Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 2.djvu/85

Rh spurs or wearing apparel and you remunerate him fourfold—he is still your patron.

Confer an obligation upon him or put yourself to inconvenience to serve him still he patronizes you; and his acceptance of your kindness is a condescension. Nay I verily believe that if you were to save his life at the peril of your own he would even then patronize you, and account you his debtor that he did you the honour to allow his life to be saved!

This peculiarity however, is more whimsical than offensive; for no affront is intended by it. But there is, however, a kind of drunken independence—if I may be allowed the expression—in which an ignorant mind is apt to clothe itself as with a garment, whenever the body is prostrated by intoxication. I do not consider the Mexicans generally an intemperate people; but their favourite liquors drunk to excess, have as powerful an effect upon them as more fiery alcohol has on the natives of other countries: and when a Mexican of the patronizing stamp has his natural independence augmented by his potations he is a remarkable specimen of human nature indeed—sometimes very