Page:Lisbon and Cintra, Inchbold, 1907.djvu/33

Rh, of a great fortune founded upon the recognition of talents.

The transport of the statue, when finished, to the great square of the Commercio, lasted several days, so great was the difficulty of moving it. Poised on a marble pedestal with an elliptical base the bronze effigy of King José on horseback still faces the Tagus. On the side turned to the city is an allegorical bas-relief symbolizing Virtue, Commerce, Agriculture and a humane Providence guiding the city of Lisbon, supported by the figure of the State. Fame and Triumph are symbolized in groups, sculptured in stone on the sides of the pedestal.

It was a great day for Lisbon when that statue was unveiled by the Marquis de Pombal. The inauguration took place on the King's birthday with great pomp. The people knelt and saluted their King's image with shouts of wonder and delight. Public rejoicings lasted for three days, illuminations, fire-works and triumphal arches making the city gay, while a feast was held for the nobility and diplomatic corps, in which the Marquis took prominent part.

Sunset approached as I tried to picture in imagination that festive day of the great Statesman's triumph. The vast square was half in shadow, the horse and rider of bronze showed a pallid grey-green colour. The remainder of the houses were flushed from the brilliant reflection of sunset as though built of pink marble. The piled buildings on the hill above showed strongly contrasted colouring of deep blue shadows surmounted by rose. The river was a broad lake of milky blue, with bands of white light edging both shores. The hills across the water were veiled in gold and rosy haze.

The shadows dropped quickly, as they always do in this Southern city after the culminating glory of the day. So after that heydey of acknowledged fame the deep shadow 13