Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 2.djvu/285

Rh classes (who are of Spanish descent); while among the lower orders, great attachment is evinced towards old Indian or Aztec words and phrases; and this fondness often influences both their ideas and pronunciation. There is little or no slang, or conventional abbreviation, in use in the republic; the speech of the people, on the contrary, inclining to the elaborate and redundant; the vowels are usually dwelt upon in pronunciation, and pronounced in a full and musical manner.

The subject of education is one of the most promising of future good, presented by the republic at the present time. As has been before observed, there are subscription Lancasterian Associations in various parts of the country, where children are instructed gratis, with evening schools for adults. There are also government establishments for the tuition of the young of both sexes, in numerous country departments; these schools are inspected and supported under the direction of the town councils, where the children are furnished with books without charge.

The capital contains four collegiate establishments; and there is a Government normal school for the instruction of soldiers