Among the Spanish People (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1877 Excerpt: ...firmness, to the great detriment of business of all sorts, as in Spain. The line has been swept away by a flood, a thousand men must be requisitioned to repair it; but no, it is All Saints' or Christmas-Day, and it is "un dia de fiesta," our holyday. Not only does the nation, as a nation, observe the great Christian festivals as holydays, but the manner of observance varies in each province; the food, the dance, the song, the wine, the customs are different. I will tell you how Christmas-time is observed in Spain. I must premise that in a short sketch it is impossible to treat of every provincial and peculiar mode of keeping Christmas-Day. Spain in winter must be divided into Spain the frigid and Spain the semi-tropic; for while snow lies a foot deep at Christmas in the north, in the south the sun is shining brightly and flowers of spring are peeping out, and a nosegay of heliotrope and open-air geraniums is the "Christmas holly and mistletoe" of Andalusia. There is no chill in the air; there is no frost on the window-pane. So that in the south there is no sitting over the blazing fire, no sense of joy in drawing the home circle round their " winter sun," as Spaniards call the English fire. On the other hand, in the north, bitter as is the cold, these primitive people have absolutely no comfort or warmth at all, save what is yielded by the glowing embers of the small eopa or brasero of charcoal, which always makes one believe it is on the point of going out. They crouch over this, rich and poor; say " Patience," and " Oh, what a bitter cold " and never dream of a log fire to warm their dark, damp houses. phraseology, "almond rock "--is brought to your door; and buy it you must. A coarse kind is sol...