{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_67526/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_67526","id":"gutenberg_67526","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67526","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Category: History - Modern (1750+)","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Category: Teaching & Education","Category: Travel Writing","Education -- South America","South America -- Description and travel","South America -- Religion","South America -- Social life and customs"],"text":"LETTERS ON THE MORAL AND RELIGIOUS STATE OF SOUTH AMERICA.\n\nDENNETT, PRINTER, LEATHER LANE, LONDON.\n\n\n\n\n                                 LETTERS\n                                 ON THE\n                        MORAL AND RELIGIOUS STATE\n                                   OF\n                             SOUTH AMERICA,\n                                 WRITTEN\n                DURING A RESIDENCE OF NEARLY SEVEN YEARS\n                                   IN\n                       BUENOS AIRES, CHILE, PERU,\n                              AND COLOMBIA.\n\n                            BY JAMES THOMSON.\n\n                       PUBLISHED BY JAMES NISBET,\n                       21, BERNERS STREET, LONDON.\n       Hatchard and Son, Piccadilly; Seeley and Son, Fleet Street;\n        Hamilton, Adams, and Co., and J. Duncan, Paternoster Row;\n     W. Oliphant; Waugh and Innes; and W. Whyte and Co., Edinburgh;\n               M. Ogle; and Chalmers and Collins, Glasgow;\n                R. M. Tims; and W. Curry and Co., Dublin.\n\n                              M DCCC XXVII.\n\n\n\n\nTO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD CALTHORPE, _&c. &c. &c._\n\n\nMY LORD,\n\nKnowing the warm, solicitude which your Lordship feels in regard to all\nendeavours, to promote the moral and religious welfare of the inhabitants\nof South America, I dedicate these Letters to your Lordship; and I beg of\nyou to accept my sincere thanks for your Lordship\u2019s kind permission thus\nto give your name to the world, in connexion with the best and highest\ninterests of South America.\n\n    I have the honour to be,\n\n                           MY LORD,\n\n                                 Your Lordship\u2019s\n\n                                        Most obedient Servant,\n\n                                                           JAMES THOMSON.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nSoon after my return to England in 1825, I was solicited by several\nfriends to publish extracts from the letters I had written during my\nresidence in South America. To enable me to do this, I was kindly\nfurnished with these letters by the individuals to whom they were\naddressed. I have at length attended to these solicitations, with this\nview of creating a greater interest in this country on behalf of that\nquarter of the world, and in the expectation that this increased interest\nwill turn out to the good of South America.\n\nI have to beg the indulgence of my readers in regard to these letters,\nfrom the consideration that they were not written for publication. There\nwill appear also some indistinctness, on account of the letters being\naddressed to various individuals, whilst they are here classed simply\nin the order of time in which they were written. To which may be added,\namong their defects, the abruptness arising from the circumstance of what\nis here given being only extracts. If, however, some interest should be\nexcited in regard to South America by the publication of these letters,\nand if there should arise from this some good to that country, I shall\nnot be sorry for thus having given them to the public, notwithstanding\nthe disadvantages under which they appear.\n\nI am now about to return to that quarter of the world, and trust that\nthe same gracious hand which protected me and guided me in my former\nwanderings there, will still conduct me, and will enable me to sow seed\nwhich may spring up unto eternal life. Ten days after this date, I embark\nfor Mexico, as the agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society. I go\nfraught with a sacred treasure, with some thousands of copies of the\nHoly Scriptures. Besides circulating these, which are nearly all in\nthe Spanish language, I am commissioned to procure translations of the\nScriptures into the native languages of that country, and which are still\nspoken there by some millions of the inhabitants.\n\nIn prosecuting these objects, I intend to travel over the greater part\nof Mexico and Guatemala. Whilst traversing these parts, I shall probably\nkeep a journal of occurrences, illustrative of the state of the country\nin a general point of view; and should the small volume now published be\nfavourably received, I may perhaps at some future period have something\nfor the press less unworthy of public attention.\n\nLONDON, 13th February, 1827.\n\n\n\n\nLETTERS ON THE MORAL AND RELIGIOUS STATE OF SOUTH AMERICA.\n\n\n                                          _Buenos Aires, 5th June, 1820._\n\nI cannot be very particular as to all that has occurred to me since my\narrival here, the outlines will be sufficient. I arrived on the 6th\nOctober, 1818, after a voyage from Liverpool of twelve weeks and three\ndays, and except about a fortnight, was sick all the time. Soon after my\narrival, I made proposals to the Government, regarding the introduction\nof the Lancasterian System of education. I received promises of meeting\nwith every encouragement in this matter, but these promises, through\nneglect, were long in producing the desired effect. I was feeling the\ntruth of Solomon\u2019s remark, \u201cHope deferred maketh the heart sad.\u201d Under\nthese circumstances I was proposing to go into the interior, where I\nhad more positive encouragement held out to me. Just at this time, by\napplication at a better quarter than we had at first applied to, the\narrangement was formed by which I was engaged by the magistrates to put\ntheir schools, in this city and neighbourhood, upon this plan. Since\nthat time we have been doing more or less in this business, but things\nin general go on very slowly here, and besides, many political changes\nhave retarded our operations. Notwithstanding, however, I trust the\nfoundation of a good work has been laid, by pursuing of which, I hope\nto see many thousands reaping the benefits of education, and imbibing\nthe soundest principles of religion and morality from lessons selected\nfrom the Holy Scriptures. You will be surprised and pleased when I tell\nyou, these lessons are entirely of my own selection, and printed in this\nplace. In no case, regarding them, has there been any interference or\nhindrance on the part of the clergy or others. We have now a school going\non, with upwards of 100 boys in it, and soon we expect to have others\nset a going. These things, my dear friend, fill me (as they will do you)\nwith gratitude and thanksgiving. They are small things, in themselves\nconsidered, but taking into consideration all the circumstances of\nthis country, they are great, and more especially when considered as a\nfoundation for future operations. In another respect also something has\nbeen done, I mean regarding the circulation of the Scriptures. I have got\nupwards of 400 Spanish New Testaments from the British and Foreign Bible\nSociety, and these I have been able to land here without the smallest\nhindrance. Several of them have been already distributed, and have met\nwith a ready reception. I have been able also to send some of them into\nvarious parts of the country here, and into Chile. Where the word of God\ncirculates, we have every ground to look for good effects, though it may,\nlike seed sown in the earth, appear for a while to be lost. By and by,\nhowever, the seed springs up, first the blade, then the ear, and lastly\nthe full corn in the ear. So shall it be with the seed of the word of\nGod, which shall not return void, but shall accomplish the will of God in\nturning men from darkness to light.\n\nWe are in the midst of political commotions here at present, and have\nbeen so for some time past. The Lord, however, is the security of his\npeople, he is the Governor among the nations, and all these changes will,\nI trust, lead to the promoting of his kingdom. Let us join in the prayer,\n\u201cThy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven.\u201d\nFor the present, farewell.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                         _Buenos Aires, 26th July, 1820._\n\nI have got the information contained in your letters, and the printed\nsheet translated into Spanish, and have presented it to the Magistrates,\nwho have ordered it to be printed in the Buenos Aires Gazette.\n\nI am happy to say the same favourable disposition towards our objects,\ncontinues to prevail in this place; and that from Monte Video I have\nlately received encouraging accounts, which, I hope, will lead to a\ncommencement in that place. I went there about three months ago, to see\nwhat could be done. It so happened that General Lecor, the Portuguese\nGovernor, to whom I had letters of introduction, was absent at Maldonado,\nwith the two principal Magistrates. I explained my objects to the chief\nclergyman, a liberal man, and a particular friend of the Governor\u2019s. He\npromised to do all he could towards promoting our system of education on\nthe Governor\u2019s return; and I some weeks ago received from him a copy of a\nletter, which the Magistrates addressed to him upon the subject, and of\nwhich I subjoin a translation.\n\n                                    \u201c_Monte Video, 20th May, 1820._\n\n    \u201cSir,\u2014We have read with peculiar pleasure and attention the\n    memorial which you had the goodness to send us, relative to\n    the system of instruction established in Europe by Lancaster.\n    We have the honour of communicating, that it has met with our\n    particular esteem; and that in consequence, we have resolved to\n    adopt the said system in this city, as soon as Mr. Thomson can\n    come here from Buenos Aires, to commence it. Please communicate\n    this to him, and express our sincere thanks to him for his\n    zeal towards the youth of this province. May God preserve you\n    many years.\u201d\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                          _Buenos Aires, 24th May, 1821._\n\nI am now about to leave this city, and to proceed to Chile. I leave the\ntwo principal schools going on as I mentioned in my last, and the masters\nof the others instructed in the monitorian system. What principally\nenables me to leave the schools here in the confidence that they will go\non well, is, that they are under the particular care of one who feels\nmuch interest in the new system of instruction, and of general education.\nThis individual is very active, and well fitted to carry into execution\nwhat he conceives useful. The person I am speaking of is a priest. We\nhave been associated together in the care of the schools for some time,\nand have had much intercourse with each other, and we have always been on\nthe most friendly terms.\n\nIt was my intention to leave this, at the latest, in October next.\nThings, however, being favourably arranged, as above mentioned, I have\nthought it my duty to set out for Chile without loss of time. From my\nformer letters you would learn that the Chilian government has requested\nme to go there to establish schools on the Lancasterian plan. I had\npromised to go as soon as the state of the schools here would permit. The\nChilian government, through their minister here, continues to shew the\nsame interest as before in regard to this matter, and has now made an\nagreement with me.\n\nThe season is now far advanced, and the Andes are covered with snow.\nBesides this inconvenience of the mountains, the roads, in some places,\nare nearly intercepted, so as to render travelling rather insecure. From\nthese considerations, I have resolved, with the advice of my friends,\nto go by sea, and have taken my passage in the brig Dragon, Captain\nGreen, for Valparaiso, in Chile. Sailing round Cape Horn is by no means\nso formidable a matter now as it was formerly considered to be. Vessels\nfrequently go round now, and at all seasons. This is now the middle\nof our winter, and we expect the cold to be severe. I am accordingly\npreparing myself for it, as well as I can, by providing warm clothing.\nDuring the winter the winds are considered more favourable, and vessels\nmake quicker passages. We expect to sail in a day or two, and, I trust,\nHe who guided me over the ocean in coming to this place, will still be\nwith me to preserve me, and to bring me safely to my desired haven.\n\nI leave all my friends here on the best terms, and I leave the place,\nin many respects with regret. I shall never forget all the kindness I\nhave met with in this city from the Magistrates, and from all classes\nwith whom I have had intercourse. May God reward them. When I gave in my\nresignation, I said that it was my intention to return here next summer,\nto visit the schools, and to see how they were coming on. In the kindest\nmanner I was requested not to forget my promise of returning. They were\nsorry, they said, that it was not in their power to reward me in a\npecuniary way, from the lowness of their funds. They begged me to accept\nof their sincerest thanks for establishing this system of education in\nthe country, from which they said they anticipated the happiest results,\nin making education general throughout all classes of the people; and\nthey added that, as a mark of respect, they had requested the government\nto confer on me the honour of citizenship, and which was accordingly done.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                      _Santiago de Chile, 6th Aug. 1821._\n\nMy letter to you of the 16th July, brought down my journal to the day\nbefore my leaving Valparaiso. On the 17th I left that place in the\nafternoon, and at two o\u2019clock on the 19th I said, \u201cPeace be to this\ncity!\u201d I was going to give you some account of the road, and what I met\nwith upon it, but find I have got other things to write which will fill\nmy letter. I shall leave this description till a further opportunity.\n\nYou know, already, that I was engaged to come here by this government,\nand that my passage round the Cape was paid by the same. I therefore\nlooked for a fair and open reception. I have not been disappointed, or,\nperhaps, I should rather say I have, for I have met with a reception\nbeyond my expectation, I might say to my wish. I have been introduced to\nthe Director and to the Ministers of Government, all of whom express much\ndesire for the speedy establishment of schools _throughout_ Chile. We\nhave got the largest apartment in the University for a school-room. The\njoiners are busy at work, fitting it up, and we only wait their finishing\nto begin our operations.\n\nI shall occupy the rest of my letter in giving you a translation of two\narticles, which bear upon this subject.\n\nOn my arrival here, I received a copy of the following order, issued by\nthe Government two days before I reached this city:\u2014\n\n    \u201cBy supreme authority of this date, I communicate to Don Manuel\n    Salas the following note.\n\n    \u201cMr. Thomson, who has been engaged to establish in this city\n    the new system of mutual instruction, has already arrived in\n    Valparaiso. His Excellency, the Director, has a decided wish\n    that public education may be general, and is very anxious to\n    give all possible aid to this establishment for elementary\n    instruction, as preparatory to the higher branches. He has for\n    this end appointed you with full powers to forward this object,\n    in conjunction with Mr. Thomson, and the President of the\n    Board of Public Education. You will, therefore, do all in your\n    power to establish it as soon and as perfectly as possible.\u2014A\n    copy of this order to be sent to the President of Public\n    Education, and to Mr. Thomson.\u201d\n\n              \u201cOffice of the Minister of State in Santiago\n                       de Chile, 17th July, 1821.\n\n                        \u201cJOAQUIN DE ECHEVARRIA.\u201d\n\nUpon enquiring who this Don Manuel Salas was, I found he was a man very\nhighly respected by every one, and a modest but decided philanthropist.\nI have since been frequently with him, and find him, indeed, as\ndescribed to me. I next give you an article from the Public Gazette of\nthe 4th current; I think it is from the pen of Salas, but this is only\nconjecture. It is, however, either from him or from one of the Ministers\nof Government.\n\n    \u201cPUBLIC EDUCATION.\n\n    \u201cIgnorance is one of the greatest evils that man can suffer,\n    and it is the principal cause of all his errors and miseries.\n    It is also the grand support of tyranny, and ought, therefore,\n    to be banished by every means from that country which desires\n    a liberty regulated by laws, customs, and opinion. None can be\n    happy unless he study religion, morality, and his own rights,\n    unless he improve by the knowledge of those who have preceded\n    him, and enter into social connexion, as it were, with those\n    who in former times, and in other places, cultivated the\n    sciences and the arts, and who have deposited in their writing,\n    the fruit of their studies for the improvement of others. The\n    only way by which we can form such an acquaintance with great\n    men is _by reading_. The happy day is now arrived when the\n    infinitely valuable art of reading is to be extended to every\n    individual in Chile. We have now the pleasure of announcing\n    this to all classes of the community. This will be considered\n    as the most interesting news, by those who know its importance,\n    and who consider it as the basis of solid prosperity. Deeply\n    impressed with this truth, our benevolent government has\n    brought to this place Mr. James Thomson, who has established in\n    Buenos Aires elementary schools upon that admirable system of\n    Lancaster, which has spread through the world. He is going to\n    establish schools on the same plan in this city, from which,\n    as a centre, this system will be propagated through all the\n    towns of the state. The readiness with which this mode of\n    education has been generally adopted, its economy, and the\n    quickness and order with which children learn by it reading,\n    writing, arithmetic, and the principles of grammar, strongly\n    recommend it. It has been particularly useful in those places\n    where rural or mechanical occupations allow but a short time\n    for instruction. There is, therefore, now no obstacle in\n    the way for every one in Chile to obtain education. Notice\n    will be given, from time to time, of the progress of the\n    central school, which is to serve as a model for others. In\n    it masters will be instructed, and those masters who show the\n    most attention in acquiring a knowledge of this system will be\n    appointed in preference to the other schools.\u201d\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                  _Santiago de Chile, 8th October, 1821._\n\nI seize the opportunity of sending you a few lines by his Majesty\u2019s ship\nOwen Glendower, which sails for England from Valparaiso immediately.\nI enclose you a copy of a letter of this date to Mr. Owen, which will\ninform you of my concerns here, touching the Bible Society, to this\ndate. In addition to this, I shall now communicate to you some notices\nregarding our schools here, bringing down my accounts upon the subject\nfrom the 1st September (the date of my last letter to Mr. S.) to the\npresent day.\n\nI am happy to say, the favourable reception I met with here, and of\nwhich I wrote you on the 6th August, was not a momentary feeling. It has\nbeen kept up till now, and I might also say, it has rather increased\nthan diminished. Soon after my arrival in this city, a large room in the\nUniversity was pointed out to me as the place in which we were to begin\nour school operations. This hall is capable of containing 200 children,\naccording to our plan, and this is a very good number for a model school.\nThis hall was to have been the University Chapel. The building I here\ncall the University, is not occupied at present in the way its name would\nindicate, though intended for a place of learning. There is, however,\nanother building appropriated to the objects of a college, and of which I\nmay write you afterwards. My present object is to speak of our schools.\nThrough the delay of the joiners in fitting up this place, it was not\ncompleted till the 17th September. On that day our school was opened.\nFrom day to day our number increased, till, at the end of a fortnight,\nour number (200) was completed. Since that time, we have been daily\nimportuned to admit others, which we are unable to do. We are, however,\nabout to commence fitting up another large hall in the University\nbuildings. At the present rate of applications, we shall certainly have\nmore in readiness for that second school, by the time it is prepared,\nthan it will contain. The fitting up of others is also talked of. From\nthe short time our school has been going on, it promises to do well. The\nchildren are docile and agreeable. I am now so much familiarized with\nthe appearance and manner of the children in these countries, that I\nfeel myself quite at home among them. There is more resemblance to the\nEnglish or European face among the children and others here, in Chile,\nthan in Buenos Aires. I have been _this moment_ interrupted by one of my\nscholars, who has called upon me, and brought me a ham, a present from\nhis mother.\n\nAll classes seem to take an interest in our schools. We are daily\nvisited. The First Minister of the Government pays us a visit regularly\nevery afternoon. We have already four masters studying the system, and\nthese will be ready in a month or two to open schools on our plan, either\nin this city or in the provincial towns. In Conception, Coquimbo, and\nanother town of inferior population, they are preparing for establishing\nschools upon our system. The principal things we stand in need of for\nthe rapid extension of our schools, are slates and printed lessons. I am\nexpecting 2000 slates by the first vessel from England, and am at present\ngetting some lessons printed in the government printing office. To defray\nthe expense of these, we have opened a subscription, which I hope will do\nwell. I have already got upwards of 270 dollars among my English friends\nhere, and expect more.\n\nThus, you see, the Lord is with us, and blessed be his name. May he,\nin his own way and wisdom, make his great name glorious in the eyes of\nChile, and of all South America.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                  _Santiago de Chile, 8th October, 1821._\n\nI wrote you a few lines on the 26th February, and then mentioned that\nit was my intention to visit Chile. Through the gracious providence of\nthe God of the Bible Society, I have now effected my intention. I left\nBuenos Aires on the 30th May, and sailing round Cape Horn, arrived safely\nat Valparaiso, after a voyage of forty-four days. After a short stay in\nthat place, to recruit my health, which always suffers at sea, I came\nto this city, the capital of Chile. Here, the moment of my arrival, I\nmet with a very encouraging reception. You know, of course, that my most\nprominent object in South America is the promoting of education on the\nLancasterian plan. On this footing it was that I experienced so hearty\na reception in this place. Great and respected as your Society is, and\nought to be, in the eyes of England and of Europe, it would yet be an\nimprudence to proclaim one\u2019s self your agent here, with the sole or chief\nobject of circulating the Bible. This is not speaking very favourably of\nthe inhabitants of South America, you will say. I confess it, but at the\nsame time, I have told you the truth.[1] Whilst, however, I hold myself\nforward in the eyes of South America, as a promoter of education and an\ninstructor of youth, I consider myself in all respects as the servant\nof the British and Foreign Bible Society. I beg you to consider me in\nthis light, and to call upon me with the utmost freedom in whatever way\nI can, directly or indirectly, promote your blessed work, in making the\ninhabitants of this vast continent acquainted with the words of eternal\nlife. I have said, my prominent object here is the establishment of\nschools. I freely and openly profess this, and in consequence am every\nwhere hailed as a friend. The little influence I have thus acquired, and\nthe confidence reposed in me, enable me more effectually to promote the\ncirculation of the Scriptures, than if I acted ostensibly and exclusively\nas your agent. One proof of this I shall give you. I brought with me\namong my books from Buenos Aires, about sixty Spanish New Testaments. In\ngetting my luggage through the custom-house, I was told, that the books\nmust be inspected by the Bishop. I wished this might be dispensed with,\nbut it was insisted on. I then told the officers, that I was engaged to\ncome here by the Government to establish the Lancasterian schools. That\nalters the case, said they, and immediately the papers for despatching\nmy books, &c. were signed, and not a single book was so much as looked\nat either by the Bishop, or by any of the custom-house officers. I was\ntold, before coming here, that there was much less liberality in Chile,\nas to the circulation of the Scriptures, than in Buenos Aires. I was,\ntherefore, anxious to avoid the inspection of the Bishop above noticed. I\nunderstand he has it in his power to prohibit what books he chooses, and\nthat his prohibition holds, unless the Government give, in the individual\ncase, an order to the contrary. I am in expectation of receiving from\nyou very soon 300 of Scio\u2019s translation of the New Testament. These I\nshall let pass all the forms required, to make proof whether or not\nthe Scriptures are allowed to be introduced into Chile. This, you will\nperceive, is an object worth ascertaining, and the knowledge of it will\nbe of considerable use in directing us in future. Should the Bishop demur\nas to their circulation, and wish to keep them, I can, I think, obtain an\norder of the Government to prevent it; so that we may consider there is\nno great danger of losing them, in making the trial referred to.\n\nNotwithstanding what I have said above, no interruption to the\ncirculation of the Spanish New Testament has yet been experienced. Soon\nafter my arrival, I gave to an Englishman, who has a shop here, some\ncopies to sell. This man is a Roman Catholic, and I am happy to say, he\nrecommends the Scriptures to the natives of this country, who are of his\nown religion. He has already sold about twenty. He is very anxious for\nthe arrival of the Spanish Bibles, which I told him I expected, as he\nthinks he could sell many of them.\n\nIn my letters to you, from time to time, when in Buenos Aires, I related\nto you the state of the circulation of the Scriptures in that place. I\nam happy to say, that at my leaving it, the prospects regarding this\nimportant matter were more favourable than at any former period. I do\nnot mean to say by this, that there was any particular stir about the\nword of God, or great demand for it; but I mean to convey to you this\nencouraging truth, that the Scriptures are occasionally bought, and\nmore so than formerly, and that they are increasingly read from year to\nyear. I consider the word of God to have fairly got an entrance into\nBuenos Aires; and that its prohibition, or any material hindrance to its\ncirculation, is not only unlikely, but, one might say, impossible. I give\nyou this as my opinion, after a residence in that place of more than two\nyears and a half, and an intercourse with various classes of society\nduring that time.\n\nI shall now mention some things not formerly noticed, regarding the\ncirculation of the Scriptures in Buenos Aires, and in the surrounding\ncountry.\u2014A military officer, commanding on a station a short distance\nfrom the city, has been greatly delighted with the New Testament, and\nin consequence, very anxious to make others acquainted with it. He\nrecommended the reading of it to several poor people who were unable\nto purchase it, and requested to have copies to give them, which he\nobtained. In this way he has distributed a number of copies. Besides\nthose given to the poor, some have been sold by him to those able to pay\nfor them. He used to take me very cordially by the hand when we met,\nand to speak with pleasure on the beneficence of the Bible Society, and\nof the great advantages that would arise to his countrymen by a general\nreading of the Holy Scriptures. I told him I hoped soon to have the\nwhole Bible in Spanish, and in consequence he is all expectation for\nit. On my leaving Buenos Aires, I gave twenty-four New Testaments to\nthis gentleman, in the confidence of their being distributed in the most\njudicious manner.\n\nThere is a military station and a small town on the east coast of\nPatagonia, called Rio Negro, in about 42\u00b0 south latitude. To this place\nsome copies of the New Testament have been sent. One individual, a native\nof that place, was so pleased with the copy he got, that he requested\nthe person who brought it, to bring several copies on his return for\nhis family and friends. I am personally acquainted with the officer at\npresent commanding at that place, and am pretty certain he will not\nthrow any obstacle in the way of the circulation of the Scriptures.\nThis gentleman attended our school in Buenos Aires, and took with him\nlessons, &c. to establish schools on his arrival in that place, for which\nhe sailed in May last. The lessons I have referred to I got printed in\nBuenos Aires for our schools. They are selections from the Scriptures.\nThese lessons, now used in most of the schools, will greatly contribute,\nI hope, to create a desire to possess the sacred volume, a book which has\nhitherto been little known in this country.\n\nA Patagonian chief, called Cualli Piachepolon, in the very centre of\nPatagonia, is in possession of one of your Testaments. This man has\nbeen in the habit of visiting Buenos Aires for some years, in order to\nexchange the few commodities which his country at present produces, for\nthose of Europe. He has hence acquired some knowledge of the Spanish\nlanguage. Upon hearing some passages of the New Testament read to him, he\nrequested to have the book, that he might, on his return, explain it to\nhis people.\n\nSome copies have been sent to Tucuman, to Salta, &c.; so that your\nbounty is known, more or less throughout the provinces of the Rio de\nla Plata; and I have no doubt but, some hundred years hence, the then\npopulous banks of that king of rivers, and the circumjacent country, will\ngratefully remember the present Committee and Members of the British and\nForeign Bible Society.\n\nI close my account of Buenos Aires, for the present, by noticing, that\nsome individuals, upon obtaining the New Testament, and hearing of\nyour great and extended efforts in distributing the Holy Scriptures,\nwondered how they had been taught that the English were not Christians.\nWhen speaking on religion, it is common to use the word Christian and\nProtestant in contradistinction to each other, meaning, by the former,\nthemselves or Roman Catholics in general, and by the latter, the English\nor Protestants in general.\n\nA short time before I left the Rio de la Plata, I sent ten of the\nPortuguese Bibles, and twenty New Testaments, to Bahia, in charge of a\nperson who, I think, would take care to see them safely lodged in that\nplace. I sent them to the care of the English Chaplain there.\n\nDuring the few days I stopped at Valparaiso, I met with a gentleman to\nwhom I had formerly intrusted twelve of the Spanish New Testaments. Upon\nmy enquiring about them, he told me they had been stolen out of his room.\nThough this was to be regretted, yet one good effect would arise from it,\nin as much as the person who stole them would no doubt take effectual\ncare to put them in circulation.\n\nIn my letter of 26th February, I requested the Society to send me 200\nof Scio\u2019s translation to Buenos Aires, and 300 to Valparaiso. I hope\nthese will respectively arrive in due time. I then noticed to you the\nadvantage that would arise from lettering them on the back, and varying\nthem in the binding. I particularly request your attention to this, as\nI am sure it will contribute greatly to their sale. Let the binding be\nin many cases elegant. They would thus be more expensive to the Society\nat first, but they would be considerably less in the end. It is my\nintention to _sell_ them in future, except when a favourable opportunity\noccurs of giving the word of God to a person in real poverty. This I know\nto be the uniform recommendation of the Society. I would beg leave to\nsuggest to you, that no Bibles or New Testaments be sent out in future\nto Buenos Aires by the captains of ships. The captains, however well\nintentioned they may be, cannot stay to distribute them. The Testaments,\nin consequence, have not unfrequently come into hands who wish to get rid\nof them in any way. By this means they become, as it were, of too little\nconsideration, and their _sale_ is thus also prevented, which no doubt\nis the most effectual way of distributing them. In Buenos Aires several\npersons objected to buying them, because they had formerly been got for\nnothing. I shall, as I have said above, most readily act as your agent\nin distributing the Scriptures in Buenos Aires, and in Chile. The most\njudicious and effectual way of doing this is through the booksellers in\nthese places. Before leaving Buenos Aires I arranged for the continued\ncirculation of the New Testament, and here I shall make arrangements\nto the same effect before I go. It is my intention to visit Peru before\nlong; and I shall there also, and indeed wherever I may be, zealously\nendeavour to promote the good work in which you are engaged.\n\nIn a few years South America will have large claims on your Society, but\nshe will pay you from her mines for all your kindness. Should the Lord\nspare me ten or twenty years, I have no doubt I shall see wonderful and\nblessed changes on this continent. It is my intention, through the grace\nof our Lord Jesus Christ, to spend my life (long or short as it may be)\nin South America; probably not in any fixed place, but residing from time\nto time wherever I may most effectually promote the work of the Lord, in\nestablishing schools, in circulating the Scriptures, and in the use of\nsuch other means as circumstances may direct.\n\n[1] Some letters towards the end will show, that this was too\nunfavourable a conclusion, but it was the opinion I entertained from what\nI had then seen of the country.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                      _Santiago de Chile, 1st Dec. 1821._\n\nBefore this reaches you, the taking of Lima by San Martin, will be known\nin England. I need not expatiate upon this subject to you. You must see\nat once how much our field is thereby extended. I may truly say, the fall\nof Lima is as great a blow to the kingdom of Satan here, as it is to the\ncause of Spain in South America. From what I have learned of San Martin,\nI am sure he will prove a great forwarder of our cause there, and indeed\nwherever he may be. The rejoicings here on account of the fall of Lima\nhave been very great, and they still continue. The fall of that strong\nhold of the Spaniards, is at once the liberty of Peru, and the stability\nof Chile; and I may add too, the independence of South America.\n\nWe are about to form a School Society in this city, which I hope will be\nattended with happy results. The Director condescends to be the Patron of\nthe Society, and his first minister is to be President. We are looking\naround us for the most patriotic and liberal men of the city to form a\nCommittee. Our Society may not be able to do what a similar Society would\ndo in England; but it may, however, do something, and may considerably\nforward our objects here on behalf of the inhabitants of Chile. Besides\nthe establishing and superintending of schools throughout the state,\nthere is another object to which the Society will greatly contribute,\nI mean, the printing of some elementary works for the schools, and for\nthe children to read in their own houses. This is a part of our work,\nwhich I consider of great importance, and to which I intend to turn a\nconsiderable part of my time and attention, so soon as other matters will\nallow.\n\nI believe I wrote you, before leaving Buenos Aires, that I had sent a\nMaster to Monte Video, or that I was about to send one. He had not left\nBuenos Aires when I came away, as he was occupied in printing a grammar,\nwhich he had written for the use of our schools. I have lately received\na letter from him, of which I shall give you an extract.\u2014\u201cOn the 4th of\nthis month (July) I arrived in this city with the slates and lessons you\ngave me for the schools here. On the following day, I presented myself to\nLara\u00f1aga, (the chief ecclesiastic in Monte Video,) and he introduced me\nto General Lecor, the Governor, to whom I gave your letter. I met with a\nvery hearty reception from the general, as also from Lara\u00f1aga, and the\nmagistrates. On the 9th, we had assigned to us for a school-room, a large\nhall in the Fort. This hall will hold 200 children. The general sent the\njoiners and masons of the Government to prepare this school, and I am in\nhopes we shall be able to open it in three weeks. I am making endeavours\nto form a School Society here, which may take under its management\nthe schools of this city and province. I am in great expectation of\nsucceeding in this object, as the members of the Government are very well\ndisposed to it.\u201d\n\nIn the end of this month, I am thinking of crossing the Andes, to verify\nmy long intended visit to Mendoza. The printing of our lessons is nearly\nfinished, and I shall thus be enabled to take some with me for the\nsupply of that place. You will see by the extracts of letters I gave from\nMendoza, in my last letter to Mr. H. (Nov. 1st), that things there are\nvery promising. I hope my expectations regarding their improvements will\nbe more than realized. The snow still continues on the mountains, as I\nam informed by a gentleman just come over them. I hope it will be nearly\nall gone by the time I set out. It has continued, I understand, for an\nunusual length of time this season.\n\nI shall leave the schools in my absence, under the care of an Englishman\nlately come here from London. This gentleman was engaged by the agent\nthere of this Government, for the purpose of establishing Lancasterian\nschools here. Upon his arrival, it was the intention of the Government to\nsend him to Conception. I thought, however, it would be better that he\nshould stay here to instruct the school-masters in grammar, geography,\n&c., whilst they were studying the system in our school. To this proposal\nthe Government cheerfully agreed. We have in consequence a separate\nclass in the school, in which Mr. Eaton instructs the masters, and two\nor three more who choose to attend. This arrangement will prove, I hope,\nhighly advantageous to the education of the country at large, as those,\nwho in future take charge of schools, will be better qualified for this\nimportant office.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                     _Santiago de Chile, 30th Jan. 1822._\n\nAs I know you and your good friends of the British and Foreign School\nSociety take a deep interest in all things here relative to education, I\nsend you an extract from the Chile Gazette of the 19th current, by which\nyou will see that our endeavours to form a School Society here have not\nbeen in vain.\n\n    \u201cThe surest method of promoting the happiness of any country\n    is to make all the people in it well informed and industrious.\n    An end has at length been put to the obstacles which prevented\n    the natives of Chile from enjoying those blessings which are\n    enjoyed by other nations less favoured by nature, but who have\n    preceded us in the cultivation of literature and the arts. It\n    is hence necessary now to strain every nerve to regain that\n    time which in idleness and darkness has been thrown away. We\n    begin, then, by offering an opportunity of acquiring knowledge\n    to all classes of the community, without respect of rank or\n    fortune, of sex or age.\n\n    \u201cThe Lancasterian system of mutual instruction, now introduced\n    in most parts of the civilized world, and to which many\n    places already owe an improvement in their habits, has been\n    established amongst us, and in such a manner as prognosticates\n    its beneficial effects. The propagation of this system holds\n    out the surest means of extirpating those principles formed\n    amongst us during the time of darkness. The government has\n    resolved zealously to protect this establishment, and, as\n    the best way of fulfilling its intention, has resolved to\n    unite with it in this object those persons who have the same\n    sentiments on the subject, and who, at the same time, possess\n    that activity, zeal, and energy, which this important matter\n    demands. In all places this system of instruction prospers and\n    extends itself under the fostering care of societies. This\n    circumstance at once determines me to follow the example thus\n    set before us, and immediately to establish a Society for this\n    object. Of this Society I shall be the protector and a member.\n    My first minister of state will be President. The Solicitor\n    General of the City, the Protector of the City Schools, and\n    the Rector of the National Institute, shall be _ex-officio_\n    members of the Committee of Management. The other members of\n    the Committee will in future be chosen by the Society; but, for\n    the present, I nominate to this charge:\u2014 * * * *\n\n    \u201cThe Committee will hold its meetings in the room belonging to\n    the Central School, on such days as shall be agreed on at the\n    first meeting, with no other formality than what is dictated\n    by good order. The Committee shall form rules for the Society,\n    and present them to the Government for approbation, and shall\n    name a Secretary, Accountant, and Treasurer, either from their\n    own number or otherwise. The object of this Institution is\n    to extend, in every direction throughout Chile, the benefits\n    of education; to promote the instruction of all classes, but\n    especially of the poor; to seize all the advantages which\n    this new system of education offers; and to point out those\n    means by which it may be best adapted to the circumstances\n    and necessities of the country. In short, this Institution\n    will be considered a good of the greatest magnitude, and whose\n    efficacies will, we trust, in some measure correspond to that\n    great extension of which it is susceptible.\n\n                             (Signed)\n\n                                                       \u201cO\u2019HIGGINS.\u201d\n\nI trust this Society, which has thus been formed, will be extremely\nuseful in forwarding the great concerns of general education in this\nrising nation. There are many circumstances here very encouraging in\nregard to the future prospects and prosperity of Chile. It is probable\nour Society will communicate with you before long, by way of claiming\nalliance with you in the grand work of universal instruction.