Spanish-American civilisation, where music is a part of the government
of the people; a feature far more prominent than in Britain or the
United States. The cathedrals, the quaint architecture of the streets,
the barred windows, and the picturesque dress of the working class,
form an atmosphere of distinctive life and colour. Let us halt a moment
in the _plaza_. The band is discoursing soft music, varied by some
stirring martial air; the Mexican moon has risen, and now that the
sunset colours pale, vies with the lamps of the well-lit promenade to
illumine a happy but simple scene. Its rays shine through the feathery
boughs of the palms, and glisten on the broad, elegant leaves of the
_platanos_--which grow even in the upland valleys--whilst the scent of
orange-blossoms falls softly through the balmy air, as in ceaseless
promenade fair maidens and chatting youths, with coquetry and stolen
glance, pass round the square untiringly. White dresses and black eyes
and raven tresses--the olive-complexioned beauties of the Mexican
uplands take their fill of passing joy. The moment is sweet, peaceful,
even romantic; let us dally a moment, nor chafe our cold northern blood
for more energetic scenes. Do we ask bright glances? Here are such.
Shall we refuse to be their recipient? And moonlight, palms, and music,
and evening breeze, and convent tolling bell, and happy crowd--no, it
is not a scene from some dream of opera, but a phase of every-day life
in Mexico.

In many respects it is an atmosphere of charm and interest which the
traveller encounters in Mexican life, especially if he has recently
arrived from among the prosaic surroundings of Mexico's great northern
neighbour, the United States. Indeed, the transition from the busy
Anglo-Saxon world which hurries and bustles in strenuous life northward
from the Rio Grande, to that pastoral and primitive land of
Spanish-America is as marked as that between Britain and the Orient.
Yet it is only divided by a shallow stream--the Rio Grande. As the
traveller crosses this boundary he leaves behind him the twentieth
century, and goes back in time some hundreds of years--a change, it
maybe said _en passant_, which is not without benefit, and attractive
in some respect. The brusque and selfish American atmosphere is left
behind, the patience and courtesy of Mexico is felt. The aggressive
struggle for life gives place to the recollection that to acquire
wealth is not necessarily the only b