New-York tribune., 1868-04-04
MEXICO.
r,,r c,rv AVN VALLEY OF MEXICO.

Corino into the capitol by the Apizaco tram one
80, COO a rare panorama. The way is accompanied
bv long ranges Of beardless hills joining iere pam
-, 'nndulous valley, in which rye OF Datiey grow
green in January The presence OF volcanic earIh
shows that the agriculture OF the federal district ~
mot uucheckercd; yet here as elsewhere The maguey
,bonnds hardy vegetable array of great gladate'
serrate leaves, which at sundown hnalpehs 'he
fading landscape. The cactus tribe - more sparse
than in the country of nOpalS organos and cocmneal
rupning down TO Oaxaca and what growth remains
on the hills mile off is stubble-lke aud dwaHish.
Bpt the hour of sunset transmutes these huge bar
rens INTO the ailcst unrealities Of light and shade
Inst where they ION the immense society OF Popo-
oatapetl the scenery Of the valley becomes pro
6igious The backs of the famous mountains bear
the most gorgeous burden Of a trOpc day. with
possibility of untold apocalypscs of cloud and ire
Yet in all the luxury of the scene there is superb
confluence Of mass and color Anything so sanguhic
and simple as the daily coniagration oi more NoIth
ern wilds is not 20 be compared 10 H. Olny upon
Iako Tezcoco-bstoric water OF the floating gardens
which spreads shallOwly in among the mountains
and by the city the last red light tnts ranker mag
p6ccnce Here would seem the wide waste and dead
nalm of Shelleys lone ChOrasmian shore which our
ovyn noet Dorpan so admirably lyricized. But the
fuoyy crowned majesty Of Istaccipuau and Iol'o-
eatapetl contemn stagnation and depair, and close
in upon the scene with vigorous grandeur Distance
and gradual slope take away from these
lev SUBMITS lofty as they appear their due
effect of hight of the two, the irregular beauty OF
Istaccpuatl is TO be be preferred. Popocatapctllsa
vast. well-rounded cone banked with ice and snow.
Ietaccibuo1 is the corpse Of a great white maiden
laid out under stars and NOON according 10 the In
dian legend These beautiful mountains were greater
temples than any the Indians could build and greater
Gods than any they wOrshippcd. Succeeding re-
lieionists have put up churches which Stp the
mountains out of mind. To them the church Is more
than religion and the smallest image in San Pedro IS
of more account than volcano. POpocntapetl NAV
inter earthquake which is less TO the purpose than
its "tumultuous silence without sound" lstacclhua
is grand syllable of peace. But TO the CIVILIZATION
Of Mexico, confronted with these tremendous stand
ards, they bear as little meaning as to most OF u.s.
Adobe villages are the struggling preiaccs to the
capital. They are made Of unbaked clay dry re-
,uinder of dust deserts and shadows. To tie MeNi-
can valley they give that tone of mortal dusk with
which the painter Hamilton cXtinguishes the herce-
ness of an Egyptian sunset over sands and RUNS
Surrounding the hill OF Guadalupe and its monhish
shrines they serve 10 make the Illusion more hygone,
and the place literally an outpost OF the dark
ages About these suburbs foliage Is scalt; bare
coonnades OF shrabby trees appear clseN here along
the dtobes and mOTasses, which show where ihelake
Of Montezunas time flowed round the city but the
baskiness of the North is wanting. Generations ago
thousands of Indians, nstigated by the priesthood
set to work IN dumb faith TO build road into the city
over the marshes from Guadalupe Their task was
,ueedy done and an image called the Virgin Of the
Remedies was carried into the city by great multi
tnde Columns were built where She rested upon
the road. il is chronicled that duling period ol
Destnce she entered the capital followed by a
crowded pageant Of believers The disease was aba
ting and the moment was thought tay OIabc for tie
interpositon Of the remedial goddess She came, and
the plague, for the time being, 9ew wolse; but II
ceased at length and 70 the Virgin was ascribcd all
praise The Church is still popular, still purbInd
but too srewd perforce to allow its saints 10 become
wholly vulgarized by mob-worshp
Mexico is a medieval city, in all its suIcrfccs
mote and strange To Northern forms, traditions and
notions Passing 10y portals and arches, the traveller
is made aware that he is entering another ciyIla-
fion The portals which are columns supporting a
story or two erected over street pavement, are
brief feature of every Mexican capital The arches
form the suburban aqucducts OF san Cosmo and la
cubaya; long and low masonrcs picturesque upon
the landscape, but Of no modern concern The streets
nj Mexico are square and never very wide; the houses
Of uniform character and color; facades yeloWed by
time age and plaster, and IN rich instances wrought
upon by stuCcOes in the Spanish style. The Hotel
de Iturbidc once the palace of the Emperor
of that name is noted example in point,
it's front of three stories exhibiting Hat
ness of design save that is relieved by these od
plasters The plan of Mexican bousc is included
in one or two stories incloslng cool patio OF
courtyard. A Mexican town is an enlarged copy OF
this idea or in other words, collection of hotises
around central square plaza with fountain
and perhaps a garden in the middle, and the p1Oqad
OF parish-church near BY The capital illustrates
This idea upon large scale. All lis streets are dl-
ected to the great open square Of the Plaza lie Aroas
On side the busy pOrales 90 another the
building Of the municipality. The palace OF the
Government, or what romantic irtvclels are disposed
10 term - the Halls of the MOIlezmuas.' occupy
whole square facing il; and the gIes Cathedral Of
Mexico with trOdden common around il chained IN
from the pavement forms the last and most imposing
part of the quadrangle In lhc middle of the plaza
there is q charming garden rcpauted by bona Car
lOt9, where several fountains are playing III basins
and upon floral rockories. There IL nothing ia the
world 20 surpass Mexican moon IN February, and
nowhere does it shine more freely and dazzlingly
than in the plaza picture Of I0s CodeHos, OF The
Cathedral chains by moonlight, Is one Oi the most
famous views Of the capital, and delighted Iausian
bondholdeIs not an age ago Undcr the smiles o mn
impartial beauty lcpcros. beggus. ranchoros dons
and donas came out at night 10 get the bcnediciioD
Of the noon The Cathedral gloliiied in spite Ofitself
by this hetcrodox hight seemed TO confer its blessing
IN the name of the Casta Diva whose influence was
the purost symbol Of the Virginia. luato. The church
contains many pictures Of the divine maId, but
- painful birth must be
NatuTcd erc Saint Eufemias SaCrsiy
or transcit gather fruits II one great gaze
A. the moon: look yOa! Tie same OraEgC h.l,--
The same ll9c SriIe round tl,at-and i the mid,t
Thy spectral Wbntoness. MothcilDads Who dGst
Pursue tho dizzy pulhteri'