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                      _Santiago de Chile, 9th May, 1822._\n\nYou have heard, I dare say, that I left Buenos Aires some time ago, and\ncame to Chile. I have now been here ten months, and am much pleased with\nthis country. In as far as respects the climate, I believe no country\ncan be more desirable to live in than this. It rains a good deal in the\nwinter season, that is, from June to September inclusive. Frost and\nsnow are seldom or never seen in the plains; notwithstanding, a fire is\nvery desirable in the winter. The highest ridge of the Andes is full\nin sight from this city. This is covered with snow all the year round.\nWhen it rains here below, it uniformly snows on the mountains. In the\nsummer season, we have no rain at all, and very few cloudy days. The\ncommon course of the seasons is four months of occasional rains, and\neight months of fair weather. In the summer it is pretty hot during the\nday; but it is always very comfortable at night. In Buenos Aires, on\nthe contrary, the nights, during the summer, are generally very warm.\nIn another respect also, Buenos Aires differs very remarkably from this\ncountry. There, not a mountain, nor a hill, nor a rock is to be seen;\nhere, all those abound. The natives of Buenos Aires, who have never\nbeen from home, have no idea of what a mountain is like;[2] and of snow\nthey are equally ignorant, having never seen the one or the other. They\nwould also be ignorant of what a stone is, were it not that some have\nbeen brought from the other side of the river, for paving the streets.\nAfter what I have said of the scarcity of stones, you may judge of the\ncorrectness of a very modern work on South America, in which it is said,\n\u201cAll the houses in Buenos Aires are built of a fine white stone, found\nin quarries in the neighbourhood.\u201d There is not, in Buenos Aires, a\nsingle house built of stone, nor is there any quarry on that side of the\nriver within 100 miles of Buenos Aires. The houses there are all built\nof brick. The mentioning of this last, brings me back again to Chile.\nAll the houses here, or nearly all, are built of _unburnt_ brick, such\nbricks as the Israelites made in Egypt; they are made of earth mixed with\nstraw. It is said, this material for building suits the country best, on\naccount of earthquakes, which are not unfrequent. Last night, just about\nthis hour, (eight o\u2019clock) we had a smart shock. I was sitting writing,\nwhen my attention was called by a rumbling noise, and a clattering of\nthe window shutters. In a few seconds, the whole house shook, and the\ncreaking of the beams and joists was very distinct. The noise continued\nfor a few seconds after the shock, when all ceased. This is now the\nfourth earthquake we have had in less than a week. They prevail most, I\nam told, in this month.\n\nWe have now got our schools set on foot in this place, and I am thinking\nof going to Lima in the course of a month or less, in order to prosecute\nmy objects there. According to the best information, the new state of\nthings in that country goes on wonderfully. Many reforms are taking\nplace of a very salutary nature. Gaming, which is carried on to a very\nhurtful extent in all South America, has just been prohibited in Lima, by\nthe Government. Acts have passed for the gradual abolition of slavery.\nSince the taking of Lima, all the children of slaves are born free.\nThe importation of slaves is entirely prohibited, and no infringement\nof the Act takes place. The same state of things subsists here and in\nBuenos Aires, regarding this shameful business. There is in South America\ngenerally, I believe, a great desire for the increase of knowledge. I\ncan bear witness, that this is the case, in those parts I have been\nin; and I doubt not of finding it so in Lima also. I am told, that\nlearning has prevailed there more than in places to the south of it, on\nthis continent. There are several men there, I am informed, who stand\ntolerably high in literature. About three months ago, a literary society\nwas formed in Lima. I have sent a translation of the Act incorporating\nthe Society to Professor Jameson, of Edinburgh, and it may perhaps appear\nin the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal.\n\nThe fall of Lima decided, I think, the contest between Spain and her\ncolonies, fairly establishing the independence of the latter. If any\nthing, however, was wanting to complete this state of things, it has now\nbeen accomplished by the late occurrences in Mexico. The immediate and\nsolid advantages occurring from this independence, to the cause of our\nfellow-men in this continent, are very great. Knowledge is now tolerated\nin the country, and also patronized. A war of extermination has been\ndeclared against ignorance, and is actually waged. Soon after San Martin\nentered Lima, a provisional law was issued, until a new code should be\nformed for the country. In this provisional law, religious toleration is\npublicly acknowledged, for the first time, in South America.\n\nA most wonderful change has taken place in Buenos Aires since I left\nit. War, anarchy, and confusion, have given place to a steady, firm,\nand enlightened government. The principal cause of this happy change is\nthe present minister of state, Rivadavia. He arrived in Buenos Aires\na short time before I left it. For some years past he has resided in\nLondon and in Paris; and the time he has spent in these places has been\nwell employed. He has there studied and is now practising the soundest\nprinciples of political economy. If Buenos Aires goes on for a few years\nas it has done for some months past, it will afford excellent lessons in\nthis interesting science to the nations of Europe, perhaps to the country\nof Adam Smith. A fine emulation will be carried on, and is already\nbegun, between Buenos Aires and Lima. If an improvement is proposed in\none of these places, it is deemed sufficient to silence popular and low\nprejudice, to publish that such a thing has already been done in the\nother. As to the Chilians, they are, generally speaking, less enlightened\nand more indifferent in respect to these subjects. Our Director is a\ngood man, truly desirous of the progress of Chile in every thing useful.\nHe has, however, but little activity or zeal. It is pleasing to see,\nunder these circumstances, the good effects produced on us here, by the\nnewspapers of Lima on the one hand, and of Buenos Aires on the other.\nFrom these many articles are copied into our public journals; and some\nthings are already begun among us, in imitation of our friends in the\nnorth and on the east. I lately crossed and recrossed the Andes on a\nvisit to Mendoza and San Juan. The cause of knowledge and of truth goes\non there also. In each of these places there is a printing-press, and\nfrom these are likely to issue soon, many things which will contribute to\nthe general good.\n\n[2] The river La Plata, opposite Buenos Aires, is thirty miles wide, and\nat times, under a very favourable state of the atmosphere, a dim outline\nof the low mountains on the northern side is visible. To this extent the\nBuenos Aireans know what a mountain is.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                 _Lima, 11th July, 1822._\n\nThrough the unceasing goodness of God towards me, I have now arrived\nsafely in this city. On the 18th of last month I sailed from Valparaiso,\nand after a pleasant passage of ten days we cast anchor in Callao Bay.\nCallao is an excellent harbour, the best I have yet seen. It will hold\nalmost any number of ships riding in great safety. It is well defended\nfrom all winds except the north, but it scarcely ever blows from that\nquarter. In consequence of an order from the Government that no\npassengers should be allowed to land until they receive a licence or\npassport from Lima, I had to defer my coming here till the day after our\narrival; I got permission, however, from the captain of the port to go\non shore. After viewing Callao, I went to take a view of the place where\nthe former Callao stood, which was destroyed by the earthquake, of which\nof course you have read. Its site is about half a mile from where the\npresent town stands. The destruction seems to have been complete. Not a\nhouse is now standing; but walls of houses of considerable thickness are\nto be seen scattered all over the place. Some of these are lying _flat_,\nand others are half turned over. How weak is man, and all his works, when\nGod arises to shake the earth!\n\nOn the day on which I arrived in this city, I called on San Martin,\nand delivered him the letters of introduction which I had brought from\nChile. He opened one of the letters, and observing its purport, said \u201cMr.\nThomson! I am extremely glad to see you;\u201d and he rose up, and gave me a\nvery hearty embrace. He would not, he said, be lavish in compliments,\nbut would assure me of his great satisfaction at my arrival; and said,\nthat nothing should be wanting on his part to further the object which\nhad brought me to Peru. Next day as I was sitting in my room, a carriage\nstopped at the door, and my little boy came running in crying, San\nMartin! San Martin! In a moment he entered the room, accompanied by one\nof his ministers. I would have had him step into another apartment of\nthe house more suited to his reception; but he said the room was very\nwell, and sat down on the first chair he reached. We conversed about\nour schools, and other similar objects for some time; and in going away\nhe desired me to call on him next morning, and said he would introduce\nme to the Marquis of Truxillo, who is at present what is called the\nSupreme Deputy or Regent. I called on him accordingly next morning, and\nhe took me with him and introduced me to the Marquis, and to each of the\nministers.\n\nFrom all the members of the government I have received great\nencouragement. On the 6th current an order was issued relative to our\nschools, and published in the Lima Gazette of the same date. I am going\nto write Mr. Millar to-morrow, and shall give him a translation of this\norder or decree, a copy of which will of course be sent you. By this\norder one of the convents is appropriated to the schools, and is now in\nour possession. I believe the convents here will decrease in number as\nthe schools multiply. There is no contest or balancing of powers between\nthe civil and ecclesiastical powers in this place. The former has the\nlatter entirely at their nod. The case in regard to this convent is a\nproof of what I have said. The order for the friars to remove was given\non Saturday, on Monday they began to remove, and on Tuesday the keys\nwere delivered up.\n\nFrom all I have seen during the short time I have been here, I cannot\ndoubt of the great benefits which this country will derive from the new\nstate of things. San Martin and his first minister, (and also the others)\nseem truly anxious to characterize the times by improvements\u2014by solid\nimprovements. They wish to encourage foreigners, and to improve the state\nof the country in every point of view. I have already mentioned to you my\nrepresentation made to the Chilian government just before leaving that\nplace, regarding the bringing out of tradesmen and farmers. I showed a\ncopy of this representation to San Martin; he read it very carefully\nover, and concluded by saying, \u201cExcellent!\u201d He then told me what was his\nopinion on the subject, and proposed a plan for carrying it into effect,\nmuch more likely to succeed than the one I had stated. I am to draw up\nthis plan in order, and to present it to him, that it may be sanctioned\nand carried into effect. I therefore consider this matter, so far as\nregards Peru, as fairly begun. The particulars of the plan I may send you\nafterwards. In the mean time, that you may see that in these matters I am\nnot losing sight of my chief object, I shall mention to you one sentence\nof the representation referred to. It is this, \u201cThe men who will be most\nuseful to South America, are men truly religious and of sound morality.\u201d\nThe minister of Chile, upon reading this sentence, said, \u201cThat is very\ntrue;\u201d and San Martin expressed himself in a similar manner upon my\nstating the same thing to him.\n\nWhat an immeasurable field is South America; and how white it is to\nthe harvest! I have told you this repeatedly, but I have a pleasure in\ntelling it to you again. I do think that, since the world began, there\nnever was so fine a field for the exercise of benevolence in all its\nparts. The man of science, the moralist, the christian, have all fine\nscope here for their talents. God, who has opened such a door, will\nsurely provide labourers.\n\nMy present intention is to continue here about six months, and then to\nmove on northwards. I may, however, be kept longer here than I intend,\nbut I am anxious to get to England as soon as possible. My stay here\nwill depend much on the facility or difficulty of obtaining good masters\nfor the school. This I find, from experience, a matter of so great\nimportance, that I intend to pay every attention to it; and I have it now\nin my power more than ever to do so, having represented to the government\nthe necessity of encouragement, by offering employment and a good salary\nto those who thoroughly study the system, and are able to put it in\npractice; and this encouragement I am authorised to give.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                 _Lima, 12th July, 1822._\n\nMy last letter to you was written a few days before my leaving Chile. I\nthen apprized you of the state of things there at that time, and of my\nintention of setting out for this place. Through the blessing of God, I\narrived safely in this country on the 28th of last month, and have now to\nstate to you how things look here, in reference to that truly important\nobject\u2014EDUCATION.\n\nI believe I told you, some time ago, that from various circumstances I\nexpected every encouragement would be given to our object here by San\nMartin. I have not been disappointed in this. My expectations have all\nbeen fulfilled, and more than fulfilled. San Martin is most _decidedly_ a\nfriend to general, to universal education. I hope none of the members of\nthe Committee of the British and Foreign School Society will be offended,\nbut rather gratified, when I say, that they are not more friendly to\nthis object than San Martin. Because I have come to Peru to promote this\nobject, I have received from him every mark of respect and personal\nattention, as well as every encouragement to proceed in this work. The\nMarquis of Truxillo, and each of the ministers of government, feel deeply\ninterested in the same object. Blessed be God for this encouragement. In\nhis hand are the hearts of all, and he inclineth them to whatsoever he\nwill. Surely the days draw nigh, when ignorance shall be ashamed to walk\nabout any where in open day. May the glorious war now waged against her\nbe a war of extermination. It will I trust be so, and when this enemy\nof mankind shall be slain, the British and Foreign School Society shall\nbe clothed with her spoils, and be crowned with never fading laurel. Is\nit wrong to indulge pleasing prospects of the future amelioration of\nmankind? Is it sinful to cherish the hope of better times for this poor\nunfortunate world? I think it is not. If it is right to pray \u201cThy will\nbe done on earth, as it is done in heaven,\u201d it cannot be wrong to expect\nthat this prayer, daily reiterated from the mouth of thousands, will one\nday be heard, and be answered in all its extent; and when the will of God\nis done in this world, as it is done above, then shall the felicity on\nearth resemble the felicity of heaven.\n\nThe following is a translation of a decree of this government relative\nto the Schools, and which was published in the Lima Gazette of the 6th\ncurrent.\n\n\u201cPreamble.\u2014Without education there is properly speaking no society. Men\nmay indeed live together without it, but they cannot know the extent of\nthe duties, and the rights which bind them one to another, and it is in\nthe right knowledge of these duties and rights that the well being of\nsociety consists. The bringing of education to any degree of perfection,\nis, from the nature of the thing, slow. To accomplish it, time is\nrequired, and some degree of stability in the government, as well as some\nother circumstances, both natural and moral. All these must combine, in\norder that the education of the people may become general, and that thus\na foundation may be laid for the continuance of those Institutions which\nmay be established among them. Of the various improvements which the\ngovernment has been desirous of making, none has been more earnestly and\nconstantly kept in view since the moment of its commencement, than the\nreformation of public education. In those intervals of tranquillity which\nhave been enjoyed from the clamour of arms, this object has occupied\ntheir attention; and though the sun has not stood still, they have found\nin activity the secret of doubling the length of the day.\n\n\u201cIt has already been announced, in various decrees of the government,\nthat the introduction of the Lancasterian system in the public schools,\nwas one of the plans in meditation. It is not yet possible to calculate\nthe revolution which will be produced in the world by this system of\nmutual instruction, on its becoming general throughout the civilized\nworld. When this shall take place, ignorance shall come to an end, or at\nleast shall be reduced to certain limits, beyond which it shall never be\nallowed to pass. The time is now arrived for setting this system agoing\nin this place, and the commencing of it is worthy of the month of July\u2014a\nmonth in which posterity will record many events of importance; and we\ntrust they will do us the justice to declare, that we have desired to\nmake this time memorable by deeds which philosophy applauds, and which\nspring from the noblest principles of all human actions, namely, the love\nof glory, founded on promoting the prosperity and happiness of mankind.\nThe above are the reasons on which the following decree is founded.\n\n    \u201cThe Supreme Deputy, with the advice of the Privy Council,\n    decrees\u2014\n\n    \u201c1. There shall be established a central or principal school,\n    according to the Lancasterian system, under the direction of\n    Mr. Thomson.\n\n    \u201c2. The convent or college of St. Thomas shall be appropriated\n    to this purpose. The friars at present residing in it shall\n    remove to the large convent of St. Dominic, leaving only so\n    many as are necessary for the service of the church attached to\n    it.\n\n    \u201c3. In this establishment the elementary parts of education\n    shall be taught, together with the modern languages. The\n    teachers necessary for this purpose shall be appointed\n    agreeably to the arrangements which will be pointed out in the\n    plan for the National Institute of Peru.\n\n    \u201c4. At the expiration of six months all the public schools\n    shall be shut, which are not conducted according to the system\n    of mutual instruction.\n\n    \u201c5. All the masters of the public schools shall attend the\n    central school with two of their most advanced pupils, in order\n    to be instructed in the new system; and in studying it they\n    shall attend to the method prescribed by the director of the\n    establishment.\n\n    \u201c6. As soon as the director of the central school shall have\n    instructed a sufficient number of teachers, these shall be\n    employed, with competent salaries, in establishing public\n    schools on the same principles in the capital city of each\n    province of the state.\n\n    \u201c7. At the first public examination which shall take place in\n    the central school, those masters who have been most attentive\n    in learning the system, and shall have made such progress as to\n    be able to conduct schools according to it, shall receive the\n    reward of a gold medal, to be ordered for that purpose by the\n    Minister of State.\n\n    \u201c8. For the preservation and extension of the new system\n    the Patriotic Society of Lima is particularly requested and\n    commissioned to take such measures as may be considered\n    necessary for these purposes; and they are desired to make\n    known to the government those things in which its co-operation\n    may be required, in order effectually to carry forward this\n    important object.\n\n    \u201c9. In order that the advantages of this system of education\n    may be extended to the female sex, which the Spanish government\n    has always treated with culpable neglect, it is particularly\n    recommended to the Patriotic Society to take into consideration\n    the most likely means for establishing a central school for the\n    instruction of girls.\n\n    \u201c10. The salary of the director, and the other expenses\n    necessary for this establishment, shall be defrayed by the\n    government. The Minister of State is authorized to issue all\n    the orders necessary for the punctual fulfilment of this decree.\n\n    \u201cGiven in the government palace in Lima, 6th July, 1822.\n\n                             (Signed)\n\n                                                        \u201cTRUXILLO.\n\n               \u201cBy order of his Excellency, countersigned,\n\n                                                   \u201cB. MONTEAGUDO.\u201d\n\nAs we go on in our operations, I shall communicate to you the result.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                             _Lima, 4th September, 1822._\n\nThe _first_ of September has returned, and has gone by. I have not,\nhowever, failed in seizing an opportunity of writing you according to\nour agreement. You know, I dare say, that we have not a post that leaves\nLima every morning for England. A vessel goes now and then from Callao\nto Valparaiso, and through these two places, and across the Andes, and\nthrough Buenos Aires, my letters to you are now obliged to travel. No\nvessel has sailed for Chile since the 1st current; but in a few days the\nFrench frigate lying here is to sail for Valparaiso.\n\nI have now been upwards of two months in this city, and have all the\nwhile enjoyed my health very well. I am inclined to think this climate\nis better than I was led to expect from the accounts I had heard of\nit. The tertian ague, however, is a disease very common, especially\nduring summer. Of the Englishmen I know here, three have had it since my\narrival. The general opinion, I think, is, that with great regularity\nof living, this place is not unhealthy; but that the effects of\nirregularity in the general mode of living, is more hurtful here than\nin most other places. A good police would certainly contribute greatly\nto the healthiness of this city. This will be enjoyed, I believe, in\ndue time; but the Government has so many things at present to do, that\nsome time may elapse before that improvement takes place. This is the\nlargest city I have yet seen in South America, and I believe there is\nnone larger in it. I do not, of course, include Mexico, which is in\nNorth America. The houses here, and the general appearance of the city,\nhave a more commanding and richer aspect than what is met with in Buenos\nAires or Santiago de Chile. The general appearance of the population,\nhowever, I think, is considerably inferior to what is seen in these two\nplaces, particularly in the latter. One thing which contributes to this\ndifference, is the considerable proportion of slaves here. In Buenos\nAires, there are a good many of this class of our fellow-men, but fewer\nthan in Lima and Santiago; and in Chile, in general, there are very few;\nand this is one thing which inclines me to prefer the general appearance\nof Santiago to the other two cities I have mentioned.\n\nAbout three weeks after my arrival here, San Martin set out for Quito, to\nhave an interview with Bolivar. They met in Guayaquil, as the President\nof Colombia had left Quito, and reached that place before San Martin\nlanded. The interview was, I dare say, interesting, and I trust it will\nbe productive of good effects for the two countries of which they are the\nGovernors, and also for South America in general. A good understanding,\nI trust, will be kept up between the nations of this continent, and war\nin it I hope will be a thing as rare, and rarer than peace has been in\nEurope. San Martin returned a few days ago, and has since re-assumed\nthe reins of Government, as \u201cProtector of the liberty of Peru.\u201d Every\nexertion is making here for the formation of a congress. The greater part\nof the representatives are already elected. All the liberated provinces\nelect their own members for congress freely; the right of voting is,\nI believe, much the same as in the United States. Representatives are\nchosen for those provinces still under the dominion of the Spanish\narmy, from among the inhabitants of those places at present residing\nin Lima. A fair representation seems to be desired and sought for, and\nI hope will be attained in a considerable degree. All acts emanating\nfrom such a body will, of course, give more general satisfaction, than\nif the representation were partial. I do not trouble you with my views\nof governments, whether monarchical or republican. Certainly, on this\nsubject, \u201cmuch may be said on both sides.\u201d Without fixing my mind for or\nagainst this or that form of government, I am strongly in the opinion of\nPope, where he says, \u201cWhate\u2019er is best administered is best.\u201d I do not\nthink, however, that all are fools, (as he insinuates) who, \u201cfor forms\nof government contest.\u201d The sum of the matter and the truth is, that\nhonesty and uprightness are more required, and have been less found in\nall governments than any thing else. Wisdom, therefore, requires, that\nsuch measures should be taken in arranging the form of government, as may\nsecure good conduct in governors, in the greatest possible degree.\n\nThere were some suspicions, some time ago, and some flying words, which,\nif true, would have led one to suppose that San Martin wished to form\nPeru into a monarchy. Who was to be king according to these reports,\nI need not inform you, as I suppose you will find no difficulty in\nguessing it at the first trial. The prime minister was of course in\nthe secret, if there was any such thing in hand. With this individual,\non other grounds, there was a good deal of dissatisfaction. This\ndissatisfaction openly broke out a few weeks ago, on account of his\ninterfering in the election of representatives for this city. The\nconsequence was, that a petition was presented to the Marquis of\nTruxillo, requesting that the minister might be immediately dismissed.\nThis petition was signed by so many of the respectable and powerful\ninhabitants of the place, and presented with such firmness, that it had\nthe desired effect. The minister resigned before the petitioners left\nthe palace, and in a few days after, he was sent off by sea to Panama.\nAll this took place in San Martin\u2019s absence, and the leaders in it were\nthe republican party. San Martin has very wisely fallen in with these\nmeasures since his return, and has confirmed the new minister in his\nsituation. A republic, I think, is the general wish of the people, and as\nthe form of government is to be determined by the Congress, I have little\ndoubt of what the result will be.\n\nYou know, I dare say, that Colombia is free. The longest and severest\nstruggle of South America has been in that quarter. The first news\nI heard on casting anchor in Callao, was that Quito had fallen into\nthe hands of the patriots. I think Bolivar, who has been the chief\ninstrument in the Colombian contest, is a great man. I was not at the\ninterview between him and San Martin, that I might take their comparative\ndimensions at one view; but I may observe, that the general opinion, from\na view of the operations of both, is in favour of the Northern Chief. As\nfar as my own information and knowledge of each extends, I fall in with\nthis opinion. I do so, not from any dissatisfaction with San Martin. He\nis to me, and has been uniformly, more than I could have expected, and I\nmay say, all I could wish. I believe both of these men are most sincerely\ndesirous of the real welfare of the countries which they respectively\ngovern, and of South America. There is no unholy alliance yet formed\nin this country, and I think there never will. On all hands, light and\ninformation are encouraged, sought after, and promoted. Knowledge, rich\nwith the spoils of time, has just unrolled her ample page in this city,\nin a public library. This public institution is very respectably got up,\nand already possesses a number of the best works in the various branches\nof literature. It is inferior to the similar institution in Buenos\nAires; but superior, if we consider the short reign of civil, literary,\nand religious freedom in Peru. Every individual is free to attend this\nlibrary every week-day, from 8 to 1, and from 4 to 6, without expense;\nand every book in it is at his command during that time. This one view\nof the present state of things here, shows at once the immense advantages\ngained here by the revolution, and the blessings that tread in the steps\nof liberty. I shall add one thing more to confirm what I have just said.\nThe Bible is now publicly sold at a short distance from the place where\nused to sit the dreadful Inquisition. Perish all unrighteousness from the\nearth! May the knowledge and love of God every where abound!\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                   _Lima, 9th Nov. 1822._\n\nA considerable time has now elapsed since I last wrote you, and a much\nlonger time has intervened since I had the pleasure of receiving a letter\nfrom you. Although I have not communicated with you directly during this\ntime, yet I suppose you are well acquainted with my various circumstances\nin this part of the world, through means of my letters sent from time to\ntime to my friends in Edinburgh. Since my leaving my native country, I\nhave experienced much of the gracious goodness of our heavenly Father,\nin directing my steps, in making darkness light before me, and crooked\nthings straight. The encouragements I have met with in my endeavours to\nforward the Lord\u2019s cause in South America, have been much greater than\ncould have been expected before the trial was made. I think a door has\nbeen opened here which will never be shut, but which will, I trust,\nfrom one year to another, open wider and wider, until it become, in the\nApostle\u2019s language, \u201cgreat and effectual.\u201d Should I say, there are no\nadversaries, and that all goes on prosperously, without any difficulty or\ndiscouragement from any quarter,\u2014should I say this, it would be nearly\nthe same as telling you, that a great miracle had taken place here, and\nhad changed the nature of man. You, of course, expect no such wonderful\naccounts. At the same time, it is a gratifying thing to be able to\nstate, that far less opposition has been met with than was expected.\nDifficulties, I believe, of whatever kind, will grow fewer and weaker as\nTime runs on, bearing in his hand the torch of heavenly light; whilst,\non the other hand, means and opportunities of doing good will greatly\nincrease. It is surely a gratifying sight to see darkness fleeing away,\nand the light of heaven breaking forth. You know there is no fellowship,\nin any sense, between light and darkness, the one must give place to the\nother. Wherever, then, darkness prevails, let the people of God look to\nhim who said, \u201cLet there be light, and there was light;\u201d and let them\nuse those means which he has appointed, under the full assurance, that\nmidnight shall give place to the dawning light, and that again to noon\nday. That a great and happy change is about to take place in our hitherto\nunfortunate, unhappy world, the Scriptures predict; and the days in\nwhich we live say, \u201cLift up your heads, for this happy period draweth\nnigh.\u201d You who live in the land of Israel, whence the word of the Lord\nis sounding out on all sides, see these things better than I can do in\nthis far distant country. From every corner of the earth messengers\nare daily landing on your happy shores with tidings of joy. One says,\nBabylon is fallen; another cries, the gods of the heathen are famished;\nwhilst a third shouts aloud, Satan falls like lightning to the ground. I\nalmost envy this felicity of yours; yet I would not exchange conditions\nwith you. Solitary and alone as I am here, I would not wish myself\nelsewhere, because I believe I am placed where God would have me to be;\nand, I trust, his work, in one shape or another, is all my concern. I do,\nhowever, wish myself otherwise circumstanced. I should be glad to have\nwith me one or more with whom I could always communicate in the ways and\nwork of the Lord, and whose counsels and labours might prove a blessing\nto me and to many. You, my dear brother, who dwell in Mount Zion, have\nnever experienced the disadvantage of being _thus_ alone. Should I come\ninto your thoughts when you bow your knees unto the God and Father of our\nLord Jesus Christ, I beg you to pray that grace, and mercy, and peace may\nbe multiplied unto me, and that the Lord\u2019s work may prosper in South\nAmerica.\n\nIn my letters to Edinburgh since my arrival in this city, I have stated\nthe favourable reception I met with here from San Martin, and from\nothers in the government. Since that time, the state of affairs here, in\nregard to politics, has considerably changed. San Martin has resigned\nhis authority in all its parts in this country, and is gone to Chile.\nThe Congress was installed on the 20th September, into whose hands he\ndelivered all the concerns of the government, and next morning, at four\no\u2019clock, he set off for Chile. When he took the reins of government into\nhis own hands, under the title of \u201cProtector of the Liberty of Peru,\u201d\nhe promised to resign his authority as soon as a general Congress could\nbe assembled; and by his resignation at the time proposed, he justified\nhis sincerity in the eyes of the world. During the time he was in power,\nreports were current that he was desirous to make himself king of\nPeru. His conduct, however, has shown, that these reports were without\nfoundation. As far as my own affairs here are concerned, I should have\nbeen glad that he had remained longer in the country, and, if I am not\nmistaken, Peru would have been benefited by his stay. San Martin is an\nintelligent and liberal-minded man. He is very desirous of promoting\nthe progress of South America in knowledge, and he is free from those\nprejudices which hinder its advancement. The Congress has now been\nassembled for several weeks, and has been occupied with various concerns\nrelative to the government of the country. From their own number they\nhave chosen three to discharge the duties of the executive government.\nThis triumvirate is to continue until a constitution be drawn up, and\na new Congress assembled, composed of representatives chosen in every\nprovince of Peru. This complete representation of the country cannot\nbe obtained whilst the Spaniards are in possession of a considerable\npart of it, as they actually are at this moment. At present there is\ngreat distress felt here by the government, for want of money to carry\nforward the operations of the war. This appears to be the chief obstacle\nin preventing the general independence of Peru. Troops are not wanting,\nas, in addition to those brought by San Martin, and those who have\nsince been raised in the country, General Bolivar has sent about 2,000\nwell-experienced troops from Quito, as affairs in that part have now been\nbrought to a favourable conclusion. The English merchants here have just\ngiven the government a loan of 70,000 dollars, by way of helping them out\nof their difficulties. An expedition sailed some weeks ago for Arica,\nand we anxiously look for the result. All that part of the country is in\npossession of the Spaniards, as well as nearly all the best provinces\nof the kingdom. Notwithstanding the possessions which Spain still\nholds in Peru, the independence of the country is not at all doubtful.\nIt may, indeed, by the mismanagement of the Congress, or by some other\nmisfortune, be retarded, but it must ere long completely prevail. I\nbelieve there are no remains of the Spanish arms now existing in America,\nexcept those in our neighbourhood, and about 1500 men in the isles of\nChiloe. What a change, in this respect, has taken place within these few\nyears past! And let not this revolution be considered as a small matter\nby the man of benevolence and the Christian. The interests of religion\nand of humanity are very closely connected with it. That once dreadful,\nnow innoxious house, the Inquisition, reminds me, as I daily pass it, of\nthe happy change which has taken place. True it is, that the Spaniards\nhave now put down the Inquisition throughout their dominions; still,\nhowever, there are many inquisitorial things yet subsisting in Spain that\ndo not exist in the independent states of South America. Every effort has\nbeen used by Spain to retard the progress of knowledge in America. These\ndays, however, have now gone by, and light of every kind begins to dawn\non these countries. My own opinion is, that the nations of South America\nin a few years will far outstrip many of the nations of Europe. The\npeople here, to a certain extent, are conscious of their ignorance, and\nare desirous of wiping out that stain which Spain has left upon them.\n\nI have hitherto been speaking of the progress of knowledge in general\nin South America, and its probable results. I shall now say something\nof the progress making in the knowledge of religion. You know, of\ncourse, that the Roman Catholic religion is the only religion professed\nin this Continent\u2014as it once was the only one in Great Britain.\nMany are beginning to see through this system, and to find out its\ninconsistencies. I wish I could also say, that all who see thus far,\nhave attained to the knowledge of the true religion, as laid down in\nthe New Testament. This, however, is not the case. On the contrary, I\nam sorry to say, that deistical principles are espoused by the greater\npart of those who get out of the trammels of popery. A good many in the\nhigher ranks, particularly in the army, are of this way of thinking. This\nstate of things need not surprise us. It is perhaps the natural result,\nor transition, in those places where no other religion is known than\nthe one professed in this country. A man begins to see the absurdity\nof the Catholic system, and from his infancy all that is religion with\nhim has been connected with it. In giving up this system, he gives up\nwith religion itself, as considering popery and it the same thing.\nFrom these circumstances, I conceive this to be the most favourable\ntime for introducing, as far as can be done, the holy religion of\nour Lord Jesus Christ. The present is the time for labouring in this\nfield, by introducing the Scriptures, and by every other means which\nprudence may dictate. Prejudice is growing less every day, and this is\nthe result of the revolution. There is even a perceptible difference\nbetween the different parts of this Continent in regard to the decrease\nof prejudice. In Chile there is less than in Lima, because it has been\nlonger independent. Again, there is still less in Buenos Aires than in\nChile, for the same reason. Having mentioned Buenos Aires, I cannot\nleave it without eulogizing it, in almost the highest degree, in regard\nto the progress it is making. One reform succeeds another in rapid\nsuccession. They are just about to put a stop to monachism, and to take\nthe church property into their own hands, paying the clergy out of the\npublic treasury. It is said also, that they are about to pass a law\nfor religious toleration. In every respect Buenos Aires now holds the\nfirst rank among the cities and countries of South America. To have\none place thus stepping forward by way of pattern to the rest is of\nimmense advantage. There are several periodical works of a superior kind\nissuing from the presses in that city. In these every subject is freely\ndiscussed, prejudices attacked, and reforms proposed. The liberty of the\npress is enjoyed and acted upon there in the same manner as it is in\nEngland. The articles published in the Buenos Aires papers and magazines\nfind their way gradually into the papers of Chile and Peru, and thus\nprepare the way in these places also for following up, ere long, the\nsame reforms and arrangements that are now going forward in the pattern\ncity I have mentioned. In this city, also, the liberty of the press is\nenjoyed to a considerable extent. This, however, only commenced about two\nor three months ago, upon the dethronement of the principal Secretary of\nState. This individual, though a great friend to reform himself, and from\nwhom I met with every encouragement, wished to keep these things in his\nown hand, at least for some time, and to grant the freedom of the press\nby degrees. The plan of ecclesiastical reform published in Buenos Aires\nwas also published in the public paper of this city. Various other things\nof a similar nature are thus indirectly brought under the consideration\nof the people of Peru; and coming from Buenos Aires, they are better\nreceived than they would be, coming from any part of Europe, especially\nfrom a Protestant country. We had also an attack upon the friars of Lima\nthe other day, in one of the publications of this city, whose editor is\none of the Secretaries of Congress. These things you will consider as the\nfruits of the revolution in South America; and the time fast approaches,\nwhen we shall see still more abundant fruits, and those too of the best\nkind. The Lord reigneth, let the earth be glad!\n\nWith respect to the climate of this place, you know, we are here fairly\nwithin the torrid zone, the latitude of this city being 12\u00b0 2\u2032 51\u2033 S.\nA few days ago we had the sun vertical here, as he passed us on his\nway to the southward. Notwithstanding our proximity to the equator, we\nenjoy a very agreeable temperature. In the winter the sun but seldom\nmakes his appearance; in spring he shows himself more frequently; and in\nsummer he throws off reserve, and from his vertical throne looks down in\nall his magnificence. From ten o\u2019clock till two, it is pretty hot, but\nabout this hour a refreshing breeze springs up from the south, which is\nvery agreeable. It is generally said, that it never rains in Lima. This,\nhowever, is not quite correct. It does rain a very little in the winter\nseason; but the drops, when they can be recognised as such, seem to have\npassed through the finest rain sieve. It is, in short, rather a kind of\nmist than rain, although at times it may be called by the latter name;\nand when it is so, the people of Lima call it a heavy shower. Before I\ncame here I frequently heard this climate denominated unhealthy. The\ntertian ague prevails a good deal, but on the whole I do not consider\nthis an unhealthy place. For my own part, I never enjoyed better health\nthan I have done since my coming to this city. Blessed be God for this\nprecious blessing!\u2014There is one thing of a rather terrifying nature to\nwhich this place is subject, I mean earthquakes. There is no place, I\nsuppose, more subject to them than this city. We have had several shocks\nsince I came to it; the greatest was on the 14th September. I was awaked\nat a quarter past three o\u2019clock in the morning by a _most dreadful_\nnoise. I was at no loss to know what this noise was, considering the\npart of the world I was in. This noise continued for a few seconds, and\nincreased. The shock then followed, and made all the house shake, as if\nthe whole were coming to the ground. A loud hollow noise followed this\nfor a few seconds, and on its ceasing all was tranquil as before it\ncommenced, and those who had fled out of their houses quietly returned.