ly
countries in Europe."--"Their trade to their colonies is carried on in
their own ships, and is much greater" (than their foreign commerce,) "on
account of the great riches and extent of those colonies. But it has
never introduced any considerable manufactures for distant sale into
either of those countries, and the greater part of both remains
uncultivated."--"The proportion of gold and silver to the annual produce
of the land and labour of Spain is said to be very considerable, and
that you frequently find there a profusion of plate in houses where
there is nothing else which would in other countries be thought suitable
or correspondent to this sort of magnificence. The cheapness of gold and
silver, or, what is the same thing, the dearness of all commodities,
which is the necessary effect of this redundance of the precious metals,
discourages both the agriculture and manufactures of Spain and Portugal,
and enables foreign nations to supply them with many sorts of rude, and
with almost all sorts of manufactured produce, for a smaller quantity of
gold and silver than what they themselves can either raise or make them
for at home."--When it is considered that in Spain gold and silver are
called wealth, and that there is little other; that manufactures and
commerce scarcely exist; that agriculture is discouraged, and that
therefore there is a lack of occupation for the lower classes, it may be
fairly concluded that the idle upper orders will be found lazy, proud,
and poor; the idle lower classes in a state of beggary; and that the
most virtuous and happy part of the population will be those who are
engaged in tilling the soil, and in the occupations which are absolutely
necessary in towns. One may see with the mind's eye the groups of
intriguing grandees, who have no business on their estates to occupy
their time and thoughts; or the crowd of hungry beggars, thronging round
the door of a convent, to receive the daily alms; or the hospitable and
courteous peasants, of whom a traveller[E] says, "There is a civility to
strangers, and an easy style of behaviour familiar to this class of
Spanish society, which is very remote from the churlish and awkward
manners of the English and German peasantry. Their sobriety and
endurance of fatigue are very remarkable; and there is a constant
cheerfulness in their demeanour which strongly prepossesses a stranger
in their favour."--"I should be glad if I could, with justice, give as
favo