Recent Letter from Buenos Ayres. 



30 



habitant of Bxienos Ayres) no fire, little 

 furniture, tiic walls dripping when the 

 wind is from the north, heavy dews at 

 night, M-hieh continue all the day in 

 the shade; when the wind is from that 

 quarter, I have found large drops in 

 close rooms on the furniture. 



The streets are horrible, not paved, 

 cut into gullies six feet below the 

 houses, and impassable in wet weather 

 from pantanoes, or ponds of mud, in 

 which horses stick fast, and are left to 

 die of hunger, sometimes before the 

 best houses, where (hey lie to jierfume 

 the atmosphere, while no one will moi^e 

 (he nuisance from his door. In any 

 other climate, so much dirt and damp 

 M'ould create a pestilence. 



Of the morals of this people, con- 

 sidering their intellectual condition, 

 1 think favourably. Among the more 

 opiileut who have leceived the kiiid of 

 education attainable here, aTegard ibr 

 honour is found to influence conduct 

 in private transactions. In those of a 

 public nature, comprehending affairs 

 of state, and the competitions of per- 

 sons or parlies for power and emolu- 

 ment, duplicity and inti'igue are the 

 characteristic features for ever in play, 

 and discoverable in the extremest rami- 

 fications of political action. IJut is this 

 to be wondered at where a little, a 

 very little of t!ie learning of ancient 

 Rome, and a quantity greater or less of 

 the dogmas and extravagance-s of mo- 

 dern Rome, arc mistaken for wisdom, 

 and where Spanish history and Spanish 

 policy, have been the only models pre- 

 sented to the political student? It is 

 ignorance, the ignorance inflicted by 

 Spain, wliich alone here continues to 

 confer mystery on politics, and to make 

 fraud and treachery seem more potent 

 instruments than sincerity and truth. 

 But this ignorance is in progress of re- 

 moval, and the instructions of more 

 enlightened moralists, will teach them 

 to wipe out the stain, which truth has 

 compelled me to notice. 



Among the lower classes, honesty in 

 their dealings hi.s been general, though 

 English traders of late years, i)y forc- 

 ing long credits upon the dealers, and 

 urging them by that means with temp- 

 tations, which cupidity cannot resist, 

 have done much to shake it ; while the 

 general relaxation of government has 

 given the encouragement of almost 

 universal impunity to the commission 

 of crimes, to the practice of which also, 

 the military habits of a large portion 

 of the people, during so many years of 

 civil distraction, must in no small dc- 



fFeb. I, 



gree ha^-e contributed. Under this 

 view of their condition, the quantity of 

 crime committed appears very small, 

 and marks the general coodness of dis- 

 position. To the orders of government 

 they are tractable, so tractable, that 

 their general (juietness in Buenos Ayres 

 during the four months of non-go- 

 vernment which I have witnessetl here, 

 lias surprized me. In the course of 

 their numerous military operations, ! 

 liear of no more slaughter and atro- 

 cities, tlian what are considered quite 

 proj'er, and of course in such caj^es 

 amonj: the most polished and enlighten- 

 ed christians. No cold-bloode<l mas- 

 sacres have disgraced tlicm, excei)t 

 where, in one or two instances, (lu; 

 brutal slaughter of unarmed prisoners 

 by their more polished enemies of Spain, 

 has provoked reluctant retaliation. 



In matters of religion, bigotry, the 

 product of fraud oixM-ating upon igno- 

 rance, is pretty general, but among 

 the educated classes, the exceptions are 

 already numerous, and (be it noticed 

 as an indication of rapid mental im- 

 provement) rapidl)' increasing. Al- 

 ready tythes arc abolishetl, the credit 

 of which is due to Sarratea, and the 

 feelings of the people at this substan- 

 tial relief, (which apprehension of the 

 influence of the priest-hood, had alone 

 I believe deferred ) is a guarantee 

 against any future attempt to establish 

 them. Another proof of the declining 

 influence of the church, occurred hei'e 

 a few weeks ago, Avheu forty monks, of 

 ti;e Order of Pierced, sent a petition 

 to the government to be relieved from 

 their monastic vows, and suffered to 

 shift for themselves in the world. To- 

 leration to non-catholic places of wor- 

 ship, is not yet granted, but may be 

 shortly obtainable without great oppo- 

 sition. 



To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 



SIR, 



AV!N(i married a daughter of 



the Rev. Mr. Rouquel, to whom 



allusion is made by Dr. Evans, rela- 

 tive to the tergiversation of the cele- 

 biated Wesley, I am enabled to add 

 the testiniouy of Mr. Rouquel's family 

 in confirmation of the statements which 

 Dr. Evans has made. That part of Mr. 

 Wesley's conduct made so deep an im- 

 pression upon Mr. Rouquel, that he de- 

 clined all intimacy with Mr. Wesley 

 ever afterwards : and from the known 

 worth and probity of Mr. Rouquel, who 

 was cut oft" from a meritorious career of 

 active duties at the age of 46, we 



may 



