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and inhabited by a stupid and miserable race. It 

 appeared to me, that in this archipelago, as in all 

 mountainous and volcanic countries, Nature has 

 been very unequal in the distribution of her gifts. 

 The Canaries are generally deficient in water ; 

 but wherever there are springs, artificial irriga- 

 tions, or plentiful rains, the soil is highly fertile. 

 The lower class of the people is laborious ; but 

 it's industry is more active in distant colonies, 

 than at TenerifFe, where it meets with obstacles, 

 which a wise administration might progressively 

 remove. Emigration would be diminished, if 

 the uncultivated demesne lands were distributed 

 among private persons, those which are annexed 

 to the majorats of the great families were sold, 

 and feudal rights were gradually abolished. 



The present population of the Canaries un- 

 doubtedly appears inconsiderable, when com- 

 pared with that of several countries of Europe. 

 The island of Malta, the industrious inhabitants 

 of which cultivate a rock almost destitute of 

 mould, is seven times less than TenerifFe, and 

 yet has twice the population : but writers, who 

 are fond of painting in vivid colors the depopu- 

 lation of the Spanish colonies, and who attribute 

 the cause to the ecclesiastical hierarchy, forget 

 that in every place, since the reign of Philip V, 

 the number of inhabitants has obtained, in a 

 greater or less degree, a rapid increase. The 

 relative population is already greater in the Ca- 

 ll 2 



