Miscellany

The presence of the American M-m near the Mexiean capilnl revives all ihat we have ever read,says the Albnny Atlas, concemiiig that city. By far the mosi grnuhic, original, nnd erlifying dewcripi i'oi ü( thecüy of Mexico we have re;id ■itiywhere is the fuilowing of Brantz Meyter: It n the rniddle of November, btit there was n May mildness in the atmrhphere. The sky was of that dpep ultramarine blue peculiar to elevated rpgions. As 1 rangod my ere down the street fr m my bnlconv, llie lown wasnlivo with a teiming p pulntion; llie w ir.di ws oftre hniises st'od opnn ; fair wnmen í-trolh'd homeward from rnns1 ; o!d mouk-i shuilled i!oiig in theircowied robf's ; tl-e l.utclier urgf d alo' g his ass wiih i's peripotetra s'.all hung amund wnh vnrious mpats ; fiesl.ly-li aved ilowe.-s and trpfs in the courl-varrfs, of liich I cnuglit son;e gl'in; ses through the opi n pormls ; nnd in thp balconips I aingci t!ie parly-riser--, enj.yinga cisrar a'.'u r thpir cup oI'c'kicoln!P. Il W a livclv nnrl beauliful S'-ene, worthy of Uw i en' il ofthnt master-paiuter of ciiies, Cannaletti, who won'd have delighted in the transparmcy and purity of llietHp atmo-phpre ihnugh wlich the diatant hills sone twenty miles olF, seeoied but a barriernt the end of ihe -trpet ! Tl. e p!an of the ci:yof Mexico is ! eiselv tl'.at of a ehequpr board, witli a ; greulrr vaiiety of i-quirps. Slraight treeta cross pacli oiher :it righ! nnglps. and at regular intervals. The liousrs are p.-iinltd wilh gay colors - lijrlit blue,fawn, and grepn. inirpprspd wiih : pure white, that reni'iins long unstained i:i Ihe dry nlmospl.ere. The view of'nü these f rum ihn 'elevaipd lower of he cathedrn), (lo whU-h I soon repaired al'ier my nrrival n the rnpila!,) pr'serits a mass of domes, sleppies,and fl;il-roifed dweiling-, frequent! v, covered like hangit g gnrdens, with flowersnnd folinge. Bevond the gales, (which ou would scarcely ihink boundeda pnjulation of 200,000,) the vast plnin j siretchets out on evprv side to ihe m'Hinhrtrrer, trnversod in BOUW places by oi.g lines ofaqu!duct.s swe ping to ihe cil IVom ihe huls, and in uthers with lakes, cultivation, nnd beaulifu] groves, until the distant view is closed by the volcanops, whose snows rest ngninst the blue sky, ] uncovered at this season by a single aloud, In the southwesiern cnmer of iIip xq'inre, the Parían, an unsighily building, greaily mars the efTect of ihe Pinza. It is n uspful establishment, however, 04 h affords alnrge revonue to ihe muüicipaüt-, nnd is the gr$at bazaar wIipi-p evpry anide reqtiisite for ihediessof Mpxicans, n.ale or femóle-, mny be puichased at sonable prices. On the pnvement which runs round it, sit numbers of coaclitnen, whose Mand is in the npighb -i -hi.oJ, and crowds of women wilh reay maie sboet. Not the ent curious, howevrr, among the muliitudn with which the sidewalk is goncrally tl.nnged, are about a d'i.pti ' evatigelists," or leiter-wrilpr?, whoe post is alwnys on the orb stones of the eistern front of ihe Parían. A huge jug of ink is placed ieside ihrm. a b iard rets ii'-ross tleir knees, a pile of different coloird pnppr, (most of which iscul Valentine fashinn, er flourishing over n adorijei w th pen nnd nk ornanipnl,) is placed on it, nnd on a stool bef re him s'ts some disc-onsolaie-looking daoisil or heirt-bn ken lover, pnnring olí) ;i pnssion which ihe scribe puts in becornmg hrapoUgy. It is nn important ira'e, nnd more monry is mnde in Mexico by this proxy tnsking love ihon perhaps anywliere pI.