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provinces of Holland, which all the commercial intercourse. To the peo world admires, against the tyranny riod, too, which may elapse before and oppression of Spain ; that of the affairs of Europe assume a conPortugal against the same country ; dition more favourable to human nathe recent acquisition of indepen- ture, or even to our security, foredence by their neighbours in North siglit can assign no definite boundary, America,-an event which had made even hope can hardly anticipate a upon them, as might be expected, the very speedy termination. In this deepest impression; and concludes

new and portentous condition of Euin a strain of sublime piety, and ge- rope, we are called upon to look nuine philanthropy, which cannot be more widely around us, and to inquire too much admired—including every whether, in the rest of the world, nation upon earth, and even the Spa- barriers can be found to resist the niards themselves, in his generous torrent whose pressure we must conview of the blessings to be derived tinue to dread, and resources to supfrom the prosperity and freedom of ply those, the channel of which is that vast portion of the world. closed against us.

The brilliant prospects which seem In taking this important survey, to be opened up for our species in the every eye, we believe, will ultimatenew world, and the cloud which still ly rest on South America. A coun. thickens over the fortunes of the try far surpassing the whole of Euold, present, at the present hour, a rope in extent, and still more, persubject of contemplation to the haps, in natural fertility, which has thinking part of the British people ; been hitherto unfortunately excluded than which, excepting the great from the beneficent intercourse of question of slavery or freedom, we nations, is, after a few prudent steps know not if one more interesting on our part, ready to open to us the can be imagined. We seize with immense resources of her territory, avidity the present opportunity of of a population at present great, and communicating to them such infor- likely to increase with most extraormation on this grand topick as we dinary celerity, and of a position have been able to collect; and doubt unparalleled on the face of the globe not that our readers will partake with for the astonishing combination of us in the deep interest with which it commercial advantages which it aphas inspired us.

pears to unite. From the maturity After a tremendous struggle, to of some beneficent change, which which the world has seen, perhaps, circumstances and events have for no parallel, the power of the despot a series of years been working in of France now extends uncontrolled those magnificent regions, and from over almost every part of the conti- the mighty effects they are capable nent of Europe. The hopes of the of yielding for the consolation of afinstability of that power, which so flicted humanity, it seems as if that long continued to flatter the multi- Providence, which is continually rude, who draw their conclusions not bringing good out of evil, were about from reason, but feeling, have given to open a career of happiness in the new way to the fears which a series of world, at the very moment when, by tremendous success has irresistibly the mysterious laws of its administraengendered; and we are now placed tion, it appears to have decreeda period in the hazardous and inost critical of injustice and calamity in the old. situation, of neighbour to a power For the mighty benefits to be ex. which combines against us all the pected from a just and wise arrangeresources of Europe, and cuts off ment of the affairs of Spanish Amefrom us that important branch of rica, we are not left to the results of our own, which we drew from her speculation, clear and unambiguous

ca.

as they are. We can appeal to expe- ment as were those of North Ameririence and to fact. We have the Their industry has been crampgrand experiment of North America ed ; their minds have been held in before us, which the inhabitants of ignorance, by a bad government; the south are so ambitious to imitate. hence are they indolent and superThe states of North America were stitious. But remove the cause, and our own colonies, and they had been the effects will cease to follow. So always beneficently administered ; sweet are the fruits of labour, whereyet has their independence been far ver the labourer enjoys them unimmore profitable to us than their sub- paired, that the motives to it are irjection. What is the result with re- resistible and his activity may be

