MEXICO, or NEW SPAIN, is one of the nine great governments into which the Spanish possessions in America are divided ; and is by far the most important of them all, both on account of its territorial wealth and its favourable position for commercial communications. Its Indian name, Mexico, signifies, in the Aztec Ian guage, the habitation of the god of war ; and the de signation of New Spain, first applied in 1518 to the pro vince of Yucatan, and afterwards to the whole empire of Montezuma, now includes all the extent of country over which the viceroy of Mexico exercises his autho rity, lying between the 10th and 38th degrees of north latitude : but the kingdom or captain-generalship of Guatimala, is considered a distinct government, and is generally excluded from the proper territories of Mexi co. In this more limited view, then, the kingdom of New Spain extends from the 16th to the 38th degree of north latitude, about 610 leagues in length, and 364 at its greatest breadth. One half ef its whole surface is si tuated order the burning sky of the tropics, and the other uhder the temperate zone : but, from the singular elevation of the ground above the level of the sea, near ly tin ce-lifths of the ccurd•y under the torrid zone enjoy a temperate instead of a sultry climate. The whole in terior of the viceroyalty of Mexico forms one immense plain, elevated free 6560 to 8200 feet above the level of the neighbouring seas, extending from the 18th to the 40th degree of mirth latitude. The descent from this central table I,:nd towards Acapulco, on the west coast, is a regular progress from a cold to a hot climate, by a read which may be made fit for carriages : while, on the cast coast to Vera Cruz, the descent is short and rapid, passable only by mules, but likely to be soon ren dered accessible for carriages, by the construction of a superb causeway, which was begun about the com mencement of the present century. From Mexico to New Biscay, the plain pre eaves an equal elevation, and lies under a climate rather cold than temperate ; and it is only the coasts of this vast kingdom which possess a warm climate, adapted for the productions of the West Ihdies. The mean temperature of these plains, which are situated within the tropics, and not more than 984 feet above the level of the sea, and which are called by the natives Terras Calientes, is about 77° of Fahrenheit. On the eastern coast, the great heats are occasionally interrupted by strata of cold air brought by the winds from Hudson's Bay, from October to March, and which frequently cool the atmosphere to such a degree, that the thermometer of Fahrenheit stands at 60° at Vera Cruz ; but, on the western coast, in the town and neigh bourhood of Acapulco, the climate is the hottest and most unhealthy in the world. On the declivity of the
Cordillera, at the elevation of 3930 to 4920 feet, there prevails perpetually a soft spring temperature, seldom varying more than seven or nine degrees, and where the extremes of heat and cold are equally unknown. This region is called the Tierras Tcmpladas, in which the meant temperature of the whole year is from to 70° of Fahrenheit ; but the clouds, which ascend above the lower plains, usually settle on this height, and occasion frequent thick fogs. The third zone, called Terras Frias, comprehends the plains which are elevated more than 7200 feet, and which the mean tempera ture is under 62°. In the plains which are still more elevated, even to the height of 8200 feet, the climate, event within the tropics, is rude and chill, the heat dur i•g a great part of the clay never rising to more than 51° or 55°. The winters here are rot indeed extremely boisterous ; but the sun, even in summer, has not suffi cient power in the rarefied atmosphere to accelerate ve getation and bring fruits to maturity. In general, the equinoctial regions of New Spain resemble the tempe rate zones in soil and climate, and vegetation ; but, in the central table land, the temperature is extremely cold in winter. The region of perpetual snow in the 19th and 20th degrees of latitude, commences at about 15,000 feet of elevation ; and, in the month of January. descends to about 13,000 ; but there arc occasional falls of snow between the parallels of 18 and 22 at the height of 9840 feet, and even the towns of Mexico and Valladolid, which are more than 200 and 300 feet lower. From the 22" to the 30° of north latitude, the rains fall only in the months of June, July, August, and September ; but, even then, are not frequent in the interior of the country. The declivities of the Cordillera are exposed to humid winds and frequent fogs ; and the sea coasts receive im mense quantities of rain from the month of June to Sep tember. With the exception of a few sea ports and deep values, where intermittent fevers prevail, the cli mate of New Spain may be accounted remarkably sa 1 ubrious.