-.p. You can In ve a I lii n" for one rial; n scoldiflff letter for n mpdio; an upbraiding.opij-tle, full ofdaggp.rs, jealouuy, !ve and i ndernes-', (leavng the utifurlunat? recipiënt in a very distracted stnie of mind ) d'ne upon azure paper bpsprinkhc' wilh henits und doves for the ridiculous price oftweniyfive rents. Passing from the cathe'ral dorr lo the southeas'ern portion of ihe cily, ou reach the oulskirls crossing ill your wny ihs cañáis fiom thp 1 ike. I have rarelv spen such miserable suburls; they nre h'llfcd with h'ivels built with sun-dried bricÁs, ofien worn with thp wpatner to thp shape of holes in ihn mul, hile on tlieir enrihen floors crawl. cok, livp, and mu!iiply. the wretched-Iooking population f léperos. Blacken a man in the sun ; let his hair grow long nnd tonend, or becon'e filled withvermin; let him plod nbout llie streets in all kinds of di rt for ypnrs, and never know the use of brash or towel, or water even, except in s'orms: IpI him put on a pair of leather breeches nt tvventv and wear thom until he is forty without change or ablution ; and over o!l place a ion, and blaukened hat and a taitered bl.-inke', hpgrinvried vviili abomimitinns ; Ift b'm have wild eyrs and himtig tepth nnd fentures pinched by famine in a sbaipi-e-s, brea.'t-i bared and hrowned - anti (f lemalps) wiih two or ihree miniaturps "f the s:ime speciea 'rotting nfier her,nrMl anoiher cerininly (trnpped t her back; rnmbinfl nll ihese in your imngiriation, and you have a receipt for a Mexican lépero. There, on ilie cina!s, arnund the marke's, nnd "iulque" sliop, '.he In-Jinns nnd these misemblñ cntcas-N har.g a]J da y long, feeding on fragment", uarroling, driiikine, stenling and lying dnink about ho prnemnt with iheir ctuldi orying with hungpr ari unJ them. At niglit J they slink off ti these su'turb nnd coil I t'.rrnselvs u on the dam) fl o s nftheir hurs, t' .vlte ctFlIie píT ets of 1 quor,nnl t .nw.-ike to anoiher Hay of misory arnl crime. Is it wnnderful, in a city wiih nu immense proportinn of it nlia'iitantsofiucli n cl.iss, ('Impeles-: in llip. prc-prjt atid fui ure,,) tliat there are rnurderers and roiibers ? In t'.p Indian popila i n which pours into the cnpilal ÍVon tiie liks, I must iny there is npparentlv mué w nth nnri chorneíer. Vou see ihem luüing fib"ut in their boits on t lie cañáis, n;id ptissn? nnd rppnssiug in their canoes. plnving ltvei n the city and Chalco nnd Tez cu. li is a I enuiiful siplit lo beliold thrse tiny vps. lsskini ] i li n flwiing jaroens t the qoays in the rnornii g, lader to ihe wa'er's cdje w'ih tho fruit, flowerst nd vrgoiablis, ihat liide the skifT tía; bears them. The oíd honres in this ne'gliborliooH, ! rising out of the cannls, lh sJuggisti uaIPrs, and the dark muln'tude of ihp. betler s!assf-s in fnnrifu! die.-S"s, remind une slrnngly nl'Wnice. SkirtTg íhe ran.'i], nnd Irari;ng to ilie lnin which arijo n.s ilie Chfncpns, or foriner floatinr ga'dcns, is the Passo de la Viga, b pultlic orive fiequeiit'd by the beau monde, b tl) n co;icli and on hurspback, during ilieseison rf Lerl. Scnrrenn nferni n passes, at ihat period of the ear, ilmt ihe nhserver will not find lie ra:ial covered with g-iy boat-lond of Ind:ans, pnssimg rV'tWworrl fp'tn (parket, dancing, singing, lajjghiiig, thrumming the gu tar, nndcrowneJ wiih wreatl.soí poppies. I cío nut know tlie origin of i he custum of wearing ihe forgeti'ul power, bul it is both a bealthisr and mre loeic ob'ivion than tlmt resnrled ti by many fo!ks in othcr luiids, afteraday of toil. Turning once more westward,we agnin rfach the grtat square. The dflpnrture of ihe President f rom liie pnlacií bns aitracted n onrwd. The ndjoiiiing nnrkrt, eer fillpd vii people, p'iurs forih its multitudeo in t!ie square. First. the'P is thengudor, or water-carlier. with liis lwo enrihern j:vs - f)f susppndpd by n It-athern lielt thmwn round liis fnrfhead arn.' resiing on bis back.ancl the 'iiher suspended from the bnck of hihe.