THEATRICALS. 289 



perfecting it. The number of volumes which 

 it contains at present is from ten to twelve 

 thousand. 



The Court of Directors for the manumis- 

 sion of slaves then assembled, and those 

 slaves who were deemed worthy of their free- 

 dom vrere placed on an elevated platform 

 in the centre of the plaza. Their names, to 

 the amount of thirty-three, were called over ; 

 their recommendations were then read ; and 

 after a suitable lecture from the president 

 of the court to them, to conduct themselves 

 as became good men and worthy citizens, 

 they were pronounced free, and dismissed to 

 enjoy the first taste of liberty and inde- 

 pendence. 



in the evening, some of the cleverest scho- 

 lars of the College of San Bartolom6 per- 

 formed the celebrated tragedy of Maho- 



VOL. II. u 



