inspires the most pleasing, voluptuous ideas; yet in this sweet retreat they pretend that Abouabdoula assembled the Abencerrages, and caused their heads to be struck off into the fountain. Continuing your walk round, you are next brought to a couple of rooms at the head of the court, which are supposed to have been tribunals, or audience-chambers.

Opposite to the Sala de los Abencerrages is the entrance into the Torre de las dos hermanas, or the tower of the two sisters; so named from two very beautiful pieces of marble laid as flags in the pavement. This gate exceeds all the rest in profusion of ornaments, and in beauty of prospect which it affords through a range of apartments, where a multitude of arches terminate in a large window open to the country. In a gleam of sunshine, the variety of tints and lights thrown upon this enfilade are uncommonly rich. The first hall is the concert-room, where the women sat; the musicians played above in four balconies. In the middle is a jet d'eau. The marble pavement is equal to the finest existing, for the size of the flags and evenness of the colour. The two sisters, which give name to the room, are slabs that measure 15 feet by 7½, without flaw or stain. The walls, up to a certain height, are mosaic, and above are divided into very neat compartments of stucco, all of one design, which is also followed in many of the adjacent halls and galleries. The ceiling is a fretted cove. To preserve this vaulted roof, as well as some of the other principal cupolas, the outward walls of the towers are raised 10 feet above the top of the dome, and support another roof over all, by which means no damage can ever be caused by wet weather or excessive heat and cold. From this hall you pass round the little myrtle-garden of This description of the Alhambra may be finished by observing how admirably every thing was planned and calculated for rendering this palace the most voluptuous of all retirements; what plentiful supplies of water were brought to refresh it in the hot months of summer; what a free circulation of air was contrived, by the judicious disposition of doors and windows; what shady gardens of aromatic trees; what noble views over the beautiful hills and fertile plains! No wonder the Moors regretted Granada; no wonder they still offer up prayers to God every Friday for the recovery of this city, which they esteem a terrestrial paradise. See Granada.