Religion. ' 89 



more elevating, religious influence than monotonous plains. 

 The Olympian mythology of the Greek was far superior to 

 the beastly worship on the banks of the Nile. And yet at 

 the very feet of glorious Chimborazo and Pichincha we see 

 a nation bowing down to little images of the rudest sculp- 

 ture with a devotion that reminds us of the Middle Ages. 



The belief is called La Fe, or the only true one. The 

 oath of a Protestant is not regarded in courts of law. One 

 fourth of Quito is covered by convents and churches. The 

 convents alone number fifty-seven, and are very extensive, 

 sometimes spreading over eight or nine acres. The Church 

 revenue amounts to $800,000. There are more than four 

 hundred priests, monks, and nuns in the capital. The na- 

 tive ecclesiastics are notorious for their ignorance and im- 

 morality. " It is a very common thing (says Dr. Terry) for 

 a curate to have a whole flock of orphan nephews and 

 nieces, the children of an imaginary brother." There is 

 one ex-president who has the reputation of tying a spur on 

 the leg of a game-cock better even than a curate. The im- 

 ported Jesuits are the most intelligent and influential cler- 

 gy. They control the universities and colleges, and educa- 

 tion generally. Active and intellectual, though not learn- 

 ed, they have infused new life into the fat indolence of the 

 Spanish system. Men of this world rather than the next, 

 they have adopted a purely mundane policy, abjured the 

 gloomy cowl, raised gorgeous temples, and say, " He that 

 cometh unto us shall in no wise lose heaven." Their chief 

 merit, however, is the discovery of the turke}^ and quinine. 



The Protestant in Quito is annoyed by an everlasting 

 jingling of bells and blowing of bugles night and day. 

 The latter are blovm every third hour. The bells are struck 

 by boys, not rung. A bishop), returning from a visit to 

 London, was asked if there were any good bells in En- 

 gland. " Yery fine," he replied, " but there is not a man 



