1 6 6 The D ISCO FERT and CO N S T' Book !. 
Friends poor. Every body knows that the United Pro- 
ounces not only made thcmfelves free and independent, 
but rich and powerful alfo, by their long War with Spain. 
Our Maritime Power was owing to the fame Caufe. If 
Philip the Ild had not difturbed Queen Elizabeth, our 
Fleet might have been as inconiiderable at theClofe of her 
Reign as it was at the Beginning, when we were peftered 
with Pirates, even in the narrow Seas. Our Plantations 
abroad were chiefly owing to Expeditions againft the 
Spaniards. Our Manufadfures at home were the Confe^ 
quence of affording Refuge to the King of Spahds Prote- 
ftant Subjects. When Queen ElizahetE Succeffor clofed 
with Spain, he buffered by it, while France, the only Coun- 
try then at War with Spain, was a Gainer. I fay nothing 
of Cromweir^ Breach with Spain, and the Advantages 
he drew from it; becaufe the World feems well enough 
apprized of all I could fay on that Subjedt already. 
But I cannot help obferving, that both the Dutch and 
we were at vaft Expences after the Refloration, to preferve 
the Spanijh Flanders, while the Spaniards themfelves were 
inadlive, and left all to be done by their Allies. As foon 
as the Tables were turned by the Acceffion of King Phi- 
lip V. the French became great Lofers by fiding with 
this Nation, though they had always got by fighting 
againft them ; infomuch, that all the true Patriots in 
France complained, that while Lewis XIV. fiiewed himfelf 
an excellent Parent, in his Family, he difcharged but 
indifferently his Truft, as the Father of his People ; but 
to what End fhould I look abroad, when it is plain, for 
our own Situation, that we were never Friends with her, 
but at our Coft ; and never Foes, but at her’s. By fo 
long a Series of Mifmanagement the Spaniards have brought 
their Affairs’ into fo wretched a Situation, that they nei- 
ther have, nor can have, any yery great Benefit from 
their vaft Dominions in Americd. They are faid to be 
Stewards for the reft of Europe •, their Galleons bring the 
Silver into Spain, but neithter Wifdom or Power can keep 
it there. It runs out as faft as it comes in ; nay, and 
fafter ; infomuch, that the little Canton of Bern is really 
richer, and has more Credit than the King of Spain, not- 
withftanding his Indies. 
At firft Sight this feems to be ftrange and incredible ; 
but, when we come to examine it, the Myftery is, by no 
Means impenetrable. The Silver and rich Commodities, 
which come from the Indies, come not for nothing (the 
King’s Duties excepted) and very little of the Goods and 
Manufaftures, for which they come, belong to the Sub- 
jefts of the Crown of Spain. This fhews how the Wealth 
of the Spanifio Indies becomes the Property of other Nati- 
ons ; and how the Prefervation of their Dominions be- 
comes as much the Concern of their Neighbours, as it is 
their own. It likewife fhews how terribiy they are hurt 
by the ambitious Schemes of their Court, in Eurvpc ; and 
how every frefh War in Italy ferves to weaken Spain, and 
exhauft her Colonies ; fo that, in the End, fome great 
Revolution will happen there, but of what Kind, it is 
not eafy to forefee ; but certain it is, that the Spanip 
Power gradually declines, and many of their beft Settle- 
ments are already funk to nothing. 
As for Inftance, Florida is become a Burthen to them ; 
they having nothing there of Confequence but Fort St. Au- 
gufiine, which they keep to cover the Paffage of their 
Plate Fleets •, the Ifland of St. Domingo is impoveriilied, 
to the laft Degree, and the City of that Name had been 
long enough ago left defolate, if it was not for the general 
Tribunal of Juftice held therein, which is its foie Sup- 
port : Yet the French have a large and flourifhing Colony 
on the fame Ifland ; and if ever they fhould, as ’tis more 
than probable they will, elbow out the Spaniards from 
thence, it will change the Face of Affairs in the JVeJl- 
Indies extreamly. The Ifland of Cuba is no longer what 
it was ; and, in fhort, their Affairs decline fo faft, un- 
der their prefent Management, that, unlefs fome timely 
Remedies are applied, the Ruin of their Colonies muft fol- 
low very foon. 
This is a Leffon fit to be confidered by other Nations ; 
and it was for that Reafon I have infifted upon it fo much. 
It would, however, be no difficult Tafk to proceed ftill 
farther, and to examine the Confequences that may fol- 
low, in cafe the Spaniards fhould either be deprived of 
their Iflands in America, or fhould abandon them, which 
I look upon as the more likely Event of the two : But I 
have already beftowed too much Time upon this Subjebt, 
and I am fenfible, that fuch a Difeourfe might appear too 
grave to fome, and too chimerical to others ; and there- 
fore I fhall not infift upon it here : However, as I have 
Reafon to hope, this Work will long outlive its Author, 
I flatter myfelf that, whenever the. Event happens, Pofte- 
rity will take notice of my Conjefture ; and it will be 
very happy for the Britijh Nation, if right Meafures are 
taken in Time to fecure thofe Advantages that may be 
derived from fuch an Event *, or at leaft to avert thofe 
Dangers to which our Colonies muft be expofed, if, when- 
ever it happens, our Strength in the JVeJi-Indies fhould 
not be great enough to enable us to feize a confiderable 
Share of what they forfake. 
SECTION XVI. 
A concife Hijlory of the Difeovery^ Settlement., and Cultivation Brazil/^ the Portu- 
gueze ; the Conqueji of the greatefl Part of that Country hy the Dutch, the 
Recovery thereof by the Portugueze, and the vafl Advantages that have accrued to 
them of late fears from this noble Colony, 
I. AJhort IntroduBion, Jhewing the Nature, NeceJJity, and Importance of this Self ton. 2. The Difeovery 
of this Country, A. D. 1500, by Dwz Pedro Alvarez Cabral. 3. The fmall Advatitages expeBed from 
Brazil, when firfi vifted by theVovtaguQZQ. 4. So?ne Account of its antient Inhabitants, and their Ma?i- 
ners and Ciforns, from Dutch and Portugueze Writers. 5. d.he Methods taken to fettle it firfi by Europeans. 
6 . The Eftablifoment of a regular Colony under a Governor General from the Crown of Portugal. 7. The 
Attesnpts made by the French to efiablijh themfelves in this Country, and the Manner in which they mif 
carried. 8. Another Attempt of the fame Nature, by the fame Nation, attended with no better Succefs. 
g. The Dutch undertake, under Colour of their War againfi Spain, to make thenfelves Mafiers of Brazil. 
10. ' Their wonderful Succefs and thefurprizing Progrefs oj their Arms in that Country, i [. The Endea- 
vours ufed by the Portugueze to repel thefe Invaders, and to maintain themfelves in the PoJfeJJion ^Brazil. 
12. Count Maurice ^Naffau is fent over by the States General and Dutch Weft-India^ Company, to 
take upon him the Government of their new Conqueji. 1 3 . His wife and prudent Adminifiration, by %vhich 
the befit Part of that noble Country was fecured fi'or and fettled on the Behalf f the Dutch. 14. Their 
Treaty with the Portugueze ; they recal Count Maurice, and begin to aB tyrannically in that Country. 15. 
The Portugueze again take up Arms, fall upon the Dutch their Settlements, and after a long War drive 