-gard to commerce alone?—The very counted upon with the certainty of extraordinary fact,that for several past a law of nature. The deduction, years we have exported more goods therefore, is so very small, which, on of British growth and manufacture this score, it will be requisite to to the United States of America, than make, that a very subordinate proto the whole of Europe taken toge- portion of the superiour advantages ther. If such are the benefits re- in soil and climate, which the South sulting from the prosperity of the American enjoys, will suffice to comUnited States, how many times great pensate the better habits with which er will be those which must necessa- the inhabitant of the United States rily flow from the prosperity of commenced his career. South America ? How many times In respect to wants, the two counmore extensive is the country which tries eminently resemble one anothe Spanish Americans possess? That ther. From the immense extent of country, from enjoying a much greato uncultivated soil, which it will reer diversity of climate compared with quire many ages to occupy, the Europe, than North America, is whole bent of the population will be much more richly provided with turned to agriculture ; and it will be those commodities for which Europe their interest, and their desire, to presents the most eager demand. Of draw almost the whole of the manuthe soil of South America, a great factured goods, which their riches part is much more favourable to cul- will enable them to consume, from tivation, much more fruitful, and other countries.

The country to cleared by nations who had made which the greater part of this prodi. some progress in civilisation.

Of all gious demand will come, is unquesthe countries in the world, South tionably Great Britain. So far beAmerica possesses the most im- fore all other countries, in respect to portant advantages in respect to in manufacturing advantages, does she ternal navigation, being intersected stand, that were the circumstances in all directions by mighty rivers, of Europe much more likely to enwhich will bear, at little cost, the courage industry than unhappily they, produce of her extensive provinces are, we could meet with no rival; to the ocean. If the population of and as we supply North America, so the United States, amounting, per could we South, on terms which haps, to 6,000,000 souls, affords so ex- would infallibly draw to us the greattraordinary a demand for British er part of her custom. With this commodities, what may not the po- magnificent source of industry and pulation of South America, extending wealth, the channels which Buona. already to ro less than 16,000,000, parte can shut against us hardly debe expected to afford ? It is no doubt serve to be named ; since that even true, that the moral and intellectual of the United States surpasses them habits of the people of South Ameri. all. With South America, then, Ca are not so favourable to improve. under a free and beneficent govern

tance and value, they would soon would be the traffick which would immake themselves masters of this part mediately begin to cover that ocean, of the country.”*

by denomination Pacifick. All the We are tempted to dwell for a mo- riches of India and of China would ment upon the prospects which the move towards America. The riches accomplishment of this splendid, but of Europe and of America would move not difficult enterprise, opens to our towards Asia. Vast depôts would be nation. It is not merely the im- formed at the great commercial mense commerce of the western towns which would immediately arise shores of America, extending almost at the two extremities of the central from pole to pole, that is brought, as canal :-the goods would be in a it were, to our door; it is not the

course of perpetual passage from the intrinsically important, though com- one depôt to the other;-and would be paratively moderate branch of our received by the ships, as they arrived, commerce, that of the South · Sea which were prepared to convey them whalers, that will alone undergo a to their ultimate destination. complete revolution, by saving the Is it too much to hope, that China tedious and dangerous voyage round and Japan themselves, thus brought Cape Horn :--the whole of those im- so much nearer the influence of Eumense interests which we hold depo- ropean civilisatioi-much more consited in the regions of Asia, become stantly and powerfully subject to its augmented in value, to a degree operation-would not be able to rewhich, at present, it is not easy to sist the salutary impression, but conceive, by obtaining direct access would soon receive important changes to them across the Pacifick Ocean. in ideas, arts, manners and instituIt is the same thing as if, by some tions? The hope rests, at least, on great revolution of the globe, our such strong foundations, that it seems castern possessions were brought to rise even to certainty ;-and then, nearer to us. The voyage across the what glorious results might be exPacifick, the winds both for the east- pected for the whole of Asia, that ern and western passage being fair vast proportion of the earth, which, and constant, is so expeditious and even in its most favoured parts, has steady, that the arrival of the ships been in all ages condemned to semimay be calculated almost with the barbarism, and the miseries of des. accuracy of a mail coach.f Immense potick power? One thing, at least, is

seas.

