insects are exposed to heat of about 122 degrees, which of course, soon kills them, and they are finally dried in

a stove.

In order to secure a speedy regeneration of the species, it is the custom, after the fruitful season, to collect large numbers of the female, and place them on a cactus, procured for the purpose. When the young larva begins to develope itself, the female dies, serving as nourishment, &c., for its numerous posterity; as to the young male, with its elegant wings, it follows the bent of its fancy in flying about from one to another of these little round balls, in each of which it doubtless discovers beauties which are hidden from our eyes, and generally dies while furnishing proof of its affection for the innumerable numbers of its motionless family.

We arrived at Laguna, after having ascended gradually all the way from Santa Cruz; the former place is situated in the midst of a large plain, which, as its name implies, was formerly an immense marsh, but of which there are now no remains, except a few pools of stagnant water, the rest being replaced by a fertile piece of ground, which agreeable change is to be attributed to the industry of the Europeans, and is perhaps the only thing they have succeeded in completely accomplishing, since obtaining possession of this island.

On arriving at the top of the hill, we found the temperature exceedingly cold, Laguna being situated at a distance of more than 1700 feet above the level of the sea, and in this part of the world the climate depends, in a remarkable degree, upon the elevation of the soil.

'The approach to the town did not, at first sight, give a very exalted idea of its magnificence, little being visible except a few miserable huts, whence there issued a swarm of ugly, noisy swine, driven by children quite as dirty and brawling as themselves; but on penetrating a little further into the interior, we soon found reason to alter our hastily-formed impression of Laguna, which strongly resembles some of the old cities of the Peninsula, the streets being formed by rows of old, aristocratic-looking houses, and the doors surmounted by armorial bearings, which are frequently supported by delicate pieces of sculpture. The extreme antiquity of these houses indicates, even more strongly than their style of architecture, that they were built after the conquest, and that they belong to the great epoch of Spanish monarchy. At the present day the old stones are half eaten away by the moss which encovers them, and similar tiny specimens of vegetation throw a verdant shade over the whole of the solid building, while the house-leek of the Canaries spreads its thick leaves and pale yellow flowers in large tufts over the roof. These dwellings, encrusted, as we may say, with verdure, have a singularly original appearance, and no where but here do we see, on the façades and roofs of the most elegant houses, plants of that class which we are accustomed to associate with the idea of ruins, or cottage thatches. On arriving at Laguna, we took up our quarters with a Frenchman, who had formerly been a half-pay officer in the army, and who had resided for some time at Laguna, where he kept the first hotel, and practised a system of impartial extortion upon all who patronised his establishment.

C

On the approach of evening I went out alone, and wandered carelessly through the deserted streets, stopping from time to time on the thresholds of some of the houses, to listen to some distant noise, or to the ringing of the church bells, till the last rays of the sun faded into twilight, and night drew on rapidly. I had several times, during my walk, returned the silent salutation of a few stray passers by, when, at the corner of a street, I suddenly found myself face to face with a little meagerlooking man, of about sixty years of age, dressed in a coat something like that worn by the French, short culottes, and silver buckles in his shoes. I should certainly have taken him for a marquis of the old régime, who had wandered thus far from his native land during the revolution, had I not observed the clerical costume beneath his cloak, and if his whole person had not betrayed a certain Spanish air, which no one could mistake.

Saluting me in the most courteous manner, he inquired, in very good French, whether he could be of any use to me. I replied that I had lost my way and was delighted to meet with him, and that I should be glad if he would tell me how far I was from the French hotel. It appeared that the good father was endowed with some share of curiosity, for instead of immediately answering my question, he asked me several others as to whence I came-where I was going-and whether I should like to learn anything respecting the country. Replying to the latter interrogation, I asked him, with a low bow, how it was, that a city which could boast of a bishop, chapter-house, public library, university, and a population of 9350 inhabitants, should be entirely destitute of

A CITY IN DARKNESS.

19

a light of any description for the accommodation and convenience of the night traveller?" My son," replied the old priest, gravely, "I call you my son, as you have conferred on me the title of father,' you are not perhaps aware, that the ancients paid infinite regard to this subject, and approved of the plan followed here, knowing that the obscurity of night had a wonderful and salutary effect on the heart of man. We cannot do better than follow their example; in endeavouring to diminish the darkness by artificial means, under the pretext of improvement, or civilized progress, the reputation of all large cities would suffer. We have already a constitution, and can very well dispense with lamps; the former has effected no change among us, except that of increasing and bringing to light all the ambitious hatred, rapacity, and jealousy of our aristocracy; and lamps would do the same thing with the vices of the people, by exposing to public view all the baseness which is now covered by the welcome shadows of night."

I had some difficulty in keeping my countenance whilst listening to this unheard-of doctrine; however, I managed to maintain my gravity tolerably, and remarked, that I presumed the students of the place were of his opinion in this matter, and paid less attention to lamps than their own principles. "But who are the students?" exclaimed the priest, vehemently; "those young fops who walk about with ill-tempered faces, dressed God knows how? My son, these scoundrels are not students. The last member of our university who deserved that name is dead; he always wore the cassock, that badge of purity, studiousness, and self-denial; but the rogues

of whom you speak, are conceited critics, who laugh at their masters; though, it must be confessed, the latter are not much better than themselves, and both contribute equally to the disorder and confusion which prevail everywhere." Whilst thus discoursing, my talkative friend had conducted me to my hotel, and took leave of me on the steps, promising to call on me the following day.

We enjoyed sound and undisturbed repose on the planks which served us for beds; I use this term, because, although our host asserted to the contrary, I could not bring myself to believe that the very hard substance placed on the bedstead could be a mattress, particularly as the furniture in the room corresponded with the comfort of the bed, consisting of a straw. bottomed chair, a gigantic crucifix, and an old trunk. Next morning, we had the pleasure of breakfasting at a table, placed near another occupied by some of the students of Laguna, and I must confess, that I thought my friend, the priest, had described them uncommonly well. These rascals, as he called them, had boldly cast aside the cowl and cassock, and were dressed in quite as tawdry and disordered a manner as the Lazarillo des Tormés, their conversation being quite in harmony with their costume.

Scarcely had we sallied from the hotel, when we were again surrounded by a crowd of beggars, who saluted us like those of Santa Cruz, with the cry of "Dis donc, un quartillo !" in a variety of different tones, and with a degree of perseverance that would have overcome even British philosophy. In vain did we employ the most