NOTICES OF CHILE. 



99 



t)f speech, and always receive encouragement from the ladies; 

 they anticipate a part of the sentence, when they observe the 

 speaker embarrassed, but never in such a way as to make him 

 feel that it is for correction ; — then they are so patient, and 

 speak so slowly for him, and never laugh, or even smile, at his 

 most ludicrous mistakes. I will observe here, that the best 

 way to learn to speak Spanish, is first to become thoroughly 

 acquainted with the conjugation of the verbs, then visit the la- 

 dies, and talk, right or wrong — 



*• Thus Juan learn'd his alpha beta better 

 From Haidee's glance, than any graven letter." 



I think Lord Byron good authority for this at least. The gram- 

 matical construction of the language may be studied with more 

 advantage, after the student is able to speak it, than before. 



My second visit to Dona Juana, was between the hours of 

 twelve and one o'clock in the day. I found two of the young 

 ladies seated at their frames, embroidering shawls, in very 

 beautiful patterns. They wore the shawl, and the hair was 

 braided and hanging down the back. Dona Carmencita was 

 sitting on the sofa, h la Turque, with a book in her lap, and 

 stooping forward, in such a way that her hair, which was loose 

 and wet, formed a complete veil for her face. On my entrance, 

 she laid her hair behind her ears, and closed her book. Her sis- 

 ters pushed aside their w^ork, and adjusted their shawls and 

 dresses. The shawl of a Chilian belle is a most rebellious and 

 troublesome article of dress, for it will be constantly slipping off 

 the shoulder, and so disclose a pretty neck and upper part of the 

 bust, which the young ladies are ever anxious to conceal. La- 

 dies never pursue their needle-work in the presence of stran- 

 gers, or rather visiters, as it is considered impolite ; from this 

 circumstance, foreigners have charged them with being idle. 

 Yet when it is recollected that there are no mantua-makers in 

 Chile, and that the ladies make their own dresses, they must 

 be exonerated from that accusation. They are always neat in 

 the decoration of their feet ; — silk stockings are universally 

 worn. 



Dona Carmencita apologized for the state of her paritre, say- 



