for　word　from　one　or　other　of　the　orthodox　chroniclers　of　Spain。
  The　ironical　vein　also　was　provoked　by　the　mixture　of　kingcraft　and　priestcraft　discernible　throughout　this　great　enterprise；　and　the　mistaken　zeal　and　self…delusion　of　many　of　its　most　gallant　and　generous　champions。　　The　romantic　coloring　seemed　to　belong　to　the　nature　of　the　subject；　and　was　in　harmony　with　what　I　had　seen　in　my　tour　through　the　poetical　and　romantic　regions　in　which　the　events　had　taken　place。　　With　all　these　deductions　the　work；　in　all　its　essential　points；　was　faithful　to　historical　fact　and　built　upon　substantial　documents。　　It　was　a　great　satisfaction　to　me；　therefore；　after　the　doubts　that　had　been　expressed　of　the　authenticity　of　my　chronicle；　to　find　it　repeatedly　and　largely　used　by　Don　Miguel　Lafuente　Alcantara　of　Granada　in　his　recent　learned　and　elaborate　history　of　his　native　city；　he　having　had　ample　opportunity；　in　his　varied　and　indefatigable　researches；　of　judging　how　far　it　accorded　with　documentary　authority。
  I　have　still　more　satisfaction　in　citing　the　following　testimonial　of　Mr。　Prescott；　whose　researches　for　his　admirable　history　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabella　took　him　over　the　same　ground　I　had　trodden。　　His　testimonial　is　written　in　the　liberal　and　courteous　spirit　characteristic　of　him；　but　with　a　degree　of　eulogium　which　would　make　me　shrink　from　quoting　it　did　I　not　feel　the　importance　of　his　voucher　for　the　substantial　accuracy　of　my　work：
  〃Mr。　Irving's　late　publication；　the　'Chronicle　of　the　Conquest　of　Granada；'　has　superseded　all　further　necessity　for　poetry　and；　unfortunately　for　me；　for　history。　　He　has　fully　availed　himself　of　all　the　picturesque　and　animating　movement　of　this　romantic　era；　and　the　reader　who　will　take　the　trouble　to　compare　his　chronicle　with　the　present　more　prosaic　and　literal　narrative　will　see　how　little　he　has　been　seduced　from　historic　accuracy　by　the　poetical　aspect　of　his　subject。　　The　fictitious　and　romantic　dress　of　his　work　has　enabled　him　to　make　it　the　medium　of　reflecting　more　vividly　the　floating　opinions　and　chimerical　fancies　of　the　age；　while　he　has　illuminated　the　picture　with　the　dramatic　brilliancy　of　coloring　denied　to　sober　history。〃*
  *Prescott's　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　vol。　ii。　c。　15。
  In　the　present　edition　I　have　endeavored　to　render　the　work　more　worthy　of　the　generous　encomium　of　Mr。　Prescott。　　Though　I　still　retain　the　fiction　of　the　monkish　author　Agapida；　I　have　brought　my　narrative　more　strictly　within　historical　bounds；　have　corrected　and　enriched　it　in　various　parts　with　facts　recently　brought　to　light　by　the　researches　of　Alcantara　and　others；　and　have　sought　to　render　it　a　faithful　and　characteristic　picture　of　the　romantic　portion　of　history　to　which　it　relates。
  W。　I。
  Sunnyside；　1850。
  A　CHRONICLE　OF　THE　CONQUEST　OF　GRANADA。
  CHAPTER　I。
  OF　THE　KINGDOM　OF　GRANADA；　AND　THE　TRIBUTE　WHICH　IT　　　　　PAID　TO　THE　CASTILIAN　CROWN。
  The　history　of　those　bloody　and　disastrous　wars　which　have　caused　the　downfall　of　mighty　empires　（observes　Fray　Antonio　Agapida）　has　ever　been　considered　a　study　highly　delectable　and　full　of　precious　edification。　　What；　then；　must　be　the　history　of　a　pious　crusade　waged　by　the　most　Catholic　of　sovereigns　to　rescue　from　the　power　of　the　infidels　one　of　the　most　beautiful　but　benighted　regions　of　the　globe？　　Listen；　then；　while　from　the　solitude　of　my　cell　I　relate　the　events　of　the　conquest　of　Granada；　where　Christian　knight　and　turbaned　infidel　disputed；　inch　by　inch；　the　fair　land　of　Andalusia；　until　the　Crescent；　that　symbol　of　heathenish　abomination；　was　cast　down；　and　the　blessed　Cross；　the　tree　of　our　redemption；　erected　in　its　stead。
  Nearly　eight　hundred　years　were　past　and　gone　since　the　Arabian　invaders　had　sealed　the　perdition　of　Spain　by　the　defeat　of　Don　Roderick；　the　last　of　her　Gothic　kings。　　Since　that　disastrous　event　one　portion　after　another　of　the　Peninsula　had　been　gradually　recovered　by　the　Christian　princes；　until　the　single　but　powerful　and　warlike　territory　of　Granada　alone　remained　under　the　domination　of　the　Moors。
  This　renowned　kingdom；　situated　in　the　southern　part　of　Spain　and　washed　on　one　side　by　the　Mediterranean　Sea；　was　traversed　in　every　direction　by　sierras　or　chains　of　lofty　and　rugged　mountains；　naked；　rocky；　and　precipitous；　rendering　it　almost　impregnable；　but　locking　up　within　their　sterile　embraces　deep；　rich；　and　verdant　valleys　of　prodigal　fertility。
