The spaniards

New Zealand Tablet, 2 August 1906, Page 10

The spaniards

In his ' Contarini Fleming,' Disraeli wrote : ' Certainly the Spaniards are a noble race. They are kind and faithful, courageous and honest, Avith a profound mind, that will nevertheless break inio rich humor, and a dignity which, like th?ir passion, is perhaps the legacy of their orientei.l sires '. In the ' Nin-eteenth Century ' for June, Mr. Austin Harrison, another non-Catholic writer, gives an equally sympathetic account of the inhabitants of that c Fair land, of chivalry the old domain, Land of the vine and olive, lovely Spain,' over w.huh an Eng'isJi Piincess has gone to rule as (Jucen. * Mr. Harrison spca's enthusiastically of ' the sincerity and soberness of the Spaniard,' ' his splendid pride, his dignity, his feeling for color, movement, art, and atmosphere, his sin^hc-ity, gentleness, and self-con-tent. There arc ', he adds, 'no conundrums or " questions " in Spam '. He then goes on to say : ' There is no pride or dignity more noble. You may see to-day in any church portal in°Spain the sombre dignity of expression immortajiscd in t lie poi traits of \elasquc7. . .I v the Basque Pro ancjes the dignity and pride of the peasantry are reflected in the graceful carriage and symmetry of movement for which the men of that coast and the girls carrying pitchers on their heads are justly celebrated. There is no trace of awkwardness in a Spanish peasant, on whose features is stamped the pride of Rome, who will talk to you v\ith the ease and vollubihty of a Spanish courtier. II is a noble stock And what women more adorable than those of Spain, so pi oud, so simple, so radiantly feniini.ie f > As a type, the Spanis'i woman of the South is unique. ' L'Andalouse ", who does nnt know Musset's tiibute to her"' ' A new spirit (according to Mr. Harrison) has teen coming into S-ain since the loss of its colonies. ' The people scymu to be taking measure of themselves and stock of thei- possibilities. An era of retrenchment, progress, reform, and e>en creation has opened, a nd to the young King all loo'v for guidance. After centuries of feud and estrangement, England and Spain are again united. It is an ins; inng reflectii n '*