remarks, was worthy of the worst times of the Spanish government, especially considering that to foreign merchants and to foreign arms, Colombia is indebted for her political existence. The Congress, however, appear to have perceived the folly of the measure, and it never passed into a law. To have enforced it, would have been impracticable.

The want of capital, our ubiquitous countrymen are doing their best to supply, and, by means of capital, to remedy other serious disadvantages. An Englishmen of the name of Thompson,' says M. Mollien, (Englishmen of that name are to be found every where,) under pretence of improving the system of mining, has obtained the exclusive right to work the salt mines of Zipaquira, on engaging to pay the govern⚫ment 5000 piastres per month. The pearl fishery, from the Rio Hacha to King George's Islands, has been granted to Cochrane's nephew, to render it more productive: the English will soon have their bells and divers, and the fishery will doubtless in a short time be wholly in their hands. The English of Jamaica carry on almost the whole of the import trade.' The English, who let slip no opportunity of establishing their influence, have entreated a licence for ten years, to establish steam-boats upon the Orinoco.' The Zulia' (which flows into the lake of Maracaybo) is a magnificent stream-some Englishmen, already anticipating its advantages, have solicited permission to establish steamboats upon it.' In point of fact, patents have been granted to Colonel James Hamilton and Mr. John Elbers, a German, to establish steam-boats on the Orinoco and the Magdalena, which, should they succeed, will be of incalculable advantage to the commerce of the country, and immensely accelerate every species of improvement. Between Lima and Panama, they would also be highly advantageous. Further, the Government has granted to the English house of Herring, Graham, and Powles of London, long tried friends and supporters of Colombia,' 200,000 fanegas of land in the provinces of Merida, Caracas, and Choco, with a view to encourage the emigration of Europeans into that country.

We confess that no country presents to our imagination a

*Col. Hall, however, states, that the monopoly of all the pearl fisheries of Colombia has been assigned to Messrs. Rundell, Bridge, and Rundell. To the above-mentioned instances of English enterprise may be added, that Colonel Manby, after gallantly distinguishing himself in the service of the Republic, has laid before the Goverument a proposal for lighting the streets of Bogota with gas!

less desirable residence, than any part of the burning coasts, the bare savannas, or the scarcely accessible mountain plateaus of Colombia. It is in many respects one of the least eligible parts of the New World for English agriculturists, the only description of settlers who are wanted, or who would be likely to succeed. Mexico, Brazil, Illinois, Canada, or even the shores of the Plata, would, in our opinion, hold out stronger inducements. Yet, we cannot but sincerely rejoice, that a portion of the redundant capital of British merchants should be directed into such a channel, and that many of our adventurous countrymen should be attracted thither,-that the English language should be heard in the recesses of the Andes, and that a measure of English influence should mingle itself with the other elements which will combine to shape the future character and institutions of Colombia. Every patriot must rejoice in this, not merely as the honour of England is concerned in the extension of her moral conquests by means of her commercial ascendancy, but as the fairest opportunities will thus be opened, and the best medium be provided, for the diffusion of knowledge in its purest form. Of this our merchants think little, and for it they care less they will be content with their gains. But not the less will they be instrumental, as pioneers, in making way for the entrance of something more valuable than their merchandise. It is not without jealousy on the part of foreign nations that this is witnessed, and Mollien betrays a spirit which is but too common to his countrymen in the following paragraphs.

The power of England in America is without a rival; no fleets but hers are to be seen; her merchandizes are bought almost exclusively; her commercial agents, clerks, and brokers, are every where to be met with, and her soldiers have contributed, in Colombia, to the success of the cause of independence.

This connexion with England is not of recent formation; it may be dated almost from the time of the establishment of the Spanish colonies; for, in proportion as the mother country added to the number of its prohibitive laws, the audacity of the English smugglers increased. The Americans, therefore, have constantly preserved their relations with England; Spain herself has rendered them more active at different periods, especially in 1796, by laws which openly authorized them. When the revolution burst forth, the ravages committed by English admirals and privateers, and the attack upon Carthagena by Vernon, in 1740, were therefore less thought of than the assistance which might be expected from that country.

Every kind of succour was afforded, and upon credit; arms, soldiers, ships, all arrived in America. Dear and expensive favours! Momentary circumstances imparted a degree of value to them; it was forgotten, that India had been subjected by receiving similar

ones, and that Buenos Ayres, in 1806, had seen the British standard floating upon its ramparts.

The antipathies of religion and nationality were surmounted. Gratitude exercised its sway over the people, and they received the beretics like brothers. As soon as these were in the country, they placed their counters every where, laid them out with the greatest art, and dispersed their goods, fashions, dresses, in every direction, in order that they might introduce themselves into the country without exciting attention. Their uniform was adopted in the army, with the exception of the sanguinary colour of their coats, to which that of the French uniform was preferred; Colombia had English newspapers to direct its political opinions, and British ships to protect its

commerce.

The Colombians had met with a very generous reception at Jamaica; they there imbibed the English manners, and witnessing the opulence of that island, easily imagined what the English colossus must be.

• The first sentiment of the patriotic travellers was admiration; the second, fear.

The English perceived it; they promised the Colombians, alarmed at the last revolution in Spain, to protect them, and to lend them their support and assistance. By way of obtaining the guarantee, the latter considered themselves too fortunate in abandoning to their benefactors all the revenues of the state, so that salt-mines, emeralds, pearls, steam-boats, and loans, were mutually interchanged by both parties.

