market-place, which is a double square, surrounded with buildings. This square is in the centre of the city. The second, adjoining to this, is the square called Del Vellador, where the bull-fights are exhibited. The third is that of Santo Domin

go. These squares are tolerably regular; and each is ornamented with a fountain in the middle. On the north side of the city, and near the suburbs, is the Alameda, or public promenade, which is a large square, with a rivulet running quite round it, and a jet d'eau in the middle. Eight walks, having each two rows of trees, terminate at this bason in the form of a star. But as the soil of Mexico is unfit for the growth of wood, the trees are not in a very thriving condition. Facing the Alameda, and at the distance of only a few paces, is the Quemadero, the place for burning the Jews, and other unhappy victims of the awful tribunal of the inquisition. The Quemadero is an inclosure between four walls, and filled with ovens, into which are thrown over the walls the poor wretches who are condemned to be burnt alive: condemned by judges professing a religion, of which the first precept is charity.f

The houses of Mexico are tolerably well built, but not remarkable for either external or internal embellishments; and the style of architecture is the same as in Spain. The city contains no remarkable edifice. The palace of the viceroy, in the great square, however, is a firm and substantial structure, comprising within its circuit three handsome court-yards, each of which has a fountain in the middle; but the interior of the palace displays scarcely any decorations. Behind this is the mint, a noble building, where upwards of one hundred workmen are constantly employed for the king in coining pi astres, out of the enormous masses of silver brought thither by the owners of the mines, who exchange them for coin.

The most sumptuous buildings are the churches, chapels, and convents, many of which are richly ornamented. The cathedral, especially, is remarkable for its splendid and costly decorations. The railing round the high altar is of solid silver; and there is also a silver lamp so capacious, that three

The expression of M. D'Anteroche appears somewhat obscure. It is, however, to be supposed, that the rigours of this infernal court are now abated.

men get into the inside to clean it. This lamp is adorned with figures of lion's heads, and other ornaments of pure gold. The inside columns of the cathedral are hung with rich crimson velvet, decorated with a broad gold fringe. The profu sion of riches in the numerous churches of Mexico is astonishing. Gold and precious stones are lavished on the sacred vessels and ornaments; and the images of the Holy Virgin and and the saints are either of massy silver, or covered with the most costly drapery.

The outside of the cathedral is unfinished, and is likely to remain in that state. The circumstance of its sinking, which is already so visible, deters them from increasing the weight of the building. It is well known that the city of Mexico is the abode of all the most opulent merchants, and the centre of the commerce carried on with Europe, Manilla, &c. by the ports of Vera Cruz and Acapulco. Its riches, therefore, are undoubtedly immense. In regard to its manners and customs, as all the great officers and principal ecclesiastics are natives of Spain, and the viceroys are sent every three years from the parent country, the influx of Spaniards must naturally be supposed to direct the national taste. The Creoles are, in every part of America, known to be more luxurious and effeminate than the Europeans; but all circumstances considered, it is not unreasonable to suppose, that in the most promi nent features the manners of Mexico differ less from those of Madrid than might otherwise be expected. The population of Mexico has been variously estimated; but Dr. Robertson, after the most accurate researches, says, that it amounts at least to 150,000; and it does not appear that the number of the inhabitants can have decreased.*n

The vale of Mexico displays the most luxuriant fertility; but the environs of the city, although they afford a picturesque view of the lake and the distant mountains, must on the whole be considered as unpleasant, and the situation as unhealthful. Except the Alameda already mentioned, there is no other walk in or near Mexico: all the adjacent country is swampy

* Hist. of America, vol. 2. p. 497, note 73.

n [By a late accurate enumeration made by the magistrates and priests it appears that the present number of inhabitants exceeds 200,000, AM. ED.]

