To this _sociedad de recreo_, or casino, there are many subscribers, including the Governor and his family, if he has any, and all the considerable people of the place, who for many years kept out those of lower caste than themselves by the ballot, which is the mode of electing candidates, who must be introduced by two members. However, at last the funds of the society got so low, that the admission of many new members was requisite to bolster up the concern with their entrance-money and monthly contributions, and, of course, a much more indiscriminate set were admitted, than formerly used to go there, which caused one or two people to absent themselves from the assemblies for some time, as no one, of course, chooses to introduce his daughters among people he does not wish to associate with. On the whole, however, the place has benefited by the new people; that is to say, it is more gay than before they came, which is the chief consideration to one careless of the precise social degree of any handsome and pleasant girl whom he may meet at the place. All the ladies sit together; and the men, who dare not, apparently, trust themselves so close to their brilliant and beautiful eyes, as we fancy we can do with impunity in Britain, promenade up and down the ball-room, or in one of the large ante-rooms contiguous to it. No doubt their tindery and inflammable temperaments, whenever love-making is concerned, has something to do with this arrangement; as, if a young male acquaintance of any damsel took a seat beside her, it would be certain to attract the papa or chaperon, to the spot, to see what was going on, as their most likely subject of conversation would have a strong leaning towards a flirtation, or downright love-making, at which nearly all the Spaniards are great adepts; the flowery expressions of their language being peculiarly suitable for such sentimental recreations. Besides the principal theatre, where Spaniards are the actors, there are two native theatres, where plays are represented in the Tagalog language, and written to suit their ideas of the drama; the subjects represented being principally tragedies connected with their historical traditions, and of their fathers' earliest connections with their European conquerors. But their mode of representing these subjects is scarcely suitable to any one's taste but their own, as the amount of vociferation, and drawling singing of the women who take a part in the pieces, are very disagreeable, and the noise and quantity of fighting with which they are always interlarded, is tiresome. Yet, strange to say, they themselves are much interested while listening to these absurd recitatives. The Spanish theatre is generally opened twice a-week, and one or two of the performers act very creditably. The national passion is for dramatic amusements; and the house, which is a large one, is usually well filled. CHAPTER XXV.