OF THE PAMPAS. 



13 



ceedingly tyrannical: in the others, the governor 

 and the junta appear to act for the interests of 

 their own province ; but their funds are so small, 

 and the internal jealousies they have to encounter 

 so great, that they meet with continual difficulties ; 

 and with respect to acting for the national interest, 

 the thing is impossible. How can it be expected 

 that people of very slender incomes, and in very 

 small insulated societies, will forget their own nar- 

 row interests for the general welfare of their coun- 

 try ? It is really against Nature, for what is po- 

 litically termed their country, is such an immense 

 space, that it must necessarily become the future 

 seat of many different communities of men ; and if 

 these communities, however enlightened they may 

 become, will never be able to conquer that feeling 

 which endears them to their homes, or the centri- 

 fugal prejudice with which they view their neigh- 

 bours, how can it be expected that a feeble govern- 

 ment and a few inhabitants can do what civilization 

 has not yet been able to perform ; or that the 

 political infant will not betray those frailties which 

 his manhood will be incapable of overcoming. And 

 the fact is, that each Province does view its neigh- 



