CHARACTERS. 



799 



were taken for their civilization. 

 The Moravians have latelyengaged 

 in ti)is good work ; but as I have not 

 yet visited those parts of the coun- 

 try vviiere these missionaries labour, 

 I can give you no further account 

 of them or their success; but I intend 

 to visit them as soon as I can get an 

 opportunity. 



Character, Mariners, Customs, Ha- 

 bits, Dress, and Language of the 

 Catalmians. [From U Ahordes 

 Vieiv of Simin.'} 



The Catalans are charged with 

 asperity of character, roughness of 

 expression, and vehemence of ac- 

 tion. There are grounds for this 

 charge; but if we inquire into the 

 cause, and at the same time recol- 

 lect the good qualities which atone 

 for those defects, we shall perhaps 

 be less disposed to blame them. 



The Catalans, accustomed, under 

 the kings of Arragon, to share the 

 legislative power with the sovereign, 

 to look upon their prince only as 

 count of Barcelona, and to pay no - 

 taxes but such as they chose to 

 grant, considered themselves as all 

 partaking of the supreme authori- 

 ty, and each in particular as a little 

 sovereign. In those days they had 

 ideas of independence which they 

 long cherished, and which at length 

 degenerated into a republican spi- 

 rit. Hence the haughtiness pecu- 

 liar to the inhabitants of this pro- 

 vince, the authoritative tone, the 

 repugnance to whatever has the 

 slightest appearance of command in 

 another, or even of subordination. 



The Catalan tongue contributes 

 to the roughness of expression 

 complained of; its pronunciation 



is hard, sharp and dry, and it often 

 utters the tenderest, and most em- 

 passioned sentiment, without grace 

 or delicacy. 



Activity is the basis of the Cata- 

 lan character; it is blunt in per- 

 sons who have not received the 

 polish of education. But we must 

 do the Catalans justice; this pro- 

 pensity to motion, this natural vi- 

 vacity, impelled them to great un- 

 dertakings ; it frequently rendered 

 them victorious in the times of the 

 counts of Barcelona and kings of 

 Aragon ; it led them into Greece, 

 and gained them important con- 

 quests ; it carried them to the 

 island of Majorca, and there de- 

 stroyed the empire of the Saracens; 

 it established the dominion of the 

 kingdom of the kings of Aragon 

 in the island of Sardinia; it guided 

 them on the seas, and carried them 

 to every part of the new world ; 

 it opened the career of the sci- 

 ences to them ; it turned their ge- 

 nius to commerce, and expanded it 

 in every branch ; it developed, 

 sustained, and increased their in- 

 - dustry ; it improved their agricul- 

 ture ; it was the grand spring of 

 the establishment of their manufac- 

 tures, and in fine, of the opulence of 

 their province. 



The Catalans are indefatigable in 

 their undertakings; they havea hor- 

 ror at idleness ; no obstacle can de- 

 ter them. The activity of their ge- 

 nius, and the ambition that attends 

 it, lead them to every part of the 

 world; there is not a town, not a 

 port in Spain, India, or Spanish 

 America, where Catalans are not 

 to be found ; they are to be met 

 with in France, Italy, England, 

 Germany, in all the ports of Europe, 

 and throughout the colonies. They 



are 



