This palace was built in the eleventh century, and was scarcely finished when it was taken by assault and plundered by the Moors. It was also nearly destroyed by an earthquake in the reign of Peter the Cruel, and rebuilt by his successor, Henry II. After being greatly improved and richly decorated by Charles the First, Philip II. and their successors, it was reduced to ashes in 1734, and rebuilt by Philip V. and Ferdinand VI. The shape of the edifice is rather an oblong square, the two longest sides being about four hundred feet, and the others somewhat less; the elevation I suppose to be about eighty to ninety feet. The first view of the exterior conveys an idea of magnificence, but on approaching, the smallness of the windows greatly diminishes this idea, and the filthy state of the courts, &c. entirely destroys it. On entering, the staircase is immediately observed to be much too small; it is, however, supported by fine marble pillars of the composite order, but which the Goths have most unaccountably whitewashed, so that without a close inspection, they appear no better than common stone. The interior of the building compensates for the external faults, being excelled by no palace in Europe in splendour and elegance. The first apartment we entered is small, but handsome, with some good pictures by Reubens and Jordan, particularly a Sabine Queen visiting the Temple, the Judgment of Solomon, and Dalilah cutting Samson’s hair, by the latter artist; a Magdalene by Spagnoletto, and a Spanish evening, are also very fine. This apartment and some others adjoining were occupied by the Princesses, and thence are called the Princesses’ apartments. Those of the Queen, which we next entered, are on a much grander scale, extending the whole length of the palace, and communicating with each other, so that when the folding doors are thrown open, the eye is almost dazzled by the splendid elegance of a long suite of magnificent saloons. In the centre of the first apartment is a superb golden brasiero,* a table of elegant workmanship, and a very handsome service of Seve porcelain; besides several good pictures, particularly a Centurion, by Tintoretti.

* A golden brasier may seem bordering on a bull; but these kind of stoves are named brasiero, of whatever metal they may be composed.

In the centre of the reception room is a fine marble table, and the ceiling is elegantly painted by Francisco Baliega. In this apartment is also a good Centurion, by Paul Veronese, and St. George and the Dragon, by Reubens, remarkable for colouring and effect. From the windows is a delightful view of the Guadarama mountains, the Casa del Campo, and the Escurial, with the river Manganaris running beneath.

The third apartment contains some old china and other handsome ornaments; the ceiling painted in an elegant and chaste style by Baliego, and the four Phases of the Moon by Mengs. In each apartment is a very rich clock; that in the fourth is peculiarly superb, representing Atlas supporting the world. In this room is a good picture of Philip II. by Titian, and the Family of Philip IV. by Velasquez. The ceiling is painted by Baliego, and represents the taking of Grenada from the Moors. It has likewise two superb vases of Seve porcelain, and several highly ornamented tables. In short, every thing is so magnificent, as to shut out all idea of comfort: the eye is dazzled, the mind struck with admiration, but neither is pleased. For my own part, the reflection I made was, how miserable I should be if forced to inhabit these superb apartments! for I am so unambitious as to prefer a well polished snug mahogany table, a good fire, and the society of a few friends, to grandeur accompanied by ceremony and formality, which must have been always the case here; as none ever entered these apartments but in full dress, and with a feeling of their own inferiority.

The ceiling of the fifth salon represents Columbus presenting the new world to Ferdinand and Isabella, with its treasures and uncommon productions. In this apartment are also the celebrated pictures of the Virgin de la Pinto, and the Madona del Pace, by Raphael, some ceiling figures by Mengs, and some beautiful china. The porcelain salon contains various handsome articles of that kind, together with a steel clock on a fine pedestal; and the ceiling, painted by Mengs, represents the Triumph of Religion. Adjoining this apartment is a small elegantly fitted up library, the books of which are so superbly bound, and so nicely arranged, that one is almost afraid to touch them. On the left of the library is a small apartment with a white marble bath; two sides of this room are lined with looking glasses of a single piece, and the ceiling is finely painted. In a cabinet, communicating with it, is a bed to repose on after bathing.

The dinner room, which looks towards the west, contains some valuable paintings by Jordan, but a portrait of Buonaparte by David by no means corresponds with the celebrity of that artist. The ceiling is well painted, and in the room are some rich mosaic tables.

The succeeding apartment has several pictures by Reubens, particularly a St. Andrew much admired; the ceiling represents the death of Hercules, by Velasquez. In another spacious apartment is a handsome large musical clock, and several pictures by Reubens and Titian, of which the finest are an Adam and Eve by each of these masters, which are placed on either side of a window, and both so exquisite that it is impossible to give either a preference; the other most valuable pictures are the discovery of the purple dye by the Phenician and his dog, and a Titus and Syriphus, both by Titian; the ceiling is painted by Mengs.

