MESSRS. ROBERTSON'S LETTERS ON PARAGUAY,

THE country of Paraguay excites associations of curiosity in the minds of many, from the mystery which remoteness always creates ; the interest attached to the Indian republic founded there by the Jesuits ; the poetical halo shed over it by SOUTHEY'S tale, and the singular reports of a strange Dictatorship which had been established there by a strange man. The volumes before us aim at gratifying this feeling ; and if they do not fulfil all that may be looked for, they furnish us with the results of experience, time, and no mean ability. When, more than thirty years since, the capture of BuenosAyres by BERESFORD, and the subsequent expedition to the La Plata under Sir SAMUEL AUCHMUTY and the notorious General WHITE. LOCK, had inflamed many with expectations of an El Dorado, Mr. J. P. ROBERTSON, a Scottish youth of fourteen, set out with a fleet of other adventurers to make his fortune. His first land- ing-place was Monte Video, which had just fallen to Aucitgurs After the disgraceful capitulation of WHITELocR, our young adventurer sailed for Rio Janeiro ; but, liking neither the people, the place, nor the prospects, he returned to Monte Video; whence, in 1811, he, with some commercial object, journeyed to Asumpcioa, the capital of Paraguay : there lie fixed himself for some years; and prospered so well, that he sent for his brother Mr. W.P. Rorizarsom; who joined him in 1814.

The subject matter of the work consists of the adventures of the brothers. Mr. J. P. ROBERTSON describes the society, man- ners, and customs of Monte Video and Rio, thirty years since; he gives an account of the country between Monte Video and Asump. cion, as seen in gallops across the Pampas ; but as he was less hurried than HEAD, he sketches the leading characters be fell in with at his resting-places, and the patriarchal mode of life then led at the interior Spanish settlements ; he paints Paraguay, not many years after the expulsion of the Jesuits, as a species of tropical Arcadia, so beautiful its scenery, and so simple, kind, and unaffected its inhabitants; and he describes the celebrated FRAN. CIA, Doctor of Laws and Dictator, who on their first acquaintance was living in retirement under a cloud, though carrying on covert intrigues against the Government, into which he shortly intruded himself, and soon became its head. At this stage Mr. W. P. ROBERTSON takes up the tale ; narrates his voyage from England; his ascent of the Paraguay (more popularly known as La Plata) against the stream ; his sojourn at Asumpcion, whilst his brother descended the river to Buenos Ayres, with the view of returning home, charged, amongst other things, by Doctor FRANC IA to DS. gociate an alliance offensive and defensive between himself and the King of Great Britain. This alliance, and ROBERTSON'S voy• age, were frustrated ; but, in the interim, FRANCIA, combining the art of CROMWELL with the arms of NAPOLEON, had contrived to make himself be appointed Dictator ; with which achievement the work closes. A history of his tyrannic sway, with more personal adventures of our authors, during a residence of twenty-tive years in various parts of South America, will be contained in another volume ; composition having grown under their hands, and de- ceived their first calculations.

Besides these matters of personal observation and specific knows ledge, there are a few sections involving generalization—as an introductory view of the history of South American Independ- ence, and of' the government of the Jesuits in Paraguay.

Such are the contents of these volumes; and although dashed by the ambition of fine writing, common to new authors, and displaying scanty powers of generalization, the work must be re- ceived as a valuable addition to our books of travels. The style is animated, and sometimes vigorous ; the matter, various, new, and real ; and the sketches of men and manners are not only curious in themselves, but useful, as adding to our knowledge of social 'life. The picture of the political condition of Paraguay, besides an historical value, has a more than historic truth ; for we see the pliant materials on which an able, artful, ambitious man, had to act ; and the thirty years' absolute Dictatorship of Dr. FRANCIA, which formerly seemed inexplicable or incredible, is now easily resolved. Even the historical pieces, though of little merit as compositions, possess the value and the power of know- ledge : we see its the character and habits of the people, as well as in the scattered state of the population, the unlikelihood that the South American republics should have done other than they have; the impossibility that, for many years, they can be other than as they are—weak, distracted, and poor. But though their separation has cost them much in physical suffering and in ma- terial loss, they have been upon the whole gainers. Many absurd laws have been swept away, many narrow prejudices shaken ; they have a more unrestricted intercourse with °diet nations, a comparatively free commerce with the world ; and. though they enjoy little freedom in practice, and scarcely compres

