Arrangement of a Chilean House. 307 



It is true, we associated with the wealtliiest and most distin- 

 guished families in the country, but we had not expected to 

 find the subdued but exquisite French taste so universally 

 prevalent. The external aspect of the houses of the Chilean 

 patricians is rather massive than elegant. The heavy iron 

 grating which surrounds the wide lofty windows leave a dis- 

 agreeable gloomy impression. The large quadrangular court, 

 or Patio, enclosed by the bed-chambers, and which is common 

 to every Spanish American house from Chile to Mexico, is 

 intended less for the passage of air and light to the various 

 apartments than as a place to fly to in case of an earthquake 

 (which, however, within the last 20 years were of rare occur- 

 rence in Chile and of no great importance), whence it would 

 be easy to escape. Usually the reception-room has no cost 

 or pains spared to embellish it ; every object or article of fur- 

 niture in it being designed to produce a certain effect. ' The 

 expense and risk attending the transport of a large mirror or 

 pianoforte, or other article of similar value, from the factory at 

 Paris to its destination in Chile, is enough to make the visitor 

 open his eyes with amazement at beholding them there ! 



Conversation, which, owing to the limited information of 

 the ladies, usually turns in South American drawing-rooms 

 upon the most common-place subjects, is marked in Chile by 

 all the interest and vivacity consequent on the important 

 influence exercised by the fair sex over the politics of the 

 country, which prefers debating important political events to 

 idle chatter and ordinary talk. 



X 2 



