74 MEXICO. 
While the hour passed in which I sat looking at and listening to this re- 
markable person, the company in the saloon gradually thickened. Here 
a newly made Colonel, the child of the new revolution, in as new and 
bright a uniform ; there a veteran General, in the time-stained dress, 
tarnished trappings, and old cut coat of the ancient regime. Here a knot 
of European diplomatists, blazing with their stars ; and there the old 
Archbishop, with his venerable gray locks falling on his violet robes, while 
another dignitary of the church stood by him in velvet and lace, with a 
. cross of large diamonds and topazes hung round his priestly throat by a 
collar of gems, and " ever and anon " taking snuff, in a manner that dis- 
played a finger which almost blinded by the flash of its diamonds. The 
dress of every person in the room, in fact, was rich and tasteful, except 
that of one distinguished citizen of Mexico, and a priest in attendance on 
the Archbishop — who adhered, amid all the show, to humble and respect- 
able black. 
After an hour's delay, which added to the sharpness of our poorly stayed 
appetites, dinner was announced. Santa Anna led the way, and in the 
dining-room we found our places indicated by cards on the soup-plates. 
The table-service was tolerably good, although there was no such dis- 
play either of silver, porcelain, or cut-glass, as we see on hundreds of less 
courtly tables in the North ; nor were there any " gold spoons " for Con- 
gressmen to cavil with. The cookery (French and English,) was capital, 
and the courses innumerable.* The wines and the conversation went off 
with spirit ; and, indeed, the whole entertainment was most agreeable, 
except, that during the repast six of the President'' s aids-de-camp stood he- 
kind his chair. Their position was, I feel confident, most painful, (at least 
to all the foreigners;) and although they performed no menial offices, 
yet the act was inelegant, unrepublican, unnecessary, and in excessively 
bad taste. I hope never again to be forced to witness such a scene, nor 
to sit at table while such men stand. 
Thus passed two hours and a half, enlivened by the military bands of 
the Palace, playing gay airs with remarkable taste and skill in the pauses. 
Near ten we all retired (without the universal cigar) to the reception-room, 
where tea and coffee were handed before we departed. 
As we passed the windows of the dining-room, we saw the aids-de-camp 
at dinner in our lately deserted places ; and I sincerely trust as they had 
so long but feasted on the fumes of our earlier dinner, that they had 
something more substantial than the cold and broken remains of our 
splendid repast. 
In the palace yard below, hundreds of soldiers were lolling drowsily 
on the stone seats, or bundled up in their blankets stretched on the pave- 
ment within the gateways ; and as we left the portal, the band in the 
balconies above sent over the still square the parting strains of its beau- 
tiful music. 
♦This entertainment was prepared by a celebrated French cook in Mexico, who charged the modeiate sum 
of S^ a head for forty persons, exclusive of the wines. 
