186 



CHILI. 



Amongst a people circumstanced as the South 

 Americans have been, debarred for ages from the 

 advantages of commerce, this change is of the 

 last importance ; and it is pleasing to reflect that 

 while our merchants are consulting their own in- 

 terests, and advancing the prosperity of their 

 country, they are at the same time, by stimulat- 

 ing at once and gratifying the wants of a great 

 people, adding incalculably to the amount of hu- 

 man happiness. By thus creating higher tastes 

 and ne\^ wants, they produce fresh motives to ex* 

 ertion, and give more animating hopes to whole 

 nations, which without such powerful and imme- 

 diate excitement, might, for aught we knoWj 

 have long remained in their ancient state of list- 

 lessness and ignorance. Every man in the coun- 

 try, rich or poor, not only practically feels the 

 truth of this, but knows distinctly whence the ad- 

 vantage is derived ; and it is idle therefore to sup- 

 pose that blessings which come home so directly 

 to all men''s feelings, and which so manifestly in- 

 fluence their fortunes and happiness, can be easi- 

 ly taken from them. 



There are, no doubt, many defects in the ad- 