\nThese phenomena are of frequent occurrence. There are, I believe, about\nthirty earthquakes here in the course of a year. Those, however, which\nthrow down houses and produce other ravages are rare. Once in fifty years\nseems to be about the period of those terrible visitations, and with\nconsiderable regularity Lima has suffered severely at the return of this\nfatal period. The city of Quito to the north, and of Arequipa to the\nsouth, have also their periodical visitations.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                               _Lima, 2d December, 1822._\n\nSome weeks ago a Committee of the Congress was entrusted to draw up\nthe _outlines_ of a political constitution for the country. This has\nbeen accomplished, has been presented to Congress, and ordered to be\nprinted. The Congress is just now engaged in discussing it, article by\narticle. A good deal of interest is thus excited and kept up regarding\nthe subject, and, in consequence, the Congress-hall is daily well\nattended by all classes. The discussion of the article on the form of\ngovernment, and that on religion, have excited the most attention. The\nform of government has been unanimously declared to be republican,\nagreeably to what I hinted to you in one of my late letters.\u2014In \u201cthe\noutlines,\u201d the article on religion runs thus: \u201cThe religion of the state\nis the Catholic Apostolic Church of Rome.\u201d One of the members of the\ncommittee wished to add the word _only_ or _exclusive_, but the rest not\nagreeing to it, he entered his protest. On this account, as well as from\nthe general interest of the subject, the matter was keenly discussed.\nI went, as you may well suppose, to hear what should be said on both\nsides, and to see the result. The first who ascended the tribune to speak\nwas a clergyman, carrying in his hand a book about the size of a New\nTestament. He began by stating, that it was his sincere desire that all\nmen might be of the Roman Catholic church. He then stated that the only\nproper way, in his opinion, of bringing men into the church was, not by\nforce, nor by persecution in any shape, but solely by persuasion, by the\nforce of reason. After speaking a few minutes to this effect, he went\non to treat of the article as stated in the \u201coutlines.\u201d He regretted\nthe divisions among Christians, and the distinctive names one body and\nanother had taken. He then opened the book he had in his hand, which I\nnow found to be one of the Bible Society\u2019s New Testaments, in Spanish.\nHe read the 12th and 13th verses of the first chapter of the first\nEpistle to the Corinthians, and proceeded to make some remarks upon the\npassage, and to apply it to the article in question. It appeared to\nhim, he said, very like the divisions censured by the Apostle Paul, to\nsee the article stated in the words, _Roman_, _Catholic_, _Apostolic_.\nHaving done this, he proposed that the article should be stated in this\nmanner:\u2014\u201cThe religion of Jesus Christ, is the religion of the state.\u201d\nHe then made some observations upon the propriety of stating it in this\nway, in preference to the way in which it stands in the outlines, and\nso concluded. As might have been expected, this alteration or amendment\nwas opposed. My memory is not so faithful as to give you the various\nspeeches upon the subject, but a great deal was said on both sides of the\nquestion. In particular, the member of the Committee who had protested,\ndefended what he had done in a long speech, in which he paid but little\nrespect and fewer compliments to us foreigners. He concluded his long\nstory by saying, that he was so full of matter upon this subject, and\nfelt so much interest in it, that he could still speak four whole days\nupon it. Another speaker got up with a volume of the Bible in his hand.\nHe turned to two passages in the law of Moses, where the children of\nIsrael were admonished to deal kindly towards strangers and foreigners,\nand concluded by a short comment upon the passages in reference to the\nsubject in hand. In a country like this, where all the natives are of\nthe Roman Catholic Church, every thing that is said upon toleration has\na direct reference to foreigners, for it is never for a moment supposed\nthat any of the natives will leave the Roman Catholic Church to become\nProtestants. The introduction of foreigners into the country, and the\nconsequent advantages and disadvantages of it, entered deeply into the\ndebate. I shall refer only to one speech more upon the subject. An\naged member, and a clergyman, rose up and said, \u201cGentlemen, this is\nthe first time I have risen to speak in this house, and it is not my\nintention to detain you long. I understand,\u201d said he, \u201cthat the grand\nand principal features of our religion are these two:\u2014To love the Lord\nwith all our heart and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves.\nWe must then take care,\u201d continued he, \u201cthat our zeal for the _first_\nof these two commandments does not make us overlook the _second_. Now\nI ask, whether foreigners residing among us are to be considered our\nneighbours or not. If they are, then we ought to love them. Gentlemen,\nI have nothing further to add.\u201d After being fully discussed, the votes\nwere taken. First, whether the article should stand as stated in the\noutlines, or be altered. It was carried that it should remain as stated.\nThe next question was, if the word exclusive should be added, and it\nwas unfortunately carried in the affirmative. The article now stands\nthus:\u2014\u201cThe Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion is the religion of the\nstate, and the exercise of every other is excluded.\u201d\n\nWe are not to be surprised that the matter has ended in this manner;\nperhaps we should rather wonder that there was any one of the members\nof the Congress disposed to speak, or even to think on the side of\ntoleration. The members who are friendly to religious liberty, may amount\nto one third of the whole, or, perhaps, somewhat more than one third, and\nthey are men of influence and respect in the country. These made a less\nvigorous stand for toleration at the present time, from the consideration\nthat what is done now in regard to the sanctioning of the basis of the\nconstitution, is only provisional. The Spaniards, at present, possess\nmany of the best provinces of Peru, and these provinces have, strictly\nspeaking, no representatives in the Congress. The manner of proceeding,\nin reference to these provinces, was this:\u2014The natives of each province,\nresiding in Lima, met and chose members from among themselves to\nrepresent the province, until such time as the enemy be dislodged, and\nthey have freedom to choose their own representatives. As soon then as\nthe country is free, the present Congress will dissolve itself, and a\ngeneral Congress will be immediately elected, and the outlines now under\nconsideration will be presented to the new Congress to be examined, and,\nif judged necessary, altered. There is, therefore, still some hope,\nthat toleration may have a place in the Peruvian constitution. During\nthe interval, the press may forward the good cause, as there is perfect\nfreedom for speaking and printing any thing upon the subject, on both\nsides of the question. We may, indeed, call this freedom of speaking and\nwriting upon the subject, a kind of toleration; at all events, it is a\nprelude to it.\n\nPamphlets of every shape, size, and name, are issued from the press. In\nthese every subject is handled, and abuses and prejudices are attacked\nwith freedom and courage. The poor friars are not overlooked in these;\nalmost every body is against them, and none seems to rise up in their\ndefence. One of the members of Congress has made a motion for the\nreformation of the Convents. The bill he is about to bring in, contains\nfour articles. The first is to allow all those to leave the Convents who\nwish to do so. The second is to allow no one in future to become a friar.\nThe third is, that the government should take possession of all their\nproperty, and allow them out of it what is necessary for their support.\nThe fourth article is, to make them all live in _one_ convent, instead of\noccupying _fourteen_, as they now do. This you see is a bold proposition,\nand, if carried into effect, will be a great step in reformation.\n\nAt the time the article on religion was under consideration, a certain\nindividual went about with a paper containing a petition to Congress,\npraying that the Roman Catholic religion might be the religion of the\nstate, _and the only one tolerated in the country_. The last part of\nthe petition was the object he had in view. He obtained a number of\nsignatures to the petition, and without loss of time laid it before the\nCongress. It was, however, not allowed to be read, and several were for\ncalling this individual to account for his officiousness. This medical\ngentleman (for he is of that profession) has been sadly handled in the\npamphlets of the day for this conduct; so much so, I think, as to keep\nhim from being forward to engage a second time in such an undertaking.\nI have already mentioned how freely all matters are discussed in these\npamphlets. One of them has just begun to give a history of the Popes.\nFrom the specimens already published, this history promises not to be\nvery honourable to the personal character of the Popes, neither does it\nappear intended to strengthen their pontifical authority and influence,\nbut quite the contrary. There was a monthly magazine published in London,\nduring the despotic reign of the present Ferdinand. In this work there\nwas given a history of the Popes, and I believe what is publishing here\njust now is copied from the work I have mentioned. This magazine was\ncalled El Espa\u00f1ol Constitucional. It was written by one of those who had\nfled from Ferdinand\u2019s despotic hands. He was a liberal man, and writing\nin London he felt himself under no restraint in speaking of the abuse\nof the Church of Rome. There was another periodical work in the Spanish\nlanguage, published some years before it, called El Espa\u00f1ol. This was\nalso printed in London, and was written with the same liberality and\nspirit. Both these works have reached South America, and have been a good\ndeal read; and, as you may suppose, they have served considerably to\nenlighten the people of these countries.\n\nI have mentioned, in some of my late letters, the very gratifying\ncircumstances of the rapid sale in this city of 500 Spanish Bibles,\nand 500 New Testaments. These were all sold off in _two days_, and as\nmany more could have been sold in the two days following, but there\nwere no more, and thus many were disappointed. From this cheering\ncircumstance, I am daily looking with great anxiety for a considerable\nnumber of both Bibles and Testaments, expected from the Bible Society.\nThe above-mentioned circumstance is truly encouraging, as no desire at\nall comparable to it, has yet been manifested in any other part of South\nAmerica for the Holy Scriptures. From this, and some other occurrences, I\nam led to anticipate that the word of God will, indeed, have free course\nin this place, and let us pray that it may not be circulated only, but\nthat it may be glorified also. I have another thing to relate to you,\nperhaps more cheering still. It is this: the nearly confident expectation\nof getting the New Testament introduced throughout Peru as a school book.\nI trust this expectation will not be disappointed, but verified in due\ntime. Every thing promises fair at present for its accomplishment.\n\nAs soon as the Bibles got into circulation as above-mentioned, there was\nsome ferment excited from reports that it was not fairly printed from the\nSpanish version of Scio, as indicated in the title page. This report was\nraised, or at least increased, by the discovery of a typographical error\nor two. An honest priest actually burned the Bible he had bought on the\ndiscovery of one of these oversights in the printing. The consequence of\nthis stir was an examination of the Bible Society\u2019s edition, by comparing\nit with the edition printed in Spain. The result of this examination\nwas highly satisfactory, as the London edition was found to be an exact\nreprint from the latest Spanish edition, with the exception of some\nslight oversights in passing through the press. About the time this\nmatter was under consideration, the deputy Archbishop (for there is no\nArchbishop here at present) having learned that a certain priest was\nlikely to say something from the pulpit against the reading of the Bibles\nfrom London, sent a message to him, telling him \u201cnot to preach any thing\nagainst the reading of the English Bibles.\u201d By English Bibles he meant\nBibles from England, for the Bibles were in the _Spanish_ language.\n\nA curious little piece, in the poetic form, appeared about a fortnight\nago in one of the newspapers of this city. There is a great deal of truth\nand force in it, and as it is but short, and will not occupy much room,\nI shall give you a translation of it. To do it justice it should be put\nin poetic dress, but as you know I am neither poet nor rhymester, you\nwill please accept of it in plain prose. \u201c_Simon possessed a fishing\nbark_, and just a fishing bark, nothing more he left to his sons. They\nhowever were great fishers; they caught much and grew rich, and could\nno longer be content with their small bark, but got a larger one. This\nbark afterwards became a brig, and then a ship. At last it grew into a\nman-of-war, and frightened the world with its cannon. How wonderfully is\nthis ship of war now changed! how different now to what it was in former\ntimes! This great ship is now grown old, and, shattered by the storms it\nhas encountered, it now lies rotting in the harbour. A thousand times has\nit been repaired, but at last it must be laid aside altogether, and its\nowners must once more be content with _Simon\u2019s fishing bark_.\u201d You will\nfind no difficulty, I dare say, in applying this little piece, and, I\nbelieve, you will join with me in wishing that the concluding part may\nbe verified as exactly as the preceding parts have.\n\nThere is a great revolution going forward in South America. I speak not\nof the revolt from under the Spanish yoke, for that in the present day\nmay be said not to be going forward, but accomplished. The revolution\nI speak of, is a moral one. Those who have eyes to see this goodly\nprospect, and those who have ears to hear the harmony of this moral\nchange, meet on every hand with indications of its approach. You will not\nunderstand me as saying, that South America has become like the land of\nEden, like the garden of God. No. But a change has been begun, a happy\nchange. Let us put our hand to this work. Let us bear it onward, and God\nAlmighty will consummate it in due time.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                              _Lima, 28th January, 1823._\n\nA good while has elapsed since I mentioned to you any particulars of\nmy affairs in reference to the schools. During this time, however, I\nhave more than once thrown out hints, signifying that matters went on\nbut slowly. I had too much reason for these complaints. The truth is, I\nwas once and again on the point of leaving this place. My affairs here\nhave been such, since my arrival, that I may truly say, my hopes and\nprospects in South America never were so high, and never were so low\nas they have been, at different times, in Lima. I formerly stated to\nyou the very favourable reception I met with from San Martin, and from\nthe first Secretary of State, Monteagudo. Both of these left this place\na good while ago, although under different circumstances. To me their\nloss was severely felt. I never mentioned a wish to San Martin, or to\nMonteagudo, that was not granted, and granted immediately in the most\nobliging manner. After their going away, I scarcely mentioned any thing\nI wished done that was not refused. I should not, perhaps, say refused,\nfor I was not actually denied; I was told that the things I stated would\nbe done, but these promises were never fulfilled. Had I been plainly\nrefused, there is every probability that I should have left this place\nlong ago. After experiencing a number of delays, and when my little stock\nof patience was all gone, I asked for my passport. The same individual,\nhowever, who had so often put me off with fair promises, contrived to put\noff my passport also, and kept me waiting days together, with every thing\nnailed up for my departure. It was then agreed on between us, that since\nthe school plan we had in view could not be carried into effect from want\nof funds, I should stop three or four weeks to instruct some individuals\nin the Lancasterian system. About twelve came, in consequence of this,\nto my lodgings once a day, for the instructions referred to. At the\nclose of the time mentioned, these individuals were much pleased with\nthe new plan, and some of them represented the matter to the minister,\nwho gladly entered into it, and it was agreed that I should stop, and\nthat what was wanting should be granted. I did think him for this time\nsincere, and I believe he was so; but I was again subjected to be put\noff from week to week, until I found that I was circumstanced exactly as\nbefore. I petitioned anew for my passport, and in the mean time wrote a\nletter to the Congress, detailing all that had happened from the time of\nmy arrival in Lima, and concluded by stating, that I intended to leave\nthis place by the first vessel that sailed, but that I would return or\nsend some person instructed in the plan of the schools, if a desire\nshould be expressed by the Congress to that effect. The result of this\ncommunication was far beyond my expectation. Upon my letter being read, a\ngreat deal of interest was taken in this matter, and it was unanimously\nagreed to that the school should be commenced as soon as possible. An\norder was accordingly issued, that every thing I wanted to set it agoing\nshould be immediately granted. When I wrote to the Congress, I had little\nthought that they would be disposed to carry this object forward at the\ntime, having not long before resolved to use the utmost economy with the\npublic money, and to carry nothing forward that was not of an urgent\nnature. This resolution was very necessary from the low state of the\npublic funds, owing to their limited resources, and the great expenses\nof the war. In consequence of the decree of the Congress in our favour,\nI at once gave up thoughts of leaving this place, and we have been\nsince that time getting on as fast as can be expected. There is another\ncircumstance of considerable importance, which has arisen out of this.\nThe person who brought together those twelve individuals to be instructed\nin the system, as above mentioned, is a very respectable clergyman. This\ngentleman has interested himself much in the matter, and has been named\nby the Congress to take an active part in all the arrangements necessary\nuntil a School Society be formed. I have had much intercourse with this\nindividual, and have good reason to esteem him highly. We go hand in\nhand in our affairs most comfortably. As this gentleman\u2019s name is now\nconnected with the schools, and being a clergyman, many prejudices are\nthereby removed. This is a matter of no little importance, as there was a\nstrong idea, (whether well or ill founded, I cannot tell,) that the late\nSecretary, of whom I spoke, was atheistical in his views. Perhaps his\natheism consisted in his making free with the convents and other church\naffairs. However that may be, my being favoured by him probably excited\nsome prejudices, in addition to those arising from my being a Protestant.\nThe counteracting influence, therefore, of my connexion with my present\nclerical friend will, I have no doubt, be greatly advantageous. When\nI add to this, that it is through this respectable individual that I\nexpect the New Testament to be introduced into the schools, of which I\nformerly wrote, you will see that I have great cause for thanksgiving\nfor the circumstances in which we now stand; and I am even inclined to\nbelieve, from what I have seen, that our present encouraging prospects\nhave not been too dearly purchased by all the harassing delays that we\nhave experienced. We are very short sighted in all things, and can seldom\ntell what string of circumstances may end most favourably. Hence it is\nthat we are often joyous, when we have not much real cause for being so;\nand on the other hand, we are often sad, when every thing is going on in\nthe most prosperous manner. How consoling is the thought, that we are\npermitted to cast all our cares upon God; upon him who knows the end from\nthe beginning, and in whose hands, sooner or later, every thing must turn\nout well.\n\nI think I have perceived, during the time I have been in this place, a\ngreater desire to study the English language than I have met with in any\nother part of South America. I have uniformly encouraged this desire\nas much as possible, being fully persuaded that the knowledge of our\nlanguage, and of the excellent works it contains, will contribute in no\ninconsiderable degree to the progress of this country in every point of\nview. Want of books suitable for beginners in this language has formed\na considerable obstacle, as well as the want of suitable teachers. In\norder to remove these difficulties to a certain degree, and to carry\nforward this useful object, I some time ago set to work to prepare, in\nSpanish, a grammar of the English language. This is now finished, and\nnearly all printed. I have at the same time been getting ready a small\nbook, consisting of extracts from various authors in our language, for\nsomething of this kind was equally necessary. This little work is also\npretty far advanced in the printing. In the next place, in order to carry\nthis object into immediate effect, I lately published my intention of\ngiving instructions in the English language, and I now have twenty-three\nstudying it with me, two of whom are members of Congress.\n\nAccounts have reached us, that on the 19th November last, a severe\nearthquake was experienced in Chile. The first shock was felt about 11\no\u2019clock at night, and was preceded by a frightful noise. During the\nnight, and for several succeeding days, a number of shocks were felt,\nless destructive, I believe, but sufficiently alarming. We have not\nyet had full information as to the extent of country over which these\nshocks have been experienced, but from what reports have reached us,\nit seems to have extended over the greater part of Chile. The greatest\ndamage, we understand, has been done in Valparaiso. In that place several\nhouses have been thrown down, and all the churches have been severely\ninjured. Accounts say that more than two hundred people have perished in\nValparaiso alone. Many are the blessings which Providence has poured out\non Chile, and one would almost think that earthquakes have been added,\nby way of giving to it its due proportion of evil. The same may be said\nof this country, which has suffered still more from this cause than\nChile has done. We do not know _the moment_ we may be visited in this\ncity, by one of these dreadful calamities which have laid Lima nearly in\nruins at different times. To remind us of our danger, as it were, we are\nvisited by small shocks from time to time; a month rarely elapses without\none, and about a week ago we had two in one day. One would naturally\nthink that the being continually exposed to these catastrophes would\nbe productive of some happy moral effects upon the inhabitants of this\nplace. I am sorry to say there are no appearances of these good results.\nIf a comparison were to be instituted between the people of this place,\nand those of other parts of South America, in regard to morals, I am\nafraid Lima would appear in the back ground. The most imminent danger,\nthe most signal judgments, seem somehow or other to be productive of\nnothing but momentary effects on mankind. Wherever this danger or these\njudgments are, there the words of Jesus are verified; \u201cIf they believe\nnot Moses and the prophets, neither would they be persuaded though one\nshould arise from the dead.\u201d I question much if we should, in one sense,\nfind fault with this disposition of mankind; or shall I say rather with\nthis arrangement of Providence. It points out to us, I think, how much\nhappier and more solid effects may be produced by the wielding of the\nword of God, than by wielding the mountains, and casting them into the\nsea. _The word of God_ is a _fire_, and is a _hammer_, and nothing shall\nbe able to stand before it; every thing that opposeth shall be reduced\ninto ashes or into dust; and these shall be blown away by the winds, to\nbe seen no more for ever.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                  _Lima, 3d March, 1823._\n\nI have more than once, my dear friend, within these few days past,\nheard the exclamation, \u201chappy are the countries that enjoy a settled\nand secure government.\u201d The truth is, we have just experienced one of\nthose occurrences which frequently happen in revolutionary times. I\nwrote you formerly, that three individuals of the members of Congress\nwere exercising the executive power in this place. From events which\nhave lately occurred, a general dissatisfaction towards this triumvirate\nwas felt by the army in the neighbourhood of this city. The consequence\nof this was, that the troops drew near to the walls and shut the gates,\nsending at the same time a message to the Congress, requesting, or\nrather ordering, a change in the government. After a good deal of\ndeliberation, the triumvirate was removed by the Congress. Another step\nwas yet necessary, as a certain individual was pointed out as the only\nperson capable of filling the vacant situation. There was no alternative\nin this more than in the other proposition, as a part of the troops\nkept their station, as before mentioned, whilst the rest or the greater\npart came into the great square in the centre of the city. Indeed the\npublic opinion, not of the army only, but also of the great majority of\nthe people, seemed clearly expressed in favour of the person proposed.\nThe individual in question was accordingly appointed by the Congress as\n\u201cPresident of the Republic of Peru.\u201d This was done on the first current.\nThe troops have retired, and there seems to be a general satisfaction\nwith this appointment. Our President\u2019s name is Don Jos\u00e9 de la Riva Aguera.\n\nYou will naturally wish to know how our new President is likely to\nact regarding the schools, and other such matters. Respecting what\nhis conduct will be in these things, I have great confidence. I have\nknown him, and visited him occasionally since my arrival in Lima, in\nconsequence of a letter of introduction to him, with which I was favoured\non my leaving Chile. I have uniformly found him very obliging, and\nmuch interested in our concerns. In short, he is the very individual\nI should have named, had I been asked what person I wished to have in\nthis high station. I called on him this afternoon in company with my\nclerical friend, whom I formerly mentioned to you. We were well received,\nand encouraged to go forward in our work, with the assurance of his\nprotection and support.\n\nI forgot to mention to you in my last quarterly letter, that I had about\nthat time got one added to the number of my friends. This person is a\nvery respectable clergyman, and a member of the Congress. We have had\nseveral conversations together, in a very open and friendly manner. I\nhave been much pleased with his candour and frankness. He told me that\nwhen he first heard of my having come to Lima, he resolved to oppose me,\nbut that when he learned that I was not an opposer of religion, but a\nfriend to it, he changed his mind, and resolved to befriend me as far\nas lay in his power. There is a kind of idea among several of those who\nare the most religious in this country, that many or most foreigners who\narrive here are deists or atheists, or at least men no way friendly to\nreligion. Grounds have, no doubt, been given for forming this opinion,\nalthough I think it is generalized among the class of people I mentioned,\nwith some degree of illiberality, as is, indeed, commonly the case.\nThe books which come here in favour of deism and atheism strengthen\nthe opinion. Most of these are printed in France, but some of them, I\nam sorry to say it, are printed in England. From all I have seen here,\nboth in the Congress, and out of it, I am strongly inclined to think\nthat those who oppose toleration, or at least many of them, do so with a\nview to prevent the influx into the country of such as oppose or scoff\nat religion. As a proof of this, I refer to the member of Congress,\nof whom I have just been speaking. This man opposed toleration when\nit was discussed in the Congress, and spoke publicly against it; yet\nwhen conversing with him upon the subject, he told me that he was not\nopposed to the toleration of Protestants in the country. I have taken\noccasion at different times to point out to some of the members, in\nprivate conversation, that their law prohibiting the public religious\nexercises of those who differ from the Catholic church, does not hinder\natheists and deists from settling in the country, as these have no form\nof religion they wish to practise; and that this law serves only to\nprevent the coming of those men who are sincerely religious and moral,\nand who, as they themselves admit, would be of great use in the country,\nby bringing into it many branches of the arts and manufactures. I think\nI have observed some good effects arising from these conversations, and\nI wish it may so appear when, the subject comes before Congress a second\ntime.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                  _Lima, 26th May, 1823._\n\nA considerable time has now elapsed since I last wrote you. I confess I\nhave acted wrong in delaying so long; but I know that yourself and the\nCommittee of the British and Foreign School Society are ready to forgive.\nThe truth is, I have had no heart to write you; I have had nothing\nencouraging to communicate; and I am never fond of being a messenger of\nevil tidings. I have been bandied about these many months past, without\nbeing able to make any progress in those highly important affairs in\nwhich you feel so deeply interested. I have been more than once on the\neve of leaving this part of South America, but one little encouragement\nor another called me back just as I was going to embark, and flattered me\ninto a belief that all would go on well. I shall not detain you with a\nlong list of grievances, but shall pass at once to the more pleasing task\nof calling on you to join with me in thanksgiving unto Him who comforteth\nthose that are cast down, and who hath turned my darkness into light.\nBlessed be his name, the prospects of something being done in this place\nbrighten daily, and I hope yet to communicate to you something gladdening\nfrom the land of the Incas.\n\nWe have, at length, got our school fairly begun, and under very\nfavourable auspices. I formerly mentioned to you that the government had\ngiven us for our schools, the College belonging to the Dominican Friars.\nThe whole of the edifice is at our disposal for school objects. We have\nfitted up for our present school-room, a large apartment, formerly\nthe college dining-room, which will contain 300 children. The number\nattending at present is upwards of a hundred; and we intend to increase\nit gradually rather than rapidly, as we might do were we inclined. The\nexperience I have had has taught me the necessity of this. It is an easy\nmatter to tell what the system is, and to say things are to be managed in\nsuch and such a way; but the great difficulty consists in reducing it to\npractice, in training the children to method.\n\nThe Congress and the Government here are decidedly in favour of\neducation. Their object is not merely the education of the few, but the\neducation of the many, namely, of every individual in Peru. The attention\nof the Congress is, at present, engaged in drawing up a constitution\nfor the nation. One of the articles already sanctioned is, that no one\ncan vote for a member of Congress unless he can read and write. From\nthe consideration, however, of the shameful neglect of the Spaniards\nin promoting education in the country, these literary qualifications\nare not to be exacted until the year 1840. Time is thus given for every\nindividual to qualify himself in these matters; and the anxious desire of\nthe Congress is, I am fully persuaded, to carry forward education with\nall possible rapidity.\n\nYou are aware, I suppose, that the inhabitants of Peru do not all speak\nthe Spanish language. The descendants of the ancient Peruvians are very\nnumerous, and most of them speak the language of their ancestors. In\nsome parts of the country they have assumed the manners and the language\nof their conquerors and oppressors; but in other parts, and these by\nfar the most populous, their ancient tongue is their only medium of\ncommunication. I have long had my eye on this interesting part of the\npopulation of this country. I have, at length, obtained a fair prospect\nof being able to plant schools among them, and also to hand to them the\nword of God in their native tongue. An officer belonging to a regiment,\ncalled the Peruvian Legion, and who thoroughly understands the _Quichua_,\nor Peruvian, language, has taken a great liking to our system, and\nis extremely desirous of benefiting his countrymen by communicating\ninstruction to them. He is, at present, attending our school for this\npurpose, and I entertain a pleasing hope regarding the future results of\nhis operations.\n\nI beg you to express to your Committee my sincere respect and gratitude\nfor the very obliging manner in which they have come forward in aid of\nthe great work of education in South America.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                             _Truxillo, 15th July, 1823._\n\nWhen I wrote my last letter to Mr. S. I little thought my next letter\nwould be written in this place. Such, however, is the case, and I proceed\nto mention the circumstances that have brought me here. It is probable\nthat what has lately taken place in Lima will reach your ears some days\nbefore this comes into your hand. The Spanish army entered that city on\nthe 18th ultimo, the Government, the Congress, and a great number of\nthe inhabitants having left it on the preceding day. You will wonder\nat this, I dare say, after the favourable account of our affairs in my\nlast letter. It has also been a subject of wonder unto us all, and of\nconsternation to not a few. I mentioned in my last, that the Spaniards\nhad collected a considerable force in Jauja. They had left Arequipa, and\ncollected in Jauja with the intention of coming down upon Lima. They had\nmade this movement when the independent army was sadly crippled, and\nwhen there was no efficient force to oppose their taking possession of\nthe capital. When, however, reinforcements had arrived from Colombia,\nand an expedition had been sent off to Arequipa, we little thought they\nwould persevere in their intention of attacking Lima. On the contrary,\nwe thought they would immediately retrace their steps with all speed\ntowards Arequipa or Cuzco, to secure to themselves the possession of\nthese valuable provinces. The event, however, has turned out otherwise,\nand we now understand that they were badly informed as to the real state\nof their opponents. The Spaniards crossed the Andes, and came down\ntowards Lima in a very rapid and unexpected manner, with a force of seven\nthousand well disciplined men. Upon their presenting themselves in the\nneighbourhood of the city, they were reconnoitred by the Independent\nGenerals, and as soon as the number and discipline of the Spanish army\nwere known, it was judged imprudent to risk a battle with them, as\nthe patriot army is but about five thousand strong, and many of them\nrecruits. The independent army considered it most advisable not only to\navoid a general battle, but also to avoid defending Lima, and chose to\nretire to the forts in Callao. The Government and the Congress, together\nwith a great number of the principal inhabitants, retired at the same\ntime to Callao. A few days after, the President and Congress judged it\nmost suitable to remove from the scene of military operations, and to\ntake up a temporary residence in this city. They accordingly sailed for\nthis place, and arrived about a fortnight ago.\n\nWe were going on with our schools in a prosperous way on the 16th (June)\nwhen the reports of the rapid approach of the enemy, and the general\nconfusion throughout the city, induced us to suspend our operations on\nthat day for a week, till we should see what would take place. It was\non that day quite uncertain whether the city would be defended, (for it\nis surrounded by a good wall,) or whether the army would retire from\nthe city to Callao. On the following day, however, all doubt on these\npoints was removed, as it was agreed in a council of war to abandon the\ncity, and the army accordingly left it on the same day. At three o\u2019clock\nI left Lima and went down to Callao, being assured that the enemy would\nenter the city that night, or at all events on the following day. I\nslept that night (the 17th) on board of an English vessel, lying in the\nharbour. It was my intention to return to Lima in four or five days, in\nwhich time I supposed the Spaniards would be in quiet possession of the\nplace, and that order would be again restored, so that as an Englishman\nI might pass to Lima with a passport from the English Commodore on the\nstation. I accordingly remained some days, on board the vessel, but there\nwas no possibility of passing from Callao to Lima with any safety during\nthat time. On the 20th the vessel I was in cleared out for the port of\nCasma, about 200 miles to the north of Lima, and I conceived it most\nadvisable to go along with her, as there was no prospect of re-entering\nLima for some time. I therefore supplied myself with some dollars from\na friend, as I had left Lima without money, and with scarcely any other\nclothes than those I had on. In two days we arrived safely in the port\nof Casma, and on the day after our arrival I went up to the village,\nwhich is about 8 miles distant. I was accompanied from Callao by an old\nfriend, a priest, and a prebendary of the cathedral of Lima. We made\nourselves acquainted with the Vicar, and were most hospitably lodged\nin his house. Here we staid a week. During this time the accounts from\nLima continued as unfavourable as before, and numbers of people who had\nfled from it were arriving at Casma, and others coming on towards it.\nI resolved, therefore, to come on to this city, where I arrived safely\nafter four days travel through roads of burning sand, which were very\nfatiguing to our horses and to ourselves. The roads all along the coast\nof Peru are of this description. Here and there, at distances of from\ntwenty to forty miles, there is a river, and in the valley through which\nit runs, vegetation of every kind shoots out luxuriantly, and nothing is\nwanting but hands of industry to raise cotton, sugar, coffee, and all the\ntropical fruits. My friend, the prebendary, remained in Casma, but I was\naccompanied to this place by two other emigrants from Lima, and on our\narrival here we found not less than a thousand people of all conditions\nunder similar circumstances with ourselves. Numbers have since arrived,\nand reports say that nearly ten thousand have left Lima, some having gone\nto one place and some to another. Notwithstanding these unfavourable\ncircumstances, we expect all to return to the capital before long; it\nmay, however, be three or four months.\n\nFrom what has been stated, you may perhaps think that the cause of\nindependence here is losing ground fast, or that it is in a hopeless\ncondition. This, however, is not the case. The Spaniards will, I believe,\nbe under the necessity of leaving Lima in the course of a very few\nmonths; and in the mean time they have lost the valuable province of\nArequipa, as there are accounts of the safe arrival of the expedition\nwhich sailed some time ago for that quarter, and of some advantages they\nhave already gained, and also of the speedy prospect of taking possession\nof all that place, the Spanish force there being but small. The\nindependent army will probably march on towards Cuzco, where the Viceroy\nis stationed with a force of about 3,000 men, and the ancient capital of\nthe Incas may very soon become the scene of the contest for liberty\u2014the\ncontest of truth and freedom, with ignorance and oppression; and may the\nrighteous cause prevail.\n\nI have long had a great desire of visiting some of the interior parts of\nthis country, and present circumstances offer a favourable opportunity.\nI intend, in a day or two, to leave this city for Caxamarca, and from\nthence I purpose to go to Jaen de Bracamoros. If the accounts I there\nobtain are favourable, I shall go down the great river Mara\u00f1on or\nAmazon, as far as the mouth of the Huall\u00e1ga or the Ucay\u00e1li. I may then\nperhaps ascend some of the rivers which fall into the Mara\u00f1on from the\nnorth, and go on in this way towards Quito. If I should be able to get\non so far, I shall then descend from Quito to Guayaquil, and from thence\nby sea to Callao. I have got leave of absence for four months, and have\nobtained a letter of recommendation from the President to the governors\nof those places through which I intend to pass. I trust this journey\nis undertaken with the same views which induced me to leave my native\ncountry. I trust the Lord will protect me from every evil, will surround\nme with his almighty arm, and will guide and comfort me by his Spirit.\n\nP.S.\u2014_21st July, 1823._\u2014\u2014On the day after writing the above, some\naccounts reached this place that the Spanish army was beginning to\nretreat from Lima. In consequence of this, I deferred my journey until\ncertain accounts upon this subject should arrive. These accounts have\nnow been fully confirmed. The Spaniards began their retreat on the 8th\ncurrent, and the last division of their army was to leave Lima on the\nevening of the 16th, or on the day following.\n\nAs Lima is now open, from the retiring of the Spaniards, I have given up\nfor the present my journey to the river Amazon, and to-morrow I set out\nfor Lima overland.\n\nThe day before yesterday the Congress was dissolved here, and a Senate\nhas been appointed in its stead.