ixii INTRODUCTION. 



the mines of Peru and Mexico fall immediately into the hands 

 of other pofielTors than the proprietors of thefe countries. The 

 French furnifh them with all forts of gold and filver fluffs, filk, 

 and velvets, ftockings, hats, linen, gloves, paper, cards, and 

 toys. The Dutch fend them fpices of all kinds, linens, cloths, 

 ferges, camblets, fhalloons, toys, hemp, tar, pitch, copper and 

 iron ware, dried fifti, &^c. From the Englijh they receive 

 every fort of woollen goods, hats of all forts, £ik and worfted 

 flockings, rich filks, copper, brafs, and iron ware, clocks, 

 watches, fait provifions, &c* And if we add to this what the 

 Spa7iiards import from other countries, it will be found that 

 upon the whole not lefs than fifteen millions of every fuch cargo 

 from America may be reckoned to belong to foreigners who 

 have intereft in the goods exported thither. It is eafy for one 

 who has confidered thefe native wants of Spain to fuppofe,. 

 after all the various expences of government are defrayed, out 

 of what remains, and the many accidental demands and 

 charges that arife from flate intrigues carried on in various parts 

 of Europe are anfwered, but little cafh remains in the kingdom 

 for the fubjeds ufe, and even that little is almoft entirely fpent, 

 either upon fmall fhopkeepers, generally Frenchmen or Italians^ 

 who retire with what they have acquired to their own countries 

 in the decline of life, or elfe upon the labourers and reapers, 

 and fo forth, that come by thoufands out of the provinces 

 of France bordering upon Spain^ and return back after their bufi- 

 nefs is over, with their wages. The reader may hence conceive ^ 

 " what 



