11. The union between Spaniards and Mexicans is very useful; but history cannot be silenced by the claim that it is a social union. DIALOGUE BETWEEN AGUSTIN RIVERA AND FLORENCITO LEVILON. “How are you, sir?” “How are you, Florencito? When did you arrive?” “Yesterday.” “I am greatly pleased that you have called to see me. What have you studied this year?” “The Aztec language; here is the invitation to my public examination. The program was as fine as usual, since my teacher, Señor Don Agustin de la Rosa, spoke splendidly, as every year, of the philosophy and richness of the Aztec tongue.” “Thank you. And how many students were there in the subject?” “This year we were so many, last year there were so many, the year before so many, and the same, more or less, so I have heard, in years gone by.” “What a pity! They are few, almost nothing in comparison with the necessity that exists in our Republic for men who study the native tongues. But these few, at least, attend the exercises every school day?” “No, sir; far from it! Some attend, and others not, just as they please.” “And, the days they do attend, they study the Aztec grammar and hear it explained?” “No, sir; by no means. Many days the teacher and we occupy ourselves in the _Levilon_.” “And what is that?” “_Levilon, levilon, ton, ton._” “I understand you, even less.” “It is a sort of a marsellaise against cleanness and neatness of person and dress; that is to say, against politeness.”[2] “But, man, in a college for the instruction of youth--however, let us return to our subject. In the three years you have studied Aztec, have you learned to speak it?” “No, sir; by no means.” “Then, what have you learned?” “The philosophy and richness of the Aztec tongue.” “But you must have studied the four divisions of Aztec grammar--analogy, syntax, prosody, and orthography--and by this complete study arrived at an understanding of the philosophy and richness of the language.” “No, sir.” “But have you not had a public examination?” “Yes, sir; but those who were publicly examined in past years, have as little, made a complete study of the grammar, but have also learned the philosophy and richness of the Mexican tongue.” “Come! let us see. How many years has the chair of the Aztec language been established in the Seminario at Guadalajara?” “About thirty.” “And during about thirty years has some priest gone forth from the institution to preach to the Indians in their native language?” “Why, no sir! During the thirty years what has been, and is, learned is the philosophy and richness of the Aztec language. You must have seen the precious little work, by my professor, upon the beauty and richness of the Aztec language, elegantly bound, which was sent to the Paris Exposition.”