1828. ] Portugal Illustrated. 181 
a work of charity towards the author himself, that we should particu- 
larisethem. The story of the law-suit about the old coat at Oporto, to 
give one example, is improbable, and, if true, puerile, and not worth the 
telling ; and the adventure of the Franciscan monk (p. 185), has travelled, 
we believe, through all the Italian jest books, without an exception, 
that ever were printed. Another mortal fault about Mr. Kinsey’s style 
of narrative, is the disposition that he has every where to lay a stress 
upon trifles. At one time, he makes his reader “ pause,” in the middle 
of a paragraph, at the gate of the English factory’s burying-ground ! 
because—but for the skill and carefulness of some physician, it would 
have been his own lot—instead of writing a book—to have reposed 
there! Presently afterwards, he is actually unable to examine the archi- 
tecture or antiquities of a particular church, on account of the “ over- 
powering stench” (a stench that people endure twice a day, at morning 
and evening prayer, and swoon not) arising from the practice of burning 
the dead within the walls of such edifices. And anon, in travelling up a 
hill to witness some object of peculiar curiosity, stops again to record the 
urbanity with which some gentleman picked up and restored his missing 
“white cambric pocket handkerchief.” These are pettinesses which 
weaken our confidence in an author, and disincline us to go on in his 
company. We distrust the judgment of a traveller, who quits Portugal 
-without witnessing a bull fight, because that species of shew is “ cruel,” 
or is “ exhibited on a Sunday ;” or who passes over the examination of 
a curious building, because he perceives a disagreeable smell in the 
inside of it. A still heavier fault, and the last we shall advert to, is the dis- 
position which Mr. Kinsey exhibits, either from natural acerbity of feel- 
ing, or from a desire to maintain a tone which shall be high and ex- 
cathedral, to talk in terms of fierce condemnation, if not of direct invec- 
tive, of all parties and persons who chance to be opposed to him in re- 
ligious or political opinions. Thus, through almost every page in which 
he touches upon the recent contest, we find the words recurring—* artful 
friars’ —“ unholy zeal”—<“ interests of the priesthood” —* restoration of 
priesthood and dog-hood,”—&c. &c. These figures of speech come ill 
from the mouth of a clergyman ; and from any man they are an argu- 
ment of weakness, not of strength. Noman who has common brains 
can feel surprised that the ecclesiastics of Spain or Portugal should be 
anxious to uphold the system by which they live, and preserve their 
resources and immunities from reduction or spoliation. Whether society 
at large would do wisely to allow them to uphold that system, and 
retain those immunities, is a very different consideration ; but it is no- 
thing strange, nor does it form any heavy moral imputation against them, 
as individuals, that they should exert themselves to do so. There are many 
individuals in England—some whole classes—who think that our own 
church revenues are needlessly and unreasonably high, and that the 
system of their application and distribution is a highly inequitable and 
unjust one. But, nevertheless, we suspect the established clergy would 
exhibit very little Christian forbearance, if any attack were proposed upon 
their receipts ; and we commonly see sufficient “ zeal,” either “ holy” or 
“unholy,” manifested at the very slightest indication of a disposition to 
encroachment upon them. Discussion loses all its worth the moment 
it lapses into abuse ; and, besides, there is no just cause for the condemna- 
tion here pronounced. We point out the propriety, perhaps the neces- 
sity, of breaking up a system, the existence of which has the sanc- 
tion of ages; but we do not vilify the parties, or find them worse 
rogues than ourselves, who happen to have an interest in the vigorous 