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                _Lima, 8th August, 1823._\n\nMy last letter to you was dated 9th November last, and which I hope came\nsafely into your hands. Though the interval between my letters to you be\nconsiderable, yet I always suppose you acquainted with what occurs to me\nhere during these intervals, through my letters to our mutual friends\nin Edinburgh. I therefore consider it unnecessary to go over all that\nhas happened here since I last wrote to you, and shall confine myself\nto what is going forward at the present time. I am sorry that I have so\nmuch to say that may be called of an unfavourable nature. In my letter\nto Mr. H. from Truxillo, I stated the cause of my removal to that city,\nand also the favourable change which had induced me to return. I arrived\nsafely in this place on the 2d instant, after an absence of nearly\nseven weeks. I found, on my return, all that I had left behind safe,\nnothing had been touched. The Spanish army continued in possession of\nLima just twenty-eight days, during which they did considerable injury\nto the place, by levying contributions, confiscating property, &c. The\namount of the loss sustained, in one shape and another, is reckoned\nat two millions of dollars. All the property belonging to the English\nmerchants, which was in their own warehouses, was respected, and no loss\nwas sustained thereon. What goods they had in the Custom-house they were\nallowed to withdraw, upon paying a duty of forty per-cent. The other\ngoods in the Custom-house, belonging to the natives of the country, were\nconfiscated and sold on the spot. The favour thus experienced by the\nEnglish, was owing to the intervention of the British Naval Commander\nin this place. The Spanish General, however, intimated to the English\nmerchants that although he had respected their property at this time,\nyet in future he would not do so, but would confiscate all that belonged\nto them, should he return again to Lima, and that thus they might\nconsider themselves as warned beforehand, of what they might expect. I\nhad heard in Truxillo that the Spaniards had destroyed the palace, the\nmint, and some other public buildings. This, however, I am happy to\nfind, was incorrect: they have destroyed no buildings. The machinery of\nthe mint was destroyed; and they have carried off or destroyed all the\nprinting-presses and types they could lay their hands on. The government\nprinting-presses and types have escaped, as they had been removed to\nCallao in good time. One or two presses also, belonging to private\nindividuals, have likewise been saved, having been hid at the time the\nrest were carried off. I suppose you have read (and correctly too,) in\nthe descriptions of this city, that the churches are immensely rich in\nsilver. This, however, is not the case at present, I assure you. They are\nnow completely stripped of all their former grandeur in that respect.\nThe independent government at different times ordered considerable\nquantities of the silver in the churches to be taken to the mint, which\nwas accordingly done. Upon their retreat from the city on the approach of\nthe enemy, a few weeks ago, nearly every thing of silver that could be\nwell spared from the churches, was carried to the castle in Callao, to\nprevent its falling into the hands of the Spaniards. This proved a proper\nforesight, for the enemy took almost every thing that had been left in\nthe churches, and thus thoroughly stripped them. A priest observed to me\nthe other day, that it should seem the time is now come when God chooses\nto be served with less splendour, and with more humility. The observation\nwas good; and I wish the time were indeed come when the supporters of\nthis system would lay aside their own riches and righteousness in every\nrespect, and would clothe themselves with the righteousness of Christ,\nand with true humility. That period is, I trust, advancing, although\nperhaps not so fast as we could wish. The Lord, however, will bring\nit about in due time. The way we generally wish to do things, in our\nimpatience, is to jump to our object; or in other words, to gain our\nbenevolent ends all at once. This, however, is not the way the Almighty\nhas established matters in the depth of his wisdom. The end, he tells us,\nmay be gained, yea, and shall be gained, but it can be gained only by the\nuse of the appointed means, and by patient continuance in well doing.\n\nThe Spanish army has marched towards Arequipa along the coast. The first\ndivision under General Valdes is already at some distance, but the second\ndivision, under Canter\u00e1c the Commander in chief, is only about 100 miles\nto the south of us. There is, however, I believe, little danger at\npresent of his returning to Lima, as the main object of the Spaniards\nis to attack as early as possible the patriot army in Arequipa. That\narmy is now of considerable strength, and much better equipped every way\nthan the former one in that place, which was so completely defeated by\nthe Spaniards at Moquegua. I wish the result may be favourable to the\nindependent cause, as much certainly depends on the result.\n\nI mentioned in my letter to Mr. H. that the Congress had been dissolved\nin Truxillo, and that a Senate had been appointed in its place. This was\nthe single act of the President, and it was certainly a very bold and\nimprudent step, not to say any thing of its injustice. The President has\nnot yet returned to Lima, and in the mean time a strong opposition has\nbeen stirred up against him here for having dissolved the Congress. The\nrepresentatives now in Lima have solemnly protested against this measure,\nhave re-installed themselves as the supreme council and government of\nthe nation, and have elected the Marquis of Truxillo to exercise the\nexecutive power. What will be the result of these operations I know not.\nIt is probable, I think, that Riva Aguera, the President, will give in,\nand be banished from the country for some time, it is certainly a very\nunfavourable time for internal disputes. A short time, I hope, will make\nall things wear a more smiling aspect, and may the Lord who reigneth in\nthe earth, grant that this may indeed be our case. All things are in\nhis hand. He ever reigneth, although his benignant hand may at times be\ninvisible to us.\n\nDuring the time I was at Truxillo, I formed the plan of visiting some of\nthe aboriginal inhabitants of America, on the banks of the river Amazon.\nI had calculated that the Spaniards would keep possession of this city\nfor about three months, and I supposed, that time would about suffice\nme for my intended tour. I had bought a number of glittering buttons,\nneedles, scissors, knives, fish-hooks, ribbons, &c., for presents to\nthe natives. I had also taken out my passport, and was arranging for\nsetting out, when accounts reached Truxillo, that a part of the Spanish\narmy had evacuated this city. In consequence of this, I put off my\nintended journey, though with regret, in order to return to my duties\nin this place. I have long had a desire to visit those parts, and though\nI have not been able to effect my object at this time, my purpose is\nnot laid aside, but only postponed until a more favourable opportunity\noccur; and in the mean time I will go on collecting all the information\nI can, regarding those quarters. I have a considerable desire to spend\nthe greater part of my remaining days on the banks of that great river,\nor on the borders of some of its tributary streams. In the Mercurio\nPeruano, a work of which I dare say you have heard, there are some very\ninteresting accounts of the entrance of the Jesuits and of the Franciscan\nFriars into that part of the country. Their success was various. Numbers\nof the missionaries lost their lives in prosecution of their object,\nthrough the cruel hands of those whom they went to instruct. At length\nthe missions in those parts made some progress, but they never were very\nflourishing; and even in their best state, missions under such a system\nwere open to many objections. One single Moravian village in the midst\nof some wilderness would be a more gratifying sight than all the Jesuit\nmissions put together. Though we may thus condemn their system, because\ntruth requires it, yet the Missionaries themselves, generally speaking,\nin point of zeal and devotion to their object, are worthy of great\ncommendation, and in many instances their conduct forcibly attracts our\nadmiration. The accounts they have published are extremely interesting.\nIn another point of view, also, the Missionaries have done a great\nservice, by their study of the original languages, and by the grammars\nand dictionaries of these which they published. The whole of these works\nare by the Jesuits, and not a volume has been published since their fall.\nThese grammars and dictionaries are now extremely scarce in this place.\nIt has cost me a great deal of labour to obtain some of them, and others\nI have not yet been able to procure, but hope in time to get a copy of\nall their writings on those subjects, as well as of the geographical\nworks they have published.\n\nI believe it is not generally known in Europe that a great part, the\nmajority of the inhabitants of Peru, are of the descendants of the\nancient Peruvians under the Incas. An idea is, I believe, pretty general\nwith you, that the Spaniards nearly exterminated this race, as they\ndid the inhabitants of St. Domingo and Cuba. That they destroyed vast\nnumbers of the indigenous inhabitants of this part of the world is,\nalas! too true; still, however, the majority here are Peruvians, and\nnot Spaniards. There are, of course, a good many of a mixed race, and\non the coast there are not a few of the sons and daughters of unhappy\nAfrica, and their descendants. The Peruvians who live in the towns on\nthe coast, all speak the Spanish language, and know nothing of the\nancient language of Peru, called the Quichua. Between the coast and the\nridge of the Andes, called the Cordillera, there are many towns, the\ninhabitants of which generally speak the Quichua and the Spanish, with,\nhowever, a predilection for their own native tongue. On the east of the\nCordillera of the Andes, the Spanish language is but little spoken, and\nboth Peruvians and Spaniards speak the Quichua. It is spoken, of course,\nwith more or less purity, in these different places, a circumstance to be\nfully expected of an unwritten language, and among an uneducated people.\nI have had my attention turned to those parts of this country where the\nQuichua language is spoken ever since I came to Peru. I have had a great\ndesire to communicate, in one way or another, to this ancient people, the\nblessings of education and the light of the Sacred Word. The Spaniards\nhave kept them in the lowest state of mental existence, and it may be\ntruly said, that under the Incas, the Peruvians were less ignorant, and\nmore virtuous, than they are at this day. At the time the Spaniards\n(these enemies of knowledge) drove us from our post here, on their\nentrance into Lima, we had in our school two descendants of the ancient\nPeruvians studying our system, with a view to carry instruction among\ntheir countrymen; whilst another of the same people was actually engaged\nin translating one of the Gospels into the Quichua language. I hope we\nshall be able to muster our forces again, and to go on in this good work.\nPray for us that the blessing of the Almighty may be upon us, to crown\nus with speedy and certain success.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                             _Lima, 1st September, 1823._\n\nI mentioned in a former letter, that the members of the Congress who were\nin Lima had united and re-installed this assembly. Their number daily\nincreased, by the arrival of those who had fled to various quarters upon\nthe arrival of the Spaniards. Riva Aguera was left in Truxillo with a\nvery few only of those he had chosen for his senate. The public opinion\nin favour of the Congress, is very strong, and all seem to rejoice in its\nrestoration.\n\nSeveral accounts have reached us of advantages gained by the patriot\ntroops in the south, but the good effects of these upon us are greatly\nlessened by the continual dread we are in of the operations of Riva\nAguera, who has got collected together about 3,000 men. Fulminations by\nthe Congress have been issued against him, calling him tyrant, &c. &c.\nand exhorting every good patriot to use his endeavours to bring him to\nthis city, dead or alive.\n\nThis commencement of internal war is looked upon by all who feel an\ninterest in the independence of the country, as a very unfortunate\ncircumstance. A powerful enemy is at hand, and ready to seize every\nopportunity which such divisions may occasion, in order to subject the\ncountry to its former state. In fact we were, about a fortnight ago, in\ngreat alarm for some days, from a rumour of the return of the Spanish\narmy. A happy circumstance, however, has this day taken place, which\nwill, I trust, unite all parties in one. This fortunate circumstance\nis the safe arrival of Bolivar. He landed this morning in Callao, and\nentered Lima this afternoon, to the very great satisfaction of all. He\nhas brought with him upwards of 2,000 men, and more it is said are to\nfollow. The general aspect of the war is now greatly in our favour,\nand I think the Spanish army is rather critically placed. Some letters\nhave been intercepted from one of the Spanish Generals to La Serna,\ngiving rather a sad account of his situation, and mentioning some of his\nofficers of whose loyalty he had not great confidence. From all these\ncircumstances, I trust the time is not far distant when this unhappy and\ndestructive war will give way to peace and to liberty.\n\nWhen in Truxillo, I made some arrangements for the circulation of the\nScriptures in that quarter. There is a medical gentleman there, a native\nof Ireland, of the name of O\u2019Donovan. He is of the Roman Catholic\nreligion, but he has none of those prejudices against the Bible which\nmany of the Catholics have. So far is he from being prejudiced upon\nthis point, that he takes a very great interest in its circulation,\nand recommends it strongly to all his friends. This is a very happy\ncircumstance, and I hope the results will be truly beneficial. Being a\nRoman Catholic himself, what he says upon this subject has more weight\nthan the same things would have from a Protestant. Since my return to\nLima, I have sent him 50 Spanish New Testaments, and a number of Spanish\ntracts, which I got some time ago. He mentioned to me the effects\nproduced by some tracts which he formerly had. He said he gave a few\nof them to his neighbours, and some time after inquired how they liked\nthem. Some of them told him plainly that they did not like them at all,\nand that these tracts were not _the Gospel_, because there was nothing\nsaid about _the Sacraments_ in them. You would not, he replied, have the\nSacraments spoken of _every where_, and nothing but the Sacraments? Let\nme read, continued he, a chapter of one of the Gospels to you. He then\ntook his New Testament, and read to them accordingly a chapter from one\nof the Gospels. Now, said he, is there any thing about the Sacraments in\nwhat I have just read to you? They said there was not. And is not _this_\nthe Gospel, said he? They agreed that it was. Well then, he continued,\nmay not these tracts be Gospel too, although there is nothing of the\nSacraments in them. I trust the Lord will bless the exertions of this\nworthy individual to circulate the knowledge of God around him.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                             _Lima, 25th November, 1823._\n\nWhat a cheering thought it is, to contemplate the glorious exertions of\nthe present day, to put the Sacred Scriptures into the hands of _all_.\nThe names of barbarian, Scythian, bond and free, have disappeared in the\ndistribution of this noble charity; and the only distinction known is,\nthose who have this volume, and those who have it not. The present mighty\nefforts bid fair to make this only distinction among mankind disappear\nalso; and may it be soon fulfilled; thus leaving every soul in possession\nof that treasure which can alone make his soul valuable.\n\nI am happy to say that something has already been done here, and that\nthe prospects for the future are encouraging. Perhaps there have been\ncirculated, during these few years past, about one thousand copies of the\nwhole Bible, in the Spanish language, and considerably upwards of that\nnumber of New Testaments, in the same tongue. It is true, this is but a\nsmall number among so many; yet it is a good beginning; and you know we\nought not to despise small things, but receive them with thanksgiving,\nand as encouragements to perseverance.\n\nImmediately after the rapid sale of the 500 Spanish Bibles, and 500 New\nTestaments in this city, as mentioned in my letter of October 18th,\nI wrote to London for a large supply, although I was then in daily\nexpectation of some arriving. The supplies sent by the British and\nForeign Bible Society, and which I was then expecting, arrived, as I\nafterward learned, in Buenos Aires and in Chile, but none of them reached\nthis place. I remained for a long time in great anxiety about the arrival\nof a supply for this city, and country adjacent. After waiting for\nseveral months, I received a letter from the Society, informing me that\nthe whole edition of the Bible had been disposed of, but that 5000 New\nTestaments would be sent me as soon as they could be bound. These have\nnot yet arrived, but I am in hourly expectation of them.\n\nI come now to speak of a new translation of the New Testament, which I\nam endeavouring to procure in this place. I suppose you are aware that\nthe greater part of the inhabitants of Peru are the descendants of the\nancient Peruvians. The language spoken by the Peruvian nation in the\ntime of the Incas is called the Quichua; and this language, with some\nvariation, continues to be spoken to the present day by two-thirds of\nthe inhabitants of this country. Since my arrival in Peru, I have been\ndesirous of procuring a translation of a part or the whole of the New\nTestament into this language. I have, at length, got it begun, and\nunder favourable circumstances. Two of the Gospels, the Acts of the\nApostles, and the two Epistles of Peter, are already translated into\nthis ancient tongue. The translation of the rest of the New Testament\nis going forward, while the parts I have mentioned are a revising by\nfour gentlemen, who have cheerfully offered to take this labour upon\nthem. I am much pleased to see the interest these individuals take in\nthis matter; and it will, as it were, authorize this translation, when\nit is considered that they have revised it. All the four are members of\nCongress, and one of them is a clergyman. The gentleman who is engaged in\nthe translation is a descendant of one of the Incas, or kings of Peru,\nand a native of the city of Cuzco. As soon as the parts I have mentioned\nare thoroughly revised, I intend to print them at the expense of the\nBritish and Foreign Bible Society. In the mean time, the translation\nof the whole New Testament will go forward until it is completed. I am\nalso desirous of beginning with the Old Testament as soon as the New is\ntranslated. This translation of the whole Bible, and the printing of an\nedition of two or three thousand copies, will cost a considerable sum,\nespecially as printing is expensive in this country. I have written to\nthe British and Foreign Bible Society, requesting their instructions\nregarding the extent to which they might wish me to go in this matter at\ntheir expense. I trust they will authorize me to go forward in this work,\nand to carry it into completion. As this, however, is an _American_ work,\nI believe the American Bible Society would gladly come forward with their\naid to carry it into effect. This language is spoken by about a million\nof people; and no other inducement should be necessary to interest Bible\nSocieties in regard to it. There are also two other languages spoken in\nthis country, namely, the Aimar\u00e1 and the Moxa.[3] About four hundred\nthousand people speak these two languages. I am desirous of getting, at\nleast, one of the Gospels translated into each of these, but have not\nyet got any thing done. It is my intention to take a journey through the\ninterior of Peru; and, when passing through the places where these two\nlanguages are spoken, I shall endeavour to procure the translations when\non the spot.\n\nThus, you see, the Lord\u2019s work goes forward, even in this remote corner.\nSouth America has hitherto been a neglected and benighted country; but\nthanks be to God, this long night of darkness is now far spent, and the\nday is at hand. From the time I set my foot on board on my voyage to\nSouth America, I have considered myself as an American. Ever since that\nday the interests of America are the uppermost in my heart. You too,\nmy dear Sir, and the members of your Society, are Americans. I would,\ntherefore, call upon you, as my fellow-citizens, and would rouse you up\nto the mighty importance of that sacred work in which you are engaged.\nAmerica, North and South, is the field for your operations. Lo! the poor\nIndian, begging from you the \u201cbread of life.\u201d Can you shut up your bowels\nof compassion?\u2014\u201cCome over and help us,\u201d breaks upon our ears from every\nquarter. Surely this is not the time to sit down with folded hands, to\nrejoice in what has been accomplished. No. It is the time to blush, and\nto be ashamed for our past supineness: it is the time for calling forth\nall our energy, for plying every nerve, in order to make the Light of\nLife shine from one end of the earth to the other.\n\n[3] Although I resided upwards of two years in Peru, yet during that time\nI did not meet with any person qualified to translate the Scriptures into\neither of these two languages. But after leaving that country, I met\nwith a person fitted for translating into the Aimar\u00e1, in a place where\nI little expected to find one. In London, last year, when in one of the\nPaddington coaches, I perceived that one of my fellow passengers was a\nforeigner, from his countenance and manner of speaking. After we had\nconversed a little with each other, I took the liberty to ask him from\nwhat part of the world he came. He told me he was from South America; and\nupon inquiring more particularly, I found he was a native of La Paz, in\nPeru, the very spot where the Aimar\u00e1 language is spoken. This individual\nI found to be perfectly acquainted with this language, having spoken\nit from his infancy; and from his education and other circumstances, I\nconceived him to be a suitable person for translating the Scriptures into\nthat language. Our acquaintance increased, and led to his being engaged\nby the British and Foreign Bible Society to translate the New Testament\ninto his native tongue; and he has now nearly completed this work.\n\nWe call a meeting of this kind accidental, and it was truly so, in the\ncommon sense of the term. But the Christian looks higher, and finds the\ndirecting hand of God in such matters. What adds to the interest of this\ncircumstance is, that besides the person mentioned, there is not an\nindividual in England who understands a word of the language referred to.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                              _Lima, 1st December, 1823._\n\nI mentioned to you in my last, that Bolivar had safely arrived in this\ncity. Some days after his arrival, I was introduced to him, and was very\nfavourably received. He is, in appearance, a very modest unassuming man,\nas far as I can judge from the short conversation we had together. He\nappears very active and intelligent, but I could not read any thing of\nan extraordinary nature in his countenance. He has not the eye of San\nMartin, whose glance would pierce you through in a moment. Bolivar\u2019s\nweather-beaten face tells you that he has not been idle. No man, I\nbelieve, has borne so much of the burden, or has toiled so hard in the\nheat of the day, in the cause of South American Independence, as Bolivar.\nHis labours in his own country are already crowned with nearly complete\nsuccess; Colombia may be considered free and independent. According to\nall the accounts which reach us, the Congress of that country is going\non with great steadiness. The following, I conceive, is a very pleasing\ntrait in Bolivar\u2019s character. When invited to come here, he replied, that\nhe would very gladly come without a moment\u2019s delay, but that he could\nnot allow himself to obey his feelings in the matter, as an article of\nthe constitution of Colombia prohibits the President from going out of\nthe state without leave from the Congress. From this circumstance, he\nsaid, and from a desire to give an example of subjection to the laws,\nhe could not come until he should obtain leave. He accordingly wrote\nto the Congress for permission, and although, from the distance of the\ncapital, he was long in receiving an answer, and in the interval was\nurgently solicited from this quarter, yet he remained in Guayaquil until\nthe permission from the Congress came, and immediately after sailed\nfor this place. Since his arrival here, he has been chiefly occupied\nin military occupations, and in endeavouring to make an accommodation\nbetween the Congress and Riva Aguera. Every thing has been done by him\nin this matter, and I am sorry to say without effect. The last remedy\nonly remains, and it has been resorted to; Bolivar in person and 6,000\nmen have gone against him. I am told he is pretty confident of reducing\nhim in a very short time, and that he expects to return in three or four\nweeks.\n\nLima is no longer that city of wealth it formerly was. The number of\npeople who have been reduced from tolerably comfortable circumstances to\npoverty, is not a few. The affairs of our school suffer greatly from the\npresent state of this place. The Government is very friendly towards us,\nand very desirous of giving us succour, but they cannot do all they wish,\nas this war rivets the attention of all, and devours all the resources.\nBut the Lord reigneth, and all shall yet be well.\n\nThe Congress has, for some months past, been busily occupied in framing\na constitution for Peru, and which they have now brought to a close. A\nfew days ago it was published, and it has since been sworn to with great\nformality by the members of Congress, the Members of Government, and\nother public functionaries. It is very probable that this constitution\nwill be translated into English, and published in London. You will, in\nthat case, have an opportunity of seeing it, and of forming your opinion\nregarding its merits. When you have passed your judgment upon it, I shall\nbe obliged to you to state particularly what that judgment is, in order\nthat I may inform my friends here of the result. In this manner you may\nperhaps contribute to its improvement afterwards, as the opinions of\nforeigners upon the subject will, I am persuaded, have some weight. To\nfind a perfect constitution would be as difficult, perhaps, as to find\na perfect man. The political constitutions of most countries might be\naltered for the better, I believe, especially on your side of the world.\nThere is certainly a striking difference between the old world and the\nnew in reference to these matters. You Europeans, generally speaking, may\nbe compared to an old man, whose evil habits have grown up with him from\nthe days of his ignorance and foolishness, but which he either cannot\nsee, or seeing, is unwilling to correct. If you point out these to him,\nhe gets impatient and angry, and then draws his sword, by dint of which\nhe convinces you that he is in the right. We, on the other hand, who live\nin a new world, have new ideas, and, I may add, true ideas, upon these\nsubjects. America may be compared to a young man just come of age, and\ninexperienced, but who is endeavouring to learn wisdom from seeing the\nstubbornness of old age on the one hand, and from the true principles of\nphilosophy on the other. We are not fettered down by old habits, and we\nare endeavouring therefore, and I think with some success to look upon\nthe subject of government philosophically, and as free as may be from\nthe influence of prejudice. The single object, I believe, of the rising\nstates of South America is the forming such laws or constitutions as may\ntruly secure the liberty and protection of every member of the political\nbody, to the greatest degree possible. Political codes have been drawn\nup with this view, and all of them, I believe, have an article of great\nimportance, namely, that the constitution shall be revised and improved\nfrom time to time, in order that it may move on towards perfection, as\nscience and wisdom increase in the world. You will be saying to yourself,\nperhaps, that I am too favourable to my new friends, and you will be\nready to produce against me the article upon religion as found in most\nof the constitutions of this southern continent. You are likely, I\nbelieve, to form an improper judgment of this country in reference to\nthat article. You may be sure I feel the want upon this matter more\nthan you do, but I endeavour to look upon the subject with as little\nprejudice as possible. When toleration was obtained in England, it was\nwrung from the government, I may say, by main force. The safety of the\nstate demanded it, and this I suppose had more weight in obtaining for\nus this precious blessing, than any qualms of conscience or political\nwisdom. Things are quite different here. There is nobody, I may say, who\nneeds toleration, and of course nobody is asking it for himself. I speak\nof the inhabitants of America, exclusive of the few foreigners who reside\nin it. One of the members of Congress, at the time of discussing this\nsubject, very pertinently said, \u201cWhy such ado about toleration? Who is\nasking for it? or who stands in need of it? We, ourselves, do not need\nany such thing, and foreigners, who are here, seem very little concerned\nabout the subject. It was not religion that brought them to this country,\nbut commerce. Give them money, therefore, in exchange for their goods,\nand they will seek nothing else.\u201d Now all this was very true, however\nunpalatable. Yet, notwithstanding the real state of the country in regard\nto the need of toleration, a very strong party exists in the Congress in\nfavour of it; so strong indeed, that it was thought at one time that it\nwould be gained; and when it was lost, a considerable number entered\ntheir protest upon the subject; the first of whom was an aged priest,\nand the head of the principal college in Lima. Now can you tell me when\nsuch things took place in any other country, and originating wholly from\na philosophical view of the matter? Having seen these things take place,\nunder my own eye, and having conversed with several members of Congress\nand others upon the subject, I feel confident in stating, that liberal\nviews upon it are pretty general, at least in this city, and I believe\nthat this evil will be removed from the Constitution ere long, perhaps at\nthe first revival of it.\n\nP.S.\u2014Riva Aguera and his friends, are now prisoners, and his troops have\nreturned to their duty.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                 _Lima, 1st March, 1824._\n\nI stated to you, some time ago, my expectation of being able to introduce\nthe New Testament undisguised into our school. Blessed be God, that\nobject is now accomplished. I have sold several copies to the children\npublicly in the school. In the usual course of our lessons, we have\noccasion to speak of several incidents in the Gospel history. On these\noccasions, I desire our pupils, particularly on Saturdays, to find out\nin their New Testaments where such a thing is spoken of, giving them\ncertain limits. On the Monday following, a number are well prepared\nwith their New Testaments marked with slips of paper at the places in\nquestion, and often through their pretty impatience to communicate their\ndiscoveries, they tell me before we get into the school, that they have\nfound out the parable of the sower, the conversion of Paul, &c. You may\neasily imagine that these circumstances are great sources of enjoyment\nto me, and make up for many disadvantages. I have said that we have got\nthe New Testament introduced into our school _undisguised_. You probably\nperceive what I mean by using the word undisguised. The truth is, the\nNew Testament, in one sense, has all along been used in our schools in\nSouth America, not however in the open manner we now use it in Lima,\nbut, as I may say, disguised; that is, we have used for lessons extracts\nfrom it, printed on large sheets, and in little books, thus introducing\nthe Scriptures as it were by stealth. Each part of these lessons I cause\nto be read repeatedly in the classes, until the children can read them\nreadily. By the time they can do so, the substance of what they have\nread, and the instruction contained in it, is tolerably imprinted on the\nmemory. Children, you know, have a habit of repeating to themselves what\nthey have been saying or reading frequently. In consequence of this, what\nportions of Scripture they have read in the school, they repeat in this\nway at home. My excellent friend and companion, the clergyman, already\nwell known to you, informs me that several of the parents of our scholars\ntell him that their children are talking about the Gospel at home all the\nday long. From other quarters I have heard the same thing, and always\nwith satisfaction expressed on the part of the parents. Some of the\nelder boys, at times, have requested me to lend them the little books\nof Scripture extracts, that they might read them at home; and sometimes\nthe request is, \u201cMy mother desired me to ask you for one of the little\nbooks, as she wishes to read it.\u201d These requests have been listened to\nwith satisfaction, and you may be sure, complied with. Seeing this good\ndisposition in regard to this matter, and considering the advantages\nwhich might flow from this silent unpresuming introduction of the Holy\nScriptures, I intimated to the children that the little books would be\nsold to them at a small expense, and the consequence was, that many of\nthem were bought immediately. I mentioned to my clerical friend what I\nhad done, and my motive for doing it, namely, that the children and the\nparents might be improved. He replied, the books must prove useful to\nboth parents and children, as what they contain is _the word of God_.\n\nYou will, perhaps, think I am lengthening out this subject too much,\nin talking of our school affairs. It is a subject, however, of some\ninterest, considering where our school is, and I am persuaded you will\nlook upon it as such. I shall, therefore, proceed a little farther, even\nat the risk of being tedious. We have, at certain times, an exercise for\nthe more advanced boys, which I conceive to be very useful, and in which\nthey take a great deal of interest. A Scripture narrative, or parable,\nis proposed, which they are required to read over, by themselves, with\ngreat attention, and to note in their memory all the circumstances and\ninstruction contained in it. Thus prepared, as many as _choose_ to\nexhibit, sit down on a form by themselves, and one after another stands\nforward, without book, and delivers the parable or narrative, not in the\nvery words of the text, but giving all the circumstances of the parable\nin their own artless way. It is pleasing, and not uninstructive, to hear\nthem go over their exercise in this manner. Instead, for instance, of\nsaying that the servant in Matthew, chap. 18, owed his Lord ten thousand\ntalents, one will say, he owed him a thousand dollars, another, perhaps,\nwill say a hundred dollars; whilst, on the other hand, they will say\nthat the one servant owed the other \u201c_unos pocos cuartillitos_,\u201d or, as\nwe would say in English, a few halfpence. By this way of saying it, they\nget into the sense of the passage themselves, and it is thus also brought\ndown to the level of the understandings of their younger companions, all\nof whom are listening, whilst the attention of many is rivetted. One of\nthe boys the other day, in noticing the concluding verse of the 18th of\nMatthew, made a very beautiful allusion to the corresponding petition\nin the Lord\u2019s Prayer, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others. A\npremium of two rials (equal to a shilling) was awarded to the boy who\ndelivered his parable in the best manner. Several times this reward was\nproposed and given. One day they asked me what parable we should have. I\ntold them I was not sure that we should have any at all that day, because\nmoney was very scarce with us, and I did not know if we could spare two\nrials. But, said they, we may say the parable, although there be no\npremium. You take a pleasure then, said I, in this exercise, do you,\nindependently of the premium? Yes, said they, with one accord. Well, I\ncontinued, it gives me great pleasure to see you take so much interest in\nthis matter, and I can assure you, it is a very useful exercise, as well\nas a pleasing one.\n\nI now go on to notice what has occurred here since my last, in reference\nto supplies of the Holy Scriptures, and their distribution. I stated\nto you formerly, that we were entirely without a supply of the Spanish\n_Bible_ here, and that we had but a few New Testaments. In hopes of\nobtaining some Bibles which were much sought after, I wrote to a\ngentleman in Valparaiso, to whom some Bibles and Testaments had been\nconsigned some time before by the British and Foreign Bible Society, with\nan intimation that they should be at my disposal, if I wished for them.\nOn learning this, I immediately wrote to Valparaiso upon the subject,\nrequesting the whole to be sent me without delay. After more than the\ntime necessary for their arrival had passed by without their appearing,\nI wrote a second time, making the same request. I received an answer to\nmy second letter, as it seems the first had miscarried, but I was sorry\nto learn that the Bibles were all gone. When I say I am sorry for this,\nI speak rather in reference to the supplying of this place, than in\nreference to the grand object of distributing the Scriptures in South\nAmerica. These Bibles, to the amount of 200, were all distributed, and\nmostly by sale, in Valparaiso, so that, if I am sorry in not being able\nto supply those who want here, I am, on the other hand, glad that my\nfriends in Chile have obtained so many copies of the sacred word in their\nown tongue.\n\nAfter the accounts which I have now given you, which are of an\nencouraging nature, I am sorry in being under the necessity of giving\na gloomy close to my letter. The Spanish army entered this city\nyesterday. I feel as if I were no longer in South America, but as\n_transported_ to Spain; and as one in the visions of the night, finds\nhimself in foreign climes, he knows not how, and sighs to return home,\nso do I sigh to return to South America. My next letter may, perhaps,\ninform you, that our school has been shut up, and that I have taken my\ndeparture for\u2014heaven knows where. There, however, I shall be, as now,\naffectionately yours.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                  _Lima, 3d March, 1824._\n\nSoon after the arrival of the Bibles here, there were many observations\nmade regarding the faithfulness of this reprint from the Madrid edition;\nand many observations were made also as to the reading the Scriptures\nwithout notes, for the Spanish Bible had never been seen before without\nthese in this country. On one of these occasions, in the street one\nday, when a priest was speaking freely to some people about him against\nreading the Scriptures without the notes, a friar came up and joined\nthem; and, hearing the observations of the other against reading, the\nBible without notes, he took up the other side of the question, and\nby strong arguments and some wit, he put his adversary to shame, and\nconvinced those who were present that it was the best and most natural\nway to read the divine instructions just as they proceeded out of the\nmouth of him who spoke as never man spoke, and just as they flowed from\nthe pens of the inspired messengers.\n\nI have very great satisfaction in stating, that many of the clergy in\nthis place encourage the reading of the word of God. This is a cheering\ncircumstance, and affords good grounds to expect a large diffusion of\ndivine knowledge; for the word of God cannot return unto him void, but\nwill accomplish his gracious will in the instruction and salvation of\nmankind wherever it is read. I have leaned this friendly disposition of\nthe clergy upon this subject more particularly, since I set agoing the\ntranslation of the New Testament into the Quichua language, as mentioned\nin my last. All with whom I have talked upon this subject, both clergy\nand laity, are pleased with the object, and I have not yet heard of any\none condemning the doing of it.\n\nI spoke to a canon, in this place, some time ago upon the subject, and\nhe voluntarily offered to correct the proof-sheets in passing through\nthe press, if I should be at any loss for one to do it. Blessed be God\nfor this encouragement. May he carry on and prosper this work, and make\nit a blessing unto thousands. In about three months, or less, I expect\nthe whole of the New Testament will be translated into the Peruvian\ntongue. The revision also is going forward, and from the character and\nqualifications of those who are revising it, I trust the translation will\nbe very faithful, and at the same time adapted to the capacities of the\npoor, to whom, in an especial manner, the gospel is preached.\n\nYou will observe by my former letter, that besides the Quichua, there\nare two other languages spoken in Peru, into which it would be desirable\nto get a part or the whole of the New Testament translated. I mentioned\nto you my application to the British and Foreign Bible Society for means\nto carry forward these translations. I also hinted that this is properly\nan _American_ work, and that it would not be unnatural to look for some\nassistance in it to the American Bible Society. Will you therefore have\nthe goodness to lay this matter before the board of managers, and\nrequest them to favour me with a communication upon the subject, as\nearly as convenience will permit. The object is, to translate the whole\nScriptures into the Quichua language, spoken by upwards of a million, and\nalso into the Aimar\u00e1 and Moxa languages, spoken each by upwards of two\nhundred thousand souls. I add no more upon this subject for the present,\nbut at the same time, think it not improper to hint, that I shall\nprobably have another claim upon your liberality, in regard to the native\nlanguages of Mexico. This claim may come before you perhaps some twelve\nmonths hence, should our heavenly Father be pleased to uphold me so long.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                _Lima, 25th March, 1824._\n\nMy last letter to Mr. S. closed with a foreboding in regard to our\nconcerns here, from the circumstance of the Spanish army having entered\nthis city. On the 29th of February, the Spanish troops, to the amount of\nabout 2,500, took quiet possession of this place, there being not the\nsmallest opposition. The patriot troop had retired a few days before,\nleaving us altogether unprotected, and exposed to those depredations\nwhich never fail to take place in a large city where there is no\ngovernment to restrain. We were, in fact, in a very unpleasant state\nfor some days, and the first sound of martial music from the Spanish\narmy filled me with thanksgiving, as a deliverance from the anarchy and\nconfusion we had lived in for some time.\n\nA few days after the arrival of the Spanish army, and as soon as things\nwere a little tranquillized, I wrote to the Spanish General, in reference\nto our school, telling him what we had done, and the state in which\nwe were at the time. I represented to him the nature of our schools,\nand stated that establishments of a similar kind had been introduced\nand encouraged in various parts of the world. I of course mentioned\nparticularly what had been done in Spain. After stating these things, I\nrequested him to inform me whether we should go on, or whether we should\nimmediately shut up our school. In answer to this, I received from him\na very polite letter, saying, that he was informed and fully persuaded\nthat the school under my direction was a very useful establishment, and\nthat he wished it to go on until the Viceroy should communicate his\nmind upon the subject. In my letter to the General I inclosed a copy\nof a letter, which I intended to forward to the Viceroy, and requested\nhis opinion of the letter, and whether I should send it on to Cuzco. He\nreplied, that he thought the letter was suitable, and that if I wished\nhe would himself forward it to the Viceroy, in order that it might go\nwith greater security. You may be sure, I thankfully accepted his offer,\nand sent him immediately my letter to forward. Next day I called on the\nGeneral to thank him for his kindness in protecting our school, and in\ntaking the trouble of forwarding my letter to the Viceroy. I was very\nkindly received by him, and encouraged to go on. Thus, you see we have a\nnew instance of the gracious goodness of our God in giving me favour with\nthe Governors of this quarter of the world, however much opposed to each\nother.