every　hamlet　of　more　than　twelve　houses　to　have　a　mosque；　and　purified
  the　ceremonies　of　religion；　and　the　festivals　and　popular
  amusements；　from　various　abuses　and　indecorums　which　had　crept　into
  them。　He　attended　vigilantly　to　the　police　of　the　city；　establishing
  nocturnal　guards　and　patrols；　and　superintending　all　municipal
  concerns。　His　attention　was　also　directed　towards　finishing　the
  great　architectural　works　commenced　by　his　predecessors；　and
  erecting　others　on　his　own　plans。　The　Alhambra；　which　had　been　founded
  by　the　good　Alhamar；　was　now　completed。　Yusef　constructed　the
  beautiful　Gate　of　Justice；　forming　the　grand　entrance　to　the　fortress；
  which　he　finished　in　1348。　He　likewise　adorned　many　of　the　courts
  and　halls　of　the　palace；　as　may　be　seen　by　the　inscriptions　on　the
  walls；　in　which　his　name　repeatedly　occurs。　He　built　also　the　noble
  Alcazar　or　citadel　of　Malaga；　now　unfortunately　a　mere　mass　of
  crumbling　ruins；　but　which　most　probably　exhibited　in　its　interior；
  similar　elegance　and　magnificence　with　the　Alhambra。
  The　genius　of　a　sovereign　stamps　a　character　upon　his　time。　The
  nobles　of　Granada；　imitating　the　elegant　and　graceful　taste　of
  Yusef；　soon　filled　the　city　of　Granada　with　magnificent　palaces；　the
  halls　of　which　were　paved　with　mosaic；　the　walls　and　ceilings
  wrought　in　fretwork；　and　delicately　gilded　and　painted　with　azure；
  vermilion；　and　other　brilliant　colors；　or　minutely　inlaid　with　cedar
  and　other　precious　woods；　specimens　of　which　have　survived；　in　all
  their　lustre；　the　lapse　of　several　centuries。　Many　of　the　houses　had
  fountains；　which　threw　up　jets　of　water　to　refresh　and　cool　the　air。
  They　had　lofty　towers　also；　of　wood　or　stone；　curiously　carved　and
  ornamented；　and　covered　with　plates　of　metal　that　glittered　in　the
  sun。　Such　was　the　refined　and　delicate　taste　in　architecture　that
  prevailed　among　this　elegant　people；　insomuch　that　to　use　the
  beautiful　simile　of　an　Arabian　writer；　〃Granada；　in　the　days　of　Yusef；
  was　as　a　silver　vase　filled　with　emeralds　and　jacinths。〃
  One　anecdote　will　be　sufficient　to　show　the　magnanimity　of　this
  generous　prince。　The　long　truce　which　had　succeeded　the　battle　of
  Salado　was　at　an　end；　and　every　effort　of　Yusef　to　renew　it　was　in
  vain。　His　deadly　foe；　Alfonzo　XI　of　Castile；　took　the　field　with　great
  force；　and　laid　siege　to　Gibraltar。　Yusef　reluctantly　took　up　arms；
  and　sent　troops　to　the　relief　of　the　place。　In　the　midst　of　his
  anxiety；　he　received　tidings　that　his　dreaded　foe　had　suddenly
  fallen　a　victim　to　the　plague。　Instead　of　manifesting　exultation　on
  the　occasion；　Yusef　called　to　mind　the　great　qualities　of　the
  deceased；　and　was　touched　with　a　noble　sorrow。　〃Alas！〃　cried　he；
  〃the　world　has　lost　one　of　its　most　excellent　princes；　a　sovereign　who
  knew　how　to　honor　merit；　whether　in　friend　or　foe！〃
  The　Spanish　chroniclers　themselves　bear　witness　to　this　magnanimity。
  According　to　their　accounts；　the　Moorish　cavaliers　partook　of　the
  sentiment　of　their　king；　and　put　on　mourning　for　the　death　of　Alfonzo。
  Even　those　of　Gibraltar；　who　had　been　so　closely　invested；　when　they
  knew　that　the　hostile　monarch　lay　dead　in　his　camp；　determined　among
  themselves　that　no　hostile　movement　should　be　made　against　the
  Christians。　The　day　on　which　the　camp　was　broken　up；　and　the　army
  departed　bearing　the　corpse　of　Alfonzo；　the　Moors　issued　in　multitudes
  from　Gibraltar；　and　stood　mute　and　melancholy；　watching　the　mournful
  pageant。　The　same　reverence　for　the　deceased　was　observed　by　all　the
  Moorish　commanders　on　the　frontiers；　who　suffered　the　funeral　train　to
  pass　in　safety；　bearing　the　corpse　of　the　Christian　sovereign　from
  Gibraltar　to　Seville。*
  *　Y　los　moros　que　estaban　en　la　villa　y　Castillo　de　Gibraltar
  despues　que　sopieron　que　el　Rey　Don　Alonzo　era　muerto；　ordenaron
  entresi　que　ninguno　non　fuesse　osado　de　fazer　ningun　movimiento　contra
  los　Christianos；　ni　mover　pelear　contra　ellos；　estovieron　todos　quedos
  y　dezian　entre　ellos　qui　aquel　dia　muriera　un　noble　rey　y　Gran
  principe　del　mundo。
  ＇And　the　Moors　that　were　in　the　city　and　Castle　of　Gibraltar；
  after　they　knew　that　King　Don　Alonzo　was　dead；　ordered　among
  themselves　that　no　one　should　dare　to　make　any　move　against　the
  Christians；　nor　to　start　fighting　against　them；　and　they　all
  remained　quiet　and　told　each　other　that　on　that　day　had　died　a　noble
  king　and　a　great　prince　of　the　world。＇
  Yusef　did　not　long　survive　the　enemy　he　had　so　generously
