Page:The Burton Holmes lectures; (IA burtonholmeslect04holm).pdf/291

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both. This thought reminds us that Seville was once a Moslem city like unto Fez, the Moor's metropolis; that Arabic was spoken in its streets and Allah worshiped in its mosques; that Christians once came hither as students in search of Oriental learning. Seville was then a shining light of civilization. In time the Christian conquest came, and Seville was taken by the Spanish armies of St. Ferdinand. The conquerors razed to the ground the splendid mosque which stood upon this site, then vowed to erect upon its ruins a holy church so vast and so magnificent that posterity would look upon it with awe and call its builders fools or insane men. As a result, Seville possesses one of the grandest cathedrals in all Spain. A land famed for its churches.

TRICK-FOUNTAINS IN THE PATHS

Continuing our walk we reach another famous building—one devoted to quite different use—to the manufacture of tobacco. We see a score of modern Carmens going to their daily tasks, but oh! shades of Calvé, de Lussan and the rest! how little like the Carmen of Bizet's opera are these, her