-id ín from of him, preserving the equilibrium. Next thrre is the Iridian with a huge coup ofchickens and lurkeys, or a craie o) earthenwarp; or a pinn'er oforanges, un hUback I ike the aguador's jar. Tlifre is a uoman, with p as, or ducks, or fish from Ilie 1 'kes ; om;her with pot.-itoes ; another drives along :i poor stunted ass, Inden w l!i radishes ''rwi ooions; ar d nll ihe membfis of th'S motley cmwd are crying iheif. warea and nierchnndise :it t'ie top of thcir voices. It u i Babel. Amid ihe throng tre's onwards, wilh step majest'clhe qu-eniy Spanisli worpnn; hy her side is a lVi&r,nid h.-ud by a cnup'e of pr ps's in ;hcir graceful black coais :ind shovel hMs. Ín hc shaiows of n pillar of the portnls meaks n niisernble lonk'ng wretc!', wrappfd in hist-wtnnd blanket - a lépero, p.utr, begi;ni-, thi f, s ihe o-caion offe s ; nn'i he takes Ihe aivantgR f thc latter einploymeiit n this mooient of rx ■it"ti)fn, to rae an unsuspicious siratiger nfhií bandkpri-liicf 1 A tiinkle of n bell nt the do'ir of the c.ithedral sncristy. and a roll ofdrums cilling out ihe guard of honor at iIip palace gate give warning ofaciangof S'-eriPs. Slowly issues n gaylv-pnintrd coach with glass win l"ws on nll sities, drawn by sp'ilted muls ; a priest in his etmen's sits witiiin; a bnnd of bovs walk acb ráílp, chnunting a bymn; and in n moment, a denhlik' stillnf-s; pervades ihe hole square. From ihe tr.idesman, sf-lling his rapes under the portals, to the 'hief, whii li'isbarply limR to conceal the handkpi'chicf in his dirly blanket, ihe wt.ole crowd is Lincoverd and knreling; the host is passing to the house ofsome dying Caihulic ! The carringi? lurns a cerner, nnd the square is alive ngiin ; the Iradesman to sell, the lejiero to sten!, and the lesson ofdeath is forgotten foiever ! Turning wesiward from the ..qunre, we renchel the Alamedn, bya very short walk ihiough the Ca'le Pl.toros, a strwi fillei with ihe shops of goldmiths, wntchmakers, French har-dres-ers. Fiench milliners, French carvers ;ind gilderfyind French print-sellers; and vve pas on our wny the rich convent of ihe Profesan, or ex-Jesuiis, and the more splemlid one of the blue-robpd n.nnks of St. Frncis. - The Alameda is a beautiful grove ol forest trees, plnnted on about ten acres of soft and luxurinnt soil. The wood,wh:ch is walled nrd proiected by gat'S cl'ie ) every evenir.g ns tf:e bells io!l lor oración, in inteisectpd wiih wnlks nnd surrounded by a carrin-ge rond. Foun'aius (lirig up their waiers where the paths cross eicb othr-r, and the groynd ber.pjiih i!ie (uil grown tree fi Hert with Qowprs nntJ hrubbery. Tip grent t-entre fiiönmip 'm siinnoiintpd by a gi dfd lijare of Liberty. I a:id gil.fpd lions s-pnut f irth iFie waier ai Hs feet. Th's.nnd ihe olher srnallpr j 'is, In p'eisnter & more spclude:) nooksfn rp circ'ei with sli-ne seat- lt U the fashon tn come here n farringrs and on li'.rs'bick pvpry p.vpning. (p,pt during Ln',J nnd to drive round nnd round the oncla urp, on the soft rood in the dense shaHp, until ihe vcsc lell - or, to dn up in n lin" on the sido of one of thf lilgluvays, whilf the cavalie's pns npand d .wn to review, or jiraM'e aay half an leur BI ihe eonch-window of some renownpd Ip!1p. Rut thnre can bo notliing mnre dpl'ghiful ihan n walk lere rluringthf enriy rnoi-ning. TIipip n fic-i1 nes ihen n tb nir n quiet nnd pp.ncefa!nps that arp f'iind fit no other time of the dny- Die student cornos wi'h hs lio'k, the priest from his moss ; the nurse, with her i bflfcy J thn seniimenial mis.=, to sigh fnr hpr [oer, f:nd perhaps to see liim; the dysppptic, to earn an uppoiite fr his hreakfadt ; the mnnk, the lounger, nn-i -?ven the laborer, stop for a moment benentli the refrehing shades, to take breath for th" coming day. It is nlmost Druidicnl in the nolemn -tillnoss of its grnvp.