516 General Deductions from the Bk. ii. 



Spanish writers, is supposed to be five times 

 greater than what it contained in the time of 

 Montezuma.* 



In the Portuguese colony of Brazil, governed 

 with almost equal tyranny, there were supposed 

 to be, above thirty years ago, six hundred thou- 

 sand inhabitants of European extraction, j" 



The Dutch and French colonies, though under 

 the government of exclusive companies of mer- 

 chants, still persisted in thriving under every dis- 

 advantage. J: 



But the English North- American colonies, now 

 the powerful people of the United States of Ame- 

 rica, far outstripped all the others in the progress 

 of their population. To the quantity of rich land 

 which they possessed in common with the Spanish 

 and Portuguese colonies, they added a greater 

 degree of liberty and equality. Though not with- 

 out some restrictions on their foreign commerce, 

 they were allowed the liberty of managing their 

 own internal affairs. The political institutions 

 which prevailed were favourable to the alienation 

 and division of property. Lands which were not 

 cultivated by the proprietor within a limited time, 

 were declared grantable to any other person. In 

 Pennsylvania there was no right of primogeniture ; 

 and in the provinces of New England, the eldest 

 son had only a double share. There were no tithes 

 in any of the States, and scarcely any taxes. 



* Smith's Wealth of Nations, vol. ii. b. iv. cb. viii. p. 363. 



t Id. p. 365. 



X Id. p. 368, 369. 



