MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



545 



live government are recognized, 

 accompanied, it is true, vvith 

 certain drawbacks, for which 

 the}' plead the necessity of the 

 times, but which they profess 

 their intention to do away, on 

 the final settlement of the govern- 

 ment — a consummation anxiously 

 desired by all classes of inhabi- 

 tants. The example of France 

 has warned them not to attempt 

 too much at first ; they have fol- 

 lowed the plan of the United 

 States in the introduction of 

 gradual reforms, instead of re- 

 sorting to violent and sudden 

 innovations and revolutions. 



Next to the establishment of 

 their independence bj' arms, the 

 education of their youth appears 

 to be the subject of the most 

 anxious interest. They complain 

 that every possible impediment 

 was thrown in the way of educa- 

 tion previous to the revolution ; 

 that, so far from fostering public 

 institutions for this purpose, se- 

 veral schools were actually pro- 

 hibited in the capital, and the 

 young men were not without re- 

 straint permitted to go abroad for 

 their education. There was a 

 college at Cordova, at which 

 those destined for the bar, or 

 the priesthood, completed their 

 studies, upon the ancient monk- 

 ish principles. Another, called 

 San Carlos (now the Union of 

 the South), had been opened 

 at Buenos Ayres, but was after- 

 wards converted into barracks 

 for fiohliers. It is an immense 

 building, more extensive, perhaps, 

 than any which has been dedicated 

 to learning in this country ; and it 

 has lately been fitted up at a very 

 great expense. The school was 

 to hare opened ia May or June 



Vol, LX. 



last, on a more modern and liberal 

 plan of discipline and instruction. 

 The library of the state is kept in 

 an adjoining building ; it occupies 

 a suite of six rooms, and contains 

 nearly 20,000 volumes, the greater 

 part rare and valuable. It is 

 formed out of the library of the 

 Jesuits, the books collected in 

 the different monasteries, dona- 

 tions from individuals, and an 

 annual appropriation by the go- 

 vernment, and contains works on all 

 subjects, and in all the languages 

 of the polished nations of Europe. 

 A very valuable addition has been 

 lately made of several thousand 

 volumes, brought to Buenos 

 Ayres by M. Bonpland, the com- 

 panion of the celebrated Hum- 

 boldt. 



Besides the university of Cor- 

 dova, at which there are about 

 150 students, there are public 

 schools in all the principal towns, 

 supported by their respective 

 corporations. In Buenos Ayres, 

 besides an academy in whicli are 

 taught the higher branches, and 

 the college before mentioned, 

 there are eight public schools, 

 for whose support i,he corporation 

 contributes about seven thousand 

 dollars annually; and, according 

 to the returns of last year, the 

 number of scholars amounted to 

 864-. There are five other schools 

 exclusively for the benefit of the 

 poor, and under the charge of 

 tlie different monasteries. These 

 are supplied with books and. sta- 

 tionary at the public expense. 

 There are also parish schools in 

 the countrj', for the support of 

 which a portion of the tithes has 

 been lately set a part. It is rare 

 to meet with a boy ten or twelve 

 years of age, in the city of Buenos 



2 N Ayre«, 