=,placed in the midst ufa populatio of'wo hundre I th'HKand. Even tiie !):rds sppin to hnvajjeen asurpc, scarrd l'roin the plains, thfv nrc h.Tr in a ■ancMnry. pnd n irnfjiie !ii -nrpg louch th"m. They linvemequently plnntpfi, nsifby consriit of eac-h other, distino' colonics in rl'fferent parlsrsftlie wond; the nul, sittirt on her hranc.h, in onp pl-it-o; t' o dove, making l"Ve the business ofihe'r livos, in nnother; the mockng-liirds nriking a ti.ird sijot a perfect choir; nnd mniltrerahle snarrows and wipiis, ]Ie so many Prys, chattcring anH pattsrii'.g aljout wilh nn intnisivc prtness througli tho dominions of all the rest. Dlrectly wfl't of the Alamcdo.and on the samo streff, i- the Pasco Nupvo, anuther delightful drivo ufa müe in lrngth, hordere '1 with paths and tree?, and divicled ly fonn'ains adorneJ wilh statuary nnd ocnlpture. Passing out thp. wesiern g-ito of the Almneda, the fishi"ii.nhles every evening t ike a turn or two along ihis diive. On festivals it is crowded. All the equipages of the city musí be there, and it i the mode for every person of consideration, to pomü an pqüipagfi. It is n.it thoughi "exactly pro;iei" for n lady ever t'i walk, except to miss - oc, smuctiinps, wlien sh goes shijiping. The coach, therefore. on all gljia daya, is sure io nppea" on the Pasco with is ("air biirricn, tlies'd in the Prench stvle as lor n dinnf-r party or a bi'l. Wlien 1 fj rt arrived in Mnxico, it wns rare to see n bonnet on su(rh occtsíoiis; hut tlint wl;ward nipfnii-'gc f fahiona'ile costumc wns becoinitig grndually in logue befiie I left. For nn hHir or more it 11 t'ie enstom fo pk u; nnd d iwn ihe sidèSofthe Paco, nod.Kng end smiling at the cav. aliprs, who show 1T their hirse'i:inship ■1m g tlie centra ol' the road llnrá t!ie utmost !i.ury nnd styie are exhibited in t e pquipineii! of enn ages and aninmls. Gold eiulnoidry, siUer pl.iting nnd every ornament ihat can ndd splendor tn harriRss umi livery, are bn!t frlh. - To sn.-h an extent is the tasie f.r these exhibitiüiis ranie I, tiiat one of the m 1üonaiies of Mevico appe irs occasioiial'v al the P;issco nú a saddle which fwufeoul (ounting ihe value of the ret of his caiiarison) costthe sum ol" five thousand dollars. Il w.is the chef d'txurre of an hones'i Germán sad 11er who mide i', anJ - retired from trado lo his beloveJ "fotherlar.d." On approaching this charming drivp, ihe whole plain of tbo lalley of Mexico is ai once revealed to you, passing adirtv si burh. On your right, is thn cypresscoveiei and casile-crowned bil! of Chapiiltppi c, lormerly the site, it s alledgcd, of o e of M'iritezuma's palacps ; bolo re you and behind streich two ilTltnene oqueducts - the one ooming from tho hills, the oiher from a greater distmi'-e, lear Tacubajn, and scn -ening thsl villnge 19 t leans ng'.inst the first s1ps of the we.-tern inountains. On your lefi ou er ihe volcanoes, on whnse summils the last rosy rays of gUDMt are rusting. The gny throng dispersa, as the moon rises frum bchu:d tlie niountains, pourng a flooti of c'enr Üght, brig'uasthe 1-iy in other land, over the tranquil landscape. The moonlight of Mexico is marvelously beautiful. That city, you remoinbes 's 7, 5UÍ) feet above t!ie sea, and nearly ihal number f eet doseer lo the s'nrsthan we arr, the filinosil ere, conSfquently, is more rarified. ani ilie ligh' oon:es, ns it were, pure and pertliJcid From hpaen; you .-c 'in ab'c Ui to:ich Ihestnri, so brillinntty ne:ir do they W&f.d out relifvpd agaiiist the bick-grouird of .n intensly blue sky. Símil ng on sncb u'ghts in .Mi co, when 1 s.-w ihe fhtrp liries of lUr. tower nnd (err]ile mme b-Wly out with siiijif1. aiül even color, nlttvst I as hriglit, vet sof er than at Donday, 1 liavp ofif-n leen trmplod to i-ay that il. e monnlight you gt ;it I ome (mnc'i ns it is (!■ tl. eme "fpoets anH loversj is but s'-conJ hand uiF, cum;mred with ttwl of ÜexítíO.