The Mexican population, like that of the other Spa nish colonies, consists of four great casts, viz. the Whites, the Indians, the Negroes, and the people of mixed ex traction. But the first class is subdivided into two races, viz. the individuals born in Europe ; and the Spanish Creoles, or whites of European extraction, born in Ame rica. The last is subdivided into three races, viz. the Mestizos, or descendants of whites and Indians; the Mu lattoes, or descendants of whites and negroes ; and the Zembos, or descendants of negroes and Indians. The Indians, or indigenous Americans, excluding those who have any mixture of European or African blood, have considerably increased during the last fifty years ; and constitute, in general, about two-fifths of the whole po pulation in New Spain. In some districts, as in the four intendancies of Guanaxuato, Valladolid, Oaxaca, and Li Puebla, they amount even to three-fifths. This race arc rarely to be found in the north of Mexico, and hardly ever met with in the provincial interim. Among these there must originally have been many different tribes ; as, besides an immense number of dialects, there are twenty distinct languages still spoken among them; fourteen of which have been reduced to graminars and dictionaries, viz. the Mexican, or Aztec, the Otomite, the Tarasc, the Zapotec, the Mistec, the Maye or Yucatan, the Totonac, the Popolouc, the the Iluastec, the Alixed, the Caquiquel, the Tarauntar, the Tepehuan, and the Cora. Of these, the first is most widely diffused, ex tending through a line of 400 leagues, from the 37° of north latitude to the Lake of Nicaragua ; and the second is next in point of extent. These Indians in general bear a resemblance to those who inhabit Canada, Florida, Peru, and Brazil, in their swarthy copper colour, flit smooth glossy hair, small beard, long eye, with the corner directed ups ards towards the temples; prominent check-bones, thick lips, a squat body, an expression of " — gentleness in the mouth, contrasted with a gloomy and severe look. The Indians of New Spain have even a more swarthy complexion than the inhabitants of the warmest climates of South America, even though the former arc clothed, while the latter are quite naked. The Mexicans, particularly those of the Aztec and Oto mite races, have also inure beard than the Indians of South America ; and this would seem to be generally the case in proportion as they are removed from the equator. They are remarkably free from every kind of deformity, (which some writers ascribe to the great sim plicity in which their ancestors had lived for so long a period;) and in those districts where the goitre or tu mour in the thyroid gland prevails, the Indians, and ge nerally their descendants the Mestizoes, are free from that affection. This freedom from natural deformities is more extraordinary among an agricultural race, than among the hunting and warlike tribes, in whose situation the feeble and deformed arc more likely to perish, or to be exposed in their infancy, and may therefore be con sidered as more closely connected with their peculiar constitution and mode of life. They are likewise a long lived race, particularly those who are under European dominion ; and would attain a still more advanced age, if they did not weaken their constitutions by intoxicating liquors. This is particularly the case with those who inhabit the valley of Mexico, and the environs of Puebla and Tlascala, where the agaue (of which the pulque or native wine is made,) is cultivated on a great scale ; and likewise in the warm countries on the coast, where the sugarcane is grown. The marks of old age, however, are rarely observed among them; as their heads never become grey, and their skin is little subject to wrinkles. It is not uncommon in Mexico, in the temperate zone of the Cordillera, to meet with natives, particularly women, who have reached 100 years of age, and who still retain their muscular strength entire. In the pre sent degraded state of these native tribes, it is not pos sible to ascertain the genuine character of the race, which must unquestionably have 9 liffered no small dete rioration by the extinction of the higher ranks, the de struction of the ancient sources of knowledge, and the insulated and oppressed condition in which they are held. The Mexican Indian in his present state disco vers no vivacity of manner or activity of mind, but is grave, melancholic, and silent, unless when he is under the influence of intoxicating liquors. Concealment of his motives and feelings, even in matters of indifference, is one of leading characteristics ; and as the progress of the passions is never discerned in his features, he ap• pears (when he is excited) to pass from the utmost still ness of mind to the most violent commotion of spirit. The descendants of the ancient republicans of Tlascala still discover a considerable degree of energy and even of haughtiness in their character, and particularly among the pastoral tribes or Indios Bravos, (as the Spaniards call those who are not properly reduced under their do minion,) much more nobleness of mind and force of cha racter arc observable ; but the agricultural Indian, or peasant, is patiently submissive under the vex ations of the whites ; and opposes them only by the re sources of cunning, under the appearance of the most stupid apathy. In their intellectual character they ap pear as if altogether destitute of imagination ; but after a little cultivation, discover great facility of apprehension, a talent for seizing the minutest distinctions, and a power of reasoning with remarkable coolness and method. In the imitative arts, and purely mechanical operations, they display a high degree of aptitude and acuteness ; but have in general appeared to succeed in any of the fine arts, particularly in painting, more from application titan from genius. Their amusements even partake of the same sedate and sombre character. Their music and dancing are terrific and melancholy ; and, though the females would probably introduce a little more vi vacity, yet, in the usual depressed state of savage and half civilized life, they are not permitted to join in these exhibitions, and are merely admitted to supply the male performers with liquor. In one particular, however, these Indians evince a refined and elegant taste, which would seem to betoken the remains of higher attain ments, viz. in their universal love of flowers, and skilful arrangement of nosegays, herbs, and fruits. With re gard to their political condition, they have derived few means of improvement from their European rulers. The great body of the people were indeed found by the Spa niards in a state of the utmost poverty, and subjection to their despotic