SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



99 



^and at the same time more kind and attend 

 square high-raised altar of silver, ornamented 

 with marble statues as large as life, the sa- 

 cristy large and superbly decorated, one of 

 the pictures being 40 feet in length. The 

 monastery is spacious, but at present contains 

 only twenty friars, with an income of 2000 dol- 

 lars, though it once had a revenue of 100,000, 

 One of the brotherhood joined us, and being in- 

 formed we were Brittanicos^ which to him con- 

 veyed the idea that we were not Christians, he 

 put up a short prayer for our conversion, and, 

 perhaps as a first stage to so desirable an ob- 

 ject, showed us every possible attention, ex- 

 plaining to us a series of pictures illustrative 

 of the life of St. Monica, and her son St. Aus- 

 tin. He then took us to his cell, introduced 

 us to the young men studying under him, and 

 explained the rules and regulations of the 

 house. 



I have never met with clergy more humble, 



° t P~ 5 ' . i ft H 2 



