DON FELIX D'AZARA. 71 



intention somewhat to have dilated, but our limits 

 prevent, and we must deny ourselves the gratifica- 

 tion, and our readers, we venture to say, the 

 pleasure. 



But curtailed as these details necessarily must be, 

 they are, we believe, amply sufficient to convey an 

 accurate estimate of the patient devotedness with 

 which Azara laboured during so many years, in a 

 way most honourable to himself, for the advance- 

 ment of science, and for the instruction and benefit 

 of mankind. We have mentioned, in a former page, 

 the vexatious circumstances which detained him 

 from the more stirring prosecution of his profession 

 in the civilized world, and chained him to America 

 among the wild beasts of the forest ; and to which, 

 however annoying to himself, we owe so much im- 

 portant information, and he, perhaps, his highest 

 celebrity. The delays concerning the settlement of 

 the limits, were not, however, his only ground of 

 vexation. On the other hand, we are from them 

 prepared to expect that those officials who could 

 pursue such a course, in one important affair, were 

 ready for equal malversations in others. We have 

 already stated that one of the subjects which en- 

 gaged Azara's attention was a review of the history 

 of the provinces, and the several popular accounts 

 which had been published. He was in circum- 

 stances favourable for research, and undertook to 

 examine all the books and manuscripts which were 

 to be found in the country. On ascertaining his pur- 

 pose, the governor of Paraguay put a padlock upon 