* See p. 43. of “A Description,” &c. From the East Indies to the South Seas, above cited. What Alcedo tells us is still there are two passages.-One by the north, more extraordinary, that it was even in. to sail to the latitude of 40° north, in terdicted, on pain of death, to propose order to get into the great west wind, opening the navigation between the two which, about that latitude, blows ten

A similar interdiction and penalty months in the year ; and which, being was ordained, respecting the navigation strong, carries vessels with quickness to of the Atrato, where there is only an in- the northern part of the coast of Mexico. terval of a few miles between the naviga. From the extreme point of Mexico, in ble parts of the two rivers.

the north, there is a north wind which † On the surprising facilities of this na- blows all the way to the bay of Panama, vigation, there is some interesting infor- which never varies, and which carries mation given in an “ Account of an in- ships above a hundred miles a day, reaching tended expedition into the South Seas, by to the distance of a hundred leagues from private persons,” printed in the appendix the coast.—The other passage is at 40° to the third volume of sir John Dalrym- south, and is in all respects similar to ple's Memoirs of Great Britain and Ire. that in the north, a land-wind blowing land. “ From the bay of Panama," says from the coast of Chili to the bay of Pa. that document, “ships are carried to the nama, of the very same description with East Indies, by the great trade wind, at that which blows along the coast of Mex: the rate of above a hundred miles a day. ico."

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certain, that South America, which last decreed, Mr. Pitt still assured the stands so much in need of industri. general, that the plan of emancipating ous inhabitants, would receive myri. South America was a measure that ads of laborious Chinese, who already would not be lost sight of; but would swarm in all parts of the eastern Ar. infallibly engage the attention of eve. chipelago in quest of employment ry minister of this country. and of food. This, to her, would be The man by whom this important an acquisition of incredible impor. suggestion was made, and in whose tance: and the conrexion thus form- breast the scheme of emancipation, if ed between the two countries, would not first conceived, seems, at least, to still further tend to accelerate the ac- have been first matured, is a native quisition of enlightened views and of Caraccas in South America ; decivilized manners in China herself. scended from one of the principal fa

Such are a few of the results which milies of the country. At the early there is reason to expect from a re- age of 17 he repaired to Spain, and, gulation of the affairs of South Ame- by the influence of his family, obtainrica. Never, perhaps, was an oppor- ed a captain's commission in the tunity offered to a nation, of effecting Spanish army. Early smit by the so great a change in behalf of human love of letters, he was anxious to prokind, as Great Britain, from a won- ceed to France for the prosecution of derful combination of circumstances, his education ; but permission was is now called upon, by so many mo- denied him ; and he was forced to tives, to help South America to ac. bring the masters, whom he could complish. The measure has, for a not procure in Spain, from France, considerable number of years, been at his own charges. It is an anecmingled, in her councils, among the dote, not unworthy of record, that number of her resolves; and a short when the inquisition ordered his history-which, from peculiar cir- books to be taken from him and cumstances, we are enabled to give burnt, he applied to count O'Reilly, with unusual accuracy-cannot be inspector general of the Spanish arwithout interest, of what has been my, to see if the order could not be done in preparation towards an event recalled; but the inspector told him, which will, hereafter, occupy so great that all he could do was to condole a place in the history of the world. with him ; for that the same misfor

Though projects of hostility-some tune had happened to himself. of them for plunder, some for per- When France and Spain resolved manent conquest-had been under- to take a share in the war which was taken, during the wars between this carried on between Great Britain and country and Spain, against particu- her American colonies, it happened lar parts of her transatlantick domi- that Miranda was in that part of the nions, the first time, we believe, that Spanish army which was destined to a general scheme of emancipation cooperate with the French. Acting was presented to the mind of a Bri- thus, and conversing with the memtish minister, was in the beginning bers of a more enlightened nation of 1790, when the measure was pro- than any he had yet seen, the ideas posed to Mr. Pitt by general Miran- of the young American received that da. It met, from that minister, with improvement after which he aspired; the most cordial reception ;-and, as and, in a scene where the cause of the dispute respecting Nootka Sound liberty was the object of all men's was then subsisting, it was resolved, zeal and enthusiasm, and in a country, if pain did not prevent hostilities by the situation of which in so many submission, to carry the plan into im- respects resembled his own, a similar mediate execution. When an accom- destiny for this last was naturally modation was effected, and peace at presented to his wishes. So deeply

VOL. II.