Page:Life in Mexico vol 2.djvu/58

38, were sent round, inviting all the Senator's friends to the mass, in this form:

"Jé Bo Ga requests that you will honor him with your presence and that of your family, in the solemn function of Kalends and Mass with which he annually makes a humble remembrance of the Birth of the Saviour, which festivity will take place on the morning of the 24th of this month, at nine o'clock, in the Parish Church of the Sagrario of the Holy Cathedral.

By nine we were all assembled in the choir; Don Bo in his uniform, dark blue and gold, we in mantillas. The church looked very splendid, and as usual on these occasions, no léperos were admitted; therefore the crowd was very elegant and select. The affair went off brilliantly. Four or five of the girls, and several of the married women, have superb voices; and not one of all those who sang in chorus, has a bad voice. The finest I almost ever heard, is that of the Señorita C. Were she to study in Italy, I venture to predict that she might rival Grisi. Such depth, power, extension and sweetness, with such richness of tone in the upper notes, are very rarely united. She sang a solo in such tones that I thought the people below must have felt inclined to applaud. There are others whose voices are much more cultivated, and who have infinitely more science. I speak only of the raw material. The orchestra was really good, and led by a first-rate musician. I was thankful when my part of The entertainment was over, and I could give my undivided