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716 art. They are not, certainly, amongst the exceptions to Madame de Stael's celebrated axiom, that hors de Paris, tout le monde parle de son voisin, on de sa voisine," for in this respect Mexico is most thoroughly a "Petite ville." But in return, they have no affectation or hauteur, they are kind and unpretending in the highest degree, and do the honours of their houses with perfect ease and propriety. They possess considerable natural talents; and although in 1824 they undoubtedly were a little fonder of smoking, and a little less attentive to personal appearance at home, than would be thought engaging in London or Paris,—before I left the country in 1827, a wonderful change had taken place. Cigars were banished from all places of public resort, and, even in private, were falling gradually into disuse; while, with regard to dress, European fashions had entirely taken the place of those glaring colours, by which but too many of the prettiest women were disfigured on the first opening of our intercourse with New Spain. Nor can I omit stating, that, from the first, they showed a delicacy of feeling, and tact, with regard to Mrs. Ward, for which she has always felt grateful, by abstaining from smoking whenever she was present, (and that not only in her house, but in their own,) lest it should prove in any way offensive to her English ideas of politeness, or decorum.—In good society the most marked respect is always shown to the female sex, and all the obsequiousness of old