OLD SPANIARD. 



77 



essential to every project, great or small ; his 

 house was constantly besieged by crowds, and 

 whenever he walked along the streets he was ar- 

 rested at every corner by supplicants. 



With all this real importance he had not a 

 spark of presumption: in his manners he was 

 simple and unaffected ; always in good humour ; 

 always saw the bright side of things ; made the 

 most of the good, and promised that the bad 

 would mend : his heart was open to every gene- 

 rous impression, and it was impossible not to feel 

 in his presence something of that involuntary, but 

 entire respect, which we pay to taste and excel- 

 lence in the other sex. 



But when San Martin entered Lima, a new or- 

 der of things took place. That vigorous chief 

 wanted no adviser ; he directed everything him- 

 self, and with the decision of a soldier, admitted 

 no appeals ; he swept whole classes away ; esta- 

 blished new laws and institutions ; and entirely 

 altered the general aspect of society. All stran- 

 gers were admitted to the port, and were invited 

 to establish themselves in the capital without re- 

 serve or restriction ; and every one being allowed 