  In　the　centre　of　the　kingdom　lay　its　capital；　the　beautiful　city　of　Granada；　sheltered；　as　it　were；　in　the　lap　of　the　Sierra　Nevada；　or　Snowy　Mountains。　　Its　houses；　seventy　thousand　in　number；　covered　two　lofty　hills　with　their　declivities　and　a　deep　valley　between　them；　through　which　flowed　the　Darro。　　The　streets　were　narrow；　as　is　usual　in　Moorish　and　Arab　cities；　but　there　were　occasionally　small　squares　and　open　places。　　The　houses　had　gardens　and　interior　courts；　set　out　with　orange；　citron；　and　pomegranate　trees　and　refreshed　by　fountains；　so　that　as　the　edifices　ranged　above　each　other　up　the　sides　of　the　hills；　they　presented　a　delightful　appearance　of　mingled　grove　and　city。　　One　of　the　hills　was　surmounted　by　the　Alcazaba；　a　strong　fortress　commanding　all　that　part　of　the　city；　the　other　by　the　Alhambra；　a　royal　palace　and　warrior　castle；　capable　of　containing　within　its　alcazar　and　towers　a　garrison　of　forty　thousand　men；　but　possessing　also　its　harem；　the　voluptuous　abode　of　the　Moorish　monarchs；　laid　out　with　courts　and　gardens；　fountains　and　baths；　and　stately　halls　decorated　in　the　most　costly　style　of　Oriental　luxury。　　According　to　Moorish　tradition；　the　king　who　built　this　mighty　and　magnificent　pile　was　skilled　in　the　occult　sciences；　and　furnished　himself　with　the　necessary　funds　by　means　of　alchemy。*　　Such　was　its　lavish　splendor　that　even　at　the　present　day　the　stranger；　wandering　through　its　silent　courts　and　deserted　halls；　gazes　with　astonishment　at　gilded　ceilings　and　fretted　domes；　the　brilliancy　and　beauty　of　which　have　survived　the　vicissitudes　of　war　and　the　silent　dilapidation　of　ages。
  *Zurita；　lib。　20；　c。　42。
  The　city　was　surrounded　by　high　walls；　three　leagues　in　circuit；　furnished　with　twelve　gates　and　a　thousand　and　thirty　towers。　　Its　elevation　above　the　sea　and　the　neighborhood　of　the　Sierra　Nevada　crowned　with　perpetual　snows　tempered　the　fervid　rays　of　summer；　so　that　while　other　cities　were　panting　with　the　sultry　and　stifling　heat　of　the　dog…days；　the　most　salubrious　breezes　played　through　the　marble　halls　of　Granada。
  The　glory　of　the　city；　however；　was　its　Vega　or　plain；　which　spread　out　to　a　circumference　of　thirty…seven　leagues；　surrounded　by　lofty　mountains；　and　was　proudly　compared　to　the　famous　plain　of　Damascus。　It　was　a　vast　garden　of　delight；　refreshed　by　numerous　fountains　and　by　the　silver　windings　of　the　Xenil。　　The　labor　and　ingenuity　of　the　Moors　had　diverted　the　waters　of　this　river　into　thousands　of　rills　and　streams；　and　diffused　them　over　the　whole　surface　of　the　plain。　Indeed；　they　had　wrought　up　this　happy　region　to　a　degree　of　wonderful　prosperity；　and　took　a　pride　in　decorating　it　as　if　it　had　been　a　favorite　mistress。　　The　hills　were　clothed　with　orchards　and　vineyards；　the　valleys　embroidered　with　gardens；　and　the　wide　plains　covered　with　waving　grain。　　Here　were　seen　in　profusion　the　orange；　the　citron；　the　fig；　and　the　pomegranate；　with　great　plantations　of　mulberry　trees；　from　which　was　produced　the　finest　silk。　　The　vine　clambered　from　tree　to　tree；　the　grapes　hung　in　rich　clusters　about　the　peasant's　cottage；　and　the　groves　were　rejoiced　by　the　perpetual　song　of　the　nightingale。　　In　a　word；　so　beautiful　was　the　earth；　so　pure　the　air；　and　so　serene　the　sky　of　this　delicious　region　that　the　Moors　imagined　the　paradise　of　their　Prophet　to　be　situated　in　that　part　of　the　heaven　which　overhung　the　kingdom　of　Granada。
  Within　this　favored　realm；　so　prodigally　endowed　and　strongly　fortified　by　nature；　the　Moslem　wealth；　valor；　and　intelligence；　which　had　once　shed　such　a　lustre　over　Spain；　had　gradually　retired；　and　here　they　made　their　final　stand。　　Granada　had　risen　to　splendor　on　the　ruin　of　other　Moslem　kingdoms；　but　in　so　doing　had　become　the　sole　object　of　Christian　hostility；　and　had　to　maintain　its　very　existence　by　the　sword。　　The　Moorish　capital　accordingly　presented　a　singular　scene　of　Asiatic　luxury　and　refinement；　mingled　with　the　glitter　and　the　din　of　arms。　　Letters　were　still　cultivated；　philosophy　and　poetry　had　their　schools　and　disciples；　and　the　language　spoken　was　said　to　be　the　most　elegant　Arabic。　　A　passion　for　dress　and　ornament　pervaded　all　ranks。　That　of　the　princesses　and　ladies　of　high　rank；　says　Al　Kattib；　one　of　their　own　writers；　was　carried　to　a　height　of　luxury　and　magnificence　that　bordered　on　delirium。　　They　wore　girdles　and　bracelets　and　anklets　of　gold　and　silver；　wrought　with　exquisite　art　and　delicacy　and　studded　with　jacinths；　chrysolites；　emeralds；　and　other　precious　stones。　　They　were　fond　of　braiding　and　decorating　their　beautiful　long　tresses　or　confining　them　in　knots　sparkling　with　jewels。　　They　were　finely　formed；　excessively　fair；　graceful　in　their　manners；　and　fascinating　in　the