I79I. LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. I99 



convention which has been patched up between them. Ah 

 equivocal treaty v;ill always be deemed liighly prejudicial to 

 all the powers that are concerned in it, by every politician 

 of found fenfe, however mucli it may be reliflied at times, 

 by thofe of another denomination. 



The Count de Florida Elanca, who has had the principal 

 dirciflion of affairs in Spain for fonie time paft, feems to be 

 ferioully difpofed to augment the internal profperity of that 

 fine country, as much as is in his power — but he has many 

 difficulties to overcome, that muft retard his progrefs. He 

 has the prejudices of the people, and the prejudices of the 

 minifler himfelf to get o%'er, before he can make thofe rapid 

 advances he wilhes. — Time, — much time muft be required, 

 before thefe can be effeftually got over. This jcra, he 

 never can hope to fee. — In the mean while, he does the 

 beflhe can : — The operations of war he diflikes, as onlyter.d- 

 ing to derange the private economy of the llate. His at- 

 tention feems to be direcled to the exciting a Ipirit of in- 

 dufiry among the people, — by directing their attention to 

 agriculture, manufaftures, and commerce. — Under his auf- 

 pices, navigable canals have been formed, for facilitating 

 internal commerce : Roads have been projefled, and in part 

 made, under his infpeclion : bridges built ; focieties in- 

 ftituted in every part of the kingdom for encouraging agri- 

 culture and ufeful arts, — and every thing elfe that can be 

 expected from a man in an exalted flation of life, who never 

 can be fup])ofed to know the befl means of alleviating the 

 diftrefs of the poor, or of removing thofe, apparently fmallj 

 but irrefiftible obilruclions, that fiand in the way to retard 

 their feeble progrefs. May fuccefs attend his endeavours, 

 and may thofe that ffiall fucceed him, be able to profit by 

 the experiments he v.'ill have made, and the experience he 

 fliall have obtained ! 



Spain is much lefs known in Europe than it deferves to 

 be ; and though far behind fome other nations in ufeful arts, 

 is ftill lefs backward than has been in general fuppofed. 

 The bigotry, for which (he was fo remarkable in the days of 

 Pliilip l-he lecond, is now much relaxed. And among other 

 benefits, conferred upon tlie people by Count Florida Elanca, 

 muft be reckoned, the check he has given to the power of 

 the clergy ■, not by diretlly curtailing their eftablillied pre- 

 judices by force, but by introducinjja mode of reafoning and 



