VALENCIA.

TH

HE fituation of Valencia is delightful, and the country round it is a perfect garden, watered by the Guadalaviar, on the banks of which the city ftands. It is divided into fourteen parishes, including the cathedral, and is faid to contain a hundred thousand fouls. On the average of two years, A. D. 1782 and 1786, the marriages were fix hundred and eighty-one; the births, two thousand fix hundred; the burials, two thoufand five hundred and twenty-five. The city is evidently flou- . rishing, and, were we to judge by the returns to government, we should be inclined to think the progrefs, in refpect of population, fince the commencement of the prefent century, had been rapid. In the whole province, A, D, 1718, when the equivalent

was

was fettled, they reckoned fixty-three thoufand feven hundred and feventy families, and two hundred and fifty-five thoufand fouls. A. D. 1761, these amounted, when numbered for the quintas, or levies for the army, to one hundred and fifty-one thoufand one hundred and twenty-eight famlies, and fix hundred and four thousand fix hundred and twelve fouls. A. D. 1768, Count d'Aranda obtained an account from the bifhops of one hundred and feventy nine thousand two hundred and twenty-one families, and feven hundred and fixteen thoufand eight hundred and eighty-fix fouls; and now, by the laft returns, we may calculate them at one hundred and ninety-two thousand nine hundred and feventy fami lies, because we find feven hundred and feventy-one thoufand eight hundred and eighty-one fouls. In this province they reckon only four perfons to one vecino or mafter of a family.

In a city like Valencia we naturally expect to fee many convents: they are indeed numerous, being no fewer than forty-four, nearly divided between the monks and

nuns.

nuns. Befide thefe, we find ten churches, belonging to congregations, colleges, and hofpitals.

The streets are narrow, crooked, and not paved; yet they are clean, and therefore healthy.

The principal buildings are, the cathedral, the convents, and the university; of which the former, without comparison, is the most worthy of attention. It is of Grecian architecture; light, "elegant, and highly finished, more efpecially in the dome, and in fix of the larger chapels. Altogether I never faw a more pleafing ftructure.

Near to the entrance, the first chapel to the right, oppofite to the high altar, is dedicated to S. Sebaftian. This contains a good picture of the faint, by Pedro Orrhente of Murcia. Next to this, when you have paffed the entrance to the chapterhouse, is the chapel de la comunion, with its cupola and three altars. Similar to this are the chapels of S. Francis of Borja, of S. Pafqual, and of S. Thomas. The former of these is elegantly fitted up by the coun

tefs

tefs of Peñafiel, who, as dutchefs of Gandia, owes peculiar reverence to S. Francis, once the lord of Gandia, and now its patron. The cross iles have each four altars, and maffive marble pillars. Behind the great altar, eight little chapels, decorated with marble columns, contribute much to the beauty of this edifice. To the north, the church is fitted up in much the fame manner as we defcribed it in the south; and round the choir, in twelve receffes, are twelve altars, making altogether fifty-four altars, at most of which incenfe is daily offered.

The great altar, thirty feet high by eighteen wide, is filver; and the image of the Blessed Virgin, fix feet high, is of the fame precious metal: the workmanship of both is admirable. On the altar, in eight feveral compartiments, are represented, in bold relief, as many facred fubjects, executed by the best masters who lived at the clofe of the fifteenth century. These are protected by folding doors, of greater value for their paintings than the altar itself for the filver it contains. The fubjects are twelve; fix on the outfide, and as many

on

on the infide, the production of Francis Neapoli, and of Paul Aregio.

In the facrifty, I faw a maffive fepulchre of filver gilt, defigned for the reception of the hoft on good Friday; a magnificent throne and canopy of filver, for Easter Sunday; and, of the fame metal, two cuftodias, one with Corinthian columns, and images of the two patron faints; the other, twelve feet high, with a gold border, innumerable gems, and a little image of S. Michael the archangel, compofed entirely of brilliants. This was added to the treasures of the church in the year 1452.

All the best pictures are disposed of in the facrifty and chapter-house. Those by the canon Victoria, and by Vergara, are excellent; but the most beautiful, and little inferior to Raphael's, are many by Juanes; more especially his Holy Family, in the chapter-house, and his Ecce Homo, in a chapel of that name.

Among the relics, thofe held in the highest estimation are, many thorns of the Redeemer's crown; the curious cup in which he drank at his laft fupper; and a

wretched