hend its theory truly, yet liberty has become a national notion, which will grow into a national feeling, and eventually produce results.

What scope there is for their production, may be indicated by the quotation of a powerful passage, descriptive of what was to be teen in a journey of three hundred and forts- miles. and that in the mostsettled part, from Buenos Ayres to Santa WI. Consider, now, the extent of country I bad travelled over, and ask me what. in all its length and breadth, I saw? After I left Luxan, I saw two miserable villages, called Areco and Arreeife; Isaw three small towns, railed Fan Pedro, San Nicolas, and the Rosario, containing each from five hundred to eight hun- I saw one convent, called San Lorenzo, containing about dred inhabitants; twenty monks; and I saw also the post-house huts. I saw thistles higher than thehorse with the rider on his back ; here and there a few clumps of the Al - pleb tree, long grass, innumerable herds of cattle, wild and tame deer, and ostriches bounding over the plain, bearded biscachas (a sort of rabbit) coming Out at evening by groups from their thousand burrow,' which intersect the country ; now the whirring partridge flying floral under my horse's feet, and anon the little mailed armadillo making haste to get out of the way. Every now and then I came within sight of the splendid Parana. The town of Rosario is situated on a high precipitous bank which overlooks the river. But its broad, pellucid surface was undisturbed by any bark ; its magnificent waters glided down in all the majesty, but all the seclusion of :Nature, for here man has left her almost to herself. I saw a stream two miles broad and ten feet deep at the place from which I surveyed it ; and that place was one hundred and eighty Wes from the mouth of the Plate, and two thousand from its source. There was no cataract to impede navigation; no savages sought to interrupt traffic, Or required to be driven from the banks. The land on both sides was as fertile as Nature could make it ; and offered the impediment of neither wood nor stones to the plough. The climate was most salubrious, and the soil had been in undisturbed possession of a European power for three hundred years. Yet all was still as the grave.

FORMER VALI7E OF LAND.

At that period of superabundance of land in South America, and indeed up to a much later period, the mode of purchasing an estate was not by paying so much a rood, an acre, a mile, or even a league for it ; but simply, by paying so much a bead for the cattle upon it, and a trifling sum for the few fixtures ; such, perhaps, as half.a.duzen mud huts, and as many corrales, in which to shut up the live stock. The general price then paid for each head of horned cattle was two shillings, and for each horse sixpence. An estate of five leagues in length by tweed a half in breadth,—that is, of twelve and a half leagues,—might have spun it, generally speaking, about eight thousand head of horned cattle, and )fifteen thousand horses. The price of it, at the above-mentioned rates, would be— For 8000 head of horned cattle, at 2s £800

15,000 horses, at Gd. 375 Fixtures 100 Cost, therefore, of the stock and fixtures £1,275

There is a curious and characteristic sketch of the life and cha- racter of a Senor CANDIOTI; a sort of South American Job as regards riches, which he acquired by successful speculations in rearing mules for the mines. The whole is too long for our pages, but we take a description of an ostrich and a horse chase, from an account of South American field sports, into which Mr. ROBERT- SON was initiated at one of the many estates of the patriarch.