\n\nI informed you, I think, soon after my arrival in this place, that the\ngovernment had ordered the college belonging to the Dominican Friars\nin this city to be put at my disposal, for the use of our school\nestablishment. The removal of the Friars, and the giving up of the\ncollege, was accomplished without the smallest murmur, or at least\naudible murmur, on the part of the monks. This college is an extensive\nbuilding, and very well adapted to the purposes of a central school.\nWe have a large school room, which will hold very conveniently 300\nchildren, and another large room connected with it, which would contain\n200 more. We have also several other rooms, very suitable as lodgings for\nthe masters whilst studying the system, and there is convenience for a\nprinting office, &c. &c. The apartments formerly occupied by the Rector\nof the college, have formed my own lodging the greater part of the time\nI have been in Lima. Besides the places now mentioned, which are all\nconnected with each other, we have a large hall, finely adapted for a\nfemale school, with rooms for the mistress and her assistants. These are\nentirely separated from the parts mentioned before, so that though in the\nsame building, they are quite distinct places, with separate entrances\na gun-shot from each other. Our boys\u2019 school contains, at the present\ntime, 230 children, and we have often been talking of commencing a girls\u2019\nschool as a thing greatly wanted in this place. But such has been the\nunhappy state of public affairs here for so long a time, that nothing\nhas yet been done in it. From the description I have given you of the\nbuilding we occupy, and the use to which it was formerly destined, you\nmight naturally expect that the Friars gave it up reluctantly, though\nwithout complaining, and that they would still have their eye upon it,\nif a favourable opportunity should present itself for reclaiming it.\nI am told, that when the Spaniards were in possession of this city in\nJune last, the Friars had resolved on petitioning the government upon\nthe subject, but the short occupation of the city by the Spanish troops\ndid not allow them to carry their purpose into effect. At the present\ntime, the Spaniards seem to have taken a more permanent possession of\nthe place, with the intention of continuing in it for some time, and\ntheir possessing the fortresses of Callao will enable them to do so.\nWe were, therefore, in greater danger than ever of losing our college,\nand indeed application, as I am informed, was actually made to that\neffect to General Monet, the commander of the division in this quarter.\nBut from what I have stated above, you will see the happy resolution\nof the General in our favour. I should have mentioned, when describing\nthe college, that there is a church connected with it, as there is with\nall the colleges here. The church and the court connected with it, are\nseparated by a wall from the parts formerly mentioned. They were formerly\nnot entirely separated from each other, as there were two openings, like\ngate ways, between the two places. These, however, I caused to be built\nup, as I did not know what kind of companions I might have in the two\nFriars who were left to perform the service of the church; and from the\ncharacter of some of this class, and the circumstance of the loss of\ntheir college, and its being put into the hands of a Protestant, I did\nnot augur much good from their neighbourhood. We have, however, lived\nall along on good terms, and our longer acquaintance with each other has\ngrown, I think, into friendship. I met with a proof of this friendship\nsince the entrance of the Spaniards, which I did not expect. The Friar\nwho has the principal charge called upon me one morning, and informed me\nthat he had heard that the Conde de Villar de Fuente was to be appointed\nGovernor of Lima. Now, says he, although he is a very good man, yet being\nvery friendly to the Friars, it is very likely they will press him hard\nto regain their college. You should therefore, continued he, endeavour\nto see the Governor as early as possible, lest they get the start of\nyou to your disadvantage. I thanked him very kindly for his intimation\nand for his advice, and told him that I was very happy in having this\nproof of our living in such friendship with each other. I called upon\nthe Governor soon after his appointment, agreeably to the advice of my\nfriend, and found him very well disposed to continue our establishment\nand to encourage it.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                _Lima, 29th March, 1824._\n\nThe Grecian which brought your letter of 24th April, and the cases of\nNew Testaments therein mentioned, arrived at the port of Callao at a\nvery unfavourable time. The garrison in the castles of that place had\nmutinied some ten days previous to her arrival, and every thing there\nwas in confusion. The fortresses and town of Callao were in the hands\nof the Spaniards, whilst the patriots governed in Lima. Under these\ncircumstances, I thought it most prudent not to land the New Testaments,\nbut to wait some time to see what turn things would take, and for the\nsame reason I deferred writing you. On the 29th ultimo, the Spaniards\ntook possession of this city; they have continued here since, and seem\nlikely to do so for some time. From various circumstances, we have been\nled to believe that the Spanish government will not allow those freedoms\nwhich the Patriot government allowed, in reference to the introduction\nof books, &c. In consequence of this, I still considered it hazardous\nto land the New Testaments, and therefore kept them on board so long as\nthe Grecian continued here; and when she sailed for Chile, which she\ndid a few days ago, I got them put on board his Majesty\u2019s ship Fly, now\nlying in Callao. I shall thus keep them afloat until I see something\nlike a certainty of landing them safely. What I have just said refers\nonly to the 2,500 copies addressed to the care of Mr. Thwaites, as the\nrest which were addressed to Mr. Lynch have been carried back to Chile\nin the Grecian, and are to be delivered there according to instructions\ngiven. After being landed in Valparaiso, they will be forwarded to\nSantiago, the capital, and put into the hands of Mr. Christopher Collis\nfor sale. I have offered the whole to Mr. Collis at 850 dollars, to be\npaid in one month after receiving them; or should he decline taking them\nat the rate mentioned, I have desired him to sell them on my account,\ncharging the commission he usually takes. The price I have put upon the\nNew Testaments, when sold one by one, is eight rials each, and when sold\nin quantities to sell again, at six rials each. This you see will about\ncover the original cost and expenses if the whole are taken by Mr.\nCollis, and if he retails them they will bring something more. I think\nthis is a rule that should pretty generally be attended to, and as few\nas possible given gratis. What I have said, applies to these countries\nof South America, but other rules may be better elsewhere. I do think it\ninjurious to make a general distribution gratis. Individual copies may be\ngiven in this way by a time, but it should be only at times, and when a\nclear case presents itself. The committee will correct me in this if I am\nwrong.\n\nOn the very day that I received the 610 New Testaments from Valparaiso,\nI received a letter from Truxillo begging most earnestly, and \u201cfor God\u2019s\nsake\u201d that I would send to that place without delay a supply of the\nHoly Scriptures. With the writer I am well acquainted, and we had many\npleasing interviews during the few weeks I remained in that place, in\nJune and July of last year. My friend and correspondent in Truxillo is\na medical gentleman and a native of Ireland. He has been long in this\nquarter of the world, and may be considered rather as a South American,\nthan a native of the British Isles. He is of the Roman Catholic religion,\nbut is free from those prejudices to be found among many of his own\ncommunion. He studies the word of God himself, and recommends the study\nof it most earnestly to all his friends around him. I found him with a\nsingle Spanish New Testament of one of your earlier editions. This was to\nhim quite a family piece, and his wife and children take great pleasure\nin reading it. A copy of the whole Bible in the Spanish language he had\nnot been able to procure at that time, but in the letter referred to,\nhe tells me he had obtained one from a friend who purchased it in Lima\nat the time of Mr. Lynch\u2019s sale. When we were together in Truxillo, I\ninculcated upon him strongly the importance of doing every thing in his\npower to make the Word of God have free course and be glorified as far\nas in him lay. To this he most cheerfully agreed, and indeed was more\nready to enter into it than I could be to lay it before him. He told me\nthat he was personally acquainted with most of the rectors in the various\ndistricts throughout the extensive province of Truxillo, which contains a\npopulation of about 300,000 souls. To each of these rectors he promised\nto write upon the subject, and was pretty confident that they would,\nin answer to his letters, request large supplies of the Scriptures. I\npromised on my part to supply him amply with New Testaments very soon,\nand with Bibles as soon as I could have a supply from England. Upon my\nreturn to Lima, I sent him 50 Spanish New Testaments, some of the Annual\nReports of the Society, some religious tracts, &c. These were sent\nunder the particular care of a mutual friend, who sailed for Santa, and\nintended to send them overland to Truxillo. This happened to be at the\ntime of one of our civil commotions, and when our friend landed at Santa\nall communication was interrupted between that and Truxillo. From Santa\nhe sailed to Guayaquil, and not finding a convenient opportunity for\nsending them back to Truxillo, he sold them there, and wrote our friend\nto that effect, saying he would account to me for the price of them.\nThis was a great disappointment to Mr. O\u2019Donovan, for that is the name\nof our fellow-labourer; and to remedy it, he wrote me the letter above\nmentioned. He urges his claim from the circumstance of the great need\nthere is of the Word of God in that quarter, from his having promised to\nsend copies to his friends, the rectors, agreeably to what was before\nstated, and from the circumstance of a number of copies of two infidel\nbooks which had been just landed from a French ship in that place, and\nwhich have done much evil in these countries. Often do I think, my dear\nSir, and often do I say, that this is a most critical time for South\nAmerica, in a religious point of view.\n\nTwo days after having received his letter, I sent him off 250 copies,\nin common binding, and ten in calf extra. The patience, however, of our\nfriend has again been put to the trial, for notwithstanding that the\nbox containing this supply was sent down to Callao immediately, yet on\naccount of the confusion in that place, as above mentioned, it only went\noff a few days ago. I imagine him just now opening it, and satiating his\neyes with its sacred contents. In the conclusion of his letter, he says\nhe intends to go from house to house to urge these \u201cignorant but docile\nChristians\u201d to receive the treasure offered them. Let us pray that his\nbenevolent and zealous efforts may be crowned with happy success.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                _Lima, 30th March, 1824._\n\nWe have at present three masters learning our system, and whom we\nexpected to place in other schools before now; but this war literally\ndevours up every thing, and ties us down to a spot. When we shall clap\nour wings and fly over the Andes, to teach the poor Peruvian in his\nnative tongue, I cannot tell: God may, perhaps, bring this about sooner\nthan we expect. In the course of a week, the whole of the New Testament\nwill be translated into the vernacular language of Manco Capac, and by a\ndescendant of that ancient race of kings.\n\nI have written to the Viceroy La Serna, who resides at present in Cuzco,\nrequesting to know his determination regarding the continuing of our\nsystem, under his government, in this city, and whether he is desirous of\nextending it throughout the country. In something less than two months I\nshall probably hear from him, and shall communicate to you the result.\nIf the answer be favourable, I shall most likely repair immediately to\nCuzco, leaving one of the masters before mentioned in charge of this\nschool; and should his answer be unfavourable, I shall leave this place\nand go northwards.\n\nWe have often been very desirous of commencing a girls\u2019 school in this\ncity, and we have very good accommodations in our college for this\npurpose; but we have never been able to effect it, in consequence of the\nextreme scarcity of money at present in this city. If Lima had been in\nits former state of abundance, we could have effected it with great ease;\nand it would have been a very great blessing to this place. We would, in\nthat case, have been very desirous of receiving a well-qualified teacher\nfrom your Committee, to direct our female department. It would still\nbe preferable to send two, as one of them could attend to the public\nschool, and the other might keep a respectable boarding-school for the\nhigher classes. Regarding this last-mentioned part, several parents have\nspoken to me; and on the whole, I think it would turn out well for those\nwho might come out for that purpose. Such an establishment I am sure\nwould be the means of doing a great deal of good in this country. Female\neducation, in my opinion, is the thing most wanted in every country; and\nwhen it shall be properly attended to, the renovation of the world will\ngo on rapidly. Let us know if you could aid us in these matters, if we\nwere directly to apply to you. I notice these things that you may write\nme upon the subject, and knowing, from experience, how ready you are, at\nall times, to listen to every proposition which bears on knowledge and\nbenevolence.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                _Lima, 12th April, 1824._\n\nYou have, more than once, requested me to state to you any interesting\nconversations I might have at times with individuals of this country,\nupon the subject of religion. I have not, I believe, been very\ncommunicative in my letters to you on this subject. I believe such\ndetails might, in many cases, be interesting, but generally speaking,\nthe questions and answers upon these matters are so nearly what we might\nexpect them to be before hand, under the given circumstances, that little\nof what can be called solid information is derived therefrom; besides, I\nunderstand you print some of my letters, and there is some delicacy and\ncaution to be used under such a consideration, more especially as I have\nnever seen any of your printed accounts, and am thus unable to judge of\nthe freedom you use in such matters. I hope in your selections for the\npress, you will be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.\n\nI shall now detail to you a conversation which I had a few days ago, with\na particular friend, upon the subject of religion, and more particularly\nupon the Catholic and Protestant controversy. The gentleman, with whom\nI had the conversation, is a man of superior education and abilities,\nand holds an important situation in one of our colleges. We have been\nacquainted with each other ever since I arrived in this city. We have\nvisited each other occasionally during that time, and have talked upon\nreligious subjects, but almost always upon those things in which we were\nagreed. A few days ago I had a visit from him, and we entered almost\nimmediately into a close conversation or controversy upon some of the\npoints of the Catholic religion. I had lying on the table one of the\nPope\u2019s bulls, which a young man had brought me a day or two before, as I\nhad expressed to him a desire to see it. I enquired of my friend, where\nI could obtain a set of these bulls, as I wished to see each of them, in\norder to ascertain their nature, and what it was they promised to those\nwho should purchase them. After he had informed me where this article was\nto be found, I told him that I understood that those who purchased one of\nthese bulls at a certain price, namely, eight dollars and a half, were\nassured that they would get out of purgatory in two or three days after\ndeath. He said it was so as I had stated. Do you then really believe,\nsaid I, that the Pope can thus pardon the sins of men, and that men can\nobtain the pardon of their sins by means of expending such a sum of\nmoney in the purchase of this bull.\u2014He said he believed the forgiveness\nof sins could be obtained in the way mentioned, and that the Pope had\nsuch authority in virtue of being the successor of the prince of the\napostles, to whom Jesus Christ had granted the keys of the kingdom of\nheaven, and power to remit or to retain the sins of men. It is to be\nsupposed, however, continued he, that confession of sins is to be made\nin order to this forgiveness. And in confession to whom can the penitent\ngo but to the minister of Christ, in order that they may instruct him\nin the nature of repentance? To prevent him from deceiving himself, and\nbelieving he has repented when he has not, it is necessary to show him\nwhat are the signs of a sincere repentance; and when the priest finds the\npenitent as he ought to be, then in virtue of the power given by Christ\nto his ministers, they absolve him from his sins.\u2014In answer to what he\nsaid, I told him that I considered it to be the duty of man to confess\nhis sins unto God, as it is with him alone we have to do, and not with\none another; and that the Scripture assures us, that if we humbly and\nsincerely confess our sins unto him, and beg forgiveness through the\nLord Jesus Christ, we shall obtain the mercy we ask for. I then said,\nthat I believed none could forgive sins but God only; and that as to\nthe power given to the apostle Peter, and also to the other apostles to\nforgive the sins of men or to retain them, I conceived it to be a power\nof doing this only in a certain way, namely, in the way corresponding\nto the instructions which they had received from their divine Master.\nI illustrated this by the case of an ambassador sent by his sovereign\nwith terms of peace to a neighbouring prince. The Ambassador, I said, is\nauthorized to make peace between the two nations, that is, to put an end\nto the war or to continue it. He is not, however, at liberty to do this\nin any way he chooses, but only in that way which the instructions of his\nsovereign authorize. So was it, I continued, with the ambassadors whom\nthe Lord Jesus sent into the world; they were sent to proclaim and to\ncelebrate a peace between God and man, but they were to do so only in one\nway, that is, in the way prescribed to them, and of which, I observed, we\nshall presently speak. As to the superiority of the Apostle Peter, said\nI, to which you refer, or to speak more properly, the superior honour\nconferred upon him, it is easy to see in what it consisted, and how far\nit extended. To him were promised the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and\nalso the power of remitting and retaining sins; this latter power was\nalso conferred upon the other Apostles, so that the difference, or the\nsuperior honour conferred upon Peter, consisted in having the keys put\ninto his hands. Keys are for the unlocking of doors, that a free entrance\nmay be had to a place inaccessible before the gates were opened. Now,\nsaid I, the Apostle Peter was honoured by his Lord, to open the gates\nof the kingdom of heaven, in the first place unto the Jews, and which\nhe accordingly did in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, and by which\nmeans three thousand entered the church of God at one rush. The same\nindividual was afterwards honoured _to open the door_ of faith unto the\nGentiles, by a special commission from heaven to that effect. Having\nthus opened the gates of the kingdom of heaven unto the Jews, and also\nunto the Gentiles, there was no farther use for these keys. The Apostles\nof our Lord, in regard to authority in the church, were exactly upon a\nlevel, none was superior and none was inferior. And now, I continued,\nwith regard to what we were speaking of before, namely, the forgiveness\nof sins, I conceive the Apostles could do it only by making known the\nmessage of peace and reconciliation to their fellow sinners, and by\ndeclaring, in the name of their Master, to those who believed their\ntestimony, the remission of sins consequent upon their belief; and on the\nother hand, they retained the sins of men, by declaring unto those who\ndisbelieved their testimony, that the wrath of God remained upon them.\nFurther, I said, regarding the successors of the Apostles, I conceived\nthat strictly speaking they had none, nor were there any required. In\ntheir life time they exercised their authority, and fulfilled their\ncommission in the way I have stated. And knowing that they were not to\ncontinue long upon the earth, and being desirous that these sacred truths\nwhich they preached into men should always be held in remembrance, they\ncommitted them to writing, and these writings, through the blessing of\nGod, remain unto this day. The Apostles, therefore, have made their own\nwritings their successors, and thus, through them, they continue still\nto speak to mankind; they still publish the message of reconciliation,\nand whose sins soever _they_ remit, they are remitted, and whose soever\nsins _they_ retain, they are retained. I remarked a little before, I\ncontinued, that it was at their peril that the Apostles acted in any\nother way in the forgiving and retaining of sins, and I now add, that\nit is at the peril of men to receive the remission of sins in any other\nway than in that which the Apostles taught. The great and eventful day\nthat awaits us all, will declare on what authority and foundation we have\nenjoyed peace in this weighty affair. The precious stones, the gold and\nthe silver will stand the fire which is to try them, but the wood, the\nhay, and the stubble shall be burned up.\n\nWhen I had finished the observations which I have now mentioned, my\nfriend took his turn to speak, and stated his mind upon these topics\nwith great clearness and eloquence to the following effect:\u2014My dear Sir,\nin regard to the explanation of the passage on which you have now given\nyour opinion, and also with regard to the explanation of the Scriptures\nin general, I conceive our best and surest plan is to have recourse to\nthe uniform explanation and judgment of the church. If every one is\nat liberty to form his own opinion of the meaning of Scripture, there\nwill be nearly as many opinions as there are individuals. Witness the\ndivisions which exist among the Protestants, in consequence of this\nliberty which they take of explaining the Scripture, every one as appears\nbest to him. One believes a certain thing, another denies it, and a third\nbelieves something different from both. Every truth in the Scripture has\nthus been defended and opposed, and torn in pieces by this principle,\nof every one explaining according to his own judgment and fancy. Under\nthese circumstances, what a consolation it is to have an authority to\nwhich we can in all cases recur, and in whose decision we can rest\nfully satisfied. This authority is _the church_,\u2014which Jesus Christ has\ninvested with full power on all these points. In consequence of this,\nthe noble truths of our religion continue as they were in the beginning.\nThe judgment of the church has never varied upon them as it has done\namong the Protestants, neither can it vary. We have the promise of Jesus\nChrist that he will be with his church to the end of the world, and that\nwhatsoever shall be bound by its judgment upon earth, shall be bound also\nin heaven, and that whatsoever shall be loosed by it on earth, shall be\nloosed in heaven. My dear friend, here is our foundation, here is our\nauthority and consolation. The Catholic church has continued since the\ndays of the Apostles and has had an uninterrupted succession of Bishops,\nfrom St. Peter until the present day. The Protestants cannot plead such\na succession. They are but a sect which left the church a century or two\nago, and still occupy a small portion of the world; whereas the Catholic\nchurch, descending from the Apostles, has spread on every side, and its\ndoctrines have continued pure and uncorrupted from the beginning until\nnow, yea, and they will continue so until the end of the world, for Jesus\nChrist has promised it. Here, my friend, is firm footing, and all else,\nbe assured, is quicksand and uncertainty. I was born a Catholic, and I\nadhere to the religion of my country, and in which I was educated. It is\nnot, however, from the circumstance of being brought up in this religion\nthat I now adhere to it. No, Sir, on the contrary, when I came of age I\nbegan to entertain doubts about our religion. Upon this, I set myself to\nexamine the subject with diligence and attention, and the result was a\nthorough persuasion of its firm and unalterable foundation, and of the\nbeauty and grandeur of the structure. I look upon the Catholic religion,\ntherefore, with great delight and confidence. It appears to me like a\ngreat and majestic river running through an extensive continent. On one\nhand it makes its way, tumbling over rocks, yet uninterrupted in its\ncourse by such impediments; again, it meets in its course with shelves\nand dykes, and after being retarded a little by these hindrances it\nbreaks its way over, and then holds its noble and majestic course until\nit reaches the ocean, enriching and beautifying every place through\nwhich it flows. Such is our religion, and I clasp it to my bosom and\nesteem it my best and only treasure.\n\nWhen he had finished, I observed to him, that the plan of the Church\nexplaining all doubts and difficulties regarding the meaning of every\npart of Scripture, and of our resting in that decision, had the\nappearance of possessing many advantages. How desirable is it that we\nshould be able to set our minds at rest on subjects of such importance,\nand wherein a mistake or an error might be attended with very serious\nconsequences. But there appears to me, I said, a great difficulty to be\ngot over, before we can allow our minds to enjoy the ease and confidence\nreferred to, by resting in an infallible interpreter. The difficulty\nI speak of is this: How shall I know that the church has indeed the\nauthority you speak of? If I were fully satisfied that the church\npossesses this authority, I would, I assure you, fully confide in it.\nYou remember that, in a former conversation, you promised to prove your\npositions regarding the Catholic Church with evidence as satisfactory\nas the proof, that the three interior angles of a triangle are equal to\ntwo right angles. Now, I continued to observe, I cannot see evidence for\nbelieving that the church has the power in question, and I cannot receive\nit as a doctrine until I be convinced. On what then do you build this\ndoctrine?\n\nI build this doctrine, said he, in the first place, on the promises of\nJesus Christ to his church, which are these: \u201cwhose sins soever ye remit,\nthey are remitted, and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained;\nwhatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and again, I\nwill be with you always even unto the end of the world.\u201d In the second\nplace, said he, from the consideration that the promises of Jesus to\nhis church, must necessarily have been fulfilled, I maintain that the\nchurch has been guided by the Spirit in the manner I have stated, and in\nconsequence thereof, she has held the same doctrine from the days of the\nApostles until the present time.\n\nI differ from you, I replied, regarding the meaning and application of\nthe passages you have quoted from the Scriptures. But as you will have\nthe church to explain them, and as the church does actually explain them\nas you have stated, we cannot therefore meet each other here, on open\nground. Let us then pass on to the other fundamental principle which\nyou hold, namely, the fulfilling of this promise in the way you have\nexplained it. How then do you prove to me, that the church has never\nvaried in her doctrines?\u2014I prove, said he, the constancy and stability\nof the church by the uniform voice of ecclesiastical writers, from the\ndays of the Apostles until now. No sooner did any pastor or bishop broach\nany new doctrine, than his own flock, and the whole body of Christians,\nevery where raised the cry against him. Errors now and then arose,\ncontinued he, and errors too of great consequence, but in this manner\nthey were publicly reprobated, and the individuals who had erred were\nthereby brought to repentance, or else expelled the church.\u2014As I wished\nto drive this subject to its proper issue, and to fix upon the very\npoint upon which we differed, and which point it was necessary to settle\nbefore we could proceed farther with any advantage, I put this question\nto him: Do you maintain that the writers upon ecclesiastical affairs,\nfrom the days of the Apostles downward, have all held the same opinions\nregarding the interpretation of Scripture? Not exactly so, said he, for\nthere have been differences among them regarding the interpretation of\nseveral passages of Scripture; and he here instanced several opinions of\nSt. Augustine, St. Cyprian, &c. But so far, continued he, as respects\nwhat are strictly and properly called the _doctrines_ of the church, I\nmaintain that there is no difference among them, although in points of\ndiscipline they are not all agreed. You hold then, said I, do you, that\nso far as the _doctrines_ of the Roman Catholic church are concerned,\nthe writers we speak of do not vary? I expected he would here give an\nanswer at once in the affirmative, but he withdrew a little farther, and\nsaid that he would not affirm to the question I had put, as to _all_\nthat these writers had said; but so far only, as they had given their\n_testimony_ to the doctrines in question as existing among them, he\nwished to speak, and not as to their own opinions of these doctrines.\nHe here stated some _opinions_ of the fathers, and said, that so far as\nthey acted as _witnesses_ to what existed among them, and in the ages\nprevious to their time, thus far and no further were their writings to be\nconsidered respecting the argument in hand. I here reminded him by the\nway, of what I had before urged, but which he did not concede, namely,\nthat there were a great variety of opinions among the Catholics as well\nas among the Protestants. I stated, at the same time, that I did not\nurge this particularly as an objection to their system, but merely as\na counterpart to his objection to the Protestants, arising from their\ndifferences. I then put the question: Do you maintain then, that so far\nas ecclesiastical writers have given testimony to the doctrines of the\nchurch, they do not vary, nor can vary?\u2014Yes, said he, I do maintain\nthat position.\u2014I then replied, I am glad we have come at length to this\none definite point, and I am glad, also, that you have excluded the\nopinions of the writers on these subjects, and that you rest solely on\nthem as witnesses. I now see the point you maintain, and here we will\ncome to issue. My answer, for the present, shall be short. This position\nwhich you maintain, is a position which I believe to be insupportable,\nand which, in consequence, I deny. Here, then, let the subject for the\npresent rest; we have got a great length in seeing the very line which\ndivides us, and we have now the matter free of mystery. It is reduced to\na mere historical question. We shall, therefore, decide it as such on\nsome future occasion, when I shall take in hand to prove that the church\n_has varied_.\n\nWe have now seen, said I, the very point in which we differ, let us also\nsee where we agree. I believe, said I, that all mankind are sinners,\nand stand in need of a Saviour. I believe that God pitied our race, and\nsent his only begotten Son to seek and to save the lost. I believe that\nthe Lord Jesus Christ is the true Mediator and Saviour of mankind, and\nthat there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. I do\nsincerely believe, I continued, in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and\nmy Redeemer; and, I trust, also that I desire to know all his precepts\nand instructions, and to conform my thoughts, and words, and actions\nthereunto.\u2014I then said to him, is not this exactly what you believe?\u2014He\nsaid it was so. Well then, I replied, may not we look upon each other as\nfellow disciples, and may not we each expect, if we hold on, that the\nLord will give unto us both that crown of righteousness which he hath\npromised to them that love him? He here seemed to hesitate, and did not\ngive a direct reply. You see that I was here touching upon the point\nof there being no salvation out of _their_ church.\u2014He said that what I\nhad stated regarding my faith was well, but that there was something\nfarther necessary, and upon saying so, he seemed to digress a little,\nor, at least, not to speak directly to the point in hand. My dear Sir,\nsaid I, pray let us settle this point. Have the goodness to speak your\nmind freely; speak out, what do I still want, what more must I believe,\nthan what I have stated, in order to obtain eternal life. Did not the\nLord Jesus himself concede eternal life to those who believed what I\nhave told you in my belief? And did not the Apostles, according to the\npower invested in them, remit the sins of those who believed and acted in\nthe manner I have stated? He then said something about the necessity of\nbelieving the church, in order to salvation.\u2014Can I not look for salvation\nwithout this? said I.\u2014Take care that you do not put obstacles in the way\nto heaven, which the God of our salvation has not put. Strait is the\ngate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, pray then, do not\nwith stumbling blocks fill up this narrow way. Let the Lord Jesus and his\nApostles guide us in this, and in all matters that concern the kingdom of\nGod.\n\nUpon arriving here we found our time was gone, and that we had been\nupwards of two hours in a very close conversation. As my friend could\nstop no longer, we broke up our conversation at this point, he still\nstating it as necessary to salvation, that I should believe the church.\nWhen we thus dropped our disputation, he arose, and as I accompanied him\nout, he threw his arms around me, and said, \u201cWe shall yet, I trust, be\nunited together, and companions in our Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d\n\nI have lengthened my account of this interview, perhaps unnecessarily,\nand it may be till I have tired you. By way of excuse, I would say that\nI felt real interest in the conversation, and my endeavour has been to\nmake you participate with me, as I believe what interests and pleases one\nof us is not unpleasing, nor without interest, to the other. It often\nhappens, however, that what interests us in a conversation or narrative\nloses its effect upon others by the imperfect way in which we repeat it.\nIn the present instance, this is very likely the case, but I leave you to\njudge.\n\nI have only to remark, before I conclude, that the point in dispute\nbetween us is now reduced to narrow limits; and it was my main endeavour\nto bring it to this bearing, nor was he averse to it. He is, as I said\nat the outset, a man of good talents, and reasons clearly. I do not\npromise to you that we shall be able to set the subject at rest in\nour next conference, notwithstanding all the accuracy and honesty of\nmy good friend. You know there are many things which prevent such an\nanticipation. I shall, however, endeavour to prove to him, in the first\nplace, that the church _at_ Rome, and other churches in the days of\nthe Apostles, held the doctrines and followed the practices which are\ncontained in the New Testament. With these doctrines I shall then compare\nthe doctrines of the church of Rome in the present day; and if I can show\na disparity between them, I think impartiality should give the judgment\nin my favour, even without entering upon ecclesiastical history; as I\nshall thus have proved that the church _has varied_, and hence that those\npassages he referred to, must be misinterpreted by Romish writers, and\nthat they do not apply to their church, whose infallibility must, of\ncourse, fall to the ground, agreeably to the principles stated in the\npreceding conversation. Should, however, justice not speak out in my\nfavour, I shall pass on to show, from ecclesiastical writers, that the\ndoctrines of the Church of Rome differ in the present day from what they\nwere in the first and second centuries, and even later. By this means I\nhope to arrive at the same conclusion, as in the way before mentioned,\nand thus to disprove my friend\u2019s position of the church never having\nvaried, by the very means by which he maintains it. This I conceive,\nis the only way of managing the controversy between the Catholic and\nthe Protestant. Until you settle this point about the authority of the\nchurch, you can do nothing effectually. If you cite, for instance, a\npassage of Scripture to disprove any one of the doctrines of the Catholic\nchurch, you are met immediately with the interpretation which the church\nputs upon that passage, and there is an end of it. If you should allege\nthat the passage plainly and evidently means something very different\nfrom each interpretation, then you are reminded that our judgement is\nweak and erring, and that the judgment of the church is infallible. So\nthat to whatever hand you turn, you never can get out of this circle.\nIt is therefore necessary to demolish this outwork entirely. What I\nhave said of course applies chiefly to the mode of reasoning with those\nwho are thorough-paced in their theological arguments; but with regard\nto others, you can attack them in any particular part, and carry your\nargument forward on the principles of common sense, and by the doctrines\nof Scripture taken in their plain and obvious meaning.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                  _Lima, 1st June, 1824._\n\nIn the conclusion of my letter of the 1st of March, I noticed that this\ncity had been taken possession of by the Spanish army. It is still in\ntheir possession, and there does not appear, at present, any immediate\nprospect of a change in this respect. You will not expect from me\npolitical news under present circumstances, and I pass on to note what\nlittle affairs have come under my observation during these two or three\nmonths past, respecting that kingdom which cannot be moved by the strifes\nof men, nor the clangour of war.\n\nMy letter to Mr. H. of 25th March would inform you of the protection\nwhich the Spanish General granted to our schools. In consequence of that\nencouragement, I resolved to remain her some time longer, in order to put\nour establishment upon as sure a footing as possible. Nothing material\noccurred in our school upon the arrival of the Spaniards, except the\nlosing of some of our scholars. The cause of this was the dread their\nparents were in, lest their children should be seized on their way to\nand from the school by the recruiting parties, who not infrequently take\nsome of the bigger boys as they find them in the street, in order to make\ndrummers of them. Our number, in consequence of this, is less than it\nwas about three months ago. In these times, when party spirit runs high,\nwe endeavour in our school to maintain a strict neutrality in words and\nactions. We found some difficulty during the first days, after our change\nof rulers, to establish this neutrality among the children themselves.\nThey would, from time to time, be forming themselves into sides, and\ncalling each other respectively Patriots and Goths. We have in the\nschool, children whose parents have taken opposite sides in this contest,\nand as might naturally be expected, the children on the one hand and on\nthe other have imbibed the sentiments of their parents. We succeeded at\nlength in putting an end to these strifes among the children, and we now\nall live in peace and unity. The government holds out to us no immediate\nencouragement, and on the other hand, it never in any shape interferes\nwith our operations. On the whole, this school is going on very well. The\nchildren are making progress in their learning, and advancing in moral\ndignity; and some are lisping out, and some are reading with readiness,\nthe gracious words which proceeded out of the mouth of our blessed\nSaviour, as they were taken down by the Holy Spirit. I may add, that we\nare not losing the estimation of our friends here, but on the contrary,\nif I mistake not, we are gaining more friends in both parties, and making\nadvances in public confidence.\n\nAbout three weeks ago I was on the eve of leaving this place, and had,\nas on a former occasion, every thing packed up with that intention. I\nhad indeed resolved to sail for Guayaquil with the first ship, and was\ninquiring for a passage. My reasons for doing so were quite solid. My\nsalary, as I suppose you know, is paid by the government. Under present\ncircumstances, the payment of the troops is the first thing attended\nto, and to procure funds sufficient for this purpose, requires great\nexertions in the present exhausted state of this place. To obtain this\nsupply, all the ordinary sources of revenue are laid hold of, and\npretty heavy contributions also are laid on the inhabitants to make up\ndeficiencies. This being the case, there was no prospect of my obtaining\nany supplies, more especially as persons in the immediate employ of the\ngovernment, and who have salaries assigned them, could obtain nothing.\nTo make certain, however, I made application, and found it impossible\nto obtain any thing, on account of the circumstances mentioned. As you\nknow I have no supplies but what my own hands provide me with, it became\nan imperative duty to remove when my usual resources were dried up.\nThese were my reasons for going, and I suppose you will consider them\nsufficient, especially if you take into consideration the high price of\nall kinds of provisions in this city. Sugar for instance, which grows\nand is manufactured within a few miles of the city, is now selling at\ntwenty-pence and two shillings the pound.\n\nBeing ready for setting off, as above mentioned, and having given notice\nto the children to that effect, I waited only till the following day to\nsend my luggage down to Callao, and to follow it immediately. Whilst I\nwas thus prepared, my good friend the clergyman, whom I have frequently\nmentioned in my former letters, called upon me, and said that he believed\nI would not go away yet, notwithstanding all my preparations. I smiled at\nwhat he said, and replied, that my going appeared very certain and very\nnear too, for I intended to send my luggage to Callao next morning.\u2014Well,\nI do not think you will go away for all that, said he.