MAJOR SEMPLE LISLE, 3II 



Portugal formerly was famous for its enter- 

 priiing navigators, but of late their fpirit feems 

 nearly cxtind:. Literature nev^ was at a high 

 pitch in this country; a few poets were for- 

 merly found here, among whom Camoens bears 

 the greatefh reputation ; but for works of wit 

 and humour we may in Vain look among the li- 

 terary archives of Portugal. This feems to be 

 principally owing to the bufy interference of 

 the church, which eternally is endeavouring to 

 fmell out herefy or impiety ; and as kw priefts 

 can take a jefl, a writer who dared to make the 

 world laugh, would (land in an awkward predi- 

 cament. The fame confcioufnefs of importance 

 tempts them to intrude fpies into every private 

 family, a pra(51:ice that has not a little contributed 

 to the referve and gloom that feems to pervade 

 every houfe. Their habitual lazinefs is alfo 

 another caufe of their jealoufy, for many of the 

 ancient nobility being extremely poor, were 

 out-done in point of appearance by the mer^ 

 chants, whofe origin nobody knew j they af- 

 . feded referve, and pretended to defpife thofe 

 whom they had not the energy to imitate. The 

 peafantry, too, are fuch fervile dependants on 

 the will of the lords, that their daughters, if 

 handfome, were almoft fure to fall vidims to 

 the luft of the young nobility ; and I fliould 

 fuppofe th^t thefe youthful debauchees, not 



X ^ flopping 



