762 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1810. 



gance or merit in architecture, 

 distribution, or finish. It is about 

 150 feet long, on a breadth of 

 75. The choir is in the middle of 

 the main nave, the altars are rich, 

 and the general ornaments valua- 

 ble. The only large clock in the 

 town is in the turret of this church. 

 Like the cathedral of Santo Do- 

 mingo, solidity ha? however been 

 consulted, to avoid the ill effects 

 of earthquakes. 



" The city is divided into five 

 parishes^ that of the cathedral St. 

 Kosalie, St. Paul's, La Candelaria, 

 and La Alta Gracia. There are 

 three convents, viz. Franciscans, 

 Dominicans, and Mercenarians ; 

 one house of Oratorians, one hos- 

 pital of Capuchins ; two nunneries, 

 the Conception and the Carmelites ; 

 and one institution for the educa- 

 tion of females. There are also 

 three small oratories, and an hos- 

 pital for those afflicted with le- 

 prosy. The architecture in ge- 

 neral of these buildings is good, in 

 the style of those in Spain, but 

 the parochial church of Alta Gra- 

 cia is the best, and would shine 

 in most towns in Europe. 



" There is a play-house, but 

 very inferior actors ; indeed the 

 price of entry, which is only one- 

 eighth of a dollar, could not afford 

 much better. The pieces in them- 

 selves are bad, but the playing 

 worse ; it is nevertheless crowded 

 by both sexes of all ages and con- 

 ditions. It is a great engine for 

 giving a bias to the politics of the 

 people, and since the changes of 

 government in Spain, many pieces 

 have been played analogous to the 

 times ; in which the usurpers of 

 that country have been pourtray- 

 ed. There are three tennis courts ; 

 the game having been introduced 



there by the Biscayans. The 

 young common people gamble 

 greatly at billiards, cards, and 

 dice. 



"In 1802 Caracas contained 

 about 42,000 souls, which enter 

 into the same divisions of classes, 

 as we shall describe in speaking of 

 the rest of the main. In the white 

 class, there are six titled persons 

 from Spain, viz. three marquises 

 and three counts. Their women 

 are amongst the finest, most gay, 

 and sensible of any of the Spanish 

 settlements, and approach the 

 Gaditanas or those of Cadiz more 

 than any other. They are fond of 

 foreigners,particularlythe English, 

 as was testified by the kind recep- 

 tion given to the governor and offi- 

 cers of Curacao in a late excursion 

 thither. It is to be regretted that 

 their natural and lively talents ave 

 not cultivated. Their accomplish- 

 ments are confined to dancing and 

 singing. The slave attendants are 

 much more numerous than neces- 

 sary, as this is a principal point of 

 luxury and parade; and a lady 

 well-dressed going to church is 

 followed by five or six well-dressed 

 negro females : one carrying her 

 carpet to kne^l on, another her 

 fan, a third her prayer-book, and 

 a fourth her handkerchief and 

 scent-box. They are extremely 

 handy and instrumental in con- 

 veying letters to their mistresses. 



" There is a college and univer- 

 sity united in Caracas for the 

 education of youth. The college 

 was founded by bishop Gonzales 

 d'Acuna, who died in 1682, but 

 in it they teach only latin, phi- 

 losophy, and theology. Since iha* 

 period, however, an university has 

 been added, but it is poor> aad oa 

 a confined scale.'' 



