Extracts from an Itinerary of a Journey in Spain. 17 
Arr. Il.—Extracts from an Itinerary of a Journey in Spain, in 
the spring of 1833, containing a sketch of the actual condition 
and future prospects of the mining industry of that country ; by 
F. Le Pray, Engineer of mines. ‘Translated by Prof. J. Gris- 
com. 
Unit very lately, Spain has remained almost entirely without the 
circle of observations which have described with so much precision, 
the physical character of the greater part of Europe. Nevertheless, 
the numerous chains of mountains which so decidedly characterize 
its surface, and produce such singular variations of climate ; the rec- 
ollection of the mineral treasures extracted from its bosom at various 
periods, and ‘in fact the relations of travellers who have visited the 
peninsula, sufficiently prove that the study of this country must be 
highly interesting to the naturalist, and that the miner especially 
may derive from it the most useful lessons. The causes of our ig- 
norance of the natural history of Spain are easily perceived : politi- 
cal events have not allowed the nation to share in that progress 
which has been impressed upon the sciences, since the close of the 
last century, in the other countries of Europe. It may even be said 
with truth that during the greater part of this period, its scientific 
institutions have experienced a gradual decline, which the zeal of a 
few enlightened and isolated men has not been able to withstand. 
Spain, therefore, has been unable to yield her contingent to the 
mass of observations which forms the basis of a complete descrip- 
tion of the European continent. Learned foreigners have scarcely 
taught us any thing with respect to the Peninsula ; and while numer- 
ous travellers have been exploring the most remote countries, and 
erecting distant posts for-a grand geological triangulation of the sur- 
face of the globe, all seem to have forgotten that there exists in 
Europe a country which in some respects is scarcely less known 
than the least frequented portions of the old and new continent. 
If the Pyrenees have hitherto been the barriers which naturalists 
have but rarely overleaped, it is doubtless owing to the frequent 
accounts which they have heard of the difficulty of travelling, and 
the dangers which foreigners must experience in the midst of so im- 
perfect.a state of civilization. But these obstacles, which have been 
much exaggerated are daily diminishing: in the Spanish part of the 
Peninsula, the most important places are now connected by good 
Vol. XX VIII.—No. 1. 3 
