Immagini della pagina
PDF
ePub

flow from the most deep-rooted national antipathy. The court of Spain, from a refinement of distrustful policy, cherishes those feeds of difcord, and foments this mutual jealoufy, which not only prevents the two most powerful claffes of its fubjects in the New World from combining against the parent ftate, but prompts each with the most vigilant zeal, to obferve the motions and to counteract the fchemes of the other.

"The third clafs of inhabitants in the Spanish colonies is a mixed race, the offspring either of an European and a negroe, or of an European and Indian, the former called Mulattoes, the latter Meftizos. As the court of Spain, folicitous to incorporate its new vaffals with its an cient fubjects, early encouraged the Spaniards fettled in America to marry the natives of that country, feveral alliances of this kind were formed in their infant colonies. But it has been more owing to licentious indulgence, than to compliance with this injunction of their fovereigns, that this mixed breed has multiplied fo greatly, as to conftitute a confiderable part of all the population in all the Spanish fettle ments. The feveral stages of defcent in this race, and the gradual variations of fhade until the African black, or the copper-colour of America, brighten into an European complexion, are accurately marked by the Spaniards, and each diftinguished by a peculiar name. Thofe of the first generation are now confidered, and treated as Indians and negroes; but in the third defcent, the characteristic hue of the former difappears; and in the fifth, the deeper tint of the latter is fo entirely effaced, that they can no longer be diftinguished from Europeans, and are entitled to all other privileges. It is chiefly by the mixed race, whofe frame is remarkably robuft and hardy, that the mechanic arts are carried on, and other active functions in fociety discharged, which the two higher claffes of citizens, from pride, or from indolence, difdain to exercise.

"The negroes hold the fourth rank among the inhabitants of the Spanish colonies. In feveral of their fettlements, particularly in New Spain, negroes are chiefly employed in domeftic fervice. They form a principal part in the train of luxury, and are cherished and careffed by their fuperiors, to whofe vanity and pleafures they are equally fubfervient. Their drefs and appearance is hardly lefs fplendid than that of their mafters, whofe manners they imitate, and whofe paffions they imbibe. Elevated by this distinction, they have affumed fuch a tone of fuperiority over the Indians, and treat them with fuch infolence and fcorn, that the antipathy between the two races has become implacable. Even in Peru, where negroes are more numerous, and employed in fieldwork as well as domestic fervice, they maintain their afcendant over the Indians, and their mutual hatred fubfifts with equal violence. The laws have induftrioutly fomented this averfion, to which accident gave rife, and by moft rigorous injunctions, have endeavoured to prevent every intercourfe that might form a bond of union between the two races. Thus, by an artful policy, the Spaniards derive strength from that which is the weaknefs of other European colonies, and have fecured as affociates and defenders, thofe very perfons who elsewhere are objects of jealoufy and terror."

The

The laft and loweft order of citizens are thofe, whofe ance tors were the firft poffeffors of the country, the Native Indians; of whofe prefent depreffed condition, the hiftorian gives a particular description; by no means according with that original fpirit of inhuman policy, by which they were firft reduced. On this occafion our hiftorian himself, indeed, makes the following reflections.

"In thofe regulations of the Spanish monarchs, we discover nd traces of that cruel fyftem of extermination, which they have been charged with adopting; and if we admit, that the neceffity of fecuring fubfiftence for their colonies, or the advantages derived from working the mines, give them a right to avail themselves of the labour of the Indians, we must allow, that the attention with which they regulate and recompence that labour, is provident and fagacious. In no code of laws is greater folicitude difplayed, or precautions multiplied with more concern for the prefervation, the fecurity, and the happiness of the fubject, than we discover in the collection of the Spanish laws for the Indies. But thofe later regulations, like the more early edicts which have been already mentioned, have too often proved ineffectual remedies against the evils which which they were intended to prevent. In every age, if the fame caufes continue to operate, the fame effects must follow. From the immenfe diftance between the power entrusted with the execution of laws; and that, by whofe authority they are enacted, the vigour even of the most abfolute government must relax, and the dread of a fuperior too remote to obferve with accuracy, or to punish with difparch, muft inienfibly abate. Notwithftanding the numerous injunctions of the Spanish monarchs, the Indians fill futter, on many occafions, both from the avarice of individuals, and from the exactions of the magiftrates, who ought to have protected them; unreasonable tasks are impofed; the term of their labour is prolonged, and they groan under all the infults and wrongs which are the lot of a dependent people. From fome information on which I can depend, fuch oppreffion abounds more in Peru, than in any other colony. But it is not general. According to the accounts, even of thofe authors who are moft difpofed to exaggarate the fuffering of the Indians, they, in feveral provinces, enjoy not only ease, but affluence; they pofiels large farms; they are matters of numerous herds and flocks; and, by the knowledge which they have acquired of European arts and induftry, are fupplied not only with the neceflaries, but with inany luxuries of life."