princes and feudal chiefs ; but their new masters, instead of alleviating, made haste to ag gravate their oppressions ; dragging them from their homes to work in the mines, or to carry the luggage of the armies, and appropriating to themselves, as a right of conquest, all that they possessed in lands or goods. Since the commencement, however, of the t 8th century, their situation has become progressively better, and their interests have been taken under the protection of the intendants. A few of the great Indian families, or Caciques, who still remain, are entitled by the Spanish laws to share the privileges of the Castilian nobility ; and they receive all the former homage which used to be paid to them by the inferior ranks. But their own privileges are more illusory than real ; and, even where they have some authority as magistrates of the native villages, they are more oppressive than even the whites towards the tributary casts, and not at all supe rior to the lowest peasantry in point of knowledge or civilization. The Mexican Indians, when considered in a mass, present a picture of extreme misery ; and scarce ly any individuals are to be found among them who en joy mediocrity of fortune. The greater part, banished into the more barren districts, and indolent from natural disposition, as well as discouraged by their political bondage, live in daily poverty ; and even the few noble families who possess great plantations and vineyards, (to the value sometimes of 30,0001. or 40,0001.0 carefully conceal their wealth, generally going barefooted, and clothed in the same coarse garment with the lowest of their countrymen. The Indians are exempted from all direct imposts, but are subjected to a tribute or capita tion tax, which has varied at different periods, and in different districts, but at present is usually eleven francs per annum. They pay also to the clergy ten francs for baptism, twenty for a certificate of marriage, twenty for interments, and from twenty-five to thirty in the form of voluntary offerings for masses, Sze. They are de prived of the most important rights of citizens, by being counted as minors, under the tutory of the whites ; so that every act which they sign, and every obligation which they incur beyond the value of fifteen francs, arc declared null. They are kept in a state of complete in sulation ; prohibited from intermarriage with the whites ; shut up in villages of their own ; subjected to subaltern magistrates among themselves, who find their interest in perpetuating the ignorance and barbarism of the peo ple ; rendered incapable of commercial transactions ; con fined to the situation of common labourers or artisans; and thus completely excluded Irom all chance of advan cing in civilization of manners, or acquisition of pro petty. " Let the odious personal impost of the tributo
be abolished," (says the enlightened Bishop of Aleclioa can, in a nternoir presented in 1799 to the Spanish mo narch) the infamy which unjust laws have attempt ed to stamp on the people of colour be at an end ;—let them he declared capable of filling every civil employ m--bt which does not require a special title of nobility ; —let a portion of the demesnes of the crown, which are generally uncultivated, be granted to the Indians and the casts ;—let an Agrarian law be passed for Mexico, simi lar to that of the Asturias and Gallicia, by which the poor cultivator is permitted to bring in, under certain conditions, the land which the great proprietors have left so many ages uncultivated, to the detriment of thc na tional industry ;—let full liberty be granted to the In dians, the casts, and the whites, to settle in villages, which at present belong only to one of these classes ;— let salaries be appointed for all judges and all magis trates of districts ;—these are the six principal points on which the felicity of the Mexican people depends." The white inhabitants consist of whites born in Eu rope, called chapetones or gachupines, and those de scended of Europeans in the Spanish colonies of Ame rica, or in the Asiatic islands, called Creoles. The laws allow the same rights to all whites ; but the government, suspicious of the Creoles, has granted (or rather sold) public offices chiefly to the natives of Old Spain. Hence a perpetual hatred and jealousy exists between the Cha petotirs and Creoles ; the meanest of the former count ing themselves superior in blood, and having the chance of becoming superior in rank, to the most distinguished natives of the New Continent ; and the latter, in contempt of this assumed pre-eminence, as well as in a spirit of alienation from a country which subjects them to such unworthy treatment, preferring the name of Americans to that of Spaniards. There are about 1,200,000 whites in New Spain, or a proportion of 16 to every 100 of the other casts; of whom not above 70,000 or 80,000 (a 70th part of the whole population, and only one to fourteen of the Creoles,) are natives of Europe. In all Spanish Ame rica, the word European is synonimous with Spaniard ; and no Europeans, except such as are born in Old Spain, are admitted into the American colonies. The inhabi tants of the more remote provinces, still conceiving the ancient power of Old Spain as predominant in Europe, regard the peninsula as the centre of civilization, and consider it as a mark of low extraction to be ignorant of the Spanish language. But in the capital of Mexico, the Creoles, being better acquainted with the present state of Europe, and instructed in French or English literature, fall into the contrary extreme ; consider their own intellectual progress as superior to that of thc pe ninsula; and prefer strangers from other countries before the Spaniards themselves. There is indeed considera ble intellectual activity among the young Creoles, who apprehend the principles of science with great facility. At Mexico and Santa Fe. the study of mathematics, che mistry, mineralogy, and botany, is very general, and the former city surpasses every other in the New Continent, -not excepting those of the United States, in solid scien tific establishments. The whites are also the exclusive possessors of great wealth, and nothing is more striking than the inequality of its distribution. There are many individuals, whose annual income, without any profit drawn from the mines, amounts to a million of franc-,:, (41,6701. sterling ;) and some of the great miners draw from that source alone an annual revenue of a million and a half of livres,(or 62,505/. sterling.) But the ca pitals of these monopolizers of money are by no means great in proportion, partly in consequence of the expen sive mining operations in which they often engage, and the extravagant style in which they live.
