The Retiro, which I thus preferred to my new quarters, and which was now full of prisoners, consists of a large square, with a smaller one on the left, and one side of another on the right. The buildings are very irregular, and without ornaments. When the occasional residence of the Spanish monarchs, there was a theatre in the centre of the great court, which was now demolishing to employ the materials somewhere else. The menagerie is an octagon, with pens round it for the animals, and a bakery above, from which they could be looked down upon with safety; the only beast now remaining was a bear, blind with old age. The gardens, as well as the buildings, were entirely neglected: the jets d’eau no longer acted, and the basins, which were filled by engines, the scite of the Retiro being higher than the town, were entirely empty. The gardens were strewed with fragments of sculpture and mutilated statues; that of Narcissus alone remaining perfect, because it was out of the immediate reach of the destroyers. In short, the whole edifice presented the appearance of the devastations of the Goths and Vandals, rather than the visit of the encouragers and protectors of the arts, as the French stile themselves.

In one of the squares however still remained an equestrian statue of Philip the Second, in bronze, weighing 18,000 lb. and which is fixed in the pedestal by the hind legs of the horse only. There are also a few other statues entire, particularly that of Charles the First, with a laurel wreath; and in a small apartment, with marble columns, those of Philip the Second and Mary Queen of Hungary. In a small separate garden are also those of Ferdinand and Isabella. This place had formerly one of the best collections of pictures to be found in Europe, containing several chefs d’œuvre of Reubens, Titian, Poussin, Jordan, Ricci, Zarborea, Carte, and other masters; all of which have been removed. Several royal manufactures were established within the walls, particularly of tapestry and porcelain, which were established by Charles the Third, but have declined since his death, and have now entirely ceased. In fact, the only manufactures that Madrid still possesses to employ its numerous population, are some very insignificant ones, of coarse woollens, hats and paper.

As I found the English prisoners were suffering much from the inclemency of the weather and the want of warm clothing, I directed each man to be supplied with a pair of woollen pantaloons, a shirt and pair of stockings. For the two first articles I procured the cloth and gave it the men to make for themselves, so that in the course of a day or two I had the satisfaction of seeing the poor fellows comparatively comfortable; and in doing this, it certainly cost me nothing but a little personal trouble, as I drew bills for the amount on account of the soldiers arrears. When it is thus easy to relieve the wants of the distressed, he must be entirely destitute of humanity who neglects doing so.

Several Spanish officers were confined in the Retiro, and were supplied by their countrywomen with provisions and clothes; for I had occasion to observe, that whatever part the husbands take, the females adhere to the loyal side, and consider those who suffer in the cause as martyrs for their religion and their country. Besides the Spanish prisoners taken in arms, several persons of respectability were also confined in the same prison, because they could not or would not pay the heavy contributions demanded by the French. With these I often entered into conversation, and found them animated by the most inveterate hatred of their invaders, and with the perfect confidence that they would ultimately not only be driven out of the country, but that a Spanish and English army would cross the Pyrennees, and retaliate in the heart of France the miseries they were suffering.

Learning that Mr. Coosfeld, one of the partners of Hope’s house at Amsterdam, and whom I had formerly known, was at Madrid, I called on him. He was not a little surprised at finding me a prisoner in the capital of Spain; but for my own part, I have had so many extraordinary and unexpected rencounters in the course of my life, that nothing of this kind seems strange to me, and I felt more pleasure than surprise at this meeting. Mr. C. told me that his business at Madrid was to endeavour to recover large sums of money lent by his house to the late government; and I have since learnt, what indeed was only to have been expected, that his mission was entirely unsuccessful.

In the evening of the same day, after having dined with some French officers, I accompanied them to the theatre, called Canons del Peral, and found both the house and performance equally wretched; the former being inconvenient, filthy and ill lighted, and the latter a miserable attempt at opera, which was barbarously murdered. The French, who swallow their dinner in a moment and content themselves with a few glasses of common wine while eating, find in the playhouse, however bad it may be, a resource against the ennui of a long and idle evening.

There were formerly two other theatres at Madrid, but both were now shut. Indeed, since the death of Ferdinand the Sixth, the Spanish theatre is said to have declined, and the French invasion has reduced it still lower. The performers’ emoluments are in Spain, as well as in Italy and Portugal, very trifling; but the favourite singers and musicians used formerly to derive considerable revenues from the nobility, who though totally ignorant of everything that, according to our ideas, constitutes comfort, and though they deny themselves almost the necessaries of life, hesitate not to give a hundred, or a hundred and fifty guineas to a celebrated performer for a night’s private entertainment in music or singing.

Being informed one morning that in the preceding night a fray had taken place between the English and German prisoners, I on enquiry found it had originated with an English sailor, who being a powerful bruiser, thought proper to have a round with some of the foreigners, and a gigantic serjeant, who was the bully of the prison, seeming a proper subject, he attacked him secundum artem, and soon demolished him: then taking out two others, he gave them such desperate beatings, that they were obliged to be sent to the hospital, and the tar was acknowledged by all sides to be the best man. The foreigners however not relishing this British amusement, requested and obtained a separation; and I at the same time procured permission for one in ten of our men to go out and wash the clothes of the rest, this necessary indulgence having been hitherto denied them.