4 H 8 P A I N,
PoLi^,5At‘ ' - tance and importance o f the Spanxfh colonies render a war w ife Eng* I mport- 1" ■ '«* ' H A ’kVT ■’*“ J" ",
iNci, &c. land th e greateft calamity that; can -befal, as that power, enjpymgvth e
unlimited dominion o f th e ocean, can infliX dreadful wpunds op thp
cojaiheice and colonies o f Spain. Such feptti to be the hinges o f
Spanilh polity, th ough ancient fame, and' connexions w ith the royal
families o f moire, potent, ftates, fecure fome degree o f deferepce to «her
councils and m ediation. ,
C h a p . h i . c i v i l g e o g r a p h y . 4 l J
c h a p t e r I I I .
G i v m | P c o &s a f h y .
^Manners and.Cuftofits.— Language.— Literature.— Education.— Unmerfuj.es._
.. ( ’ • ' and Towns.— Edifices.— Reacts.— Inland Navigation.— ManufaSures
and Commerce. ,
T ^ :fp e ak in g '.o f th e reljgicmdofeSpaiit^ne'of th e moft ftriking ©f th e
^fcnatidnai cuftoms.-and manners has.;been already mentioned, namely
thd>!-eommon praXice ?of 'adultery under the malk .of.religion. T h is
difgrace,,which is confined,to thdiGatholic fyftem, is faid to have been
and» devotion are as warm as in
Spainss%r,S,utf the Italian are more.eoittmonly gentlemen ; while
in ; Spain th e y are monks and{ ecbleljaftics ;• and the vice becomes flagrant
beyond- coftceptipn, as it is. praXifed->^y jKgfe very men who ought to
e x h ib it examples of* .pure mo r a l i t y . I t may'perhaps be aflerted th a t the
Ropaan Gatholic fyftem in the foiith o f Europe is the only fuperftition
the .univerfe- which, has, at ^ p y period, neceffitated th e praXice o f
vice«; th u sco n firm in g th e maxim that the corruption o f the pureft and
beft fyftem is always the worft. Were* the father o f their faith, St;
James the apoftle, again to vifit Spain, he would certainly , begin with
preaching the^chriftian praXice, as i f the very idea o f chriftianity had
perifhed j .and his iirft duty would be to convert th e ecclefiaftics.
Exclufive o f this vice, the Spanilh charaXer is highly refpeXable, for
integrity and a long tirain o f virtues. , Confcious o f an upright and
noble, mind, the refpeX which a Spaniard would pay to thofe qualities,
in others, is often centered in himielf, as he is intimately fenfible that
he poflefles them. Th is felf-refpeX is nearly allied to p rid e ; but it is
the pride, o f virtue, which certainly ought not to humble itfelf before
vice and folly. . From th e fame principle arifes an excels o f ceremony,
f©
Markers
AMD
C u s t om s .
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