\u2014Upon my asking\nhim what reasons he had for saying so, he stated, that he had been\nspeaking with some of the parents of the children, and that they had\nexpressed to him their concern at my going, and said they would very\nwillingly contribute what they could, and would speak to some others who\nhad children in the school, and that they hoped by that means something\nmight be raised, which might, in a great measure, remove the reasons I\nhad stated for my going. Whilst my friend and I were talking to this\neffect, a person came in who had a son at school, and repeated the same\nthings. I replied, that I felt very much obliged by the confidence they\nreposed in me, and for their friendly interference for my continuance\nin this place. I noticed also that I had candidly stated my reasons for\ngoing away at this time, and that though they had kindly proposed a way\nof removing these difficulties, yet I felt a delicacy in calling on\nthe parents of the children on my own behalf. They replied to this by\nsaying that they would speak to some of their friends upon the subject,\nand that in fact they had spoken to some of those of most influence who\nwere very cordial and anxious in the matter; and my friend the clergyman\nproposed to write notes to others of the parents, in his own name, to\nremove any delicacies I might have as to the application. Upon seeing\nso much interest taken in this matter, I recognized the hand of God\nin it, and agreed to their proposal. Their plan has been carried into\neffect, and this has the Lord opened, as it were, a window in heaven, and\nlet down before me a sheet full of supplies. In this same manner, I may\nsay, has the Lord provided for me during the years of my pilgrimage in\nthis foreign land. He has set a table before me, he has anointed my head\nwith oil, he has made my cup to run over. Surely goodness and mercy will\nfollow me all the days of my life, and O may I dwell in the house of the\nLord for ever.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                                 _Lima, 15th July, 1824._\n\nYour very acceptable favour of 6th January last, came safely into my\nhands on the 22d ultimo, and I have now the pleasure of writing you a few\nlines in reply. Your notice of the progress of Bible Societies in France\nis very interesting, and it is not less so what you mention regarding the\ncirculation of the Holy Scriptures in Egypt, and in Jerusalem, the city\nof the great King. To whatever quarter we turn our eyes, we behold the\nword of God silently making its way into the hands of men of every nation\nand of every language, saying unto all, Fear God, and give glory to his\nname, for the day of his merciful visitation is come. The strains of the\nBible Society remind us of the song of the heavenly messengers upon their\nannouncing the Advent of our great Deliverer. The language of both is,\n\u201cGlory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will towards men.\u201d\n\nIt affords me much satisfaction to observe the interest which the Society\ntakes on behalf of South America, and I hope the day is coming when we\nshall be more sensible of your favours to us, and when we shall join\ntogether in grateful acknowledgment of your godly benevolence. Have the\ngoodness to convey my sincere thanks to the Committee, for the readiness\nwith which they have acceded to my request respecting the translating\nand printing of a part of the Holy Scriptures into the ancient Peruvian\ntongue. I thought I should, by this time, have been able to give you a\nvery favourable account of the progress of this work, but we are subject\nhere to sad vicissitudes, for war rages in the land, and of late the\nsword has reached unto our very soul. How long we shall be visited with\nthis scourge I cannot tell. The Judge of all the earth will do right, and\nit is our duty to submit to his holy will.\n\nThe translation of the whole of the New Testament into the Peruvian\nlanguage was finished about two months ago. The Gospel by Luke has been\nvery carefully revised and corrected by four individuals, one of whom\nis a Clergyman, another is a Theological Tutor in one of the colleges\nof this city, and the other two are of the medical profession. These\nfour, along with the gentleman who made the translation, went over this\ngospel verse by verse, with great care. The present corrected version,\ntherefore, is the joint work of _five_ persons, and I trust it may be\nrelied on with some confidence. It has not yet been put to the press,\nfor we have not had a printing press in Lima during these four months\npast. There are two indifferent ones in Callao, one of them in the castle\nand the other under its guns, but I have not yet been able to ascertain,\nsince I received your letter, whether any thing can be done at these or\nnot. In my next I shall inform you more particularly upon this subject,\nand if the printing shall be then begun, I shall forward you a copy of\nthe first sheet.\n\nIn my letter to Mr. Ronneberg of 29th March last, I noticed the safe\narrival of the Grecian in Callao, bringing the 2,500 Spanish New\nTestaments addressed to me, and the 1,592 addressed to Mr. Lynch. Of the\nsix boxes which came to me, I have sent two to Guatemala by a favourable\nopportunity which offered. I have also sent one to Arequipa, and one to\nTruxillo, and two yet remain on hand. A few weeks ago I received from\nCaptain Robson, of the Sesostris, two boxes of New Testaments, (Paris\nedition,) containing about 500 each. These he received, I believe, from\nthe Merchants\u2019 Bible Society, or from some other of the Societies in\nLondon.\n\nIn the letter already referred to, I noticed what had taken place with\nregard to 50 New Testaments, which I sent to Truxillo some time ago. I\nmentioned the impossibility of getting them conveyed to Truxillo under\nthe circumstances then existing in that place, and that in consequence\nthey were carried to Guayaquil. I have since received a very pleasing\nletter regarding their reception in that place, of which the following is\nan extract.\n\n\u201cIt is with the utmost pleasure I sit down to write these few lines to\nyou, to inform you of the hunger and thirst after the word of God in\nthis part of the world. You may remember, that when I last left Lima you\ngave me a box containing Tracts and Testaments, for Dr. O\u2019Donovan in\nTruxillo, but from the then existing state of the country it was out of\nmy power to forward the above mentioned box to Truxillo, and as we were\nnot allowed to enter that port, we were consequently obliged to proceed\nto Guayaquil. I wrote you from that place, saying, that I was bound for\nthe coast of Mexico, but as affairs would not permit it, I made a trading\nvoyage to Jipijapi, Monte Cristi, and the Bay of Caracas. But before\nleaving Guayaquil some one got knowledge of my having these Testaments,\nand the demand was so great, that it was almost out of my power to save\nany of them, although it was my intention to do so, for the other above\nmentioned parts; and as I had no likely opportunity of forwarding them\nto Mr. O\u2019Donovan, I thought it best to circulate them, and not to let\nsuch a treasure lie hid in darkness; and I am convinced that it is in\ngeneral considered as a treasure; for with pleasure have I seen, in\npassing through the streets of Guayaquil, not once or twice, but mostly\nevery day, the shopkeepers, and the poor people who have stalls, read in\nthe blessed Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If I had had ten\ntimes as many, I am persuaded I could have sold them all. On my arrival\nin this port, (Monte Cristi, latitude 3\u00b0 south) I had no Testaments, but\na few tracts, and some of the instructions of the Lancasterian system of\nteaching; I gave the latter to different school-masters, and likewise a\nfew tracts along with them. A day or two after it was known that I had\ntracts on board, it was astonishing, but at the same time pleasing, to\nsee both old and young coming after me in the street, and to where I\nlived, requesting me either to sell or give them one of each kind. There\nwas one tract in particular, which, to my knowledge, was sent twenty\nleagues to a curate, an acquaintance of mine, and on my going to some of\nthe inland towns, which I had occasion at times to do, there was always\nparticular inquiry for Tracts and New Testaments. I had once, about four\nyears ago, distributed a few Testaments in Monte Cristi, one or two of\nwhich I saw this time. Such is the thirst after the word of God, that the\nGovernor and two or three more, requested me as a particular favour,\nthat I would leave a New Testament I had for my own use, until I should\nreturn, and begged and even offered money, so that I would bring either\nthe New Testament or the whole Bible on my return. The Governor, after\nreading the rules of the Lancasterian plan of teaching, gave orders in my\npresence to some of the school-masters to conform to some of the rules\nas near as they could. He seems to be a young man very much inclined to\nforward any thing that tends to promote the education of youth. At this\nmoment I am surrounded with children requesting tracts, but as my stock\nis small, I am very particular to whom I give them, making every one read\na sentence or two before they get a tract.\u2014It gives me infinite pleasure\nto be thus employed in distributing the word of God to those that hunger\nand thirst after righteousness; and after the fatigues of the day, I feel\nrefreshed to be thus employed.\u201d\n\nThe information contained in the above extract is very interesting, and\nI trust many other instances will be witnessed upon this continent, of a\nsincere desire to possess, and to read the Holy Scriptures. I shall take\ncare to seize the first opportunity of sending a supply of New Testaments\nto Guayaquil and parts adjacent. It often occurs to me that it might\nprove very useful to make journeys through various parts of this country,\nin order to dispose of the Scriptures to the best advantage, and to the\ngreatest extent possible. I felt much inclined to employ a person in whom\nI have confidence, in such journies, but did not like to do so at your\nexpense without orders, and my own funds at present cannot afford it.\u2014I\nhave as yet received no answer to my letter to the Viceroy, and am quite\nuncertain as to the time I remain here. I had almost forgot to mention to\nyou the safe arrival of the parcel containing the Brief View, in Spanish.\nMany copies of this have already been circulated, and they have produced\na good effect.\n\nI conclude, my dear Sir, by praying that an abundant measure of the Holy\nSpirit may be poured out upon yourself, and upon all your associates.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                             _Lima, 1st September, 1824._\n\nMany feelings, my dear friend, rush upon my mind on the present occasion.\nI shall, at once, give you to understand something of the number and the\nnature of these, by telling you,\u2014that I have just now shut up my house,\nhave taken leave of the children and of several warm friends, and go down\nimmediately to Callao, to embark for Truxillo and Guayaquil; and from the\nlatter place I intend to go to Bogot\u00e1; and thence onward from one place\nto another, until perhaps, and if the Lord will, I shall see you face to\nface. In consequence of these things, as you may easily suppose, I have\nmy mind full of past, and of present, and of future objects. I think of\nmy parting from you more than six years ago; I think of the wonderful way\nby which the Lord has preserved me, and led me, and blessed me in this\nforeign land; I think of the goodness of God in having allowed me to drop\na seed here and a seed there in this continent, which appears a world\nof itself; I think of the affectionate parting I have this day had with\nmany warm friends, and who are mostly priests, and of their sincere and\nearnest entreaties for my speedy return to them; and further, I think of\nthe prospect of sowing the word of God on my journey,\u2014of the pleasure, if\nsuch be the will of our Saviour, of seeing again all my dear brethren and\nfriends in England,\u2014of spending a few months with you in endeavours to\nforward the cause of our Redeemer in South America; and finally, I think\nof parting from you once more, and of returning again to this quarter of\nthe world, to spend in it the remaining days of my life in seeking its\nwelfare.\n\nIt is time to tell you the immediate cause of these projected movements.\nI say the _immediate_ cause, for I suppose you know that these are not\nnew arrangements. The reason, then, of my setting off at the present time\nis, because I conceive it the most favourable time I am likely to have of\nreducing these arrangements to practice. You know how the war rages here,\nand how it defeats every attempt to forward the education of youth, and\nthe promoting of general improvement. What I have said applies to Peru in\ngeneral, but more particularly to this city, where the sword has truly\nreached to the heart. We are here, I may say, in a beseiged city, having\nthe enemy on all sides. Guerilla parties surround the city by land, and\nhave several times come in at night, and carried off people and property;\nand on the other hand the port of Callao is actually blockaded by the\nPeruvian squadron under Admiral Guise. The distress which prevails in\nthis city, in consequence of every thing being thus at a stand, is _very\ngreat_, and it is augmented by heavy contributions. This, perhaps, in\nformer times, was, without exception, the richest city in the world,\nbut _now_, I may say with equal certainty, that it is the poorest. The\nluxury and dissipation which prevailed, in consequence of this abundance\nof wealth, may be easily imagined; and I have often thought upon that\npassage in the 18th chapter of the Revelation, and have seen it applied,\nI think, to our case, \u201cHow much she hath glorified herself, and lived\ndeliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her.\u201d\n\nUntil, therefore, some change take place here, nothing more can be done\nthan has already been done. Our school goes on, and I may say, with\nas much prosperity as could be expected under the circumstances above\nmentioned. The number of scholars has decreased from 230 to about 200.\nThere are two causes for this decrease; the one is, that the bigger boys\nare afraid to go out lest they should be taken up by the recruiting\nparties; and the other is, the real poverty which exists, and which\nprevents many parents from sending their children, as they are unable to\nprocure them shoes and clothes to enable them to appear decently among\nothers. Whilst these two causes exist, the number may diminish, perhaps,\nstill more, but the school will continue to maintain itself, and to\nsupport its character, I expect, in the progress of those who attend.\nThere are two masters in it, who are well instructed in the plan, and\nthe whole is under the direction of my good friend, the clergyman, of\nwhom I have often spoken to you. What I have said applies to the model\nor central school. There is also another school in the city on the same\nplan, with about eighty scholars, which, I hope, will also continue to go\non well, though subject, of course, to the same disadvantages.\n\nI have thought, then, that I was called upon to seize this time as the\nmost suitable for visiting other parts of this Continent, and for the\nobjects I have in England. My principal business upon my journey will be\nthe circulation of the Scriptures in the different places I may visit,\nand I hope that something may be done in this way, so as to make my\njourney not unprofitable. Of my progress on my road, and in my objects,\nI shall endeavour to inform you from time to time. I shall only farther\nobserve, in regard to my intentions, that my route, &c. will be a good\ndeal determined by the circumstances which may occur in the way by which\nthe Lord may lead me.\n\nThese movements have, I trust, been entered upon in the fear of God, and\nafter mature deliberation, and fervent supplication to the Father of\nlights, who has promised to guide in judgment those who seek his face in\nsincerity.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                          _Guayaquil, 5th October, 1824._\n\nI arrived in this place a few days ago, and seize the earliest\nopportunity to state to you the cause of my being here. You already know\nthat the single object which I have in view in South America, is the\npromoting of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are, of course,\nvarious ways of doing this, and I have thought it best to allow myself\nto be guided in the manner of doing it, by the various circumstances and\noccasions which the providence of God opens up to me from time to time.\nThe two things to which I have more particularly given my attention\nall along are, the education of youth, and the circulation of the Holy\nScriptures. In regard to the latter, with which you are more immediately\nconnected, I have stated to the Society, at different times, my desire\nof forwarding their work in this quarter, in every way which lies in my\npower. I have also informed the Society, on various occasions, as to\nthe progress of their work in this continent. It has afforded me much\nsatisfaction to observe the interest taken by you all for supplying South\nAmerica with the sacred volume, and to read the repeated assurances you\nhave communicated to me of your desire to carry forward this object in\nthe most extensive and effectual way possible. The confidence I reposed\nin the Society in regard to this country, induced me to commence the\ntranslation of the New Testament on your account into the Quichua, or\nancient language of Peru, and the answer I received from you some time\nago, has shown me that I was not mistaken in regard to your views.\n\nThe same confidence as to the views of the Society, and a hope of being\nable to do something in the way of circulating the word of God, in places\nnot yet visited, or but very partially, by this messenger of peace, has\ninduced me to come to this city at the present time. It is my intention\nto set out from this place in two or three days for Bogot\u00e1, the capital\nof Colombia. In my way I shall pass through Riobamba, Ambato, Tacunga,\nQuito, and Popayan, all of which are populous cities, and where I expect\nto sell a considerable number of copies of the Spanish New Testaments.\n\nThe present state of the war in Lima renders abortive every attempt to\nforward education there, and very little can be done in the circulation\nof the Scriptures by sale, on account of the very great pressure of\nthe war, which has reduced the city to much distress. Under these\ncircumstances, I thought the best time I could find for visiting the\nquarters above mentioned, and perhaps for visiting my native land, was\nthe present. I set out then from Lima with this intention, and to perform\nthe part of an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society. I am not\nsure, but I may feel myself under the necessity of petitioning you for my\n_travelling expenses_. I never intended to charge you for any services\nI might be honoured in doing for your Society, if possible to avoid it;\nbut the low state of my funds at present, on account of the war here, may\nurge me to do what otherwise I should not have done. I mention this at\npresent, only in case it should be necessary. The prosperous turn the war\nhas lately taken in Peru, encourages me to hope that what is due to me by\nthe government of that country will be paid in due time, and in that case\nmy little services shall cost you nothing.\n\nI left Lima on the 5th ultimo, and at that time the supply of New\nTestaments, and of the four books of the Old Testament, printed with\na small type, of which you wrote me, had not arrived. I had anxiously\nlooked for their arrival for some weeks before my coming away, as by\nthe date of your letter, I thought there was sufficient time for their\nreaching that place. I was very sorry in not having been furnished with\nthis supply before entering upon my present journey, as I think the\nvolumes printed with the small type would have been very acceptable, and\nthe whole Bible also would have been equally so, as it has been often\nsought for. I have just one Bible with me to show as I go along, by way\nof specimen, in order to incite curiosity, and a desire to possess it,\nwhen it may be supplied to all those places. This copy I bought in Lima\nfor this express purpose, and hope it will serve the end in view. I have\nbrought about 800 New Testaments with me, and in this place I have found\nthe supply you sent by the Grecian to Mr. Lynch, and which I thought had\ngone to Chile. I am glad at finding these here, as it enables me to send\na quantity to Guatemala by an opportunity which offers from this place in\na day or two. The rest I will dispose of otherwise. I mentioned to you\nsome time ago, that I had sent two boxes to Guatemala of those which came\nto me by the Grecian. I have however learned, that the vessel in which\nthey were sent had changed her destination, and that they have not yet\narrived at that place. The accidental finding, in this place, the cases\nbrought by the Grecian, enables me now to supply this deficiency, and\nalso to send by the same person a supply to California. As to the boxes\nformerly sent, though they did not arrive at the destination intended,\nI entertain no doubt of their safety, and of their being profitably\ndisposed of somewhere, and of which I expect to hear in due time.\n\nI shall now state to you what has occurred in the part of my journey\nalready performed. The first object I had in view, was to visit Truxillo,\nwhere I expected to find my good friends who take so much interest in\nthe Peruvian translation of the New Testament, and who had laboured so\ndiligently to accomplish it. I accordingly embarked on board a vessel\nbound for that place, and where I safely arrived in due time. I was sadly\ndisappointed in not finding my friends there as I expected. Not one of\nthem was to be found, nor could I ascertain with certainty where they\nwere, but heard that one had been seen going to one place and another to\nanother. The suddenness of their leaving Lima prevented us from making\nany arrangements about our translation, and we had not even time to bid\neach other adieu. The abruptness of our parting, rendered more severe my\ndisappointment in not finding them in Truxillo, where I intended to make\narrangements with them for carrying forward thin work during my absence.\nI had brought from Lima the manuscript of the whole New Testament in the\nQuichua language, together with the Gospel of Luke, thoroughly revised\nand prepared for the press. I mentioned to you in my last, that I would\nendeavour to carry your resolution into effect regarding the printing of\n1,000 copies of this revised part. I mentioned also that all the printing\npresses had been removed from Lima, but that two were to be found in\nCallao, and that I would ascertain whether the work in question could be\ndone there. Upon enquiry, I found it could not. In consequence of this,\nI wished to get the Gospel of Luke printed in Truxillo, and for that end\ncarried the MS. to that place, that it might be carried through the press\nthere. And in regard to the MS. of the other parts of the New Testament,\nI expected that our friends, in their exile, might go on revising and\ncorrecting it. All these plans, as you see, have been frustrated. I\ntherefore carefully packed up the whole MS. and addressing it to one of\nour translators, gave it into the hands of an English gentleman going\nto Lima, to be delivered according to the address, when the expulsion\nof the Spaniards from Lima (which is soon expected) would enable our\nfriends to return. I also wrote a few lines explaining my wish regarding\nthe revising of the MS., and regarding the printing of the part already\nrevised. The English gentleman of whom I have spoken, has kindly offered\nto advance all the money that may be necessary for carrying this into\neffect. From these arrangements I expect that the work will be set agoing\nagain in the course of two, or at most three months from this date; for\naccording to the _present_ aspect of the war, the Spaniards will not be\nable to continue longer in possession of Lima, although they may, and\nprobably will, retain the fortresses of Callao till a later period.\n\nHaving touched upon this subject of the Spanish cause here, I cannot\nforbear mentioning to you the singular interposition of Providence on\nbehalf of the cause of liberty in this quarter. On the 6th of August\nlast the two armies came in sight of each other at a place called\nJunin, between Pasco and Tarma. The consequence was, that a battle took\nplace between the cavalry of the two parties. There were 1,200 of the\nSpaniards and 800 of the Patriots. An eye witness says, \u201cThe concussion\nwas tremendous, as they came up to each other at full gallop. In a\nquarter of an hour, upwards of 400 men lay dead upon the field, more than\nthree-fourths of whom were Royalists. All this havoc and slaughter was\ncaused by the lance and sword, principally by the former. Not a shot of\nany description, was fired.\u201d In a short time victory begin visibly to\ndeclare for the Spaniards, and the General at the head of the patriot\ncavalry was made prisoner. At this critical moment, by some scarcely\nexplained movement, the Spaniards got somehow into disorder, and began to\ngive way. This was followed up by the Patriots, and in a very short time\nthey obtained a complete victory. The whole of the Spanish army was, in\nconsequence of this defeat, struck with a panic, and by forced marches\nendeavoured to get out of the way of the enemy as fast as possible.\nBolivar immediately advanced, and the Spaniards continued to flee before\nhim with all speed. On the 22d August, only 15 days after the battle, the\nadvanced guard of the patriot army entered Guamanga. Five of the finest\nprovinces of Peru thus fell into their hands in the short period of about\na fortnight. The Spanish army has been sadly reduced and dispirited by\ntheir rapid retreat, and the army of Bolivar has increased in numbers and\nin strength. I consider this to be _a deadly blow_ to the Spanish cause\nin this quarter of the world, from which I think and hope they will never\nrecover. With this cause will terminate, I trust, the reign of oppression\nand violence, of ignorance and fanaticism in Peru, and by which it has\nbeen borne down for these three hundred years. So perish all tyranny and\nignorance from the earth!\n\nI should perhaps beg your pardon for having drawn your attention so long\nto the concerns of war and of politics, as you are men of peace and of\nno party, and your only occupation is speaking peace to them who are far\noff and to them that are nigh. Still, however, you will remember that\nthe book whose circulation we are engaged in, detains our attention in\nmany places with the account of wars and revolutions. But you will say\nthat all these are related there merely from their being connected with\nthe grand moral and religious revolution of the world through that great\nprophet who was to come. This is certainly a right view of the subject;\nand motives of a similar nature, I trust, and not party nor malicious\nprinciples, have induced me to detain you a moment upon the wars of this\nquarter of the world. I firmly believe that the deliverance of this\ncountry from bondage and oppression, and the mental emancipation of its\ninhabitants, depend upon the success of this revolution. The Spaniards,\nas is well known, have greatly impeded, not to say prohibited, the\nprogress of knowledge and of true religion in America. It is not easy\ntherefore, nor is it proper, to remain indifferent as to the issue of\nthis struggle.\n\nI now return to our work of peace, and to Truxillo. I wrote the Society\nsome time ago, of having found a useful and zealous co-labourer in\nthat city, and that I had forwarded to him from Lima a supply of New\nTestaments. At the first he met with some difficulties, owing to the\necclesiastical authorities of the place. These were at length overcome,\nand he was allowed to commence the sale of the Scriptures publicly.\nWhen he had obtained leave to do so, he printed an advertisement, and\nposted it up in the public places of the town, intimating the sale. The\nconsequence was, that he had sold when I was there about 100 copies. He\nhad also written to his friends the Vicars in the provincial towns, but\nhe had not then, from the shortness of the time, received the answers\nto his letters. When these arrive, he expects several orders for New\nTestaments to be sent to the various towns in the department of Truxillo,\nwhich contains a population of upwards of 300,000. In addition to this\nmode of circulating the Scriptures, my friend informed me that he was\nabout to put in practice a method of lending the New Testaments in the\ndifferent houses which he is in the habit of visiting, and in others\nwhich he intends to visit for that purpose. Our friend\u2019s medical duties\ngive him a facility for carrying this into practice. He intends to lend\nthe New Testament for a day, or for two or three days, as circumstances\nmay direct, and to call again for it himself at the given time. Upon\ncalling for it, he says he will ask them if they wish to purchase it, and\nif so, he will sell it at a price corresponding to the circumstances of\nthe individual; and if they do not wish it, he will take it with him and\nlend it to some other, to whom in turn he will put the same question,\nand thus sell it or take it with him, as circumstances require. You will\neasily see that this way of doing will cost him a good deal of labour and\ncare, but he seems to count nothing of these, if in this manner he may be\nthe means of circulating the word of God, and of drawing the attention\nof the people around him, to its all-important contents. As he makes all\nhis rounds on horseback, he will, I hope, be enabled fully to verify his\nbenevolent purpose. He showed me a pair of saddle-bags, which he told me\nhe had got made for the very purpose of always carrying about with him a\nsupply of New Testaments. He gave me one hundred dollars to account of\nsales, which was rather more than what he had received.\n\nThe next thing I have to notice in Truxillo, is, I conceive, of some\nimportance, and will prove, I trust, the means of greatly extending the\noperations and diffusing the blessings of the British and Foreign Bible\nSociety. What I refer to is, the finding of an additional agent who\ntakes a lively interest in the diffusion of the Scriptures, and in every\nother means by which his countrymen may be benefited. The individual\nin question is a clergyman, and a man of rank in that order. He is\nVicar-general to the army, and possesses a considerable influence. His\nresidence, at present, is at Moche, a little village about four or five\nmiles from Truxillo, and of which place he is rector. This, however, is\nonly a temporary residence, during the occupation of his home by the\nSpaniards, and from which, in consequence, he was obliged to flee. The\nplace of his nativity and of his permanent residence is in the province\nand near the city of Arequipa, towards the southern extremity of Peru.\nIt is this circumstance in particular, that will render his services\nvaluable, as we have already an active agent in Truxillo. He intends to\nreturn to his native province as soon as the course of the war will\npermit. Arequipa is in the centre of a populous country, and he will\nhave an extensive field of operation. Another circumstance renders the\nacquisition of this gentleman very valuable, and that is his thorough\nknowledge of the Indian or Peruvian language, which is very extensively\nspoken in that quarter. To this I add another feature in his character\nof yet more importance, which is, his compassion for the oppressed and\ndegraded state of the indigenous population of Peru, and the lively\ninterest he takes in ameliorating their condition, by his representations\nto the government upon the subject, and by his personal labours. No\nindividual I have yet met with in these countries, has offered himself\nso decidedly and so heartily to promote the cause of your Society, as\nthis gentleman; and from all the circumstances I have mentioned, you\nwill see that his good will and his services must be considered a great\nacquisition.\n\nI considered the time spent in visiting Truxillo abundantly recompensed\nin meeting with this fellow-labourer, and I found, in this circumstance,\nsome relief from the disappointment I had met with in not finding there\nthe friends I had expected. My falling in too with that individual was\nperfectly accidental, for I had no knowledge of such a one being in that\nplace. But then again we must remember, that \u201call chance is but direction\nwhich we cannot see.\u201d Blessed be God who leadeth us by ways _we_ know\nnot, but which _he_ knows, and which will lead us to the glorifying of\nhis name, when that is our object. I must not omit to give you the name\nand address of our fellow-labourer. It is \u201cDr. Don Manuel Fernandez de\nC\u00f3rdova, Vicario General del Ej\u00e9rcito del Peru, y Cura de Salamanca del\nObispado de Arequipa.\u201d I have given you this address in Spanish to enable\nyou to write direct to our friend, should you feel so inclined.\n\nI shall now leave Truxillo, but before I go on board, shall just notice\na little incident. Truxillo is about six miles distant from Huanchaco,\nwhich is the sea port town of that quarter. In going down to this port,\nI happened to get a very bad horse, which soon becoming restive, I was\nobliged to leave it at a house upon the road, and to walk down under a\nburning sun. After I had walked more than half the way, a person came\nriding up to me and offered me a horse, which of course I accepted.\nHe told me he had observed me on foot from a distance, and had pushed\nforward to offer me assistance. Upon entering into conversation I found\nmy obliging friend was a peasant, belonging to a neighbouring village,\nwhere he had a family to which he was returning. We spoke a little about\neducation in general, and of his family in particular. I learned from\nhim that he could read, and was anxious that his children should be well\ninstructed. I asked him if he had ever seen the New Testament, to which\nhe replied in the negative, and from less to more, he intimated to me\nthat he would be glad to purchase one if he could find it, for the use\nof himself and of his children. When we arrived at Huanchaco, he would\naccept of no remuneration for his kindness, and as I found my luggage\nthere not embarked, I brought him a New Testament and made him a present\nof it, in return for his unsolicited and friendly attentions. He received\nit most thankfully, and we parted.\n\nOn the 24th we sailed for Guayaquil, but as we carried a gentleman with\nus at the request of the government, we had to call at Paita to land\nhim there. We cast anchor in that port on the 26th, after sun-set, and\nearly next morning I went ashore to see the place, and took three New\nTestaments with me. I went into a store near the landing-place, and\nbeing invited, took a seat upon a bale of cotton. After some general\nconversation, I opened my treasure, and offered the New Testaments for\nsale at one dollar each, and in a few minutes they were bought. Some\nlittle time after, I was asked if I had any more. I replied that I had,\nbut that they were in the ship. I immediately went on board, and just as\nwe had got our anchor up, a boat came along-side, in which I recognized\nthe person who had asked me for more New Testaments. He came on board\nand bought two dozen, for which he paid me eighteen dollars. As we were\nby this time under way, the boat had to return ashore without loss of\ntime, whilst we, with a most propitious gale, made for this port.\u2014On the\nevening of the 29th we cast anchor off the small town of Pun\u00e1, on the\nisland of the same name. You will remember that this island is famous\nin the conquest of Peru, by the Spaniards. According to the accounts of\nit that remain, it seems to have been very populous at that time. It\nis not so now. There is, on the whole island, only one little village,\nnamely, the one I have mentioned, and which does not contain above 200\ninhabitants. We landed at this little place for a pilot to conduct\nus up the river. I took with me, as I had done at Paita, three New\nTestaments. When we landed, we found some people on the beach, to whom\nwe communicated intelligence of the rapid progress of Bolivar. We were\ninvited into one of the houses, and after having talked a little upon\nvarious subjects, I opened my casket and presented my New Testaments,\nwhich they were all very curious to see. Whilst they were looking through\nthem, one of the neighbours came in. \u201cHere!\u201d said one who was examining\nthe New Testament, \u201chere is a book that will tell you about the beginning\nof the world, and a great many other things.\u201d His friend replied, that he\ncared very little about the _beginning_ of the world, but that he wished\nto know something about the _end of it_. Upon hearing this, I told him\nthat the book he had in his hands was the very book that would suit him,\nas it would inform him particularly about the end of the world. I sold\nthe three New Testaments in this same house, and as our captain had by\nthis time made arrangements with the pilot, we got on board again, and\nset sail. On the following night (the 30th) we arrived at this place, at\neight o\u2019clock. Before we cast anchor, an English gentleman came on board,\nto whom I had a letter of introduction. He kindly invited me to his\nhouse, where I am comfortably lodged, and from which I now write you.\n\nI intend to stop in this place only a few days, during which I shall\nendeavour to dispose of as many New Testaments as I can, and in the way\nthat may be most profitable. I now close this letter, and shall inform\nyou of the success I meet with here, in my next communication.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                         _Guayaquil, 11th October, 1824._\n\nMy letter of the 5th current will inform you of the motives and objects\nwhich have brought me to this place. It will also inform you of what\nprogress I have made in the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and in\nobjects connected therewith, from my leaving Lima till my arrival in\nthis quarter. I proceed, therefore, to state to you the occurrences of\nGuayaquil in reference to these matters.\n\nSome time ago, and of which I believe I informed you, I sent from Lima\ntwenty New Testaments to a Gentleman here, to be sold at one dollar\neach, if opportunities should offer, of disposing of them among his\nfriends. This gentleman holds a principal situation in the government,\nand had been recommended to me by a relation of his in Truxillo, as a\nperson desirous of doing good. Upon my arriving here, I called upon him,\nand found him to be a person worthy of the honourable appellation just\nmentioned. He told me he had disposed of the New Testaments, and he gave\nme twenty dollars which he had received for them.\n\nAs soon as I had reached this place, I mentioned to some persons that I\nhad a supply of New Testaments for sale, and in consequence I sold one\nhundred and sixty-eight copies. After thinking for some time upon what\nwould be the speediest and most effectual way of disposing of the New\nTestaments, it occurred to me that the best thing I could do would be\nto print an advertisement, and to give notice of the sale by posting\nthese up in the public places of the different towns I pass through on\nmy journey. This, you will see, would at once draw the attention of the\n_public_. The only objection that occurred to me was, that it would be\na kind of challenge to our opponents, or at least an intimation of our\nhostile operations. This obstacle I kept in mind, but did not think\nour adversaries would be able to make any effectual resistance. More\npowerful, I believe, are those who are for us than those who are against\nus. The encouragement to make such an attempt as this, arises from the\ngreat and happy changes already effected by the revolution going on in\nthis country, and, I trust, now concluding. I could not have ventured\nupon such a thing under the Spanish government. What is going forward in\nthese countries is truly a _revolution_ in every sense of the word.\n\nI accordingly wrote out an advertisement, and got it printed in the\ngovernment printing-office in this place. Translated into English it runs\nthus: \u201cTo be sold in (_a_) the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, in\none volume, well printed, and neatly bound, at the low price of _eight_\nrials. This sale will continue for (_b_) days only, and it is expected\nthat those who wish to procure for themselves this sacred code of our\nHoly Religion, will improve the occasion now offered them.\u201d As this\nadvertisement was intended not for this place alone, but for others also,\nI left the blank (_a_) to be filled up with the pen to suit each place,\nand the blank (_b_) I leave for the number _one_, _two_, or _three_,\nas my time will permit, and as the importance of the town visited may\nrequire. When these notices were finished, I caused some to be put up\nin this place, saying that the sale would be for _three_ days only. In\na few minutes after putting them up, I enjoyed the great satisfaction\nof seeing it produce much better effects than I had anticipated. At\n_noon_ the notices were put up and at _one o\u2019clock_ I had sold _fifteen_\ncopies. In the next hour I sold _forty-seven_. In the course of an hour\nand a half during the time the store was open in the afternoon, I sold\n_one hundred and twelve_. Next day I sold 262 copies. The day following,\nwhich was also one of the three days of sale, happened to be a festival\nday held to celebrate the declaration of independence in this town four\nyears ago. The stores in consequence were all shut, and public business\nsuspended. Nevertheless, there were _eleven_ copies sold during a few\nminutes before breakfast, when the store was open for some particular\npurpose. To-day I set out on my journey to Quito, bu I may perhaps\nsell some before I go, as I cannot go off before four o\u2019clock in the\nafternoon, having to sail up the river with the flood tide.\n\nThe whole number disposed of in this place is 615, and for these I have\nreceived 542 dollars 2 rials.\u2014The greater part were sold one by one at\neight rials each, but sometimes I sold a dozen or two together, and in\nthat case sold them somewhat cheaper. To the number of copies already\nmentioned, I add the 30 disposed of, as noticed in my last, and three\ncopies sold in Truxillo of those in superior binding, making in all\n648 copies since the commencement of my tour. To the amount of monies\nreceived in the same time as above, I add, what I received from Dr.\nO\u2019Donovan, from the gentleman here as previously mentioned, and for those\nsold in Paita and Pun\u00e1, and the three just noticed, making 153 dollars,\namounting in all to 695 dollars 2 rials. Of this sum, I have remitted 500\ndollars to Messrs. Cochran and Robertson, of Lima, with whom I keep my\naccounts. This sum will be applied to carrying forward the translation\nand printing of the Scriptures into the _Peruvian_ language, agreeably to\nyour resolution upon the subject, communicated to me some time ago.\n\nNeed I add anything to the above by way of comment or observation? Is it\nnot most gratifying to see so many seeds sown in this town? Let us join\ntogether in prayer, that He who causeth the rain to descend from heaven\nto fertilize the ground, and to raise into fruit the puny efforts of man,\nmay cause his blessing to be upon the seed sown in this place. As it is\nsown in weakness may it be raised in strength, and produce at least a\nhundred fold.\n\nP.S.