who travel in foreign countries, to view the productions of the Fine Arts, I made the remark, that I did not think, it was by pictures, statues, and vases that the civilization of nations, was advanced; but that religious liberty, the real freedom, of moral and religious thought, and action, was the only basis of true civilization. The heartiness, with which he expressed his concurrence with this sentiment, showed me that it was no new thought, but one familiar to his mind. I believe that our friendship, which lasted for the remainder of life, was then begun, while walking the streets of London." Henceforward Spain, took entire possession of Mr. Wiffen. Don Luis, was the Editor, of the "Reformistas Antiguos Españoles," ("The Early Spanish Reformers,") of which a series of twenty volumes has been printed. He had attained the age of fourteen years, ere he even saw a Bible. When he entered the Central University, at Madrid, to study Hebrew, the chair was occupied by Don Antonio Puigblanch, known to English readers by William Walton's translation of his "Inquisicion sin Mascara," ("The Inquisition Unmasked,") 2 vols., 8vo.

The study of Hebrew, introduced Don Luis, to the Old Testament Scriptures, in which that most ancient, and venerable of languages, is preserved, and, as it were, embalmed. Henceforth, Don Luis, became, not only an ardent and critical student of Scripture, but he became also, devotedly attached to its important verities; and indeed, so far did his talents, and affec

tions lead him, that he afterwards came to be elected, to fill the Professor's chair of Hebrew, in the University of Valladolid. To the close of his life, he continued to pursue, that course of religious and critical investigation of Scripture, which he had thus begun, as a youth, nor was he diverted from it, by his varied literary avocations, which, proscribed as they were, by the rulers of the day, must have awoke in him, feelings consciously akin, to those pourtrayed by Dr. Johnson, as Milton's, in relation to his "Paradise Lost," which was decried, both under the reign of Charles II. and afterwards. Johnson says, "He surveyed the silent progress of his work, and marked its reputation stealing its way, in a kind of subterraneous current, through fear and silence."

In the year 1839, Mr. Wiffen, accompanied Mr. Alexander, to Spain, on a deputation to promote the abolition of the Slave trade. Don Luis, entirely sympathised with them, and they happily succeeded in attaining their object. This journey, gave still greater strength, to B. Wiffen's Spanish inclinations. His letters show, what an immediate, and permanent impression, his whole nature received, from the people and scenery. He loved them, with the ardour of personal attachment. Even the inconveniences of travel, only stirred his poetic temperament; he says, "I dipped my hands, in every river I passed, and gathered memorials from every memorable spot." Writing to a friend, some years afterwards-"How pleasant it is, at the earliest morning before sunrise,

to jog along the mysterious country, through strange villages, enveloped in a fragrant atmosphere of burning lavender, and to notice the melting colours of the sky, from the deepest purple, almost black with intensity, the vermilion, and gold, unequalled in purity of colour, by anything seen in these moister northern latitudes, and at night, the stars are really like lamps hung in heaven; for the air being so dry and pure, the eyes seem to look beyond, and see the other side of them."

Some of these impressions of beauty, and thoughts suggested by them, he embodied, after his return. home, in a Poem called "The Warder of the Pyrenees," which was published in Finden's Tableau x edited by his sister, Mrs. Alaric Watts; others will be found recorded in the next chapter.

In 1841, Don Luis, and his wife, visited Wiffen at Aspley Guise. Then, they formed the common purpose, to rescue from oblivion the Works of the early Spanish Reformers. Don Luis, gives the following account of the commencement of this peculiar work: "There is a sort of literary proselytism which is exercised unconsciously, and which, in relation to these, has come to be one of the sources of my wealth. Years ago, conversing with an Englishman, in the corridor of the hotel, at Seville, where we were staying, about Spanish literature, I spoke to him of this branch of it, casually showing him an ancient copy of Carrascon, which I had in my hand. That Englishman, was my friend, Benjamin B. Wiffen, who

was acquainted with our poet Garcilasso, but who did not, at that time, know the book which I then showed to him, nor any of its companions in misfortune, stupidly registered in our Expurgatory Indexes. Without acknowledging it at that time, Benjamin Wiffen, was at once made a literary proselyte, as unexpectedly to himself, as to me. And looking at it more closely in the sense, which I attach to the word, I shall call him too, an indispensable proselyte. For being a Spaniard, and drugged with no small dose of indolence, or Spanish slowness, and resident in our hard Spain, where to seek these, my loved books, is almost as vain, as it is dangerous, it was necessary for me, to have a friend out of Spain, some person, as much a friend to myself, as to these books. Wiffen was that friend, and the consequence of our conversation at Seville, was, that it concentrated his thoughts and studies, in the search for the Works of those Spanish writers, who were persecuted for their attachment to Christian liberty."

ΟΝ

CHAPTER IV.

SPANISH TRAVEL.

"I would not escape from memory's land
For all that the eye can view;

For there's dearer dust in memory's land
Than the ore of rich Peru."

MISS HOLFOrd.

N his first journey into Spain, in the year 1840, Mr. Wiffen wrote a description of the scenery and its associations, in the shape of rhyming letters, supposed to have been addressed by his companion to his wife at home, with copious notes. The greater facility of access to Spain now enjoyed, the changes. in the political situation, and the diffusion of the excellent guide book of Richard Ford, have deprived the bulk of these descriptions of the charm of novelty, yet a few of these first impressions are deserving of preservation.

The travellers entered by the diligence road from Bayonne, and encountered the fresh marks of the bloody warfare, then apparently expiring, carried on by the partisans of Don Carlos. This had overlaid, but not effaced, the traces of Wellington and Soult throughout the same picturesque wild district. After accomplishing their errand at Madrid, they went on