Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/254

110 110 CASTILE UNDER HENRY IV. PART portrait, still existing of her in the rojal palace, is — ; conspicuous for an open symmetry of features, in- dicative of the natural serenity of temper, and that beautiful harmony of intellectual and moral quali- ties, which most distinguished her. She was dig- nified in her demeanor, and modest even to a de- gree of reserve. She spoke the Castilian language with more than usual elegance ; and early imbibed a relish for letters, in which she was superior to Ferdinand, whose education in this particular seems to have been neglected.''^ It is not easy to obtain a dispassionate portrait of Isabella. The Span- iards, who revert to her glorious reign, are so smit- ten with her moral perfections, that even in depict- ing her personal, they borrow somewhat of the ex- aggerated coloring of romance. The interview lasted more than two hours, when Ferdinand retired to his quarters at Duerias, as pri- vately as he came. The preliminaries of the mar- riage, however, were first adjusted ; but so great was the poverty of the parties, that it was found necessary to borrow money to defray the expenses of the ceremony.''^ Such Avere the humiliating cir- cumstances attending the commencement of a union destined to open the way to the highest prosperity and grandeur of the Spanish monarchy ! Tiieii niir- Tlic marriage between Ferdinand and Isabella riuge " lante S. A. todas las mufrcrcs que ^"^ IJcrnaldez, Reyes Catolicos, yo he visto, ninguna vi tan gracio- MS., cap. 201. — Abarca, Reyes de sa, ni tanto de ver como su perso- Aragon, torn. ii. p. 3G2. — Ganbay, na, iii de fal nianera e sanctidad Compendio, lib. 18, cap. 1. honestisima." Oviedo, Quiiicua- 67 Mariana, Hist, ae Espafia, genas, MS. torn. ii. p. 465.