We had taken three brace of birds, when an ostrich starting before us, Can- dioti junior, gave the war whoop of pursuit to his Gaucho followers ; and to me the now well-known intimation of " Varnos, Senor Don Juan." Off went, or rather flew, the Gauchos ; my steed bounded away in their company ; and we were now, instead of tracking an invisible bird through tufted grass, in full cry after the nimble, conspicuous, and athletic ostrich. With crest erect and angry eye, towering above all herbage, our game flew from us, by the combined aid of wings and limbs, at the rate of sixteen miles an hour.

The chase lasted half of that time ; when an Indian peon, starting ahead of the close phalanx of his mounted competitors, vabirhal his bolas with admirable grace and dexterity around his head, anal with deadly aim flung them over the half-running, half.flying, but now devoted ostrich. Irretrievably entangled, down came the giant bird, rolling, fluttering, panting; and being in an instant despatched, the company of the field stripped him of his feathers, stuck them in their girdles, and left the plucked and mangled carcase in the plain, a prey to the vultures which were already hovering around us.

THE BOLAS,

Next to the lien, are the Guacho's most formidable weapon. Tiny consist of three round heavy stones, each about the size of a large orange. covered with hide, and attached to three plaited thongs, which diverge from each other, and from a common centre, every tieing being about five feet in length. These, when thrown with unerring tuna, as they almost invariably are, at the legs of an animal at his full speed, twist and entangle themselves around thou, and bring him with a terrible impulse to the ground. The Gaucho then runs in upon him, and either secures or kills him.

TAMING COLTS.

We now came upon an immense herd of wild horses; and Candioti junior said, Now, Senor Don Juan, I must show you how we tame a colt." So saying, the word was given fur pursuit of the herd ; and off once more like lightning started the Gaucho horsemen, Candioti and myself keeping up with theta. The herd consisted of about two thousand horses, neighing and snort- ing, with ears erect and flowing tails, their manes outspread to the wind. Off they flew, affrighted the moment they were conscious of pursuit. The Gauchos set up their usual cry ; the dogs were left in the distance ; and it was not till we bad followed the flock at frill speed, and without a check for five miles, that the two headmost peons launched their bolas at the horse which each had re. spectively singled out of the herd. Down to the ground, with frightful gamier- sets, came two gallant colts. The herd continued its headlong flight, leaving behind their two prostrate companions. Upon these the whole band of Gauchos 'rewrap in ; lazos were applied to tie their legs ; one man held down the head of each horse, and another the hind quarters ; while, with singular rapidity and dex- terity, other two Gauchos put the saddles and bridles on their fallen, trembling, and nearly frantic victims. This done, the two men who had brought down the !ohs bestrode them as they still lay on the ground. In a moinent, the lazos which bound their legs were loosed, and at the same time a shout from the field to frightened the potros, that up they started on all fours ; but, to their astonish- tient, each with a rider on his back, riveted, as it were, to the saddle, and con- trolling him by means of a never-before-dreamt-of bit in his mouth. The animals made a simultaneous and most surprising vault ; they reared, Plunged, and kicked ; now they started off at full gallop, and anon stopped short in their career, with their heads between their legs, endeavouring to throw their riders. " Que ezparanza! "—" vain hope, indeed ! " Immoveable sat the two Tape Indians they smiled at the unavailing efforts of the turbulent and outrageous animals to unseat them; and in less than an hour from the time of their mountioz, it was very evident who were to be the mastery. The horses did their very worst ; the Indians never lost either the security or the grace of their eeats; till, after two hours of the most violent efforts to rid themselves of their burden, the horses were so exhausted, that drenched in sweat, with gored and palpitating sides, and banging down their heads, they stood for five minutes together, panting and confounded. But they made not a single effort to move. Then came the Gaucho's turn to exercise his more positive authority. Hitherto he had been entirely upon the defensive. His object was simply to keep his seat, and tire out his horse. He now wanted to move hint in a given direction. Wayward, zigzag, often interrupted was his course at first. Still the Gauchios made for a given point ; and they advanced towards it ; till at tine end of about three hours. the now mastered animals, moved in nearly a direct line, and in company with the other horses, to the priest°, or small subordinate establishment on the estate to which we were re- pairing. When we got there, the two horses, which so shortly before had been free as the wind, were tied to a stake of the corral,—the slaves of lordly man ; and all hope of emancipation was at an end."

