5G A VOYAGE TO Book VIL 



piircliasc. So that it is not miromraon to see a mu- 

 latto, or any other mechanic, dressed in a tissue eqiial 

 to any thing' that can be worn by a more opnlent 

 person. They all greatly aficct fine cloalhs, and it 

 may be said without exag-geration, that the iinest 

 stuiñTs made in countries, where industry is always in- 

 venting something new, are more generally seen at 

 Lima than in any other place ; vanity and osti^iita- 

 tion not being restrained by custom or lav/. Thus 

 thcgreat quantitiesbroughtin the galleons and register 

 ships notwithstanding they sell here prodigiously above 

 their prime cost in Europe, the richest of them are 

 used as cloaths, and worn with a carelcssnes little suit- 

 able to their extravagant price ; but in this article the 

 men arc greatly exceeded by tlie svomen, whose passion 

 for (h'ess is such as to deserve a more parlicular account. 



In the ihoicc of laces, the women carry their taste' 

 to a prodigious excess ; nor is this an e, nidation con- 

 fined to persons of quality, but has spread through all 

 ranks, except the lowest class of negroes. The laces 

 arc sewed to their linen, which is of tiic fniest sort^ 

 though very little of it is seen, the greaít-st ¡/art of it, 

 especially in some dresses, beiíig always covered with 

 lace; so that the little- which appears seems rather 

 for ornament than use. These laces too inust be all 

 of Flanders manufacture, lu) woman uf rank conde- 

 scending to look on any other. 



TiiEiR, dress is very diii'erent ñ'om tlse European, 

 which the custom of the country alone can renúer 

 excusable ; indeed to Spaniards at their iirst coming 

 over it appears extremely indecent. Their dress con- 

 sists of a p;iir of slioes, ashiff, a petticoat of dimity, 

 an open petticoat, and ajacket, wliich in sunlmer is 

 of Inen, in winter of stuif. To thiS, some add a 

 ni-Miie'el.tt', that the former m;iy hang loose. The 

 diinM'cnce between liiis dress and that worn at Quito, 

 thoi gh consisting of the same pieces, is, that at Lima 

 u i- much biiorier, tlie petticoat, which is u^l/aIIv ticfl 



below 



