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International Weekly Miscellany - Volume 1, No. 5, July 29, 1850 by Various
page 33 of 118 (27%)
attentive and kind to me. We have taken several walks together, in
which he has pointed out to me the most notable edifices of Barcelona.
Among these is the magnificent theater called El Siceo, which is one
of the grandest in the world. It is certainly the most splendid of the
kind I have ever seen. It was built by subscription, at an expense of
about half a million of dollars, and is capable of containing nearly
six thousand persons. To my regret it is now closed. There is another
very fine theater here called El Principal, which is open every
evening. Last night I went to see the amusing opera of Don Pasquale,
by Donizetti, which was quite laudably performed. In fact I go most
every night, as I have nothing else to do, and have an excellent seat
at my disposal, with which the consul has been so kind as to favor
me. The appearance and manners of the audience are more interesting
to me than those of the stage-actors. Besides, I like to accustom my
ear to the Spanish, which I now speak with considerable fluency and
correctness. I have devoted much study to this and the French language
since I have been in Spain, and am now making some progress in the
Italian, through the Spanish. I am convinced that no man can properly
understand a people without knowing something of their language, which
is in a great degree the index of their character. Moreover it is an
indispensable condition to comfortable travel.

Among the distinguished characters in town is the famous Governor
Tacon, who so admirably conducted the affairs of state in the island
of Cuba some years since. He is staying with a particular friend of
the consul, who is an immensely wealthy man and lives in the most
princely style. I visited the house a few days since, before the
arrival of the governor, and was delighted with the splendid taste
displayed in the fresco of the ceiling, the stucco of the walls,
and indeed with every article of furniture with which the rooms
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