ground, intersected by numerous canals. The climate is not so scorching as in several other parts of the torrid, or even of the temperate zones; and probably the heat at Mexico seldom exceeds that which is felt in summer at Madrid. But the coolness arises from the humidity of the ground and the atmosphere; and the effects which so great an abundance of moisture, in a tropical climate, must have on the human frame, may be easily imagined. These, indeed, are too frequently displayed in dreadful epidemical diseases, among which, that called the black vomit, is the scourge of Mexi co.* In 1736, and the following year, it swept away more than one-third of the inhabitants of that city; and in 1761 and 1762, the same disease, in conjunction with an epidemical small pox, almost depopulated the whole country, and carried off at least 25,000 persons in the capital. It is somewhat singular, that this distemper always begins among the Indians, who are natives of the country, and attacks them more frequently than the Europeans. This epidemical disorder of Mexico, however, does not appear to be either more fatal, or of more frequent recurrence than the yellow fever in the West Indies, and the United States of America.

New Spain contains several other cities of considerable magnitude, but of which there is little recent intelligence. Puebla de los Angelos, is supposed to contain 60,000, and Guadalaxara, 30,000 inhabitants.fя Guitamala, which was de

• [Estalla supposes that the diseases of Mexico proceed from the dryness of the climate. He remarks that the retiring of the lake has been thought by some to increase the unhealthiness of the situation; and that the failure of rain has occasioned numerous diseases, which have some. times become contagious. AM. ED.]

Letter of Don Joseph Anthony de Alzute to the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris.

P [Estalla speaks of the black vomit as a disease which is scarcely known in the city of Mexico. The American physicians, he says, have recently ascertained that it never extends its ravages beyond the seacoast AM. ED.]

Robertson's Hist. of America, vol. 3. p. 392.

[Queretaro might here have been mentioned, being the third city of Mexico, in point of population, and exceeded by few in point of opulence and pleasantness of situation. AM. ED.]

stroyed by an earthquake in 1773, when, as already observed, no fewer than 8,000 families perished, must have been a very considerable city; and New Guatamala is already well inhabited. Indeed, as Dr. Robertson observes, the Spanish cities are far superior in population to those of the other European nations in America. Vera Cruz and Acapulco, the former on the coast of the Mexican Gulf, and the latter on that of the Pacific Ocean, are the two ports to the city of Mexico. Through these the trade of that capital is carried on with Spain and the Phillippine islands. But both of them being in disagreeable and unhealthy situations, were frequented by the opulent merchants only at the arrival of the flotilla from Europe, and of the Acapulco ships from Manilla. At those seasons, Vera Cruz and Acapulco were crowded with people; but as soon as the business was transacted, these towns were almost deserted, and made only a mean appearance. The colonial trade being now laid open to all Spanish subjects, it is probable that the business at these ports will be more regular.*

Edifices.]-The chief structures are the cathedrals, churches, and monasteries, many of which are magnificent and richly ornamented.

* See an account of these new regulations under the article Spain.

CHAP. III.

Historical View. &c.

THE history of Mexico, previous to the Spanish conquest, is only traditional, and of little importance; but the origin of this people, as well as of the Peruvians, has been a subject of curious investigation, and a source of various conjecture. These two nations have been by many considered as a distinct race from the rest of the Americans. But the Mexicans and the Peruvians seem, in regard to religion, language, and all other moral circumstances, to differ as much from each other as from the rest of the aboriginal tribes. Perhaps all these differences may have been the effect of situation and accident. But whether America were peopled from Asia or Africa, it is not improbable that similar migrations might take place in different ages. On this supposition, Dr. Forster's conjecture, at least in regard to the Mexicans, appears the most plausible. That sagacious inquirer attributes their origin to the troops on board the fleet which Kublai Khan, in the thirteenth century, sent from China for the intended conquest of Japan.* That great armament having been scattered, and most of the vessels supposed to be lost by violent tempests, it is not improbable that some of them might reach the western coast of: America. This hypothesis has a singular coincidence with the Mexican traditions, which assert that their ancestors, originally consisting of several families or tribes, moved in suc cessive migrations from unknown regions towards the north and nort-west, and established themselves in Analshac; and.

* Dr Forster's Hist. Voyage in the North, p. 43. Although objections may be made against some parts of Dr. Forster's hypothesis, it has, in regard to the main point, a very great air of probability.