Geographical Collections. 137 
violates the rights of humanity, of nature, and of society. Nevertheless Francia, 
who was not a stupid tyrant, promised to himself to draw great advantages from 
a power which he maintained by terror. He undertook, with the assistance of 
tyranny, to reform his nation ; and it is in that enterprise that appears the finest 
part of his genius. As long as Paraguay could have had communication with 
other people, he could not have introduced a salutary reform ; for, besides a spi- 
rit of anxiety and of rebellion, more vices would have been gained from without 
than he could ever have corrected in the interior. Francia did a thing quite new, 
and worthy only of the legislation of antiquity, when he forbade all kind of rela- 
tionship, of correspondence, and of commerce, with foreign nations. He per- 
mitted no one to go out of the country under any pretext whatsoever. 
No stranger could come into Paraguay, reside there, and go out without a per- 
mission, which he only granted with great circumspection. He put so much ri- 
gour in this measure, that he was not at all scrupulous in retaining Englishmen, 
Italians, Portuguese, and natives of other countries, prisoners in his state. Mr. 
Bonpland, travelling companion of the Baron de Humboldt, having been borne 
away by some soldiers from a village of Cavages, has not been able, after many 
years of captivity, to obtain permission to revisit France, his native country. 
The situation of Paraguay was singularly favourable to the design of Francia, 
being in the interior of America, at a great distance from the sea, with which it 
has no communication but by its rivers, whose course surround it, and nearly 
make it a peninsula; and it was the more difficult to enter, or go out of it with- 
out permission, as beyond these rivers deserts and forests are met with, where 
the traveller is exposed to destruction. 
As soon as the people of Paraguay were, in this manner, isolated and separated 
from the other nations, they were obliged to give up all journies, a thing they were 
particularly fond of; and not only were they forced to remain at home, but also 
to seek, in their own resources, the means of satisfying their wants. From that 
moment they devoted themselves to the cultivation of the fields, to the rearing of 
flocks, and to the different mechanical arts: they could no longer ask any thing 
from other nations, nor receive any thing. 
Paraguay soon began to change in its appearance ; for industry is the daugh- 
ter of want. Countries, previously barren and desolate, became covered with 
crops. Sheep-folds were established in all directions, and fine races of animals 
multiplied on the bosom of the vast and fertile pastures. The number of horses, 
which previously were all obtained by importation, now increased beyond the 
immediate wants. And nothing, contributed so much towards increasing agri- 
cultural riches, as flocks of sheep, which furnish clothes and food, and the 
keeping of which constitutes the sweetest occupation of a country life. 
Agriculture, without which man would have remained in a savage state, never 
makes any progress without bringing arts into perfection. Besides the instru- 
ments of culture, machines were required for the preparation of wool and cotton, 
which could no longer be sold to-foreigners. It was then that the mechanical arts 
left the state of infancy and imperfection in which the inactivity of workmen 
had left them. Manufactures were first established for the generality of neces- 
sary articles, and for which they liad hitherto been dependent on other nations, 
thereby keeping the country in a state of poverty, notwithstanding the fertility of 
its soil. 
This state of prosperity could not have taken place without the genius of Fran- 
cia, and witheut many acts of tyranny. There were no men more given to idleness 
than the inhabitants of Paraguay. To them it was a delight to be doing nothing. 
They passed a great part of the day on horseback, at church, gambling, or with 
women. It was on this account that Francia, endowed by nature with an extraor- 
dinary activity, used every means in his power to uproot this apathy of the mind 
and body.. He made every body work, by punishing idleness as a crime. He 
condemned to imprisonment those who neglected their fields and their flocks. If 
by neglect the shepherd allowed any of his flock to go astray, they were confis- 
cated to the state, to render him more vigilant. He did not always trust to the 
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