PARAGUAY—A LANDSCAPE WITH ANIMALS.

The open Pampa was exchanged flir the shady grove; the pastures, pro. teeter' by the trees, and irrigated by abundant streams, were in most places beautifully green ; the palm- tree was a frequent occupant of the plain ; hills, and more gently-sloping eminences, contrasted beautifully with the valley and the lake. Wooded from the base to the top, those hills and slopes exhibited now the stately forest tree, and anon the less aspiring shrub, the lime, and the orange, each bearing. at the same time, both blossom and fruit. The fig-tree spread its broad dark leaf, and offered its delicious fruit to the traveller without money and without price ; while the parasite plant lent all its variety. of leaf and flower to adorn the scene. Pendent from the boughs of many of the trees was to be teen, and yet more distinctly known by its fragrance, the air-pleat. Squirrels leaped• and monkeys chattered among the branches; the parrot and parroquet, the pheasant, the moigtil, the toucan, the hummingbird, the guaca- mayo or cockatoo, and innumerable others described by Aura, inhabited, in all their gaudy variety of plumage, the woods through which I rode. There is one noble bird which tenants them, that I never elsewhere saw, except on the lake or on its banks. That bird is the pato real, or royal duck, nearly the tire of a goose, but of plumage rich and varied. The lakes are covered with wild fowl, the marshes with water-hens and snipes. On the pasture-grounds you have the large partridge, and on the cultivated encle. sures, io great abundance, the small one or quail.

• DOCTOR OF LAWS IN THE INTERIOR.

I alighted, in Assumption, at the house of Dr. Barges. Ile was a doctor in law, graduated at the University of Cordova; but having a patrimonial vineyard in Mendoza, which produced him five hundred barrels of wine a year, he had come to Paraguay, for the purpose of selling them. Grating as is such a anion of law and merchandise in one single person, to our association of idea., there is nothing perceptibly anomalous in the junction, to the minds of the South Americans. The day on which we arrived was a holiday. Doctor

Barges had been to ' pallacio ' in his court dress. That was a light yellow coat, with large mother-of.pearl buttons, green satin breeches with gold knee- buckles, and white silk stockings, an embroidered waistcoat, a cocked-hat, a bag-wig, and a very ancient rapier. His sumptuous head of hair was highly loffered and pematomed, and a quantity of cravat and shirt-frill, which would ook truly monstrous in these days, obtruded itself upon observation, as demand- ing deference from all beholders.

The house of this Doctor Bargas consisted of three apartments. One was the store for his Mendoza wine, and for the tobacco and yerba, which he re- ceived in exchange for it. This served him at once for warehouse, dining- room, and drawing-room, and the door of it opened directly upon the street. Behind this repertorium was the doctor's bed-room, in which were to be seen a stretcher, hurse.gear, sundry petaconem, or hide-boxes of superior tobacco and cigars, a wash-}rand basin on a chair, and a small window without either sash or glass. Clothes were strewed hither and thither ; and boots and slows in all directions. The wall was whitewashed, and the cur spicuous rafters were- black. The floor was of dusty brick, uncovered by curter carpet or mat; some casks of Mendoza wine stood at one end ; while a gorgeous hammock, a Spanish blunderbuss, and a brace of pistols were ostentatiously diaplayed upon the walls. Behind this apartment, and err suite, was a mud-walled, and mud- floored kitchen, in which by a fire kindled in the centre of it, a one-eyed black slave called Bopi (in Guarani, the man of one eye') cooked the doctor's assado, made his olla, or seasoned with garlic his more dainty guiaado, or stew. The doctor received us in his court-dress, seated upon a petacon of tobacco. With unfeigned hospitality, and no little grace of demeanour, be welcomed me

