File:Mexico to-day, a country with a great future; and a glance at the prehistoric remains and antiquities of the Montezumas (1883) (14782402152).jpg

Identifier: mexicotodaycount00brocuoft (find matches)
Title: Mexico to-day, a country with a great future; and a glance at the prehistoric remains and antiquities of the Montezumas
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Brocklehurst, Thomas Unett
Subjects: Mexico -- Antiquities Mexico -- Description and travel
Publisher: London, Murray
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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of small idols and heads, sculptured from very rough red lava-stone, similar in character to two I picked up at Teotihuacan(see Plate XLIX.). Why so much art was expended on so rougha material is extraordinary; it may be the cells of the lava wereonce filled with a softer stone, which time and weather have wornaway—they surely would not have been so finely chiselled if theywere intended to have a coat of plaster. Whatever I admiredthe doctor politely requested me to consider as my own—if I amnot mistaken he really meant me to take one or two things; butmy politeness in refusing was, I hope, equal to his in giving.There was one drawback—he only spoke Spanish, so our conversa-tion was rather restricted; nevertheless, two last precious hourscould not be better spent than in his company. It was happy luck that during my last few days in the citythe moon was coming to the full, and I saw the Plaza and thesurrounding buildings by night as well as by day; for several > _1 X UJ H<
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§> oo a< CHAP. xxvm. THE LAST EVENING. 251 nights I did not leave the garden in the Plaza till long after theband had played its last piece. The lines of the cathedral, asseen abo\re the trees, were never more beautiful than by moon-light ; and the rich stucco tracery of the Sagraria Church wassoftened down into shadowy confusion, and looked like white lacecurtains. I have seen the square gaily illuminated several times,and red and green Bengal lights burnt in the open campanilesof the cathedral towers, showing the outline of the bells in a veryeffective manner,* but the moonlight view was most beautifuland natural; and when the quarter chimes were jingled on thebells, the eye and ear were both charmed. It is perhaps better towalk under the shadow of a cathedral or under the roar of awaterfall on special occasions than to live in close proximity toso much grandeur. October 9th,—Journal.—I have walked eight times round theZocola. The hands of the illuminated clock in the pal

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