SOUTH AMERICA. 



S89 



or Portuguese, and look at what they have been, not to 

 the state of things in the United States. The dress 

 of the seculars when in their canonicals, is like that 

 of the episcopal clergy, except that they wear a broad 

 quaker hat. The monks and friars are easily dis- 

 tinguished by their habit of coarse cloth or flannel, 

 girt round the waist, and with a cowl or hood behind. 

 In speaking of the catholic clergy, we, who know 

 little about them, are very much in the habit of con- 

 founding these two classes. They are very different, 

 both in character and appearance. The seculars are, 

 necessarily, men of education, and living and ming- 

 ling in society, participate in the feelings of the peo- 

 ple, and cannot avoid taking part in temporal affairs. 

 The monks, on the contrary, are gregarious; not dis- 

 persed through the society, but shut up in their con- 

 vents and monasteries, and not permitted to mingle in 

 the affairs of the Avorld. From the first it is natural 

 to expect liberality and intelligence, as well as from 

 other christian clergy; but in the latter, it would not 

 be surprising to find superstition and ignorance. 



On approaching the market place, as it was still 

 early in the day, I found that the crowd had not en- 

 tirely dispersed. There is no market house or stalls, 

 except in the meat market, situated on one corner of 

 the square which fronts on the plaza. Every thing 

 offered for sale, was spread on the ground. I can say 

 but little in favor of the appearance of cleanliness; 

 dirt and filth appeared to have a prescriptive right 

 here. One who had never seen any other than a Phi- 

 ladelphia market, can form no idea of the condition 

 of this place. To make amends, it is admirably sup- 

 plied with all the necessaries, and delicacies, that an 

 VOL. I. B7 



