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 836 MADRID some of the great masters of Spanish art, such as Zurbaran (whose chief works are in Seville), Herrera, Morales, and Juan de Juanes, are meagrely represented. Other museums are that of natural sciences, the national, the na- val, and the museum of artillery. The only other puhlic edifices worthy of mention are the palacio de los consejos (palace of the coun- cils) ; that of Buena Vista, with fine pleasure grounds, and occupied by the offices of the ministry of war; the custom house, built in 1769, and in which are the offices of the ministry of finance ; the post office ; the casas consistoriales (town house), completed in 1580 ; the old casa de los ministerios, built by order of Charles IV., and now occupied by the min- istry of the navy, which, with the .other min- isterial departments, the public picture gal- leries, and numismatical and archaeological museums, are to be reunited in the new gov- ernment house in process of construction in the Eecoletos promenade, where likewise stands the mint; the senate, in the Plazue- la de las Cortes; the casa de los Lujanes, in which Francis I. of France was confined in 1525-'6, and the tower of which no^w serves for a telegraph ; the national printing office ; the stock exchange; and the three magnificent bridges over the pigmy stream of the Manza- nares, dry for three months in the year. The finest private residences are those of the duke of Alva and the marquis of Salamanca, Spain's great financier. There are 13 hospitals and a number of charitable institutions. Among the former are one general and one military hos- pital, two for incurables, one for transient resi- dents, one each for Aragonese and Navarrese, French, and priests, with foundling, orphan, and lying-in hospitals. There are 13 barracks for regular troops, the guardia civil, and the police, a most efficient corps. Among the learned societies are the Spanish academy, for the culture and perfecting of the language; the academies of sciences, moral and political sciences, history, jurisprudence and legislation, medicine and surgery, veterinary medicine, and the three noble arts, and the medico-chirurgi- cal of Madrid. The schools and colleges are very numerous and well organized. There are special schools of pharmacy, law, medicine, and military science ; also deaf and dumb, en- gineering, normal, industrial, and art schools. The public schools are governed by a board of commissioners under the jurisdiction of the minister of public instruction. Besides the library of the royal palace, already noticed, there are 17 others in Madrid, the most exten- sive of which are the national library, with nearly 250,000 volumes, and the duke of Osu- na's and duke of Medinaceli's private libraries, containing 60,000 and 15,000 respectively. Madrid has an Italian and a Spanish (Zarzuela) opera, five leading and a multitude of minor theatres, two good circuses, a cockpit of large dimensions (circo gallfatico), and innumerable concerts, dancing rooms, &c. But the scene of the great national pastime is the bull ring (plaza de toros just outside the Puerta de Alcala ; it was built by Philip V., and has seats for 12,400 persons. The old edifice having been demolished in 1874, a new one is to be built N. of the former site. The several ceme- teries of the capital offer little interest ; many of the tombs have been destroyed by invading armies, and nothing has been done toward res- toration. There is a Protestant burying ground outside the Puerta de Toledo, consecrated in 1866 by the bishop of Illinois. The climate is exceedingly severe, the heat being oppres- sive in summer and the cold intense in winter, while in the intermediate seasons the transi- tions of temperature are very rapid ; owing to the sharp winds from the snowy mountains N". of the town, there is at times a difference of temperature as great as 20 between the sunny and shaded sides of the streets. The average annual temperature is about 60 F., the ex- tremes being 30 and 90. The maladies most common are pneumonia and other affections of the respiratory organs, apoplexy, and paral- ysis. The number of native Madrilenians is comparatively small, and forms one of the least numerous elements of the community; for- eigners abound, especially French, English, and German, nearly all shopkeepers ; and the me- nial ranks, both public and private, are usually filled by sturdy Asturians, Gallegos, Aragonese, and Navarrese. The natives are extremely polite, and the men in the middle and upper classes generally well educated ; but the men- tal culture of the women is mostly limited to the elementary branches, and the acquire- ment of music and similar accomplishments. Black silk dresses and colored shawls or man- tillas are commonly worn by the women, with a veil gracefully draped from the hair ; but in the higher circles little difference is observed between the costume of a belle of Madrid and one of Paris. Among the men the French fashions prevail, with the only modification of the traditional capa or cloak. Madrid being rather a centre of consumption than of pro- duction, its manufacturing industries are of little importance, and limited to articles of in- dispensable necessity, such as chocolate, beer, shoes, hats, and gloves, -all of superior quality. There are two prosperous founderies, estab- lished about 1850 ; plated ware of excellent qual- ity is manufactured on a large scale ; and coach making has been brought to greater perfection than any other branch. Madrid being the en- trepot for all the inland provinces of Spain, the transactions in cereals, wines (especially that of Valdepeflas), oils, and colonial produce are very considerable; and from Sept. 25 to Oct. 6 are held the annual fairs for the sale of hardware, furniture, ready-made clothes, books, pictures, &c., by immense numbers of peripa- tetic vendors from the provinces. There are 10 banks, including the banks of Spain and of Madrid, a savings bank, and 49 incorporated mercantile associations, insurance companies,