SMOKING IN THE THEATEE. 



131 



at right angles, into quadras or solid squares of 

 houses, about a hundred and twenty yards in 

 length on each face : a very considerable propor- 

 tion of the whole town is occupied by convents 

 and churches. Along the middle of the streets 

 there runs a stream of water, into which all rub- 

 bish is ordered to be thrown ; but as this is sel- 

 dom duly attended to, the streets become recepta- 

 cles of filth from one end to the other. 



The pavements, both of the carriage-way and 

 the footpaths, have been allowed to go out of re- 

 pair ; a circumstance the less attended to from 

 there being few wheeled carriages ; all heavy work 

 being done by asses and mules. 



The Theatre, which was opened during the 

 festivities upon the accession of the new Viceroy, 

 was of rather a singular form ; being a long oval, 

 the stage occupying the greater part of one side, 

 by which means the front boxes were brought 

 close to the actors. The audience in the pit 

 was composed exclusively of men, and that in the 

 galleries of women ; a fashion borrowed, I believe, 

 from Madrid : the intermediate space was divid 

 ed into several rows of private boxes. 