to Assumption. • • •

I was now fairly located among Dr. Mega' Mendoza wine-casks, serene. of tobacco and yerfia ; and I was often fun to smile, as I witnessed the daily occupations of this learned, facetious, but rather infl steal personage. In one corner of his wine-shop (fur it was nothing else) stood his ptofesaional bufete, or lawyer's writing-table. At this, he made out escritos, or law-petitions and papers, for his clients. The next moment, and often with interruption to his writing, he bought to- bacco from the small country farmers, in quantities of from ten to one hundred pounds weight ; be trafficked in cigars with the Paraguay nymphs who manu- factured them ; he sold Mendoza wine by the cask or by the gallon ; Mendoza figs by the erotic of twenty-five pounds ; and all this with his own hands, aided only in his manipulations by his man of all work, one eyed Bold.

These extracts form but very indifferent specimens of the varied sketches which the volumes contain; nor have we as yot ever alluded to the remarkable character whom the Messrs. Ro- BERTSON consider the chief feature of their work. As drawn by our authors, in the commencement of his career, FRANCIA un- questionably appears a curiosity, combining the lineaments of DIONYSIUS the elder and ROBESPIERRE, with an ignorance on many worldly points which can only be found in the interior of South America. Incorruptible as an advocate, and inflexibly just, even to declining doubtful causes, and to serving his private enemies in a country where justice is proverbially venal ; per- sonally temperate, isolated, simple, and holding luxury, pomp, or even requisite appearance, in perfect disregard ; he seems to have been tormented by a lust of ruling, which he gratified even- tually in tyranny and blood. We must reserve a fuller view of the dictating Doctor till the appearance of the third volume shall enable us to take a complete view. In the mean time, here are ell few anecdotes of him.

FIRST INTERVIEW wine FRANCIA.

On one of those lovely evenings in Paraguay, after the south.west wind has both cleared and carded the air, I was drawn, in my pursuit of game, into s peaceful valley, not far from Dona Juana., and remarkable for its combination of all the striking features of the scenery of the country. Suddenly i came upon a neat and unpretending cottage. Up rose a partridge; I fired, and the

good shot." I turned round, and beheld a gentleman of about fifty years of

I? age, dressed in a suit of black, with a large scatlet capote, or cloak, thrown over assemblies, by popular ballads, by tumultuous meetings his shoulders. He had a mat:scup in one hand, a cigar in the other, and public rejoicings, and so forth—restored the crown to the i'hes a little urchin of a negro, with hie arms crossed, was in attendance by the ditary claimant. What MONK really did, was by mean gentleman's side. The stranger's countenance was dark. and his black eyes his position, and by many acts of discreditable dissin4 were very penetrating, while his jet hhir, combed back from a bold forehead, and cajolery, to enable the people freely to express their iris* and banging in natural ringlets over his shoulders, gave him a dignified and striking air. He wore on his shoes large golden buckles, and at the knees of in despite of a powerful army, and of a body of politician, his breeches the same. which bad gotten possession of such government as rernetck I apologized for having fired so close to his house; but, with great kindness A more fiery-minded and ambitious man would have taken the and urbanity, the owner of it assured me there was no occasion for my offering Protectorate when the Rump, as a last resource, offered it ta the least excuse; and that his house and grounds were at my service whenever him—would have stepped into Cnosawset.'s shoes, and ends, I chose to amuse myself with my gun in that direction. In exercise of the primitive and simple hospitality common in the country, I was invited to sit vcured (most probably in vain) to uphold a power which IN down under the corridor, and take a cigar and a mute, A celestial globe, a slipping even from CROMWELLS grasp. &less firm and sageti, large telescope, and a theodolite, were under the little portico ; and I immediately ous man would have trimmed about undecisively,—one day dseg interred that the personage hethre me was no other than Doctor Francia. something, foolishly, or of small account, and the next dam, The apparatus accorded with that I had heard of his reputation for a know. doing it, till he had plunged his country into a civil war, in which ledge of the occult sciences; but I was rot long left to conjecture on this

