Europe at tJie Opening of the Sixtee?ith Century 25 Alexandria, to the value of more than sixty thousand ducats. The fertility is greatest in the lower parts of Andalusia and Granada, and would be much greater than it is if all the land were brought under cultivation ; but it is worked only in the neighborhood of the towns and there badly ; the rest remains untilled. Much wool is exported annually, amount- ing, it is said, to two hundred and fifty thousand ducats, as well as the finest silk, especially from the lower regions. From Viscaya come iron and steel in considerable quantity, and much grain, leather, alum, and many other products, so that if only this nation were industrious and given to trade it would be rich. The country is cold in the region of the Pyrenees, very warm in Andalusia and Granada, and more temperate in the central districts. The men of this nation are gloomy of temperament and Haughtiness swarthy of complexion ; dark in color and short of stature ; of the . . , , . . . r Spaniards. they are proud by nature, and it seems to them as if no nation could be compared with theirs. They are prone to boast in their conversation of their own things, and endeavor to make the best possible appearance. They have little love for foreigners and are very uncivil toward them. They are devoted to arms, perhaps more than any other Christian nation, and are very skillful with them, owing to their agile frames and their dexterity. In military matters they are great sticklers for honor, in such wise that rather than sully it they prefer to die. . . . The Spaniards are held to be clever and acute, but never- Unpopu- theless they are not skillful in any of the arts, whether knjy of tr3.QG 3.nd mechanical or liberal. Almost all the artisans at the king's industry. court belong to the French or to some other foreign nation. The natives do not devote themselves to trade, which they look upon as degrading ; the pride of the hidalgo goes to his head, and he would rather turn to arms with little chance of gain, or serve a grandee in wretchedness and poverty, or, before the times of the present king, even assault wayfarers, than engage in trade or any other business. Recently, how- ever, some attention is beginning to be given in a few places