\u2014_12th October._\u2014Our boat did not sail yesterday, and thus gave me\nthe opportunity of adding 71 to the number of copies formerly mentioned,\nand 71 dollars to account.\n\nThe preceding sentence was written in the morning, and now, in the\nafternoon, I add 52 copies more, making in all, in Guayaquil, 738.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                          _Guaranda, 25th October, 1824._\n\nMy last letter to you was written in Guayaquil on the 12th instant. On\nthat occasion I noticed that I had taken that freedom with you in regard\nto writing, which we often take with our friends without the danger or\nthe thought of offending on the one hand or on the other. The letter\nreferred to was short and could not well be longer from the circumstances\nin which I was then placed. Before I had finished it, the master of\nthe canoe in which I was to leave Guayaquil, had knocked at the door\naccording to appointment, at four o\u2019clock in the morning. Although,\nhowever, that letter was short, I did not consider that I had left you\nuninformed as to the circumstances that had occurred during my journey\nfrom Lima to Guayaquil, as well as those that had occurred in the place\nlast mentioned. I wrote upon that subject two letters of some length, to\nthe British and Foreign Bible Society, detailing these matters with some\ndegree of minuteness. Of these two letters I requested Mr. B. to forward\nyou copies, and doubt not that such will be forwarded to you immediately\nupon their arrival.\n\nIn the two letters referred to, I stated the measures I had taken in\ncirculating the Scriptures in Guayaquil, and the unexpected and happy\nresults which followed in the sale of 738 copies of the New Testament.\nIt was gratifying, I assure you, to see in this manner almost the whole\ncity come together to hear the word of God, and it was not less so, to\npass along the streets and to count one, two, three, a dozen perhaps,\ndiligently engaged in reading their New Testaments. Who could pass along\nunder such circumstances, in any other frame than that of thanksgiving\nand prayer?\u2014thanksgiving to God for having disposed so many to attend\nto the things which belong to their everlasting peace, and which I may\nsay, have been hitherto hid from their eyes,\u2014and prayer, that the eyes of\ntheir understanding might be enlightened, that they might be turned from\ndarkness to light, and might enjoy that inheritance which the Lord hath\nprepared for them that love him. Nor could I feel otherwise, nor withhold\nfrom expressing those feelings, as I walked over the spot where sin has\ndeposited his spoils won in that place. The small and the great are\nthere. My prayer to God was, that through means of the word of life then\ncirculated, many from that spot might, at the voice of the Archangel,\nawake to life and everlasting glory.\n\nWe read in the sacred page upon a certain occasion, some thousands of\nyears ago, when the sons of God came to present themselves before him,\nSatan came also among them. The same seems to have been his practice\nin Jerusalem, in Antioch, in Philippi, as well as upon other occasions\nof ancient and modern date. That he was not absent on this occasion in\nGuayaquil, we may _a priori_ be assured of. That he was successful,\nhowever, I have not yet learned. I did, indeed, overhear that some\npriest had said something against the reading of the New Testament,\nbut I had some suspicion that the information was not quite correct.\nAs a counterpart to this, several priests and friars bought of the New\nTestaments. At one time, I think there were _five_ friars in the store\nat one time to purchase, and one of these took _thirteen_ copies. At\nanother time, a friar, who had bought a New Testament, came afterwards\ninquiring very anxiously for the whole Bible, and was much disappointed\nupon learning that there was none. I told him that some two months after,\nsome Bibles might be expected, and that as only 50 copies were ordered,\nhe had better put down his name if he wished to secure one for himself.\nUpon my telling him so, he immediately subscribed for _two_ copies.\nThis person told me that all the friars in his convent had bought New\nTestaments, and that they were all highly pleased with them. It is really\nencouraging to see the word of God circulate in this quarter with little\nor no opposition.\u2014I may add further regarding this matter, that I was\nupon very good terms with the rector of Guayaquil during the few days I\nremained there. I paid him a visit, accompanied by a friend to introduce\nme, and next day I received a very courteous visit from him in return,\naccompanied by the ecclesiastic next in rank to himself. He has, besides,\ngiven me two letters of introduction, warmly recommending me to his\nfriends in Quito. Do not all these things, my dear friend, lay us under\nobligations to give thanks unto him in whose hands are the hearts of all?\nAnd are not such occurrences calculated to encourage us to labour in\nthis sacred cause and to ask of the Lord _liberal things_ according to\nhis promise? I am persuaded you so feel, and so act, but still it is not\nunnecessary to remind you of these matters, to stir up your pure mind by\nway of remembrance, and thus to add line upon line. Let us then continue\ninstant in prayer, that the Lord would pour out his blessing upon this\ncountry, already white unto harvest.\n\nA little after four o\u2019clock on the morning of the 14th, I got into the\ncanoe which was to conduct me from Guayaquil to Babahoyo. The river\nGuayaquil is navigable at all seasons as far as the latter place, a\ndistance of about 40 miles, and in the rainy season, when the river is\nhigh, boats pass some 15 miles farther up. The navigation is performed\nin balsas, and in large and small canoes. The small canoes are made of a\nsingle tree hollowed out, and the large ones are built like our boats,\nand capable of carrying several tons, but made in the shape of the small\ncanoes. It was in one of the large ones I took my passage to Babahoyo. It\nis in general by no means a pleasant voyage that is made between these\ntwo places. On the one hand, the heat is very great; and on the other,\nthe mosquitos are numerous and active. The effects arising from the\nbite of this troublesome insect are still, at the distance of more than\na week, very visible on my hands, and also on my legs, where they were\ndefended by the stocking only. On the first day, owing to the excessive\nheat, I felt very unwell, but enjoyed good health on the following day.\nOn this occasion I experienced from some of my fellow-passengers those\nfriendly and soothing attentions which adorn the female character, and\nwhich, on several occasions, I have seen exhibited in regard to myself\nand to others during my residence in this country. We were nearly three\ndays in our passage. The river _abounds_ with alligators. I might almost\nsay, it is _full_ of them. Great numbers lie basking on the banks with\ntheir horrible mouths wide open, and upon coming close up to them they\nplunge into the river, and swim about like so many logs floating around\nyou. At one time I counted, in a very short distance, all at one view,\non one side of the river, to the number of forty, and at another time I\nsaw twenty, close together. Very few are found at or below Guayaquil, as\nthe water is salt for some miles above the town. In the rainy season,\nhowever, when the great quantity of fresh water keeps the salt water\ndown below the town, the alligator is found farther down. I made several\ninquiries as to the feeling of this animal towards man in this quarter,\nbut could not get any well authenticated information of its seizing upon\nhuman kind, and the frequency of bathing in the river speaks the same\nlanguage. It seems, in this river, still to observe that fear and regard\nto man which all the animal creation once possessed, but which has now\nin regard to several animals been effaced, and in most cases, I believe,\nthrough the cruelty of man towards the animal creation. All accounts,\nhowever, agreed in affirming that the alligators here often seize upon\nhogs, and other small animals, when found close to the river. Whilst\nspeaking upon this subject I may also notice, that in all the low lands\nbetween the sea and the mountains in the parts subject to periodical\nrains, lions, tigers, and serpents abound, particularly the latter. The\nlions I am told do not attack man, nor does the serpent, except when\ntrode upon.\n\nMany topics of conversation occurred during our passage up the river. The\nsale of our New Testaments was known to every body, and thus afforded a\nsubject of conversation in which we could all take a part. Of course I\nhad also something to say upon this subject, as it was well known that\nI was the seller of them. Two copies were on board, one of which had\nbeen purchased by the captain of our canoe, and the other by one of the\npassengers. I have already told you of the evangelical aspect of the\nstreets of Guayaquil, and the same aspect at times was exhibited on\nboard, both of the New Testaments being frequently in use at the same\ntime. During the many things that were said, arising from what was read,\n(the reading being frequently aloud,) a conversation took place, the\nrelation of which will probably interest you, and more especially as it\naffords a specimen of the progress of _thinking_ upon religious subjects\nin this country. The subject was a delicate one, but so much the better,\nas a specimen. The worship of saints was the matter treated of, though I\ndo not remember what gave rise to it. I stated my views upon the subject,\nappealing to the Scriptures and to common sense in support of my opinion.\nA very keen and interesting conversation immediately took place, in which\nfour, besides myself, took a part, and you will be surprised when I tell\nyou that three of the four took my side of the question. The one who was\nopposed to us happened to be a stout disputant, and thus gave occasion to\na thorough discussion of the matter. Among other things brought forward\nto show the incongruity and sinfulness of the worshipping of saints, I\nstated that the Apostle Peter himself, (who according to them is the\nprince of Apostles and saints,) refused this worship, and in proof of\nthis, I referred him to the tenth chapter of the Acts. This passage was\nturned up and read by one of the company, and it appeared to all of us,\nexcept one, conclusive upon the subject. Our opponent, however, defended\nhimself, by alleging that although Peter, upon that occasion, refused\nworship, he refused it because he was not glorified, but that after\ndeath things were otherwise.\u2014You agree then, I remarked, that worship\nis not to be given to the saints when upon earth, but it is lawful, you\nsay, to give this worship to them after their death. Let us then go to\nanother passage, I said, and see who of the inhabitants of heaven are to\nbe worshipped. I then referred to the last chapter of the Revelation,\nnamely, \u201cWhen I had heard and seen, I fell down before the feet of the\nangel who showed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it\nnot, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and\nof them who keep the sayings of this book: _Worship God_.\u201d This passage\ncut off the refuge which our friend had taken in his distinction between\nworshipping a saint on earth, and a saint in heaven. He then took refuge\nin _the church_, alleging that since authority had been given to it by\nJesus Christ to order and direct the concerns of his kingdom after his\nascension, it was our duty to obey its orders, and one of these orders\nwas, the praying to the saints. You know, of course, how _I_ would have\ngot rid of this objection, that is, by sweeping away this authority of\nthe church altogether, and I stated this to be my opinion. The captain\nof our canoe, who took a large share in the conversation, and who saw in\nthe church an authority to which he considered himself bound to submit,\nassailed our opponent by another argument, and a very effectual one. He\ncame close up to him, and with an air of having something in his mind\nworth saying, \u201cIs it not,\u201d said he, \u201cthe duty of children to reverence\ntheir parents, and to obey them readily and constantly?\u201d\u2014\u201cCertainly it\nis,\u201d replied his friend. Our Captain continued: \u201cAnd if a parent should\ntell his child to steal, to lie, and such like things, should the child\nobey?\u201d\u2014\u201cCertainly not,\u201d was the reply. \u201cYou are right,\u201d says the Captain,\n\u201cand that is just our case with the church. It is our duty to obey it, as\nit is our duty to obey our parents, but if our parents or the church bid\nus do what is obviously wrong, in that case it is our duty to _disobey_.\u201d\nYou see what an excellent argument this was, and it completely silenced\nthe other, and left him without any thing to say upon the subject, except\nmere general talk and repetition. Our Captain having gained this triumph,\nturned to one of the four, who seemed rather to acquiesce in the strength\nof our arguments from the Scripture, than zealously to defend our side,\nand put this question to him. \u201cCan you tell me,\u201d said he, \u201cwhy the priest\nreads all the service and prays in Latin, a language of which I do not\nunderstand a word, and thus leaving me, when in church, as a mere statue,\nwithout knowing what I am saying or doing?\u201d This was a hard question, and\nit was answered significantly, but without words. Our Captain next comes\nup to me, and says, \u201cYou see every one sets up his little machine to gain\nhis dollar.\u201d I thought I understood his meaning, although couched under a\nfigure, but as I wished it to be well understood by all, I asked him what\nhe meant by it. After a short delay he answered me, by stating, that the\nchurch and the priests had made various laws and ceremonies for their own\nbenefit, and that they might thus put a dollar into their pocket.\u2014Various\nother things were said, and among which the New Testament was praised as\na book any one might read and understand, and not like the prayers of\nthe priests, which no one understood, perhaps not themselves. One of the\nfour alluded to, towards the end of the conversation, said, in a very\ndistinct voice, and in the hearing of all, \u201cIf I were going to die, this\nis my faith; I believe that there is one God who made all things, and\nthat there is one Redeemer who died for us, and who rose again; and as\nto the worshipping of saints, and all the rest of it, I know nothing.\u201d I\nshould not omit an observation of one of our female passengers. When two\nof us were debating about the worship of saints, she observed to me that\nshe did not like such conversation. Why so, I replied. Because, said she,\nif saints are not to be worshipped, then it will follow that we are not\nto pray to the Virgin Mary neither. I said, in reply, that I thought her\nreasoning worth being heard, as it was a fair deduction, and requested\nher to put it in the form of a question, to the one of the four who\nappeared the coolest, and who, as I said before, rather acquiesced in the\nstrength of our arguments than defended our side. As soon as silence was\nobtained, the question was put, and the answer returned was just what I\nwould have said if called upon to reply.\n\nYou will see in the whole of this conversation a freedom of thinking and\nof speaking, which you probably did not expect, and I confess that I was\nmyself greatly surprised at it, notwithstanding the many opportunities I\nhave had of observing the sentiments of the people of this quarter. In\nthe higher and more enlightened classes of society, I have often met with\nliberal sentiments, but as the two persons who took the chief part in the\nabove conversation were of the lower class, it was both new to me and\ninteresting.\n\nOn our arrival at Babahoyo, I found lodgings difficult to be procured,\nas the houses seemed all occupied. As soon as this was known to one of\nmy fellow-passengers, he took me to his father\u2019s house, where I enjoyed\ncomfortable bed and board, kindly bestowed and free of expense, during\nthe two days I remained in that town. As I intended to make no stay in\nthis place, but push on, I gave no public intimation regarding the sale\nof New Testaments; yet, through means of my fellow-passengers it came\nto be known that I had these for sale, and in consequence I disposed of\nfifty-one copies for which I received fifty dollars, one copy being a\npresent. I may mention, before leaving this place, that it lies very\nlow on the banks of the river, and is overflowed in the rainy season.\nThe church stands upon a spot elevated some feet above the surrounding\nparts; and I am told it is common for the people in that season to go up\nto the church door in their canoes. The usual practice in passing from\nBabahoyo to Quito, is to hire mules at the former place to Guaranda, and\nagain to hire anew from that to Quito. I accordingly hired mules for this\nplace, which cost me five dollars each, on account of the badness of\nthe roads, though four dollars is the usual charge. The weather at the\npresent time is very unfavourable, and it is singular to see it so at\nthis season of the year. I had counted upon fair weather in this quarter\nduring the whole time of my journey, according to the information which I\nhad obtained in Lima, and am thus less prepared for rain than otherwise\nI would have been had I expected it. I may add also, that I like rain\nnow worse than ever, as during these two years past I have not seen any.\nFrom Babahoyo to the base of the mountains the roads were very deep and\nbad. When we began to ascend the mountains, we found ourselves still\nworse situated. The very steep ascent, and the clayey slippery roads,\nrendered the journey very unpleasant, and not a little dangerous from\nthe slipping of the mules, which were frequently brought down upon their\nknees. I shall not detain you for the present with a minute account of\nthe journey to this place, suffice it to say, that I arrived, here, the\nday before yesterday in the afternoon in perfect health and safety; and\nI feel, I assure you, upon looking back upon the road over which I have\npassed, a new motive for thanksgiving to the Father of mercies for my\ndaily and hourly preservation. I shall just farther add, as descriptive\nof the mountains, that on the first day of our ascent, the barometer in\nthe valley, in the morning, stood at 29.950, and where we lodged in the\nevening it stood at 26.141, which indicates a great rise. Where we lodged\non the evening following it stood at 22.085. On the next day we passed\nthe highest part of the ancient Indian road, where the barometer stood at\n21.322.\n\nThe situation of Guaranda, from which I now write you, is about ten miles\nS. W. of the great Chimborazo. This king of mountains raises its majestic\nhoary head full in view. It is deeply covered from the top, almost to\nthe base, with everlasting snow\u2014snow which must have fallen, if not in\nthe days of Adam, at least in the days of Noah. To-morrow I set off for\nRiobamba, when I expect to have a fuller view of it, as the road passes\nalong it close to the skirts of its snowy mantle. Guaranda contains about\n1500 inhabitants, mostly Indians, who all speak the ancient Peruvian\nlanguage. There are several little towns in the glens within the\ndistrict, containing in all 14,000 inhabitants, and who all speak the\nsame language. You will recollect that this is the language into which\nthe New Testament has lately been translated in Lima, as mentioned in\nmy former letters, and you will see here a still more ample field of\nusefulness for this translation, and the more so, when I add, that not\nonly in this district is the language spoken, but also in all the towns\nin this quarter as far as Quito. What a wonderful extent and uniformity\nmust the ancient Peruvian empire have had. The inhabitants of this town\nand the Indians of Peru have exactly the same features and countenance,\nat well as language.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                          _Riobamba, 31st October, 1824._\n\nSoon after my arrival in the town of Guaranda, I called upon the\nGovernor, and made known to him the object of my journey in this\nquarter. I found him a man of intelligence, and a friend of the British\nand Foreign Bible Society. Observing him to be a person worthy of all\nconfidence, and very desirous of the instruction of his countrymen, I\nmade known to him, without reserve, the plans and operations of the Bible\nSociety, and that I was travelling to forward its sacred object. He was\nmuch pleased with the brief view of the Society which I gave him. He\nwished to see the New Testaments, and became the first purchaser himself.\nHe also called upon those around to buy for themselves, by telling them\nto come and learn to be Christians from this book. I received many\nfriendly attentions from him during the two days I remained in that\nplace, and I think we formed a kind of friendship which may contribute to\nforward the objects of the Society in that quarter on future occasions.\nNotwithstanding my printed notices, and the encouragement of the\nGovernor, I sold but a very few copies in that place, the whole number\nbeing thirteen. One cause of there being so few sold is, that almost all\nthe inhabitants are Indians, and do not understand the Spanish language,\nat all events cannot read it. To which may be added the general apathy\nwhich always exists in small towns. The few copies, however, which have\nbeen circulated in that town, will form a beginning (I may say of an\nera) in that place, and will create a desire for more, both there and in\nthe villages around, when, on a future occasion, some pilgrim from your\nSociety shall climb the Andes to visit their abode.\n\nOn the 29th I left Guaranda on my way to this town. You will see by\nthe map, that in visiting Riobamba, I was going out of the straight\nroad to Quito, but I was anxious to visit this place, if peradventure\nthe Lord would incline the hearts of some here, as in other places to\nreceive the word of God; and, generally speaking, my wish is to pave\nthe way for future operations, as well as to drop a few seeds whilst so\ndoing, and thus to be a pioneer in your service, in the service of this\npeople, and, I trust, in the service of God. I told you that Guaranda,\nand the villages around it, lay upon the Andes; they are not, however,\nat the top, but lie on the western side or declivity of the great ridge,\nor Cordillera. After leaving Guaranda, there is nearly a whole day\u2019s\nclimbing before you reach the top. Upon reaching the highest parts of\nthe ridge, you have something like a plain, though of no great extent;\nand out of this plain, or rather this mountain, and from your very feet,\nrises the great Chimborazo. From Guaranda we turned our faces towards\nthis great mountain, and began to ascend. As we approached it, it began\nto frown, and to forbid our drawing nearer. The rain, in a little time,\nbegan to fall very heavily; we pushed on; the hail succeeded, accompanied\nby vivid lightning, whose rapid flight, from our elevated situation, we\ncould trace from heaven to earth. To crown the whole, the loud thunder\nrolled along as if Chimborazo were tumbling down upon us. To pursue our\njourney, under such circumstances, would have been foolish, and perhaps\nfatal. We accordingly turned our backs upon the mountain, and began to\ndescend, and to seek refuge in the first hut we could come to. After some\nlittle time we descried a thatched cottage, but we could not reach it, as\nthe descent to it from the ridge, along which the road lay, was too rapid\nfor our mules. Another and another we had to pass in this way, without\nbeing able to take shelter from the storm. We at length found a house to\nwhich we could descend, and I rode on towards it, and made inquiry if\nwe could be lodged there. I received an answer in bad Spanish, saying,\nthey did not understand what I said. I was obliged, therefore, to wait\ntill the guide arrived, who understood the Indian language, and upon his\nputting the same question which I had put, we obtained refuge from the\nstorm, and found, in our circumstances, the cottage converted into a\npalace.\n\nI thus found myself in a cottage belonging to one of the indigenous\ninhabitants of the country, and had thus an opportunity of learning\nsome things which could not have been so well learned in any other\nsituation. I found that the inhabitants of this hut understood only their\nnative language; and learned that this was the case with all the rural\ninhabitants of these quarters. The language spoken is that of Peru, into\nwhich, through your beneficence, the New Testament has been translated,\nand part of which will soon be printed. The need of having the word of\nGod translated into this language, is thus rendered more evident, and we\nsee the field to be watered by it increased.\n\nTowards the evening the sky cleared up, and as the sun was setting, the\naspect around became beautiful. I stepped to a little distance from the\ncottage, and reached the road on the ridge which we had left some hours\nbefore. As I walked backwards and forwards in this spot, enjoying the\nserene and peaceful evening, I felt gratitude rise in my heart to the\nFather of mercies, for my protection and shelter from the storm. I had\njust gone over that beautiful hymn, of which the first and last verses\nfollow:\n\n    \u201cWhen all thy mercies, O my God,\n      My rising soul surveys;\n    Transported with the view, I\u2019m lost,\n      In wonder, love, and praise.\n\n    \u201cThrough all eternity to Thee\n      A joyful song I\u2019ll raise;\n    For, oh, eternity\u2019s too short\n      To utter all thy praise.\u201d\n\nI had just repeated this companion of my travels, and was beginning to\ndescend to the cottage, when I observed a person coming up, mounted on\na very good horse, and leading another still better. I wondered to see\nhim bend his course to the uninhabited mountains at such a late hour,\nand had the curiosity to wait his approach, to make inquiry. \u201cPray\nfriend,\u201d said I, \u201cwhere can you be going this way at so late an hour?\u201d\u2014\u201cI\nam seeking you,\u201d was the reply.\u2014\u201cSeeking me!\u201d I replied. \u201cYes,\u201d said\nhe, \u201cI have a letter for you from the Governor of Guaranda.\u201d I received\nand opened the letter, and read, in the language of friendship, that my\ngood friend, dreading that I should be worsted by the storm, had sent an\nexcellent horse for me, with orders to his servant to travel on until\nhe should find me, at whatever hour it might be, and to see me safe in\nRiobamba. Whatever might have been my feelings before, they were, at\nleast, now \u201clost in wonder, love, and praise.\u201d I should have mentioned,\nalso, that the servant delivered me a little basket, which I found to be\nfilled with provisions for our journey, and into which, also, the hand of\nfriendship itself had dropped a few sweet cakes. All these things, under\nthe circumstances in which I found myself, had a powerful effect upon\nmy mind, and encouraged me anew to hope in God and to persevere in his\nservice.\n\nIn a few minutes we stepped down to the hut, procured some provisions\nfor the horses, some repast for ourselves, and passed the night as\ncomfortably as we could. Early next morning we began to prepare for our\njourney. I had given our hostess a rial now and a rial then to give\nher confidence in my honesty; for there is some distrust in regard to\nprovisions bestowed upon strangers, and it is founded, I believe, on\nexperience. Before setting out, I paid her all her demands, and gave her\na little more; upon which she lifted up both her hands, and prayed for\na blessing upon me, and thus we parted. After travelling for some time,\nChimborazo looked out from the clouds, the first appearance of which, I\nconfess, filled me with a kind of dread, more especially as I thought\nit frowned upon us again. As we went on, however, the day brightened,\nand we reached the mountain in due time, and took up our lodging in an\nuninhabited house on the side of it. During my evening walk the clouds\nentirely disappeared from the mountain, and it seemed to sit down in\nbeautiful splendour beside me, and thus we became more than reconciled to\neach other. Next morning the same beautiful appearance was exhibited as\nwe set out on our way to Riobamba.\n\nAt mid day we reached this place, which contains about 3000 inhabitants,\nwith a considerable population in the villages around. I called upon\nthe Governor, and presented him a letter of introduction which I had\nbrought from the Governor of Guaranda. In this gentleman I also found\na friend, and an encourager of our object. He directed me to the house\nof a friend, where I have a comfortable lodging. Upon stating to him\nmy object, and showing him the advertisement which I wished to fix up\nin the public parts of the town, he ordered his clerk to fill up the\nblanks according to my directions, and then sent one of the Alguazils to\nput them up. He bought six New Testaments himself, and during the two\ndays of my stay here, I have disposed of 35 copies. To-morrow I set out\nfor Ambato, accompanied by a soldier, which the Governor has ordered to\nattend me by way of a guide and a guard. Considering the shortness of my\nstay here, and considering that many more New Testaments would have been\nbought had time been afforded, I thought it advisable to leave 50 copies\nin the hands of the Governor, who kindly undertook to dispose of them as\ncircumstances offered. For the same reason I left 50 copies with him to\nbe forwarded by the first opportunity to the Governor of Guaranda. I have\nalso had another object in view in doing so, and that is to convert, as\nit were, these individuals into members and agents of your Society, the\nimportance of which you will at once see.\n\nI have already noticed to you that the rural inhabitants of the district\nof Guaranda speak the Indian language only. The same also may be said of\nall the districts in this quarter, as far as Quito, I formerly stated to\nyou, that in Peru a million of souls stood in need of the translation\nof the Scriptures into the Quichua language, and you now see how many\nthousands more may be added to this number. I have no doubt but the\nimportance of the translation in question will lead you to extend your\nbeneficence to the translating and printing of the whole Scriptures into\nthis language. When I find persons, particularly clergymen, with whom\nI can communicate with confidence, I state to them what has been done\nin regard to this translation, and the use that may be made of it in\ninstructing the indigenous inhabitants of this quarter, which is by far\nthe most numerous class of the population. To such individuals I mention,\nalso, the happy effects produced by the schools in the Gaelic and Irish\nlanguages. I have succeeded in convincing many of the importance and\npracticability of educating the native population, and am much encouraged\nby the interest I find taken in this matter, by many persons of name and\ninfluence in the places I have visited. In this town, the prior of one of\nthe convents, and the rector of the town, have promised to forward this\nobject as far as lies in their power, and on my part I have promised to\nforward them some copies of this translation as soon us they are ready.\n\nOn the whole, there is great cause for thanksgiving, in seeing the\nScriptures meet with so ready a reception in this quarter, and the more\nso when we consider that this is the first time this treasure has been\noffered them. Let us pray that the word of God may have free course in\nthis place, and that it may be glorified.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                             _Quito, 8th November, 1824._\n\nThrough the tender mercies of the Lord I arrived in this city yesterday\nmorning in health and safety. The same gracious hand who has guided me\nhitherto has provided for me a lodging in this place, in the house of\nthe Marquis de San Jos\u00e9, where I enjoy all the comforts that kindness\nand plenty can bestow. My last letter to you was dated the 31st ultimo,\nfrom Riobamba, and detailed the various circumstances that occurred in my\njourney from Guayaquil to that place. It now remains for me, therefore,\nto state the particulars of my journey from Riobamba until my arrival in\nthis city.\n\nEarly on the morning of the 1st current, I set out for Ambato, and\narrived there safely in the afternoon. Ambato is a larger town than\nRiobamba, and may contain 5000 people. In this place I found myself\ncomfortably lodged in the house of the Governor. My luggage, along with\nthe New Testaments, did not arrive till the following morning. Upon the\narrival of the New Testaments, I showed them to the Governor, and told\nhim of my intention of advertising them for sale, and inquired in what\nshop or store I could conveniently do so. He answered me, by saying, that\nhis own house was at my service for that purpose. I accordingly stated in\nthe advertisement, that the New Testaments were on sale at the house of\nthe Governor, and that the sale would continue but one day. It afforded\nme much satisfaction to see the interest taken in this matter by the\nGovernor and by his lady, both of whom took great pleasure in showing the\nNew Testaments to those who came to buy, and when I had to go out to pay\nor return a visit, they kindly supplied my place until my return.\n\nYou cannot but have observed the liberality, kindness, and encouragement\nI have met with from the Governors of Guaranda, Riobamba and Ambato, in\nthe service of the Society. These circumstances are very encouraging\nas to your future labours and expectations in this quarter, and are\ncircumstances of which you will not fail to take advantage. The three\nindividuals mentioned, will be most ready, I am persuaded, on any future\noccasion, to forward in the most obliging and effectual manner the holy\nobject of your Society. They will also readily lend their influence for\nthe establishment of Bible Societies in their respective districts, as\nsoon as a Society of a national character shall be formed in the capital,\nto which they may become auxiliaries. Of this Society in the capital,\nwhich I have much in view and at heart, I shall inform you afterwards,\nshould it please the Lord to conduct me safely to that place. That you\nmay not, however, lose the advantages already gained by the acquisition\nof these gentlemen, as co-operators in your work, I shall here give you\ntheir names and addresses in the style of the country. \u201cS\u1d52\u02b3 Coronel\nCarlos Araujo, Gobernador de Guaranda; S\u1d52\u02b3 Ambrosio D\u00e1valos, Gobernador\nde Riobamba; S\u1d52\u02b3 Nicolas B\u00e1cones, Gobernador de Ambato.\u201d In the preceding\naddresses, I have given you verbatim what you should write in addressing\nany letter to them. The best manner of communicating with these gentlemen\nwill be through Guayaquil, as that is the nearest port, and with which\nthere is constant intercourse. During the time I remained in Guayaquil, I\nstopped in the house of Messrs. Robinet and Wheelwright, and found there\nevery facility afforded me in forwarding the work of the Society. If you\nwould communicate with that house in your transactions with Guayaquil,\nGuaranda, Riobamba, and Ambato, you will find, I am persuaded, all\nattention paid to your concerns.\n\nI mentioned above, that my advertisement stated the sale to last for\none day only. I was, however, detained another day, and thus gave an\nadditional opportunity for purchasing. The whole number sold amounted to\nforty-seven copies; but a small number, indeed, yet great as a beginning,\nand as an encouragement. I may mention, also, that the rector and several\nclergymen bought copies, and that I heard of no opposition.\n\nIn one of my letters from Guayaquil I told you that the 200 Bibles you\nhad ordered me had not arrived in Lima when I left that place, and to\nmy no small regret. I have, however, regretted that delay a thousand\nfold in the course of my journey. I mentioned to you at the same\ntime, that I had bought one Bible in Lima to carry with me, by way of\na specimen, and to excite an interest to purchase when a supply should\narrive. All my expectations in regard to this have been fully realized.\nThe many offers I have had to purchase this Bible, have filled me with\npleasure and with pain; pleasure to see so great a desire for the word\nof God, and pain in not being able to satisfy that desire. Of the many\noccasions in which I have been so placed, none was so pleasing, on the\none hand, nor so painful, on the other, as that which I experienced\nwith the Rector of Ambato. He had been to visit me, and I went to his\nhouse to return his kindness. After experiencing much attention from\nhim, he in a very formal manner urged me to sell him the Bible. I stated\nto him, upon this occasion, what I had been called on to state upon so\nmany other occasions, namely, that the Bible I had was a kind of common\nproperty, that my object in carrying it with me was to show it to all,\nand to encourage all who wished for it, by informing them that a number\nof copies were coming, and that their desire would be realized in the\npossession of this precious volume. He however renewed his request,\nbesought me to let him have it, and urged his claim in the name of all\nhis flock, for whose use he said he particularly wished it. My difficulty\nhere was great, yet I considered my reasons for not parting with this\nvolume still greater, and was thus obliged most unwillingly to withhold\nwhat, under other circumstances I would most gladly have bestowed. He\nsaid, among other things, to induce me to yield to his request, that I\nwould be able to find a copy in Quito, for he had learned that some had\nbeen sold here some time ago, as was actually the case, for 40 copies of\nthe 500 sold in Lima were brought here. I told him that there were some\ndoubts as to my obtaining a copy in Quito, but that I would make inquiry\nwhen I should arrive there, and in the event of finding one I should send\nhim my own copy, and at the price at which I purchased the other. Upon\nthese terms we came to an agreement, and he remarked that I should not\nmake any hesitation in regard to the price, for he would willingly pay\nwhat should be charged.\n\nOn the 4th current I left Ambato on my way to this city. There is a town\ncalled Tacunga or Latacunga about 20 miles distant from Ambato, and on\nthe straight road to this place. From the consideration of having been\nmuch detained in my journey from Guayaquil, I wished to reach this city\nas quickly as possible, and on that account I intended not to stop at\nTacunga, but to push on to a village called Mulal\u00f3, and to pass the night\nthere, in order that I might reach Quito on the following day. I was\nthe more inclined to do so, as I understood that Tacunga was inhabited\nalmost wholly by Indians, none of whom could use our books. Another\narrangement, however, had been determined on by a higher authority than\nmine, and for a purpose which you will presently see. I had scarce left\nAmbato, when a Friar travelling for Quito, came up with me upon the road.\nAs he was accompanied by a servant only, and unencumbered with luggage,\nhe could get faster on his way than I could, accompanied as I was by\nthe loaded mules. We, notwithstanding, rode together for some time, and\nfell into various conversation. He urged me to go forward with him, and\nto leave the loaded mules to follow us, which, after some hesitation, I\ncomplied with, and we went on together at a gentle trot. His intention\nwas to stop all night at Tacunga, as he had some concerns to arrange\nthere. He kindly invited me to stay there also during the night, in\norder that we might go on together next day towards Quito, offering me a\nhospitable lodging in the convent of St. Dominic, to which he belonged.\nI still, however, thought it my duty to push forward, so as to reach\nQuito next day, and which I could not do if I stopped all night at\nTacunga. Before we arrived at the place, in passing a river, my horse,\nupon reaching the bank, which was rather difficult of access, stumbled,\nplunged again into the river, and nearly threw me into it. I got safely\nout, though considerably wet. This circumstance determined me to stop\nat Tacunga till I got my clothes dried. Upon reaching the town, I went\nwith my friend to the convent, where I got myself comfortably dried, and\nprepared for the journey. Before I was ready to set out, there came on a\nthunder storm, and by the time the weather cleared up, it was too late\nto set out. My good friends in the convent strongly urged me to pass the\nnight with them, and which I consented to do.\n\nI found this town larger than I expected, and as I was to pass the night\nin it, I was anxious to seize the opportunity of offering the word of God\nto them, although I had not much confidence as to the success I should\nmeet with. In carrying this purpose into effect, I found myself rather\nembarrassed. I was lodged in a convent, and knew not what disposition\nthe friars might have to the distribution of the Scriptures, especially\nto their being sold in the convent. I wished myself lodged elsewhere,\nand indeed any where else, but could not with any decency remove, as my\nfriends loaded me with kindness. Had I known, upon my entering the town,\nthat I was to have a sale of the New Testaments there, I would not have\ngone to the convent, more especially as I had a letter of introduction\nto the Governor and to another gentleman in the place. After some\nhesitation, I resolved to make an attempt where I was. I went pensively\nto the case in which the New Testaments were, took out one, and went\ndirect to the Prior to show it to him, praying all the while as I went,\nthat the God of heaven would dispose his heart and the hearts of the\nrest to befriend the circulation of his holy word. My prayer was heard.\nThe Prior was much pleased with the New Testament, and bought it. He\nshowed it to one of the rest, and recommended it, whilst I did not fail\nto put in a word to the same effect, pointing out the advantages of\nthe Scriptures to all, and how more immediately it concerned them, as\nministers of religion, to possess it, and to recommend it to others. Yes,\nsaid one of them, it is the very book which concerns us, and we would\ngladly encourage others to receive it. I then told them that I had a\nnumber of copies, and that I wished to expose them to sale in that town.\nI showed the Prior the advertisement, and said, I should be glad to have\nthe sale in the convent, if it were agreeable to him. By all means, said\nhe, and immediately he filled up the blanks in the notices with his own\nhand, and sent a person to fix them up. The advertisements were scarcely\nup, when one, and another, and another came tripping in to purchase a New\nTestament. In a little, the buyers thickened, whilst all the friars stood\naround enjoying the sight, and warmly recommending the sacred volume to\nall who came, and assisted me in the sale when occasion required. The\nresult was, that in two hours and a half, that is, till the night came\non, I sold _one hundred and four_ copies, which was more than I had sold\nin Guaranda, Riobamba, and Ambato taken together, although I remained\ntwo days in each of these places. You see, by this time, I dare say, why\nsuperior arrangements called me to stop at this place, contrary to my own\nintention.\n\nAmong others, whom the sound of our horn brought together, came the\nVicar of the town _in propria persona_. Upon learning who he was, I\nmade my obeisance, and entered into conversation with him, as to the\nadvantages of the word of God, and the duty of making it known to all,\nand to my great joy I found in him also a friend to this object. At\nan early period of our sale, I brought out the Bible, of which I have\nspoken above, and for the purpose there mentioned. It had the desired\neffect. It arrested the attention, and could have been sold many a time.