not ; fur he presently informed me, in answer to my appeal whether I had

not the honour of addressing Dr. Francia, that he was that person. the Restoration would eventually have taken place ; and pet. "And And I presume," he continued, "that you are the Cavalier° Inlets who haps less luckily for the nation than the actual one ; for enema,

resides at Dona Juana Ysquibers 2 " might have returned as a sort of conqueror or dictator. TN

I replied that I was ; when he said be bad intended to sill on me, but that true credit of MONK is, y that he had prudence enough to obe such was the state of politics in Paraguay, and particularly as far as himself the national will—skill enough, in very difficult circumstances woe concerned. that he found it necessary to live in great seclusion. lie could no otherwise, he added, avoid the having of sinister interpretations put upon to enable it to develop itself; that whilst mingling with the move: his oast trilling actions. ment, he appeared to head it ; and that he accomplished a greet ANECDOTES OF TILE MAN. and critical event, quickly, quietly, and without bloodshed, Many years before Francia became a public man, he quarrelled with his With what simulation and dissimulation he manay,ed it, may he father ; though 1 believe the latter was in the wrong. They spoke not, met not, read in any history. Let it suffice hereto observe, that every wed for years. At length the father was laid on his deathbed ; and before render- he uttered for three months was a lie.

ing up his great and final account, he earnestly desired to be at peace with his

son Jose Gaspar. This was intimated to the tenet ; but he refused the prof- Neither in other respects is MONK so "obscure" as M. Gums fered reconciliation. The old man's illness was increased by the obduracy of for the sake of an antithesis, represents. The younger son of an hi, son; and, indeed, he showed a horror of quitting the world without mutual embarrassed country gentleman, be set out in life as an ark* forgiveness taking place. He conceived his soul to be endangered by remaining tater, and raised himself by dint of his military merit to cote at enmity with his first-born. Again, a few hours before he breathed his last, mend both in Flanders and in the army of CHARLES the First, he got some of Francia's relatives to go to him and implore him to receive the dying benediction of his father. He refused : they told him his father believed Luckily, as it turned out, suspected and committed to the Tottt his soul could not reach heaven unless it departed in peace with his son. by Parliament, he never actually bore arms against the King, Human nature shudders at the final answer which that son returned : " Then and had nothing to do with his death. Very moderate in poll. tell my father, that I care not if his soul descend to hell." The old man died tics, he submitted to the Commonwealth ; and commanded with

almost raving, and calling fur his sun Jose Gaspar. glory at sea against the Dutch, and with distinction under CROS• Soon after Francia became Dictator, as, on his accustomed ride to the Quartet,

or barrack outside the town, lie passed the door of an old Spaniard, Don JosS WELL ill

Carisinio, his horse stumbled slightly on crossing a gutter which was somewhat he successfully fulfilled his task ; and governed Scotland to the out of repair. The Dictator rant word to Carisimo to have it put to rights ; Restoration, with a power unore absolute than was ever exercised but by some accident the repair was not finished next altos noem, when Francia either before or since, and with a regular justice unknown there again passed. The moment he got to the barrack, he ordered Carisimo, who, before his time and for many years nfterwards. Receiving from though not rich, was a very respectable old gentleman, to bs thrown into the common prison and put in heavy irons; from which he was told he would be re- CHARLES the Second the highest rank and distinctions which leased when he paid a fine of ten thousand dollars, or two thousand pounds. subject can reach, his solidity, his taciturnity, and his manners Carisimo bad not the money ; and his family hoped that ere long the Dictator, plain almost to rusticity, deprived him of any courtly influence seeing the offence was so trilling, would relent. fhey knew not as yet the man. in the halcyon days of the Merry l'ilonarch; though when trouble Old Carisinio was corpulent, and the irons which he wore pressed into his nisi'. came, the eye both of prince and people was turned towards the The fact was reported to Francia. " Then," said he, " let him purchase