  deplored。　In　the　year　1354；　as　he　was　one　day　praying　in　the　royal
  mosque　of　the　Alhambra；　a　maniac　rushed　suddenly　from　behind　and
  plunged　a　dagger　in　his　side。　The　cries　of　the　king　brought　his　guards
  and　courtiers　to　his　assistance。　They　found　him　weltering　in　his
  blood。　He　made　some　signs　as　if　to　speak；　but　his　words　were
  unintelligible。　They　bore　him　senseless　to　the　royal　apartments；　where
  he　expired　almost　immediately。　The　murderer　was　cut　to　pieces；　and　his
  limbs　burnt　in　public　to　gratify　the　fury　of　the　populace。
  The　body　of　the　king　was　interred　in　a　superb　sepulchre　of　white
  marble；　a　long　epitaph；　in　letters　of　gold　upon　an　azure　ground；
  recorded　his　virtues。　〃Here　lies　a　king　and　martyr；　of　an
  illustrious　line；　gentle；　learned；　and　virtuous；　renowned　for　the
  graces　of　his　person　and　his　manners；　whose　clemency；　piety　and
  benevolence；　were　extolled　throughout　the　kingdom　of　Granada。　He　was　a
  great　prince；　an　illustrious　captain；　a　sharp　sword　of　the　Moslems；
  a　valiant　standard…bearer　among　the　most　potent　monarchs；〃　&c。
  The　mosque　still　exists　which　once　resounded　with　the　dying　cries　of
  Yusef；　but　the　monument　which　recorded　his　virtues　has　long　since
  disappeared。　His　name；　however；　remains　inscribed　among　the　delicate
  and　graceful　ornaments　of　the　Alhambra；　and　will　be　perpetuated　in
  connection　with　this　renowned　pile；　which　it　was　his　pride　and　delight
  to　beautify。
  The　Mysterious　Chambers。
  AS　I　WAS　rambling　one　day　about　the　Moorish　halls；　my　attention　was；
  for　the　first　time；　attracted　to　a　door　in　a　remote　gallery；
  communicating　apparently　with　some　part　of　the　Alhambra　which　I　had
  not　yet　explored。　I　attempted　to　open　it；　but　it　was　locked。　I
  knocked；　but　no　one　answered；　and　the　sound　seemed　to　reverberate
  through　empty　chambers。　Here　then　was　a　mystery。　Here　was　the
  haunted　wing　of　the　castle。　How　was　I　to　get　at　the　dark　secrets
  here　shut　up　from　the　public　eye？　Should　I　come　privately　at　night
  with　lamp　and　sword；　according　to　the　prying　custom　of　heroes　of
  romance；　or　should　I　endeavor　to　draw　the　secret　from　Pepe　the
  stuttering　gardener；　or　the　ingenuous　Dolores；　or　the　loquacious
  Mateo？　Or　should　I　go　frankly　and　openly　to　Dame　Antonia　the
  chatelaine；　and　ask　her　all　about　it？　I　chose　the　latter　course；　as
  being　the　simplest　though　the　least　romantic；　and　found；　somewhat　to
  my　disappointment；　that　there　was　no　mystery　in　the　case。　I　was
  welcome　to　explore　the　apartment；　and　there　was　the　key。
  Thus　provided；　I　returned　forthwith　to　the　door。　It　opened；　as　I　had
  surmised；　to　a　range　of　vacant　chambers；　but　they　were　quite　different
  from　the　rest　of　the　palace。　The　architecture；　though　rich　and
  antiquated；　was　European。　There　was　nothing　Moorish　about　it。　The
  first　two　rooms　were　lofty；　the　ceilings；　broken　in　many　places；
  were　of　cedar；　deeply　panelled　and　skilfully　carved　with　fruits　and
  flowers；　intermingled　with　grotesque　masks　or　faces。
  The　walls　had　evidently　in　ancient　times　been　hung　with　damask；
  but　now　were　naked；　and　scrawled　over　by　that　class　of　aspiring
  travellers　who　defile　noble　monuments　with　their　worthless　names。
  The　windows；　dismantled　and　open　to　wind　and　weather；　looked　out
  into　a　charming　little　secluded　garden；　where　an　alabaster　fountain
  sparkled　among　roses　and　myrtles；　and　was　surrounded　by　orange　and
  citron　trees；　some　of　which　flung　their　branches　into　the　chambers。
  Beyond　these　rooms　were　two　saloons；　longer　but　less　lofty；　looking
  also　into　the　garden。　In　the　compartments　of　the　panelled　ceilings
  were　baskets　of　fruit　and　garlands　of　flowers；　painted　by　no　mean
  hand；　and　in　tolerable　preservation。　The　walls　also　had　been　painted
  in　fresco　in　the　Italian　style；　but　the　paintings　were　nearly
  obliterated；　the　windows　were　in　the　same　shattered　state　with　those
  of　the　other　chambers。　This　fanciful　suite　of　rooms　terminated　in　an
  open　gallery　with　balustrades；　running　at　right　angles　along　another
  side　of　the　garden。　The　whole　apartment；　so　delicate　and　elegant　in
  its　decorations；　so　choice　and　sequestered　in　its　situation　along　this
  retired　little　garden；　and　so　different　in　architecture　from　the
  neighboring　halls；　awakened　an　interest　in　its　history。　I　found　on
  inquiry　that　it　was　an　apartment　fitted　up　by　Italian　artists　in　the
  early　part　of　the　last　century；　at　the　time　when　Philip　V　and　his
  second　wife；　the　beautiful　Elizabetta　of　Farnese；　daughter　of　the　Duke
  of　Parma；　were　expected　at　the