Ci4. VL S O U T H a M El Rl C.A. 419 



improve fo much in knowledge, that they look oh theif 

 tountrymcn as favages, and take ujpon themfelves the 

 appellation of Ladinos. 



I AM "very far from imagining that the Spanilh 

 language itfelf has the virtue of improving the in- 

 telledts of the Indians ; but only, that rational convert 

 fation with the Spaniards would lead them to a know- 

 ledge of many things: and confequently they might 

 be brought to a greater purity of faith and practice. 

 Whereas the converfation among themfelves muft be 

 very low and confined : and what they have with the 

 Spanifli traders who underftand their language^ turns 

 wholly on traffick* But if they underftoc^d the Spa- 

 nifli, they would daily receive new lights by Gonver- 

 fing with travellers whom they attend, as well as from 

 the inhabitants of the cities, their mafterSj the prieftSj 

 the corregidors, and others ; and thus become more 

 induftrious and tradable,, and acquainted with the na- 

 ture of things of which before they had not fo much 

 as an idea. 



Are not the differences and advantages evident 

 among ourfelves, betwixt a young man whofe flock, 

 of learning is his natural language, and him who is 

 acquainted with others ? What a fuperiority of know- 

 ledge, difcernment, and facility in the latter ! Hence 

 we may form fome idea of the abjed: (late of the hu- 

 man mind, among rude country people, who cannot 

 exchange a word with a ftranger, and never flir out of 

 their village : whereas, -^hcn any one happens to go 

 to a neighbouring town, he returns home with en- 

 larged knowledge, and entertains all the village with 

 his narratives : but if he had not underftood the 

 language fpoken in it, he would have been little 

 the better, nor able to relate the flrange things he faw 

 and heard. This is the very cafe of the Indians ; and 

 I am of opinion, that to teach them the Spanifli 

 tongue would be the bell means of improving their 

 reafon, and confequently of making them better 



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