larger ones for himself: " and accordingly, the wretched wife of the prisonerofwas left to perform the sad office of ordering her husband's festers. The tell plague devastated London, and King, courtier, Parliament, thousand dollars were ultimately raised by Carisimo's friends, and paid to Fran- lawyers, and rich men, fled in affright, MONK was appointed 0 cia ; and the prisoner was then act at liberty. • * 8 govern the city, and quietly braved the terrors of pestilence in the When I was myself in company with Francia, he seldom or never permitted slischarge of his duty. When the Duke of YORK, " after a hail- me to see the dark side of his character. Any business I had to transact with him, I always did by calling on him in the early part of the day. My visits liant action and a doubtful accident," was removed from the conshim, to him in the evening were always of his seeking. Before the Dictatorship, mind of the fleet, and the Earl of SANDWICH dismissed for some the message invariably delivered to me by an officer or one of one of his body. thing like peculation, MONK accepted the command in conjuncs guard was, " Suplica el Senor Cansul que se vaya V. a easa del Gobiernu"— lion with RUPERT, and moved that impetuous trooper's astonish. "The Consul begs that you will go to the Government House." And after he ment at " the old man's daring." When the fire of London broke became Dictator, it was "Munefa el Supremo que pose V. a vertu "—" The

Supreme orders that you go and see him." out, the King recalled him from the Dutch war to lend his aid He always received me with great urbanity, in his small dark and dismal. in the home exigency ; and when the Hollanders sailed up the looking room, situated at the extremity of a low black corridor. One tallow Medway, burnt the shipping, and attacked Chatham, MONK, at candle generally stood on a small round one-legged table, at which not more the head of a few companies, instantly started to oppose them. than three persons could be seated. This was the dining-table of the absolute All those things seem rather " distinguished from the crowd."

lord of that part of the world. A mate and a cigar, handed by an old and ill. GEORGE MONK, Duke of ALBEMARLE, was also a remarkable dressed regress, or by a black man, the only servants Francia bad, were the

refreshments tu which he invited me. I once sent him a dozen bottles of porter, man in his character as being the head of a distinct class— (more highly thought of by me in Assumption than you would think of a the respectable soldier of fortune. To his military training, hogshead of Lafitte in England); and three days afterwards, on paying a visit operating of course upon his natural qualities, may be traced to his Excellency, the first bottle which had been drawn, half full and without most if not all of the distinctive teculiarities which characterized cork, was brought in, and a wineglass was filled with Mena's " entire sour,"

, him. Except in the few months preceding the Restoration, when and presented to me. I told Francia that we drank porter from tumblers ; and that a bottle once opened must at once be finished. Francia smiled : " I the novelty and exigencies of his position forced him upon treachery, thought," said he, "it was rather sour to-day at dinner; but conic, we shall he always did his present duty towards his employers to the drink a bottle in English style." fullest extent both in deed and word; seeming conscious, that if His dinner consisted generally of two common dishes ; or of one, with a little their strength and sagacity enabled them to stand, his fidelity caldo, or broth ; and water was his beverage. One forenoon his frugal meal would be rewarded. But though doing his duty to his employers, was placed on the table before I had taken my departure. I took up my hat.

"I do not ask you," said the Dictator with some consideration for lily comfort, and against their enemies, he did no more; provoking no one "I do not ask you to • 'lacer penitencia," for I know a good and substantial cessary enmities, and treating all, save when the rules of war eon•

dinner and plenty of wine every day are indispensable to an Englishman." strained him, as persons who might hereafter be his friends. The • "To do penance; " a general mode among Spaniards of asking you to stay to dine, taciturnity in which he shrouded his purposes was a faculty of