The apartment containing the throne is magnificent; the ceiling represents the costume of the different provinces of Spain, finely painted by a young Italian artist, named Philip Keholo, previously scarcely known, and the walls are covered with the largest plate glasses in the world. On each side of the throne is a very large gilt figure of a lion. This apartment also contains some bronze figures from Rome, and a bronze statue of Philip the Second, much admired. In the blue room are pictures of this same prince and of Philip the Fourth by Velasquez, of Charles the Fifth by Titian, and of Fernandez, his father, by Reubens, besides ten others by Titian, and one by Reubens; also some antique vases, a handsome clock, and a lion in bronze, greatly admired for the expression of the eyes.

I have already observed, that in my visit to the palace I was accompanied by some French gentlemen. Amongst them was a Monsieur Demoland, a fat and consequential personage, who had amassed £150,000 by privateering against the English, chiefly from St. Sebastian. He was attended by a most curious fellow, an Irishman, who had been once at sea, and was afterwards servant to an English dragoon officer, who when made prisoner left him to shift for himself. This reprehensible neglect respecting their servants is indeed by far too common amongst our officers, and has been the cause of many good soldiers being lost to the service and the country; for being thus left without succour to enable them to go comfortably to a depot, where they would be found on an exchange, they enter into the service of the first Frenchman that will hire them.

The morning after my visit to the palace, I accompanied Colonel Vial and some other French officers to the village of Lyanos, about two leagues from Madrid, whither we were escorted by a detachment of the Colonel’s chasseurs. From hence we hastened back to be present at a bull-fight, which is certainly the most entertaining spectacle that Spain offers to a stranger. The amphitheatre, which might hold one thousand persons, was filled by well drest people, waiting in a kind of awful suspense for the appearance of the animal, while a band of music played a slow and solemn tune. When every thing was ready, a man magnificently drest came forward, and after sounding a trumpet addressed the Corregidor. Then appeared two cavaliers named piccadores, one drest in a jacket of white sattin and green pantaloons, and the other in a purple jacket and blue pantaloons, the sleeves of the jackets notched with crimson and gold, and the pantaloons covered with gold lace; their half-boots were of morocco, with immense gold tassels, and round their broad brimmed white hats was a gold band. They were, however, miserably mounted, for a bull sometimes killing fifteen or twenty horses, it would be expensive to bring forward good ones; and besides they are so sumptuously caparisoned, that their defects are scarcely visible. The piccadore is armed with a lance, and when the bull has been goaded to fury outside of the arena, a door is opened and he rushes forward, his tail in the air, and instantly attacks one of the piccadores, who receives him on his lance. The sensation I felt at this moment is not to be described, but it partook both of delight and apprehension. The bull soon killed one of the horses, and the piccadore not being able to extricate himself readily, a bandarilla or footman came to his assistance, and presenting a handkerchief to the animal, amused him with it, turning on one side as the bull charged him, until the second piccadore came forward and attacked him; the dexterity of the men, as well as the exertions of the bull, are loudly applauded by the spectators, who make the amphitheatre re-echo with their acclamations. When this part of the entertainment had lasted some time, two bandarillas came forward, each with a dart, to which are attached pieces of coloured paper and a handkerchief: the animal charges the handkerchief, which gives way, and the bandarilla pricks him with the dart until he becomes perfectly furious; at other times they drive him mad with crackers and fireworks. When King Joseph, who was present, thought that this second act had lasted long enough, he ordered the matadore to appear, who accordingly came forward on foot, richly drest, and armed with a small sword only; the bull instantly rushed on him, and was received on the point of the sword, which entered the spine at the back of the neck, and the animal dropped lifeless at the feet of the triumphant matadore, who held up the reeking sword, and received the loudest applause from the spectators: and certainly his courage and dexterity were equally great, for had he missed the vital spot, which is not larger than a sixpence, his life would most probably have paid the forfeit of his awkwardness. The matadore is however stimulated, by the knowledge that his courage and success will gain him the plaudits of the fair sex, who contend for the preference in his good graces.

A second bull was dispatched in the same manner, but not until he had killed two horses, one of whom supported a second charge with his bowels trailing on the ground. Several other bulls were afterwards brought forward, but with their horns muffled, and a number of amateurs entered the lists with them, and shewed their dexterity by receiving them on their handkerchiefs. Certainly there is no spectacle in Spain so well worth seeing as a good bull-fight. The pleasure derived from it must, however, be allowed to be at the expence of humanity, for men, as well as horses and bulls, often lose their lives in this sport. These fights had been discontinued for some years, but on the arrival of the French were permitted to be renewed. The summer and autumn are the most common seasons for these spectacles, particularly the latter, when the bulls are more fierce; they seldom take place in winter, and the present one was in consequence of the feast of Christmas.