CHAP. XXII. 



AMERICAN MINES. 151 



by agriculture, by manufactures, or by commerce 

 had become possessed of property ; and though 

 not received into the ranks of the Europeans, be- 

 came of great assistance in the creation of wealth 

 and the accumulation of capital. 



Though the capital of the country was thus in- 

 creased chiefly by the labour of the original race 

 of people and of the races which had arisen by a 

 mixture of them with the new settlers, they were 

 not the great adventurers in mining-undertakings. 

 There was little spirit of enterprise among those 

 classes, but what industry they exercised was ac- 

 companied with that rigid parsimony which is the 

 sure but slow operating cause of the creation of 

 individual and national wealth. But when capital 

 is created it naturally seeks employment, and the 

 more cautious acquirers or their successors must 

 furnish means to more adventurous spirits to em- 

 ploy that capital in such ways as talent, enterprise, 

 and perseverance can alone direct to successful 

 terminations. 



The extent of Mexico, the difference between 

 its progress and that of the other portions of the 

 American continent, but especially the vast quan- 

 tity of the precious metals which it has furnished, 

 have made a slight view of the origin of its wealth 

 a proper preface to that which we proceed to con- 

 sider the actual produce of the mines of gold and 

 silver. 



The amount has been already examined into up 



