BUENOS AYRES. 



85 



We went afterwards to visit a family in 

 the town, friends of the doctor. The lady 

 of the house, a widow, with two pretty 

 daughters, received me as strangers are always 

 received — by a long speech of professions of 

 hospitality, in which, as usual, every thing in 

 the house was put at my 66 disposicion." The 

 Spanish manners and professions are calculated 

 to mislead, without a previous knowledge that 

 they are but the forms of good breeding. 

 These handsome offers occur at every instant. 

 If a stranger happens to admire any thing that 

 may be shown to him on the premises where 

 he is visiting, he is immediately pressed to 

 accept the article as a gift ; which offer, how- 

 ever, is only meant to call forth as gracious a 

 compliment in return, with as little meaning* 

 Donna Innocencia sang and played on the 

 harp to us. I was not sufficiently learned to 



