the city of mexico.

Abridged from the travels of Baron de Humboldt, for the Americas.

The city of Mexico is situated in a vale, surrounded by verdant and lofty mountains.

The capitol, reconstructed by the Spaniards, exhibits, perhaps, a less vivid, though a more august and majestic appearance.

With the exception of Petersburg, Berlin, and Philadelphia, and some quarters of Westminter, there does not exist a city of the same extent, which can be compared to the capital of New Spain, for the uniform level of the ground on which it stands, for the regularity and breadth of the streets, and the extent of the public places.

The architecture generally is of a very pure style, and there are even edifices of very beautiful structure.

The balustrades and gates are all of Biscay iron.

The edifice destined for the school of mines, for which the country furnished a sum of more than three millions of francs, (125,000l. sterling,) would adorn the principal palaces of Paris or London.

Two great palaces were recently constructed by Mexican artists, pupils of the Academy of Fine Arts of the capitol.

One of these palaces exhibits a very beautiful oval peristyle of coupled columns.

The traveller justly admires a vage circumference, paved with porphyry flags, and enclosed with an iron railing, richly ornamented with bronze, containing an equestrian statue of King Charles IV. The city of Mexico is remarkable for its excellent police.

The most parts of the streets have very broad pavements, and they are clean and well lighted.

The objects which generally attract the attention of the traveller are, 1. The cathedral, which has two towers, ornanamented with pillars and statues, & is of very beautiful symmetry.

2. The Treasury, from which, since the beginnning of the 16th century, more than 6,500 millions in gold and silver have been coined.

3. The Convents, among which the great convent of St. Francis is particularly distinguished which, from alms alone, posesses an annual revenue of half a million of francs.

4. The Hospital, or rather the two united hospitals, of which the one maintains 600, the other 800 children and old people.

5. The Acordada, a fine edifice, of which the prisons are generally spacious and well aired. 6. The School of mines, with its fine collections in physics, mechanics, and mineralogy.

7. The Botanical Garden, which is extremely rich in vegetable productions.

8. The edifices of the University and Public Library. 9. The equestrian statue of King Charles IV. According to the most recent and least uncertain dates, the actual population of the city of Mexico appears to be from 132 to 140,000 souls.

The clergy of Mexico is extremely numerous.

The Archbishop possesses a revenue of 682,5000 livres, (11, 120l. sterling.)

The revenue of the Inquisition amounts 200,000 livres.

The market of Mexico is richly supplied.

The greater part of the roots are cultivated on the Chinampas, called by the Europeans floating gardens.

They are towed with long poles.

The edges of the squares are generally ornamented with flowers.

The promenade in boats around the Chinampas, is one of the most agreeable that can be enjoyed in the environs of Mexico.

No city of the new continent, without even excepting those of the United States, can display such great, solid and scientific establishments as the capital of Mexico.

In the Academy of the Arts is a much finer and more complete collection of casts than is to be found in any part of Germany.

The collection of casts brought to Mexico, cost the King 200,000 francs.

The revenue of the Academy of Fine Arts at Mexico amounts to 125,000 francs.

It is impossible not to perceive the influence of this establishment on the taste of the nation.

What a number of beautiful edifices are to be seen at Mexico! nay, even in the provincial towns!

Those monuments, which frequently cost a million, and a million and a half of francs, would appear to advantage in the finest streets of St. Petersburgh, Berlin or Paris.

M. Talso, professor of sculpture at Mexico, was even able to cast an equestrian statue of King Charles IV, which, with the exception of the Marcus Aurelius at Rome, surpasses in beauty and purity of style, every thing which remains in this way in Europe.

Instruction is communicated gratis at the Academy of Fine Arts.

The architectural works carried on in the capital of Mexico are so great, that notwithstanding the low rate of wages, the superb edifice for the school of mines will cost at least three millions of francs.

Nothing can present a more rich and varied appearance than the valley, when in a fine summer morning we transport ourselves to the top of one of the towers of the Cathedral of Mexico.

The city appears as if washed by the waters of the Lake of Fezcuco, whose basin, surrounded by villages and hamlets, brings to mind the most beautiful lakes of the mountains of Switzerland.

Large avenues of elms and poplars lead in every direction to the capitol, and two aqueducts, constructed over archs of very great elevation, cross the plain, and exhibit an appearance equally agreeable and interesting.