218 JOURNAL. 
“© Aqui es el espejo del vertud y del vicio, 
Mirados en el y pronunciad juicio.” 
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, arid 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. * 
* ‘Ox 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 4 la lid: 
Libertad es el eco de alarma 
La divisa ¢riumfar 0 morir. 
“ El cadalso, 6 la antigua cadena, 
Os presenta el soberbio Espafiol : 
Arrancad el puial al tirano, 
Quebrantad ese cuello feroz. 
“ Coro.— Dulce Parria, recibe los votos 
Con que, Chile en tus aras jurd, 
Que 6 la tumba serais de los libres, 
O el asilo contra la opresion,” &c. 
