known by the name of Solares, or Cafas Solariegas worthy
o f much veneration from their antiquity ; the owners
o f thefe are diltinguilhed by the title of Hidalgos
de Cafa Solar, or de Solar Conocido— “ Gentlemen of
known p r o p e r t y t h e moil honourable appellation in
Spain. They are generally itrong, plain flrudlures, with
fquare towers ; but many of the towers have been de-
itroyed; and in the modern repairs, they have followed
the faihion of the times.
The head of the family is called Pariente Mayor, and
is greatly refpefted by all the collateral branches ; fome
o f thefe are of fuch. high antiquity, as to be thought
to have dwelled there before the ellabliihment of Chrif-
tianity, in that country, iince their ancellors were the
founders o f the churches, had the patronage of them,
and were known fo far back as four centuries ago, to
have, even then, been time immemorial, in receipt o f
the tythes ; others, without any patronage, are deemed
equally antient; many, are fo far reduced as to be obliged
to cultivate their eilates, with their own hands, yet
will not yield to the others, in nobility and defcent, ah
ledging that, though fome branches have been more
enriched by fortunate events, yet they are all equally
fprung from one common anceltor. Their names have
undoubtedly palled in a lineal fuccelfion, from a more
antient date than the ages of chivalry, the eltablilhxnent
ment o f coat armour, or o f archives, and records; to
which they pay little attention, as of no importance to
illuftrate their quality, the polfeffion o f one of thefe
houfes, or the conftant tradition o f being defcended
from a former poifeifor, being more than fufficient to
enoble their blood ; many fuch having ihined in the annals
of Spain, by the nobleft deeds, which have immortalized
their names more than their ancient defcent.
Thefe have fettled in different parts o f the kingdom,
while the head of the family has continued at home, in
a Hate of limplicity, ploughing his fields, and infpiring
his children, with fentiments fuitable to the heroical
ages : the daughters are brought up in a different manner
from moll other parts of the world ; here the moft
opulent do not difdain the management of houlhold affairs,
and every branch of domeitic oeconomy, with a
noble limplicity, that feems to recall thofe glorious ages
of which Homer has fung. Whoever looks for innocence,
health and content, will find it amongft the inhabitants
of Bifcay; and if they are not the richeft, they
may be well deemed the happieit of mankind (a).
It is pleafing to behold with what affability the rich
demean themfelves towards thofe who are lefs fo than
(«) Mr. Bowles relates, that the moil opulent families make no fcruple to bake, brew, dr.efs-
vi£tuals, and waili Knen. For my part 1 cannot fay I obferved thefe circumftances amongft
the opulent Bifcayners, though I often experienced their open-hearted hofpitaliiy and benevolence*
themfelves*