132 THE BRAZILS. 
Cape Horn, leave this country without taking on board a 
supply of Monmouth-Street clothing, on which the least 
profit they calculate is 800 per cent. In fact, as I before 
observed, they have little or nothing but money, and as the 
government of Spain will neither supph' them itself with the 
conveniencies of life, nor suffer other powers to do it, they 
must either pay extravagantly for what they can obtain clan- 
destinely, or quietly submit to the scanty provision which a 
country without agriculture and without manufactures is. 
capable of affording. If the gold and silver mines of South 
America have contributed so little to the comfort and happi- 
ness of the colonist, there is but too good reason for believing 
they have been equally detrimental to the Court of Spain, 
and injurious to the Spanish character. The advice which 
the Latin poet has put into the mouth of Juno, with regard 
to Rome, is but too applicable to Spain and its colonies in 
South America. 
« Aurum Irrepertum, et sic melius situm, 
" Quum terra celat, spernere fortior, 
** Quam cogere humanos in usus 
Omne sacrum rapiente dextra." 
Let her the golden mine despise ; 
*♦ For deep in earth it better lies,' 
" Than when by hands profane, from nature's store, 
** To human use compell'd, flames forth the sacred ore." 
"Whatever step the Court of Portugal may be compelled to 
take in the present critical juncture, it will behove England 
to keep a Avatchful eye on its colonies, and especially those 
of the Brazils. Were the French once suffered to get posses- 
