SOCTETY OF COaUIMBO. 



5 



count of a society in which we passed so short a 

 time, yet there were some traits which, even in 

 that brief acquaintance, were distinguishable as 

 sufficiently characteristic. It is true that, where 

 every object is new, a traveller may be so well 

 pleased, as to render it difficult, in description, to 

 disentangle the transitory interest arising out of 

 mere novelty, from the enduring impression w^hich 

 real excellence alone can leave. This facility of 

 being pleased, which is the happiness of a travel- 

 ler, is the misfortune of travel writers ; who, how- 

 ever strongly or sincerely they may be interested, 

 are expected to give the public some grounds for 

 their sentiments and opinions. 



In their manners the Coquimbians are unaf- 

 fected and gentle, and habitually well bred ; but 

 they act more, perhaps, from feelings which lead 

 to general kindness and consideration, than from 

 any formal rules of politeness. They have as yet 

 had little intercourse with foreigners, for the 

 town lies considerably out of the way, and has 

 never had much commerce. Their climate is de- 

 lightful ; and the people appear to be so easy and 

 contented in their circumstances, that we were 



