Do not believe it when you are told that bull-fighting is near its end. The great sport is as popular and deeply rooted in Spain as cricket is in Britain, and will last as long. To attempt to stop bull-fighting by law would cause a bigger revolution among the Spaniards than the most fearful disasters at home or abroad.
The great home of bull-fighting is Seville, and when the Seville fights are in their glory even Madrid takes second place. The Seville bull-ring is a little larger than that of Madrid, though it is not quite so gorgeously designed. Still, it holds over 14,000 people.
Nearly every Sunday throughout the year there is a bull-fight of sorts to be seen.
About 300,000 people go to the bull-fight every week in Spain, on an average. One must also count in an infinite number of little amateur fights in outlying villages of the provinces.
THE PROCESSION SALUTING THE PRESIDENT.
THE GORGEOUSLY DRESSED MATADORS ENTERING THE ARENA.
But at a pukka bull-fight in Seville, six of the finest bulls and at least forty horses are provided, to say nothing of the cortège of gold-clad operators drawing terrific salaries. Fashion and the masses turn out together to hoot and whistle and shout, and nothing on earth short of Armageddon could stop a fight half-way.