218 JOURNAL. 



" Aqui es el espejo del vertud y del vicio, 

 Mirados en el y pronunciad j uicior" 



The Director's box is on the right hand of the stage, it is handsomely 

 fitted up with silk of the national colours, blue, red, and white, bor- 

 dered with gold fringe. Opposite is the box of the Cabildo, a little 

 less handsome, but decorated with the same colours. The theatre is 

 a very favourite amusement here, and most of the boxes are taken by 

 the year, so that it was by favour only that I obtained one to-night : 

 the theatre was quite full, and the general beauty of the women was 

 particularly conspicuous on the occasion. Shortly after we were 

 seated, the Director and his family, including the little Indian girls, 

 came in. I am so accustomed to see respect paid to the actual 

 sovereign of a country, that I instantly rose and courtesied, and was 

 quite abashed to see that I was the only person in the house who did 

 so : however, it passed for a particular compliment, and was parti- 

 cularly returned. The national hymn was then called for and sung, 

 and played as is usual before the beginning of the piece. One party 

 of ladies became conspicuous, by sitting down, turning their backs, 

 and talking loud during the playing of the hymn, — a piece of gross 

 and imprudent impertinence, that would have been tolerated no 

 where but under the good-natured eye of the Director O'Higgins. * 



* On the 20th of September, 1819, the national hymn, of which the following is the 

 first verse and chorus, was published by authority of government, and ordered to be sung 

 at the theatre before every play. There are ten verses, all good ; but it is too long. 



" Ciudadanos, — el amor Sagrado 

 De la Patria os convoca a la lid : 

 Libertad es el eco de alarma 

 La divisa triunifar o morir. 



" El cadalso, 6 la antigua cadena, 

 Os presenta el soberbio Espanol : 

 Arrancad el punal al tirano, 

 Quebrantad ese cuello feroz. 

 " Coro. — Dulce Patria, recibe los votos 

 Con que, Chile en tus aras juro, 

 Que 6 la tumba serais de los libres, 

 O el asilo contra la opresion," 8cc. 