There are fewer negrocs in New Spain than in any of the European colonies under the torrid zone ; and the whole kingdom is not supposed to contain above 6000 of that race, nor to receive above 100 annually of the 74,000 Africans who are exported every year to America and Asia. By the laws, there cannot properly he any Indian slaves in the Spanish colonies ; but in Mexico, or in Peru, the Indios Bravos taken in the petty warfare, which is continually carried on along the fron tiers of the provincial interims, are kept in dungeons, and treated as the most degraded bondmen. But all kinds of slaves are more under the protection of the law, and those laws are interpreted more in favour of liberty, in Mexico, than in any other European colony. A slave may compel his master to grant him liberty upon paying 1500 or 2000 livres. (62/. or 82/. sterling,) whatever may have been the amount of his original purchase mo ney ; or, if he can prove that he has been cruelly treat ed, he acquires his freedom by law, without any com pensation to his proprietor.
The casts which spring from the mixture of these three races, amount nearly to 2.400.000. About seven eighths of these arc Mestizos, the descendants of a white and an Indian, and are distinguished by a pure white colour, a peculiar transparency of skin, small hands and feet, thin beard, and a certain obliquity of the eyes. They are of a milder character than the Mulat toes descended from whites and negresses, who are usu ally distinguished by the violence of their passions, and volubility of their speech. A Mestizo marrying a white man produces an offspring differing very little from the European race; hut the children of a Mulatto and a white man are called quarterons, and the children of a quarteron female and Creole or European father, bear the name of quinterons. But a new alliance of this last mentioned cast with a white banishes all remains of co lour. The descendants of negroes and Indian women are called Chinos or Zambos, though the latter denomi nation is usually confined to the children of a negro and mulatto, or a Chino female. All the casts of Indian or African blood preserve the odour peculiar to the perspi rable matter of these races. The degree of whiteness of skin decides the rank which every one occupies in America ; and a white w ho rides on horseback, though barefooted, accounts himself one of the nobility of the country. It thus becomes a very interesting point among them to estimate exactly the fractions of European blood which belongs to the different casts; and families, sus pected of a mixed taint, frequently demand from the high court of justice a declaration of their whiteness. These declarations are said to be sometimes procured in cases not very obvious to the senses ; but, when the co lour of the skin is very repugnant to the judgment de. manded, the sentence simply bears, " that such or such individuals may consider themselves as whites." The inhabitants of New Spain have more science than literature. Mathematics are carefully taught in the university of Mexico, but still more so in the schoJ1 of mines in that city ; and New Spain can boast of having given birth to a celebrated self-taught geometrician, Don Joacquin Velasquez, who was born in 1732, and who rendered the most essential services to his country. Astronomy has long been a favourite subject of study in this country, and was successfully cultivated about the evl of the eighteenth century by Velasquez above mentioned, and by Gama and Alzate. The last of these, a man of ardent genius, had great merit in exciting his countrymen to the study of the physical sciences; and, for a long time, encouraged a studious spirit among the Mexican youth, by the publication of his Gazetta de Lit teratura. Gama, the friend and fellow-labourer of Ve lasquez, became, under great disadvantages, a well-in formed astronomer, and published several excellent me moirs on eclipses, on Mexican chronology, and on the climate of New Spain. The principles of chemistry, which is known in the colonies by the name of new philosophy, are very generally understood among the Mexicans. In the botanical garden of Mexico, annual courses of lectures arc delivered on botany ; and several natives of New Spain, particularly M. Sesse and M. Echeveria, have distinguished themselves by their ac quirements in this science. In the academy of the fine arts at Mexico, there is a more complete collection of casts than is to be found in any part of Germany ; and, in this institution, instruction is communicated gratis to the youth of all descriptions, of whom several hun dreds are assembled every evening, in large and welllighted apartments, busily employed in drawing from the most elegant models. The good effects of this establishment are very visible in the architecture of the country, particularly in the symmetry of the buildings, the hewing of the stone, and the ornaments of the capi tals and stucco relievos. There are edifices, not only in the capital, but also in the provincial towns, which would appear to advantage in the finest streets of Europe, and which are constructed at an expense often of a million or a million and a half of francs, or 41,6701. and 62,5051. sterling. An equestrian statue of King Charles IV. cast by M. Tolsa, professor of sculpture at Mexico, is considered as next in merit, of any similar work extant, to that of M. Aurelius at Rome.