After difplaying the advantages which Old Spain at first deduced from colonies fo politically and fuccessfully established, our author draws a masterly picture of the feveral caufes contributing to the lofs of them.

"It is with nations as it is with individuals: when wealth flows in gradually, and with moderate increafe, it feeds and nourishes that activity which is friendly to commerce, and calls it forth into vigorous and well-conducted exertions; but when it pours in fuddenly, and with too full a stream, it overturns all fober plans of industry, and

brings along with it a tafte for what is wild and extravagant, and daring in business or in action. Such was the great and fudden augmentation of power and revenue, that the poffeffion of America brought into Spain, and fome fymptoms of its pernicious influence upon the political operations of that monarchy foon began to appear. For a confiderable ume, however, the fupply of treasure from the New World was fcanty and precarious, and the genius of Charles V. conducted public meafures with fuch prudence, that the effects of this influence were little perceived. But when Philip II. afcended the Spanish throne, with talents far inferior to those of his father, and remittances from the colonies became a regular and vast branch of revenue, the fatal operation of this rapid change in the state of the kingdom, both on the monarch. and his people, was at once confpicuous. Philip, poffeffing that fpirit of unceafing affiduity, which often characterizes the ambition of men of moderate talents, entertained fuch an high opinion of his own re-. fources, that he thought nothing too arduous for him to undertake. Shut up himself in the folitude of the Efcurial, he troubled and annoys ed all the uations around him. He waged open war with the Dutch and English; he encouraged and aided a rebellious faction in France; he conquered Portugal, and maintained armies and garrisons in Italy, Africa, and both the Indies. By fuch a multiplicity of great and com-. plicated operations, pursued with ardour during the course of a long reign, Spain was drained both of men and money. Under the weak adminiftration of his fucceffor, Philip III. the vigour of the nation. continued to decrease, and funk into the lowest decline, when the inconfiderate bigotry of that monarch expelled at once near a million of his most industrious fubjects, at the very time when the exhausted state of the kingdom required fome extraordinary exertion of political wifdom to augment its numbers, and to revive its strength. Early in the feventeenth century, Spain felt fuch a diminution in the number of her people, that from inability to recruit her armies, fhe was obliged to contract her operations, Her flourishing manufactures were fallen into decay. Her fleets, which had been the terror of all Europe, were ruined. Her extenfive foreign commerce was loft. The trade between different parts of her own dominions was interrupted, and the hips which attempted to carry it on, were taken and plundered by enemies, whom they once defpiled. Even agriculture, the primary object of induitry in every profperous fiate, was neglected, and one of the moit fertile countries in Europe hardly raised what was fufficient for the fupport of its own inhabitants.

"In proportion as the population and manufactures of the parent ftate declined, the demands of her colonies continued to increase." The Spaniards like their monarchs, intoxicated with the wealth which poured in annually upon them, deferted the paths of industry to which they had been accustomed, and repaired with eagerness to thofe regions from which this opulence ifiued. By this vage of emigration, another drain was opened, and the strength of the colonies augmented by exhaufting that of the mother-country. All thofe emigrants, as well as the adventurers, who at first fettled in America, depended abfolutely upon Spain for almost every article of neceffary confumption. Engaged in more alluring and lucrative purfuits, or prevented by restraints which go

