Page:Life in Mexico vol 2.djvu/386

366 (silver tail.) "And who may Cola de plata be?" said The Minister. "A favorite cock of His Excellency's, wounded this morning in a fight which he won, and to whose care he is now personally attending!" The Bishop soon after sent in his resignation.

Accompanied by several of our friends, including one of the canons of the cathedral, we visited that splendid building the second day of our arrival. It is still wonderfully rich, notwithstanding that silver to the amount of thirty-two thousand marks has been taken from it during the civil wars. The high altar is dazzling with gold and silver; the railing which leads from it to the choir is of pure silver, with pillars of the same metal; the two pulpits, with their stairs, are also covered with silver; and the general ornaments, though numerous and rich, are disposed with good taste, are kept in good order, and have nothing tawdry or loaded in their general effect. The choir itself is extremely beautiful; so also is the carved screen before the organ, the doors of the first being of solid silver, and those of the other of richly carved wood. There is also an immense silver font, and superb lamps of silver. We particularly admired some fine paintings, chiefly by Cabrera, and especially a Madonna and child, in which there is that most divine expression in the face of the Virgin, the blending of maternal love with awe for the Divinity of the child. Four of these paintings, it is said, were sent here by a Spanish king, as far back as Philip the Second. These four are colossal in size, and are finely painted, but little cared for or appreciated, and placed in a bad light.