ew and the Law of
Generation.--The same Law applies to Cattle.--It governs the
Generation of Plants.--Intemperance and Generation.--Meztizo
Plants short-lived.--Mexico can not be resuscitated.--She can not
recover her Northern Provinces.

Earthquakes are, and ever have been, very frequent through the whole of
Mexico. Yet they have never been very severe, particularly at the city,
as is demonstrated by the very existence of a city upon such a mass of
soft earth as I have shown in a former chapter constitutes the
foundation of Mexico. A reasonable amount of hard shaking would
dislocate its muddy basis and engulf the city. Now and then some
unusually frail structure is toppled down, and the church steeples are
swayed a little this way or that, but the cement that sustains them has
heretofore proved sufficiently cohesive to save them from being shaken
to pieces or tumbled down.[60] Some ten years ago, the convent church,
in which was the miraculous image of our Saviour, was thrown down, and
the image that had annually poured forth its precious blood for the
healing of the spiritual and temporal maladies of all pious believers
was buried under the ruins. But this calamity was only a precursor of a
greater miracle; for, on removing the rubbish, the sacred image was
found intact, and as ready as ever to bleed again to order for ready
pay. The spiritual interpretation of this astounding phenomenon was,
that the devil, in his malice, had attempted, as of old, to crush the
miraculous power of the Saviour; and now, again, as upon the high
mountain, he was foiled, and the flow of blood was not intermitted.

IGNORANCE AND MIRACLES.

Miracles have ever been the most fruitful source of profit that the
Church enjoys, for at the annunciation of every new miracle the
faithful are quickened to devotion and to contributions, which, above
all things, is to be desired by the "impoverished Church" of Mexico.[61]
An earthquake is always a windfall or a godsend to the priesthood. An
outsider is often surprised at the number of miracles that, in old
times, were connected with earthquakes. But rarely do we hear of modern
miracles. The spirit of miracles works only in times of most profound
ignorance; and experience has convinced the Church that the only
prospect of the continuation of miraculous visitations of the holy
Apostles and of the Virgin in Mexico, depends upon the continuation of
the people in the most profound ignorance, and in c