vernment

vernment impofed, they could not turn their own attention towards eftablishing the manufactures requifite for comfortable fubfiftence. They received (as I have obferved in another place) their clothing, their furniture, whatever minifters to the eafe and luxury of life, and even their inftruments of labour from Europe. Spain, thinned of people and void of industry, was unable to fupply their increafing demands, She had recourfe to her neighbours. The manufactures of the Low Countries, of England, of France, and of Italy, which her wants called into existence, or animated with new vivacity, furnished in abundance whatever the required. In vain did the fundamental law, concerning the exclution of foreigners from trade with America, oppofe this innovation. Neceffity, more powerful than ftatute, defeated its operations, and conftrained the Spaniards themselves to concur in cluding it. The English, the French, and Dutch, relying on the fidelity and honour of Spanish merchants, who lend their names to cover the deceit, fent out their manufactures to America, and receive the exorbitant price for which they are fold there, either in fpecie, or in the rich commodities of the New World. Neither the dread of danger, nor the allurements of profit, ever induced a Spanish factor to betray or defraud the perfon who confided in him; and that probity, which is the pride and distinction of the nation, contributes to its ruin. In a fhort time, not above the twentieth part of the commodities exported to America was of Spanish growth or fabric. All the reft was the property of foreign merchant, though entered in the name of Spaniards. The trea fure of the New World may be faid henceforward not to have belonged to Spain. Before it reached Europe, it was anticipated as the price of goods purchafed from foreigners. The wealth, which, by an internal circulation, would have spread through each vein of industry, and have conveyed life and activity to every branch of manufacture, flowed out of the kingdom with fuch a rapid course, as neither enriched nor animated it. On the other hand, the artifans of rival nations, encouraged by this quick fale of their commodities, improved fo much in fkill and induftry, as to be able to afford them at a rate fo low, that the manufactures of Spain, which could not vie with theirs, either in qua lity or cheapnefs of work, were still farther depreffed. This deftruc tive commerce drained off the riches of the nation fafter and more com, pletely, than ever the extravagant fchemes of ambition carried on by its monarchs. Spain was fo much aftonished and diftreffed, at beholding her American treasures vanish almoft as foon as they were imported, that Philip III. unable to fupply what was requifite in circulation, iflued an edict, by which he endeavoured to raise copper money, to a value in currency nearly equal to that of filver; and the lord of the Peruvian and Mexican mines was reduced to a wretched expedient, which is the laft refource of petty impoverished states.

"Thus the poffeffions of Spain in America have not proved a source of population and of wealth to her, in the fame manner as those of other nations."

But we muft here take leave of this well-compiled and, in general, well-written performance.

[ocr errors]

Letters on the Beauties of Hagley, Envil, and the Leafowes. With Critical Remarks: and Obfervations on the modern Tafte in Gardening. By Jofeph Heely, Efq. 2 Vols. Small 8vo.. Baldwin.

"Architecture and gardening," as Mr. Heely justly obferves, “may be called fifter arts, though diametrically opponite in their principles; the excellencies of the first are founded in a mathematical exactnefs, and regularity in the latter, on an affemblage of fcenery without, either: yet when both unite, each graces the other fo powerfully, and affords fo ftriking a contraft, that, it is much to be lamented, they are ever feen but in an infeparable connection.

[ocr errors]

Though it be well known, doring the empires of Greece and Rome, that architecture flourished in the mott fublime perfection, the true characteristics of tafte, in the other refpect, were unknown.Will it be faid, that the ancients were fo peculiarly fond of nature unadorned, that they preferred her in that ftare, to all the various embellifhments art could poffibly give her if we fuppofe this to be the cafe, we have a right to fuppofe neither Greece nor Italy had one fmgle garden in either, that fhewed (as now) it was poffible for art to bring into the area of two or three hundred acres, in miniature, almost every charm nature holds up to our view. It is plain then, that horticul ture in thofe days, was confined within the pale of a fmall compass, tending chiefly, to fupply the luxuries of the table; and their gardens, little more than what our elegant kitchen ones are at this time."

To prove this, our author cites Homer's account of the garden of Alcinous, and Virgil's defcription of that of the old Corycian. Our English Homer, Milton, he remarks, feemed to dip into the juft rules of modern practice in his paradifàical picture of nature delineated in his Paradife Loft.

66

But," fays he," the time approached, when poor nature was to be intirely kicked out of doors; and in her room, to be fubitituted, every ridiculous abfurdity, the caprice of low invention could fuggeft. -Le Notre, that celebrated, but cruel spoiler, flourished, I think, about William the Third; and being looked upon as a man of the first reputation in tafte, was fucceffively employed, in the execution of the fineft gardens, in France and England; and he mangled the fighing earth, with all that fire of genius which was then the prevailing mode, abfurdly following, or perhaps beginning, the miserable fashion, of mutilating the trees, and in fhort, inveiting the beauty of every thing he approached.

"His defigns certainly were extenfive in his way, but ferely they were contemptibly puerile--he never confulted nature but to rob her of her charms; eternally fondling the rule and line, thole baneiul intìruments, with the most ridiculous diftinction: nothing could be done without them; nothing pleased, but what had the air of unitermity and magnificence; fimplicity was his averfion, and be banished it for ever. The bleffed effects of his genius, were, long avenues, fraight canals, ponds fquare, round, or oblong; mounts conically regular; temples, ftatues, and vafes without number; while the tortured holly, VOL. VI.

the

« IndietroContinua »