MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



543 



commerce must have given a 

 spring to exertions of native en- 

 terprize and intelligence*, while 

 the active scenes of war and 

 politics, for the last ten years, 

 have awakened the genius of the 

 country, which had so long 

 slumbered. The generation now 

 on the stage may almost be said 

 to have been reared under a new 

 order of things. The common 

 stock of ideas among the people 

 has been greatly augmented — the 

 natural consequence of the im- 

 portant political events which 

 daily transpire, and in which 

 every man, like the citizen of 

 Athens, feels an interest. The 

 newspapers are every where cir- 

 culated, together with the mani- 

 festos of the government, which 

 is obliged to court the approba- 

 tion of public opinion on all 

 measures of moment. It is not 

 very unusual for the same coun- 

 tryman, who, a few years ago, 

 never troubled himself about any 

 thing beyond the narrow circle of 

 his domestic concerns, to pur- 

 chase a newspaper on coming to 

 town as a matter of course, and, 

 if unable to read, to request the 

 first one he meets to do him that 

 favour. The country curates are, 

 moreover, enjoined to read the 

 newspapers and manifestos regu- 

 larly to their flocks The spirit 



of improvement may be seen in 

 every thing. Even some of those 

 who are under the influence of 

 strong prejudices against the re- 

 volution, frequently remark the 

 changes for the better which have 

 taken place. Their habits, man- 

 ners, dress, and mode of living, 

 have been improved by inter- 

 course with strangers, and the 

 free introduction of foreign cus- 



toms, particularly English, Ame- 

 rican, and French. Great pre- 

 judices prevail against whatever 

 is Spanish. It is even offensive 

 to them to be called by this name 

 —they prefer to be identified with 

 the aborigines of the country. 

 The appellation which they have 

 assumed, and in v/hich they take 

 a pride, is that of South Ame- 

 ricans. 



A powerful stimulus must ne- 

 cessarily have been given to their 

 industry, by two important cir- 

 cumstances — the diminution in 

 prices of foreign merchandize, 

 and the great increase in value of 

 the products of the country, with 

 the consequent rise of property. 

 Though the grounds in the neigh- 

 bourhood of cities are highly 

 improved, as I have already stated, 

 agriculture, comparatively speak- 

 ing, is in a low condition. In 

 general the lands are badly tilled. 

 The plough is rarely used, and 

 the substitute is a very indifferent 

 one. But notwithstanding the 

 disadvantages of the present me- 

 thod of culture, I was informed 

 by reputable persons, that the 

 average crop of wheat is not less 

 than fifty bushels per acre in good 

 seasons. 



On the subject of religion, 

 especially, the change in the 

 public mind has been very great. 

 The Catholic faith is established 

 as that of the state, but there are 

 many advocates, both in conver- 

 sation and in writing, of universal 

 toleration. Some members of 

 congress are said to be strongly 

 in favour of it ; but the ignorant 

 and superstitious part of ihe peo- 

 ple, together with the regular 

 clergy, would not be satisfied 

 with such a measure — while the 



liberality 