These were not the kind of relations which the nation was desirous of establishing with Europe; all its wishes were with France : first, because it was under no pecuniary engagements with her, and, secondly, because it was much more intimately connected with her by language, literature, manners, customs, and especially, by religion.

The name most often pronounced by Spanish Americans is that of Rome. The clergy seems determined not to separate itself from the Romish church; but, should the papal indecision be still further prolonged, it may create an impatience among the priests, who have, for a long time, been expecting the bulls of nomination. (Bulles d'institution.)

The United States expected, from their proximity to the Colombian republic, to have held the first rank among the powers friendly to this new state; they have been strangely deceived; the English have made them range themselves after the new independent states, so that they find themselves nearly in the same degree of consideration as Peru, Chili, and Buenos Ayres.' pp. 15-18.

The Writer adds, in a note to his observation on the religious antipathies between the Colombians, as Roman Catholics, and their English allies :

Besides, the English and the Americans of the United States, who every where (else) display so inveterate an animosity against.

the ceremonies of the Catholic worship, assist at their celebration in Colombia with a punctuality and devotion equal to that of the most zealous Catholics.'

The former part of this statement is, unhappily, not true: neither our military authorities nor our gentlemen absentees display this animosity,' or discover their Protestant principles in the way that could be wished. The latter part, we have no doubt, is a gross exaggeration of the fact; nevertheless, it must be presumed to be partially true, and deeply must it be regretted that any considerations of policy should lead to so debasing a compromise, involving at once meanness and hypocrisy. Captain Cochrane, however, says, that at Bogota few men attend the mass, unless they have some particular object in view, some "metal more attractive" than devotion.' At the approach of the host, the only people seen standing are foreigners, whom they do not compel to kneel, but who are obliged to take off their hats.' The Writer adds:

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I have, however, seen a priest walking under the holy canopy, whose expression of countenance said, "You heretics, I would make you kneel if I dared;" and who seemed to mutter between his teeth, These are the fruits of freedom and a patriotic revolution."'

So then, after all, the English are less complaisant there to the mummeries of the Romish idolatry, than British authorities in our own colonies! In Malta or in Corfu, that priest would have been satisfied with the state of things.

As a country, if not a desirable residence for an Englishman, either as respects the climate, the state of society, the religion, or the want of roads and every convenience of art-it is still full of interest and wonder, and to the philosophical traveller opens a boundless field of observation and discovery. Humboldt, the prince of travellers, in the volumes of his Personal Narrative already before the public, has made us acquainted with the eastern part of the Republic,-the coasts of Ĉumana and Caracas, the Llanos of Venezuela, and the shores of the Orinoco. Depons and Lavaysse had also supplied ample information with regard to the internal administration, commerce, and statistics of the captain-generalship of Caracas; and Mr. Semple's interesting" Sketch of the State of Caracas" contains a faithful and interesting description of the capital and the road to Valencia. Of New Granada, however, next to nothing was known, and we are indebted to the volumes now before us for a valuable accession to our topographical as well as political information.

Captain Cochrane, the son of Sir Alexander Cochrane, landed at Santa Marta, and ascended the Magdalena to Honda, VOL. XXIV. N.S.

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the port of Bogota. After spending some months in the capital, he crossed the Andes by the pass of Quindiu to Cartago, and finally descended the Atrato to Cartagena. The larger portion of his first volume is occupied with an historical sketch of the late Revolution, which will be very acceptable to his readers. The second work on our list appears anonymously, but its modest pretensions are more than justified by the value of the information which it contains. The Writer reached Bogota by a journey over land from Caracas, a distance of 1200 miles, and then descended the Magdalena to Santa Marta. The narrative of his journey is the more interesting, as it is the only account we have of that route. Colonel Hall's pamphlet is designed for the information of persons contemplating an emigration to Colombia. It is valuable chiefly on account of the geographical information, the itineraries, and the general observations which it comprises, but does not profess to give any topographical description. M. Mollien landed at Cartagena and reached Bogota by the usual route of the Magdalena; he thence made excursions to Socorro and Zipaquira; and finally proceeding to Neyva, Popayan, and Cali, descended the Dagua to San Buenaventura on the shores of the Great Ocean, and took his passage thence for Panama. His volume is characteristically the production of a Frenchman,-lively, intelligent, and always entertaining, but sadly deficient in specific details, and evidently drawn up from recollection, more than from notes. The mere recollections of a traveller, however, can rarely be depended upon for accuracy. Thus, occasionally, M. Mollien gives us dates and distances, (the latter, we have reason to believe, frequently erroneous conjectures,) but there is no plan or consistency in this respect, and nothing can be collected, therefore, from the dates that are given. Then, like most French travellers, he is too fond of generalising and philosophizing. But, on the whole, the volume does him credit, and we are thankful for the additional information to be gleaned from it. Frenchmen make good travellers in one respect; nothing comes amiss to them. A scanty wardrobe and maigre chére will content their easy nature. Add to which, M. Mollien had travelled in Africa, had explored the kingdom of Cayor, the territory of the Bourb Joloffs, of Bondou, and Fouta-Jallon, and explored the sources of the Senegal and the Gambia.* Such a person could

* See, for a notice of his Travels in Africa, Eclectic Rev. N.S. Vol. xiv. p. 10.