daylight I at once recognized them as my fellow-passengers in the stage, and a Mexican captain was another. One of the Texians, a fine looking and striking young man, whose person and bearing at once bespoke his race and country, was less cautious than Major Howard, an old Indian warrior. He talked a great deal, and all about Texas. I found myself in the same stage with these Texians, in the worst. possible odor with the Mexicans on account of my wellknown feelings towards Mexico, and about to make my entry into Mexico under such circumstances. If they had been discovered, it would have been in vain to have denied my knowledge of them or participation in their plan of escape. They were not, however, suspected, and got out of the stage before it arrived in Mexico, and never, I am sure, was I so much rejoiced to be rid of two as agreeable companions.

The generous and honorable sentiment so well expressed by the Englishwoman of Puebla leads me to remark that my residence in Mexico furnished me more evidences than one, of the powerful sympathy of race. Even the revengeful character of the Spaniard yields to it. Notwithstanding the recent termination of the fierce and sanguinary civil war which has raged between Mexico and the mother country, no other people are so favorably regarded by the Mexicans as the Spaniards. And I can say with truth, that I never met an Englishman there that I did not feel the full force of " the white skin and the English language”—and I had no cause to believe that the same feeling was not entertained towards me by the English gentlemen in Mexico; and why, in God's name, should it be otherwise? I would not sell" for the seas' worth," my share of the glory of my English ancestry, Milton, Shakspeare and John Hampden, and those noble old barons who met King John

at Runnymede; and on the other hand, Englishmen should have a just pride in the prosperity and greatness of our country. In the beautiful language of a highly gifted and liberal minded Englishman, Mr. Charles Augustus Murray, "whether we view the commercial enterprise of America or her language, her love of freedom, parochial, legal or civil institutions, she bears indelible marks of her origin; she is and must continue the mighty daughter of a mighty parent, and although emancipated from maternal control, the affinities of race remain unaltered. Her disgrace must dishonor their common ancestry, and her greatness and renown should gratify the parental pride of Britain." Accursed be the vile demagogue who would wantonly excite another and fratricidal war between the two greatest and only free countries of the earth!

I should not satisfy my own feelings if I were not to notice here the circle of English merchants, who reside in Mexico. I have nowhere met a worthier set of gentlemen -enlightened, hospitable and generous. I can with great truth say, that the most pleasant hours which I passed in Mexico were in their society, and I shall never cease to remember them with kindness and respect. I now and then met with a little of the John Bull jealousy of this country, but I playfully told them that I could pardon that,—that it was altogether natural, for that the English flag had waved on every sea and continent on the face of the globe, and that for the last thousand years it had rarely, if ever, been lowered to an equal force, except in conflicts with us, where its fate had always been to come down. I believe that I may say that their greatest objection to me was, that I was rather too fond of talking of General Jackson and New Orleans. There is no single name which an Englishman so little likes to hear as that of Genera. Jackson, and

none so grateful to the ears of an American in a foreign land, only excepting that of Washington. I do not doubt that it will be known and remembered long after that of every other American who has gone before him, except Washington and Franklin, is swallowed up in the vortex of oblivion. I have been the political opponent of General Jackson, and should be so now upon the same questions. I believe that he committed some very great errors, but that he did all in honor and patriotism. I have at the same time always had a just admiration for his many great qualities and glorious achievements, and I should pity the American who could hear his name mentioned in a foreign land without feeling his pulse beat higher.

CHAPTER XVII.

Kindness and Courtesy-Society of Dinner Parties and EntertainmentsMexican Ladies wanting in Beauty-Do not dance well-CharityRoutine of daily Life-Costliness of Dress-In the Streets-Women generally Smoke-A day in the Country.

NOTWITHSTANDING the general prejudice which existed in Mexico against me when I first went there, I was treated, although somewhat coldly, always and by all classes with the most perfect respect. In this particular the higher classes of all countries are very much alike, but I doubt whether there is any other country where the middling and lower classes are so generally courteous and polite. There is no country where kindness and courtesy are more certain to meet with a proper return. It may be that three hundred years of vassalage to their Spanish masters may have given the Indian population an habitual deference and respect for a race which they have always regarded as a superior one. No people are by nature more social, none less so in their habits. It is not the fashion to give entertainments of any sort. And what I regarded as a little remarkable, the members of the Mexican cabinet, most of whom were men of fortune and had ample means at hand, not only never gave entertainments, even dinner parties to the members of the diplomatic corps, but never even invited them to their houses,-when invited to such parties however by any of the foreign ministers, they never failed to accept the invitation. With any other people there

CHAP. XVII. DINNER PARTIES AND ENTERTAINMENTS.

161

would be a seeming meanness in this. But such was not the case. No people are more liberal in the expenditure of money. General Santa Anna had two very large dinner parties whilst I was in Mexico, and two or three balls; but I heard of nothing else of the kind, except at the houses of the foreign ministers. Santa Anna's dinners were altogether elegant, and he presided at them with great dignity and propriety. On such occasions he was joyous and hilarious. The company, without an exception, had the appearance and manners of gentlemen; I sat next to him on these occasions, and his aides-de-camp, who were not seated at the table, would occasionally come to his seat and say some playful thing to him. I was much struck with the style of the intercourse between them; marked by an affectionate kindness on his part, and the utmost respect, but at the same time freedom from restraint, upon theirs.

His balls were very numerously attended. The compa- . ny was by no means select. In fact I saw there very few of the ladies belonging to the aristocracy; but very many others who had no business there. This, however, is unavoidable in a revolutionary country like Mexico. Every President holds his power by no other tenure than the caprice of the army, and he is forced, therefore, to conciliate it. If a corporal, who has married the daughter of the washerwoman of the regiment, has risen to the highest station in the army, his wife cannot be slighted with safety-and such cases have occurred.

I wish that I could in sincerity say that the ladies of Mexico are handsome. They are not, nor yet are they ugly. Their manners, however, are perfect; and in the great attributes of the heart, affection, kindness, and benevolence in all their forms, they have no superiors. They are eminently graceful in everything but dancing. That does