The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-05

eyes Of Spain, than would be colonial universe
ties, or schools, or factories To keep the
Crcoles the weak, uneducated, dssipated crea-
lures, which they too often are, is the natural
policy of the Government which inherits the
spirit Of that Charles ILL., who declared, in sup
pressing the university of MaraeaybO, that he
did not wish education TO become too general
in the Americas
Last night | saw at Is, a very pleas
ant and pretty company dance the graceful
contra dance Of the island. 1t is slow, beau
tful dance-a kind of conversazone dansante.
IT my brief and limited experience gives me
the right to speak ut all on the subject, may
say that the society of Havana, though by no
means brilliantly intellectual, is very pleasant
from It's ease and comparative simplicity. ln
the matter of social entertainments especially,
the Habaneros display good sense which one
looks Tor In vain in the arrangements of a
Northern party, OF ball. The ladies, to be
sure are apt to sit in rows along the walls, and
the gentlemen to group around the doorways,
after fashion usually regarded as English,
but which, as my own experience leads me to
believe, is quite as much honored by the south
ern nations of Europe as by ourselves. or our
phlegmatic kinsfolk. But conversation, how
ever trivial, is more freely carried on here, and
one is not so oppressed with the sensual hor-
rors OF supper as in the States. Granted,
that the people here come together chiefly to
chat nonsense and to dance, still that is better
than congress of oyster eaters. In Havana,
whatever refreshments are offered, however
elegantly served, are always better calculated
to revive than to Cypress the system; and |
should judge that two weeks of the season
in New York would be more detrimental to
body and mind than as many months in this
southern capital. The atertulia," which is
the more common form of entertainment here,
is very simple, and much less trying than an
average tea party. 1t is in fact, nothing but
a sort of reception" The capital required
by gentleman for reception, at the North,
is principally a pair of black pantaloons and
perpetual smile for tertulia, a perpetual
smile and pair of white pantaloons will suf-
flee On Saturday night went to the first
ball of the Galatians. The Galatians are the
Yankees of Spain, who come out here to make
their fortunes, and rarely fail. They keep the
shops all over the country, and have the repu-
tatlon of being at once sharp and honest.
They have founded an orphan institution, and
these balls are annually given in aid thereof
They usually take place in the Tacon theatre
but this year the proprietor of that building
proved recusant, and the Galatians went to
work, with Canedo's permission, and built a
great shanty in the Campo Marie, or parade
ground, on the Paseo. But the pouring rain,
during the Easter holydays, rendered this tenn
porary ball. useless then; and, as now the
greater part of the country people, whe usually
patronize these balls, have gone back to their
homes, the whole affair will be losing one to
the Galatians; and suppose the ex-p pirate pro-
prietor of the Tacon flor such he isl rubbed
his hands with joy OF sight of every shower
However, they danced away with great spirit
on Saturday night There were masks of ell
sorts--negroes Cinnamon Indians an English
jockey in u red cotton frock coat and yellow
boots, with large cartwhip in his hand, Cos
sacks in fashionably cut pantaloons, and other
such vraisemblant characters as one usually
sees at such places. But there were also some
true blue Andalusians in the maja, dancing
the Sevillian Dances with Gallician, Asturian,
and Valencian partners all in their national
costumes and the scene was quite interesting,
as well as amusing Companies or bands OF
young men performed different national dances
on great platform. Altogether, the show re-
called some of the features of the masked
balls Of the French opera but the vivacity
the diablerie, the wit of the Parisians, were
wanting here The Spanish character has
none of the pliability and inSoueiant excita.
bility of the French
Such is sketch, after fashion, of week
in Havana, with as many digressions as adoru
German vignette, or the borders of Munich
illustrated volume. In future letter intend
to speak of the Cuban newspapers, and give
you an account Of the Cabildo and the Junta
Real de Fomento-two bodies as to the com
position OF which had the greatest curiosity
believing them to be the only bodies approach
ing to the representative character in the
island. w. II. II.