THE SENATE. 65 



Opposite the Padre sat the Bishop of 

 Merida, an elderly and reverend man, but a 

 great plague in the congress, being very fond 

 of giving his opinion on all subjects without 

 ever having v^eighed them previously. He 

 often gets bewildered, and sets the whole 

 chamber in a roar of laughter, in which he 

 has the good sense to join. This in a great 

 measure disarms his opponents, notwithstand- 

 ing which he sometimes gets severely han- 

 dled, which he feels at the moment, but it has 

 no lasting effect. By this kind of conduct 

 he considerably retards the business of the 

 house, and a Frenchman very justly observed 

 of him: II a 6t6 trhs bon pour Pinddpen- 

 dance, mais il est fort mauvais pour la liber- 

 ty." With all his public faults he is an excel- 

 lent private character, and a zealous advocate 

 in support of the rights of the church. 



Next to the bishop, sat Narino, formerly 

 Vice-President of the republic, a great pa- 



VOL. II. F 



