52 



SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



occasionally a cut lemon with which they 

 rubbed the clothes. 



Of the people I can give no very satis- 

 factory account. They are the very patterns 

 of politeness, full of compliments, and profess 

 that their houses are at your service, though 

 they seldom ask you in. Of the ladies strangers 

 see but little : they do not often appear in the 

 public streets, when they do, they are in the 

 same habits as at church ; but in their houses 

 they are gay, sprightly, and affable. They 

 have a character for intrigue ; I can only say, 

 if this character be deserved, it never came 

 within my observation. Those whom I met 

 seemed to maintain a cheerful unembarrassed 

 demeanour, but I never noticed the smallest 

 approach to impropriety. 



Both men and women in general are not 

 well informed with respect to the state of 

 Europe. Many believe the whole continent 

 to be under the dominion of Spain; that 



