"Happy he who, prancing along by the carriage, or seated by her side, cigar in mouth, can exclaim, 'All that surrounds me is mine!'
"Paint her for me in ball costume, at the mass, or the retiro, ever richly dressed, ever surrounded by opulent charms.
"But alas! her greatest charms you cannot see to portray—her father's crowns! On these is my heart fixed."
Don José is somewhat old fashioned in his notions. He does not attribute all the qualities of and overruling Providence to the mere progress of science and the additions to our corporal conveniences. Here is his vision of the origin of printing:
"Turning the earth into a sponge with his tears, man presented himself all dreeping at the throne of Jupiter.
"And cried, 'Good evening, O powerful god, maker of stars, of worlds, and of domestic fowl!
"Thou createdst us one day from nothing mixed with a little mud; thou hast bestowed on us genius enveloped in a soft covering of flesh.
"'The world is a cage, and each of us a parrot climbing and balancing himself over his neighbor's head.
. . . . .
"'Thou hast bestowed us ears which to the deaf are a mere ornament, and a tongue, best gift of all.