LETTER XI.

VILLAGE OF QUELUS ITS ROYAL PALACE.—THE VINTAGE-STATE OF THE PRESS IN PORTUGAL-ITS CONSEQUENCES.-SUCCESSFUL EXERTIONS OF GENERAL BERESFORD AND LORD PROBY.-A SPECIMEN OF FRENCH FINESSE.

Torres Vedras, 21st Sept. 1808

I RETURNED here yesterday from Lisbon, which I left the preceding evening. Having been detained at Belem till a late hour, and finding that it would be impossible to reach Torres Vedras that night, I called on a friend at Quelus, who procured me a bed at that village.

Early yesterday I pursued my journey, after viewing the royal palace of Quelus, which has lately undergone a complete repair, for the reception of the Duke d'Abrantes. It is a low wooden building, but contains a very handsome suite of apartments. Among others, a concert-room, two hundred feet long, with a very magnificent ceiling, and a room decorated with eighteen pictures, from the novel of Don Quixote.

Behind the building is a pretty extensive garden, which is well stocked with shrubs, and laid out with some taste. The village is paltry, consisting of a few small houses, with one church, and an amphitheatre for bullfights. The peasants were employed in the fields as I passed, in gathering in the vintage and after an agreeable ride, I reached Torres Vedras about three in the after

noon.

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I found my old landlord had been anxious for my return, that he might inform himself of the real state of things at Lisbon; of which the country people had been receiving for the last week the most false and exaggerated

accounts.

Mankind are naturally fond of news; and in a country like this, where newspapers are few in number, and, from the expence, difficult of access, every circumstance as it occurs, is handed about from person to person, and by the time it has travelled twenty-seven miles (which is the distance of this town from Lisbon), Mrs. Piozzi's tale of the Black Crows is fully exemplified.

You may judge what is the state of public information in this country, when I tell you, that previously to the invasion by the French, there was only one, or at most

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two newspapers printed in all Portugal; and these consisted of four very small quarto pages, and were under the inspection of the Inquisition.

Since the English army landed, another newspaper has been set on foot at Coimbra, which, I hope, will be continued; although it is more than probable, that the moment the Inquisition again rears its hydra head, the press will be subjected to its power, and the Coimbra Gazette consigned to oblivion.

The Portuguese have attempted to raise a great outcry against the quantity of plunder which the French have carried off with them. I do assure you, that I believe the clamour to be groundless. They certainly did attempt to smuggle many valuable articles of plunder on board; but so great has been the vigilance of General Beresford and Lord Proby, that they have in a great measure been foiled in their attempts, and forced to relinquish their booty, which has been placed in the public stores, till claimed by the individuals from whom it was cruelly wrested. They have contrived one mode of eluding the British vigilance it is, the active employment of two mints, in which they have converted a large quantity of church-plate into French crowns and Napoleon d'ors. All this specie they are permitted, by the construction of the

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articles of the convention, to carry off to France. You will allow that this piece of Gallic finesse has been rarely surpassed.

I believe I forgot to tell you that Junot wished to carry with him five Danish vessels loaded with plunder, under the name of his private baggage; but this attempt was much too barefaced, and was, of course, prevented by Sir Hew Dalrymple.

I am anxious to be removed to Lisbon, as this place is becoming unhealthy. My strolls in the neighbourhood have now lost the attraction of novelty; and I begin to feel the want of books, which are not to be had here. The labours of the vintage take up the attention of my worthy host, who spends most of his time at two vineyards which he possesses in this neighbourhood, and from which he derives a handsome income.

LETTER XII.

MAFRA. A CHARACTERISTIC ANECDOTE.-CONVENT OF MAFRABUILT BY KING JOHN V.-ITS ARCHITECTURE SEVERELY CENSURED BY MURPHY-GENERAL IMPRESSION GRAND-MUCH INJURED BY THE FRENCH SOLDIERY.-AURICULAR CONFESSION.-SUBURBS OF LISBON.-BENEFICO.—AQUEDUCT OF ALCANTARA-GALLEGOS.

Lisbon, 5th October, 1808.

IAM afforded an opportunity of writing to you by the Hindostan store-ship, which is ordered to return immediately to England.}

Two days ago I arrived here. The hospital of Torres Vedras is broken up, and the sick removed to the Estrella convent. My companions and I, on our way hither, were forced to pass the night at Mafra. It was late in the evening before we reached that village, so that we were obliged to disturb the slumbers of the Juiz de Fora, who seemed very unwilling to quit his pillow. At length he got up, and granted us the comforts of a billet on the house of one of the dignified clergy.