Your observations are, indeed, excellent. My great-grandfather and his daughter (my grandmother) lived near the area of Flandreau’s brother’s operation, perhaps 20 miles to the north by straight-line. They were familiar with each other, and exchanged visits.
Because of extended generations it was not my pleasure to know my grandmother. She died several years before I was born, as did my great grandfather….Peter Bonesteel Christian. They were people with a New York – Minneapolis background.
By my father’s stories about his mother’s adventures, it is certain that Flandreau’s accounting and observation of Mexico was as fair as a man of his class could make it. My readings and re-readings of his opus seem to me to be at least as classic as Matthew Brady’s photography. As one who has lived, done business in, travelled throughout, now retired in as a homeowner of a pleasant little Quinta,it seems to me to be the definitive description of Mexico for all times. Even now.
We owned and operated a touring company for many years, providing deluxe transportation, accommodation, meals, events, and so forth. We moved through the entire Republic and its interminable attractions and fascinations. We recommended the reading of various lesser known books to our clients….who were a bit academic…and I cannot tell you the number of times …at the saloon at the end of the day….as we travelled through some interesting piece of geography…as we studied some archeological site…or any of an interminable number of other instances….that I would hear, “It’s just like Flandreau wrote…”

Your critique of Flandreau is accurate, and you are kind to put on his “drawers” and walk a mile in them. He was more than a bit snobby, but that is the nature of the cat…What are we to do? Are we to train him up in humility? He seemed to be rather “pro-Mexican” and “pro-Mexico” for a person of his class and station. He was a damned sight better than Col. House, Woodrow Wilson, and Mr. Lind.

Without the right, and with total presumption, however, it is my pleasure to give you a 99% on your review. Thanks for your time, and for the memories that your review dug up in the recesses of a very old brain.

David Christian Newton
El Gringo Viejo