\nI told all who wished to purchase it, that there would arrive in a few\nmonths a number of copies, and that all would be supplied. None being\nable to obtain it, a little circle resolved to improve the occasion to\nlearn what it contained, while a friar in the middle kept reading aloud\nfor a considerable time.\u2014There was another attractive, namely, the\nBrief View of the Bible Society. This also drew the attention, and was\neagerly read. Their approbation of the object of the Society, and their\nwonder at the effects already produced by it, alternately drew forth\ncorresponding expressions. You need not be told that I relished the\nscene before me, and enjoyed a high entertainment. I could not refrain\nfrom silent thanksgiving to the God above, as I brought out another and\nanother parcel of New Testaments, to which I joined a fervent prayer,\nthat on this occasion the word of God might be sown in good ground, and\nmight produce in some thirty, in some sixty, and in some a hundred fold.\nI felt also my heart warm within me, whilst the contemplation of the\nBritish character, which was thus brought under review, called forth the\njust praises of my native land. O favoured isle! garden of God! where\nthe fruits of righteousness grow more abundantly than in all the world\nbeside. Peace be upon thee! In thee may the will of God be done\u2014_as it is\ndone in heaven_.\n\nBy and by the night came on, and our sale closed. After which we\nretired to one of the cells and entered into general conversation. We\nwere all pleased with each other. My friends, on the one hand, seized\nevery opportunity to show their kindness and attention, and I, on the\nother hand, in return for their kindness, amused them with my mountain\nbarometer, thermometers, and pocket compass, all of which were perfectly\nnew to them, and highly entertaining. At a proper hour the friars retired\nto their cells, and I also retired to mine, where I passed part of the\nnight in contemplating the scene which had just passed before me, and the\nrest in repairing the fatigues of the day.\n\nI told the Prior of the convent and the others, that the sale which had\nbeen effected in that place, so much greater than in the other places I\nhad visited in their neighbourhood, did great honour to their town. I\ntook occasion also to return them my sincere thanks for the very active\nand friendly part they had taken in this matter, and told them I should\nhave great pleasure in communicating the same to the Society in London,\nand which I accordingly now do. The Prior said that he should be very\nglad, upon any future occasion, to forward the objects of the Society as\nfar as he could, and that in regard to any other supply of the Scriptures\ndestined for Tacunga, he would most readily take charge of them, and\ndispose of them according to the directions which might be sent with\nthem. The other Friars heartily seconded the Prior in all these matters.\nIn conversing about the Bibles that were to come to them from Guayaquil,\nit was agreed that not fewer than fifty copies would be required for\nTacunga, and I promised to write to Guayaquil in order that this number\nmight be sent to them upon their arrival there from Lima. At the same\ntime I write to Lima to forward a sufficient supply to Guayaquil of your\nsecond edition, which must, I should think, be already in Callao, or near\nit.\n\nIn the preceding part of this letter, I gave you the names and address of\nsome persons who would gladly carry forward your object in the places\nmentioned. I now add to this list another, namely, the Prior already\nmentioned, \u201cEl R. P. Fr. Manuel Pe\u00f1aherrera, Prior de Santo Domingo de\nLatacunga.\u201d The person just named, as well as all his colleagues, will be\nmost ready to establish an Auxiliary Bible Society in that place, when\nthe proper time comes for doing so. I give you also the names of some\nothers belonging to this convent, as my duty and my promise require of\nme, and could wish that in some corner of one of your monthly extracts or\nannual reports their names might be recorded, for I think they are worthy\nof it; and in seeing their names in any of these publications I shall\nfeel myself as discharged from what nearly amounts to an obligation, and\nwhich my feelings of respect and gratitude towards my friends led me\ninto. The names are as follows: Padre Mariano Quintana, Padre Narciso\nMolina, Padre Matias Granja. To which I add, as the last, but not the\nleast, my travelling companion, Padre Jos\u00e9 Celio.[4]\n\nI conclude this letter, the writing of which has been the means of my\nenjoying over again the encouraging scenes which I have endeavoured\nto describe, and which I lay before you that you may comply with the\npleasing duty of rejoicing with those that rejoice.\u2014I only add, May God\nAlmighty prosper you most abundantly in all your undertakings; and unto\nwhom in all things be glory for ever: Amen.\n\n[4] These names were not inserted in the Society\u2019s Extracts, as the\nSecretaries thought the doing so might, perhaps, compromise our friends\nthere with their superiors. A letter, however, was written to the Prior,\nin the name of the Society, conveying to him those sentiments which\nhis conduct, on the above occasion, called forth. A few weeks ago an\nanswer was received from the Prior, in reply to this letter, in which he\nexpresses his continued interest in the object of the Bible Society, and\nhis desire to circulate the Scriptures in his native country.\u2014It may be\nmentioned here also, that a suitable letter was sent by the Society to\nthe Governor of Guaranda, and that a very friendly reply to it has been\nlately received. This gentleman continues a warm friend to the Bible\nSociety.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                            _Quito, 19th November, 1824._\n\nA considerable time has elapsed since the date of my last letter to you,\nand during the same period, if I remember right, I have not been favoured\nwith any of your communications. So that, as far as mere exchange of\nletters is concerned, I am not so much in arrear as you may perhaps be\nthinking. It is true, indeed, that it is my part to write to you, rather\nthan yours to write to me, but that again supposes that I have something\nworth communicating. Now, I am sorry to say that this has not been the\ncase during my partial silence, a silence arising from a very natural\ncause, that of having nothing to say. I mean that I have had nothing to\nsay about the _progress_ of education in this quarter: and though I have\nstill very little to say upon that subject, yet, knowing you take a great\ninterest in the well being of this part of the world, and in my feeble\nefforts to promote it, I think it my duty to let you know at least where\nI am, and what I am doing.\n\nYou will observe by the line at the top, that I am in the city of Quito,\nand I shall now state to you why I am here, and what I am engaged in. You\nknow how the war has raged for some time past in Peru, and that Lima has\nbeen for a considerable time in the hands of the enemy. I am not sure\nthat I have expressed myself correctly in saying _the enemy_, a term\napplied by each party to the other, but which in the mouth of a neutral\nis an impropriety of speech. I beg leave to justify myself in this, by\ninforming you that I am not a neutral in this contest, as all my feelings\nand my wishes are on the one side, and of course the other side is the\nenemy. I leave you to find out at your leisure what side I am on, and\nshall proceed to give you what information I have to communicate relative\nto our concerns, the concerns of education.\n\nI left Lima in the beginning of September, with the intention of not\nreturning to it for some time. The immediate cause was the impossibility\nof moving forwards in our work under the pressure of existing\ncircumstances. The very utmost that could be done was to keep hold of\nwhat we had obtained, and even that was done with great difficulty.\nOur model school in Lima, at the time I came away, contained about 200\nchildren, a number somewhat less than what it contained some months\nprevious to that time. This decrease is owing to the great poverty that\nexisted there, on the one hand; and on the other hand it arose from a\nnatural fear in the parents lest their children should be picked up on\ntheir way to the School by the recruiting parties, a fear not altogether\ngroundless. I may mention here, that there is another School on our plan,\ncontaining about 80 children.\n\nYou know that, for a considerable time back, I have had a desire to pass\nthrough that part of this Continent where I now am, but I was prevented\nfrom doing so, by the difficulty of leaving Lima in the state in which\nthings were, and by the prospect of making a rapid progress in extending\neducation over Peru. At the time I came away, the difficulty referred\nto was removed, and the prospect in regard to the other circumstance\nmentioned was altogether blasted, at least for a time. The difficulty\nI have noticed was the want of a proper master, in whose hands I could\ntrust the school with confidence. The school, however, at my leaving\nLima, was in the hands of a good master, with an assistant to aid him,\nwhilst the superintendence of all is in the hands of my excellent friend\nthe Clergyman, of whom I have often spoken to you with approbation. From\nthis good friend, notwithstanding these favourable arrangements, I was\nobliged to tear myself away. He urged me to stop, and would at length\nonly hear of my going away in the expectation of my early return, and\nin the hope of my visit to England being turned to the advantage of the\nschools in Peru, as I trust it will, should I have the happiness to reach\nyour favoured country.\n\nI thought it advisable, and my duty, to seize the time that thus offered\nfor verifying my long-intended journey. You know, I dare say, that it\nwas not the mere desire of jaunting that led me to propose this journey\nto myself. The two objects which have hitherto more immediately engaged\nmy attention in South America are those which form the work respectively\nof the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the British and Foreign\nSchool Society. With these two objects in view, I left Lima for Bogot\u00e1\nthe capital of Colombia. Though I can never lose sight of any one of\nthese two objects, yet that of the Bible Society is the main one in this\njourney.\n\nI have been very much pleased with my journey, in the prosperity I have\nhad in the distribution of the sacred volume. I have observed a very\ngeneral desire to possess this book, and I have had the pleasure of\nseeing great numbers flock together, not to receive it as a present, but\nto buy it. Of upwards of 1500 New Testaments which I had at the outset,\nnot many remain. I had no Bibles, and was very sorry for it, as, from its\nbeing generally asked for, I am sure I could have sold many copies. It is\ngratifying to know that a supply of them may be expected in the course of\na few months; and with this prospect I have revived the spirits of many\nwho evidently felt disappointed when I told them that I had none.\n\nIt is truly a pleasing sight to see so many eagerly seeking after God;\nand it cheers the heart of the poor traveller, as he moves along now\nthrough the woods, now over the mountains, to think that he is the means\nof cheering the hearts of others, by putting into their hands the only\nbook which can effectually cheer the heart with solid comfort. I refer\nyou for further particulars regarding the circulation of the Scriptures\nto my letters upon the subject to the British and Foreign Bible Society.\n\nBefore I speak of the state and progress of education in Quito, I shall\nmention two circumstances which have occurred to me since I left Lima. I\nnotice these because they are encouraging, as it respects the progress\nof education, and because they tend to prove what I have so often stated\nto you,\u2014that there is a very general desire throughout this country for\nextending the benefits of education to all, and with all possible speed.\nThe circumstances referred to occurred in Truxillo and in Guayaquil. In\nboth these places I received proposals from the magistrates to remain\namong them, in order to establish schools on our plan, and to promote\nthe objects of education in general. In both cases I had a struggle\nwith my feelings, though not with my judgment, in declining the honour\noffered me. Though my duty bade me pursue my journey, yet, in consequence\nof these proposals, I cannot help taking an additional interest in\nthe progress of education in the places mentioned; and through the\nintercourse that took place upon this subject during my short stay in\nthese tours, I expect some good will result, of which I shall afterwards\ninform you.\n\nI come now to speak of the state and prospects of education in this\ncity. The state of elementary education here is, at present, very low,\nbut its prospects are more encouraging. Perhaps you are aware that the\nColombian Government is taking active measures to extend education over\nall their share of South America. Some time ago a Central School on the\nLancasterian plan was established in Bogot\u00e1, the capital. This school was\nset agoing by a friar who had been banished from his native country on\naccount of his then-called revolutionary principles, and who had learned\nthe system during his exile. Upon his return to America he established\nthis school in the capital, which has now existed two or three years. It\nis the wish of the government to put a model school in the capital of\neach department, and from these schools to send out masters to all the\ntowns and villages the department contains. For this purpose the friar I\nbefore mentioned, has lately arrived here, and is getting his school-room\nprepared. I have had several conversations with this individual, and\nhave been much pleased in observing the very lively interest he takes in\nthe education of youth, as well as in the general progress of knowledge\nthroughout his native country. It is delightful to shake hands with such\npersons, and to unite one\u2019s heart with them wherever they are found. I\naugur much good from the establishment and direction of schools by a\nperson of this character. I do from my heart wish him great success, and\na success equal to the desires of his own benevolent mind. The Intendant\nor Governor of the department is an excellent man, and very desirous of\nthe progress of knowledge throughout this quarter. He is urging forward\nthe school with all diligence; and to supply the children with books, he\nhas bought of me 50 New Testaments.\n\nThe next thing I have to notice is of some interest, and respects female\neducation. You are aware, that the education of this sex is very limited\nin South America. It is so in Quito, as might be expected. From the\nconsideration that this is a large place, and the chief city of a large\nand populous district of country, I was very desirous of doing something\ntowards establishing a female school or academy here. I spoke to the\nIntendant and others upon the subject, and found them all willing to\ndo whatever was practicable in carrying into effect such a desirable\nobject. The plan I proposed was, to send for a well-instructed person or\ntwo from England, in order to establish at once a school or academy of\nthe best description; and I promised to do, on my part, all I could to\nprocure such persons upon my arrival in England. My proposition was very\nfavourably received, and a plan was immediately thought of for carrying\nit into effect. The want of funds was the only obstacle that occurred,\nand where to find them was the object to which the attention of all was\ndirected. At length it was discovered that there was a certain religious\nhouse in the city which had good funds belonging to it. This house is not\na nunnery, though it is somewhat allied to it. It is what is here called\na Beateria; and if one were called upon to give it a name corresponding\nto its nature, it might be called a House of Idleness. This name, at all\nevents, would suit the character given me of it by the Intendant. To\nget this house and its funds was now the object of consideration, and a\npetition to the general government of Colombia was thought of for that\npurpose. You know that respecting a matter of this kind, it is necessary\nto interest the female sex themselves in it. I accordingly spoke with\nsome ladies upon the subject, and found them very anxious to lend their\ninfluence to obtain the object in question. I am lodged and very kindly\ntreated in the house of the Marquis de San Jos\u00e9, and I wished that the\nMarchioness should take the lead in this affair, as a matter of courtesy\non my part, and principally because she is the person of most influence\nin the place. I stated to her the plan proposed, of establishing a school\nor academy in the style of those in England, and was happy to find that\nshe entered heartily into it. The way ultimately fixed upon for carrying\nforward the plan is this: The lady before mentioned, along with some\nfemale friends, is to draw up a petition to the Intendant, begging that\nsomething may be done for establishing a female academy in Quito. As\nsoon as this comes into the Intendant\u2019s hands, he will state his opinion\nupon the subject, strongly recommending it, and pointing out where the\nfunds may be obtained for the purpose. The petition thus prepared is to\nbe put into my hands, and I am to have the honour of laying it before\nthe Vice-President in Bogot\u00e1 upon my reaching that city; and such is the\ninterest taken by the Government in these matters, that I have no doubt\nof its complete success.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                            _Quito, 24th November, 1824._\n\nMy last letter to you was written from this place, and dated the 8th\ncurrent, the day after my arrival. I then stated to you what had\noccurred to me from Riobamba until my arrival in this city. I shall now,\ntherefore, proceed to give you an account of the reception your cause has\nmet with in Quito.\n\nWhen I set out from Guaranda on my way to Riobamba, I left four boxes\nof New Testaments behind me, partly because I was going out of the\nstraight road for Quito, and partly because mules could not readily be\nhad to carry them. These boxes I left in the hands of my good friend the\nGovernor, who kindly undertook to forward them direct to this city. Upon\nmy arrival here, I found that these boxes had not arrived, although there\nwas more than sufficient time. I waited for them with some impatience,\nespecially as I had disposed of the contents of those I had brought with\nme, so that there remained none in my hands for sale in this place.\nDuring this delay of the New Testaments I had many inquiries for them, as\nit had got abroad that I had brought with me a good supply for this city.\nAt length a part arrived, when I learned that the delay was owing to the\nowner of the mules. I gave notice publicly of the sale, as I had done in\nother places, and in a short time all were sold, amounting to 137 copies.\nAfter these were all gone, the inquiries after them continued, and I had\nto put off the inquirers, with telling them that there were two more\nboxes expected every minute. Day passed on after day without the arrival\nof these, until I was beginning a second time to think them lost.\nYesterday afternoon, however, they safely arrived, and as soon as they\nwere opened 80 copies were paid for and carried off by a highly respected\nclergyman. Fifty of these were for the use of the schools here, and were\npurchased on account of the government, agreeably to an order given to\nthat effect some days previous to their arrival. Twenty-five of the\neighty were purchased at the request of the Provincial of the Convent of\nSt. Francis, for the express purpose of putting a copy into the hands of\neach friar in the convent. I noticed in my last the triumph of our cause\nin the convent of St. Dominic, in Latacunga, and it affords me no small\npleasure to be able to record what I may call a triumph of a similar\nkind, as just mentioned, regarding the Franciscans in this city. To which\nI may add, that the respected clergyman I before referred to, has orders\nfrom, I believe, all the convents to purchase one, two, or more _Bibles_\nfor them at the moment of their arrival. The remaining five of the above\nmentioned eighty were for particular friends.\n\nI have noticed to you, in my preceding letters, the desire manifested\nin the places I have passed through, for _the whole Bible_. This desire\nhas also been manifested in Quito, and in a strong degree. In order to\nincrease this desire, rather than supply the wants of these places, I\nhave written to Guayaquil, directing the fifty Bibles which I formerly\nordered from Lima to that place, to be sent to these parts, in due\nproportions; only ten or twelve of these will come to this place, and\nthese are already bespoken. I have also ordered to be sent to the\ndifferent towns mentioned in my former letters, a considerable number of\ncopies of the small New Testament, and of the Books of Psalms, Proverbs,\n&c.; the proportion for Quito is 200 of the former, and 200 of the\nlatter; these I expect will meet with a very favourable reception, and\nwill fall short of the demand for them. I have thus, you see, distributed\nthe whole of the supply sent me as mentioned in your last letter, yet\nthis supply, so distributed, will prove inadequate to the wants and the\ndemands of these quarters. To meet this demand, we must have recourse to\nyour _second_ edition of the Bible, of which you have advised me, and of\nwhich I expect a good supply is already on the way to Lima. In that city,\nand also in Guayaquil, I have given the necessary directions for sending\nproper quantities to each place. The city of Quito is large, and contains\nupwards of 50,000 inhabitants. It is also surrounded by a populous\ncountry, of which it is the capital and the centre. On this account I\nhave ordered to it 500 copies of the whole Bible, with a request to our\ncorrespondent in Guayaquil to remit 500 more, if the wants of the latter\nplace will admit of it. I have mentioned to you the names of different\npersons who offered to manage your concerns in some of the places I have\npassed through, and I am happy in having it in my power to say, that\nyou have found a warm friend and an agent here in the Marquis of San\nJos\u00e9, a gentleman of the first respectability in this city, on account of\nhis personal character, and on account of his large possessions in this\nquarter. From this gentleman I have received every friendly attention\nduring my stay under his hospitable roof. He allowed me to sell the New\nTestaments in his own house, and encouraged his friends to purchase them.\nIn consequence of his readiness to take the charge of the Society\u2019s\nconcerns here, I have ordered the supplies for Quito, already mentioned,\nto be forwarded directly to him. You will also please consider him as\nyour correspondent for this quarter, and can address to him accordingly.\nHis address is \u201cS\u1d52\u02b3 Manuel de Larrea, Marques de San Jos\u00e9, Quito.\u201d I\nspoke to this gentleman, also, regarding the formation of a Bible Society\nfor the district of Quito, whose seat should be in that city. Into this\nmatter he entered fully and cheerfully, and promised to do every thing\nin his power to commence and to carry forward such an establishment, as\nsoon as a suitable opportunity should offer for doing so. I spoke also to\nthe Marchioness regarding a Female Bible Society, and had the pleasure of\nbeing assured by her, that nothing should be wanting on her part to set\nsuch a Society on foot. I have thus endeavoured to place things in such a\nstate as to induce the hope that the concerns of the Bible Society will\nnot be neglected here, but carried forward in a prosperous manner. I\nshould have mentioned also, that several gentlemen, with whom I conversed\nabout the circulation of the Scriptures, and about a Bible Society,\nmuch approved of both, and expressed their readiness to lend their aid\nin these matters, I trust these favourable circumstances, which form an\nencouraging commencement in this interesting and populous district, will\nbe followed by results truly beneficial to all the inhabitants here, and\ngratifying to the members of the British and Foreign Bible Society.\n\nThere is a circumstance indirectly, or rather I should say directly,\nconnected with our main object, which I should not omit to state to you.\nI carried with me two copies of the late Bishop of London\u2019s Evidences\nof Christianity, in Spanish. These I bought in Lima about the time I\nset off, in the expectation of their doing some good in the course of\nthe journey. I showed this work to the Marquis, who immediately bought\nit. This he eagerly read, and was highly gratified with its contents. I\ncould have sold the other copy frequently, but refused to sell it, as I\nintend to carry it farther on, and to dispose of it in some other place.\nThe Marquis lent his copy to several of his friends, who were also much\ngratified with perusing it. From less to more, the interest in this work\nwas carried, till it was resolved to print an edition of it in Quito by\nsubscription, and this subscription is to be solely among the ladies.\nThis, you see, is a feeling very friendly to the cause of religion, and\nof the Bible Society. I suppose I need not to tell you, that a work on\nthe evidences of the christian religion is not a little wanted in many\nparts in this country, as there are many who are verging towards, or\nare already gone into, deism. On this account, as well as on others, it\nbehoves the friends of Christianity to bestir themselves in behalf of\nSouth America. The present is a very interesting and also a very critical\nperiod for this country. Much, very much, may be done at present, through\nprudent and zealous means, to instruct and confirm the wavering, and even\nperhaps to bring back those who have apostatized from the faith. If these\nmeasures were connected with means of instruction, as far as can be done,\nregarding the true principles and practices of Christianity, as taught\nin the Holy Scriptures, a very plentiful harvest, through the blessing\nof God, might be reaped. If it should please the Lord to spare me, and\nto enable me to reach my native land, I trust I shall find many ready to\nlend their aid towards such a sacred object.\n\nP.S.\u2014_26th November, 1824._\u2014I have now disposed of 360 copies of the\nNew Testament in this city. May the Lord follow with his abundant\nblessing this seed which has been sown, and cause it to bring forth a\nhundred fold. To-day I set off for Popayan, and trust that _He_ who has\npreserved me thus far, will continue to me his blessing to that place,\nand thence onwards. I shall endeavour to drop a few seeds as I go along,\nand pray that these may fall into good ground.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                            _Popayan, 1st January, 1825._\n\nYou will perceive, by the date of this letter, that it is a month later\nthan it ought to be, according to our epistolary agreement. You will not\nwonder at this delay, when you consider that I am in the middle of a long\nand incommodious journey. The day on which I should have written you, I\nwas travelling from Otabalo to Ibarra, and of course had neither leisure\nnor convenience for conversing with you. I now seize the opportunity of a\nfew days rest which I enjoy in this city, to write you a few lines.\n\nYou will probably he expecting some account of the country in which I\nnow am, and through which I have lately passed. I shall endeavour to\nsatisfy your curiosity in some measure upon this point. I shall begin\nwith Guayaquil. That place contains from 12,000 to 15,000 inhabitants,\nand is situated upon a river of the same name. There are regular tides\nin the river opposite the town, twice in the 24 hours, and the same\nalso takes place for a considerable distance above the town. The spot\non which the town is built is very low, being only a very little higher\nthan the river at the time of high water. The weather here is very hot,\nconsiderably more so than in Lima. This, together with a low and somewhat\nmarshy situation, makes the place unhealthy, particularly in the rainy\nseason. I could not help observing, however, during the short time I was\nthere, that the want of cleanliness in the streets, and on the banks of\nthe river, are circumstances which contribute, in my opinion, at least\none half to the unhealthiness of the town. This port is the place on the\nPacific which at present affords more articles of exportation than any\nother, and every succeeding year will make it more so. The cocoa from\nwhich the chocolate is made is the principal article, and of this several\nship-loads go annually to Europe, besides what is used in Peru, Chile,\n&c. It is through this place that all the towns, as far as Quito, are\nsupplied with European goods, and through this place also should these\ntowns be supplied with the Holy Scriptures, and with other works which\nmay contribute to enlighten and to benefit them with respect to time and\nto eternity. I have made arrangements there by which the Scriptures may\nbe supplied to these quarters in future.\n\nThe town of Guaranda is high up on the Andes, and within a few miles\nof the great Chimborazo. It enjoys a temperate and healthy climate,\nnotwithstanding its proximity to the Equator. I need not state to you the\ncauses of this, as you are well aware of them. I may, however, say that\nChimborazo exerts a considerable influence in moderating the heat which\nmight be expected in this quarter. If you should ask me more particularly\nwhat I think of the climate, I would say, judging from my own feelings,\nthat it is cold. So I felt it to be, but that arose partly from my having\njust come from a very hot climate. It is curious to observe the different\nfeelings of two persons met together on the declivity of the mountains,\nthe one ascending from Guayaquil, and the other descending from Quito.\nIf you ask one of them regarding the climate, or weather, he says it is\nvery cold; and if you ask the other, he says it is very warm; and so\nthey respectively feel from the opposite climates they have come from.\nGuaranda is situated on the western side of the western Cordillera of\nthe Andes. You will observe that the word _Andes_, is the general name\nof all these mountains, and _Cordillera_ means the high ridge or line of\nmountains running nearly north and south. There are two great cordilleras\nwhich extend from Cuenca to about 100 miles to the north of Popayan. To\nthe south of Cuenca and to the north of the department of Popayan, one\nof the Cordilleras disappears. In going from Guaranda to Riobamba, you\nfirst ascend the western cordillera to the top. On this _top_ is the\n_base_ of Chimborazo. The road is close along the base of the mountain\nand you would think you could lay your hand upon it. From _this spot_ it\ndoes not appear a very high mountain, and the reason is obvious, as this\nspot itself is at a great elevation.[5] The whole of Chimborazo, except\nperhaps, a few yards, is covered with snow\u2014everlastingly covered. Having\nreached this top, you see, for the first time, the eastern cordillera,\nvying with the western in height. You then descend down till you come to\nRiobamba, which is situated in a _level_ plain between the two ridges,\nand at nearly an equal distance from both. The whole of my journey, from\nleaving Riobamba till my arrival in this city, has been in this great\nvalley, between the two cordilleras of the Andes. In two days or three\nafter leaving this place, I will have to cross the eastern cordillera on\nmy way to Bogot\u00e1.\n\nThe two principal towns between Riobamba and Quito, are Ambato and\nTacunga, and of which I have spoken in my letters to Mr. B.; the former\nmay contain 5,000, and the latter 6,000. The greater part of this\npopulation consists of Indians, who all speak the ancient Peruvian\nlanguage. The largest town in the whole of this extensive valley, between\nthe ridges of the Andes, is Quito. It is a city of 50,000 inhabitants\nand upwards, and will not yield to any city in South America in point\nof population, except to Lima and to Buenos Aires. Its public buildings\nare much superior to those of the latter place, and not much inferior\nto those of the former. Its site is unfavourable, as it is placed on an\nuneven piece of ground.\n\nIn travelling from Quito to Popayan you experience a great variety of\nclimate. Sometimes you have the unmitigated heat of the torrid zone; at\nanother time you might imagine yourself in the neighbourhood of one of\nthe poles rather than the equator; and again at other times you have a\nclimate of the most delightful kind, equally removed from the extremes\nof heat and of cold. One of the coldest nights I passed on the journey,\nwas within a few yards of the line. You will wonder, perhaps, at this\nvariety, but I will explain it to you. Here and there, during the whole\ncourse of this long valley, from Cuenca to Popayan, you have, rising out\nof the one cordillera or the other, an enormous snow-capped mountain.\nIt is evident that the cold reigns uninterrupted on these towering\nsummits, as the snow, its certain signal, is ever spread over them. Of\ncourse when the wind blows from these, it temperates (or perhaps somewhat\nmore) the heat of the sun wherever it passes. Any place situated near\nthese mountains is necessarily temperate, or cold. The coldest place in\nthe whole road, is a place called Tiupuyo, some 20 miles south of Quito,\nbecause there you have Cotopaxi on the one side, and right opposite on\nthe other you have Ilinisa, both of which are always covered with snow. I\nhave thus noticed to you the cause of the cold, and shall now point out\nwhat is the cause of the heat in those places where its effects are most\nfelt. Wherever there is a deep valley with sloping mountains around, and\nno towering summits covered with snow, for a considerable distance, there\nyou have a climate of the same kind as is met with in the same latitude\non the sea coast. As to the temperate places I have spoken of, they are\nalways to be met with in the absence of these snow-covered mountains\non the one hand and the deep valleys on the other. In these tracts the\nclimate is delightful in the extreme, all the year round. In none of\nthese parts have you Spring, Summer, Harvest, and Winter, but one uniform\ntemperature from one end of the year to the other. In most of these\nplaces there are periodical times of rain, which form what they call\nthe Winter, whilst the dry season is called Summer. The farmer there\nmay sow when he chooses, and may have his harvest in any month of the\nyear; notwithstanding, however, there is some order attended to in this\nrespect, but it is not uniform in all places.\n\n[5] The top of this ridge, or cordillera, cannot be less than 17,000 feet\nabove the level of the sea. On arriving at this height, I recollected\nwhat I had often read of, that persons at great elevations felt much\ndifficulty in breathing. I resolved to try the correctness of these\naccounts: and for this purpose, I alighted from my horse, and with a\nheavy great-coat on, I walked with a quick pace for half an hour. The\nresult was, I felt not the slightest inconvenience in breathing.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                            _Bogot\u00e1, 8th February, 1825._\n\nSince my last communication to you from Quito, I have had a long, and\nby no means an agreeable journey. The distance from Quito to this place\nis considerable, the roads are very bad, and in passing through one\ndistrict, there is no inconsiderable danger. On the 29th ultimo, I\narrived safely in this city, and now seize the first opportunity that\noffers of writing you a few lines, to inform you of occurrences in these\nparts since my last, of the 26th November.\n\nI intimated to you in the letter last mentioned, that it was my intention\nto drop a few seeds as I went along, or in other words, to endeavour to\ncirculate the sacred volume, as opportunities might offer, in the course\nof my journey. I accordingly posted up my notices in those places, where\nI stopped for half a day, or upwards. In these country villages a great\nsale was not to be expected. The inhabitants are in general poor, and\nvery few of them are addicted to reading. Some copies, however, were thus\nput into circulation, and in such places, and under such circumstances,\nI always think much has been done if a kind of beginning has been made.\nI shall, in a future communication, state to you the number sold in each\nplace, and the respective sums received since my leaving Lima. I would\ngive you this account now, were it not that the scantiness of my time at\npresent will not allow me to extract these notices from among my notes.\nI have now disposed of _all_ the New Testaments I brought with me from\nLima, and those which I found awaiting me in Guayaquil. I bless the Lord\nfor having counselled me to undertake this journey, and thus to put\ninto circulation a considerable number of copies of his holy word, and\nwhich would not likely have been accomplished, but by means of making a\ncomplete tour through these quarters. I have thus cause of gratitude to\nHim who distributeth his favours to whom he will, for having honoured me\nwith a share of this angel-work, of communicating the revelation of God\nto man. I shall be glad also to know, that the plan I have taken meets\nwith the approbation of the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible\nSociety. I thought much about this journey before undertaking it, and\nprayed much to the Lord to counsel me in regard to it. And now, looking\nback over the road I have travelled, and reflecting on the number of\ncopies of the word of life, now in the hands of many people who had never\nbefore seen it, I feel my heart drawn out in thanksgiving and praise for\nall the way by which the Lord hath led me.\n\nMy labours in distributing the sacred volume on this journey must now\nterminate, because I have no more to distribute. In the multitude of my\nthoughts within me upon setting off from Lima, it occurred to me that I\nmight, after reaching this place, extend my journey in your service to\nGuatemala, and from thence overland to Mexico. Two objects I had in view\nin reference to this; the one was the circulation of the Scriptures,\nand the other was the procuring translations of the New Testament into\nthe native languages of those parts. Of this latter object I wrote you\nsome time ago. This intended journey, however, must now be given up,\nfor various reasons. The first is, because I have no more copies of the\nScriptures to distribute; the second is, because I feel doubtful if it\nwould meet with your approbation to incur the expense of travelling\nthrough those parts, with the single object of procuring the translations\nreferred to; the third reason is, the happy change which has taken place\nin Peru, in the termination of the war there, and which induces me to\nvisit England as early as possible, that I may again return to Lima\nwithout loss of time, in order to carry on the work of the Lord there,\naccording to the grace and strength he may be pleased to afford me. I\ntrust in the Lord that we shall have an opportunity of seeing each other\nface to face, before many months elapse, that we may talk over all the\ndoings of the Lord, in making his word to circulate in this country and\nin every place, and that we may make arrangements for benefiting South\nAmerica yet more extensively.\n\nI have spoken of the _termination_ of the war in Peru, and this to me is\nno small subject of thanksgiving; for the deliverance of the country from\nthe Spanish yoke, and the rapid progress of the Lord\u2019s work, are closely\nidentified. I wrote you from Guayaquil some months ago respecting this\nidentification. It was then I gave you an account of the battle of Junin,\nand of the very important effects that followed. I then also ventured to\nspeak of what were likely to be the ultimate and no very distant results\nof that battle. All these things the Lord hath now brought about, in\nscattering those who delight in war and oppression, and in commanding\nthe destroying sword to return into its scabbard.\u2014Rest and peace to this\ndestroying instrument\u2014and for ever! May it never more be drawn in this\ncountry, to cut in sunder afresh the peace and the progress of man! I\nsend you an account of this late event in Peru, which I think will prove\ninteresting to you and to your friends.\n\nI expected to find, on my arrival here, a large supply of Spanish New\nTestaments, which I thought you would have found an opportunity of\nforwarding to some correspondent in this quarter. I have spoken with\nMr. Henderson, the British Consul General here, upon the subject, and\nhe informs me that there are neither Spanish Bibles nor New Testaments\nin this city, and that there is a demand for them. He also informs me,\nthat he wrote about three months ago to Mr. Dowson, a correspondent of\nhis, requesting him to forward some to this place. You will please make\ninquiry of Mr. D., who lives in Welbeck Street, if he has sent any; and\nin the event of none having been sent, have the goodness to forward to\nthis city, as early as possible, a supply of each of your editions of the\nSpanish Scriptures. I have talked with Mr. Henderson upon this subject,\nand think he will be a very suitable person to manage your concerns\nhere, and to correspond with you. He takes a particular interest in this\nmatter, and desires me to assure you of his readiness to do all that lies\nin his power to forward your good work.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                           _Bogot\u00e1, 25th February, 1825._\n\nI have noticed to you, more than once, the very favourable reception\ngiven to the Scriptures in these parts. I am now to state to you an\nexception, and it is in a quarter where it should not have been\nfound. The only person whom I found unfriendly to the circulation of\nthe Scriptures without notes, in the whole of the journey from Lima\nto Bogot\u00e1, was the Bishop of Popayan. I have stated his opposition in\ngentle terms, for truth requires it. I heard, soon after putting up the\nadvertisements for the sale of the New Testaments, that the Bishop had\nspoken against the reading of them. I called upon him to know whether\nit was so or not, and to learn what were his objections. I had visited\nhim before, and had had a visit from him in return, so that we were, on\nthis second visit, on terms of a friendly intercourse, and we therefore\nentered freely into the subject of the sale and distribution of the\nScriptures. I mentioned to him what I had heard, and inquired whether\nI had been correctly informed. He then told me the whole of what had\noccurred upon the subject. He said, a person who had bought one of the\nNew Testaments, brought it to him and asked his opinion as to his using\nit. The person was a priest, and he named him to me. The Bishop, upon\nhis opinion being asked, rose and brought the Acts of the Council of\nTrent, and pointed out to the priest the article there, prohibiting\nthe use of the Scriptures without notes. He concluded, however, by\ntelling the priest that _he_ might keep his New Testament and use it.\nThis, said the Bishop, is all that occurred upon this matter. He said\nfarther, that it was not his intention to oppose the circulation of\nthe New Testaments in any other way. If any person chose to buy them,\nhe would not interfere; but if any one should ask his opinion upon the\nmatter, he would refer him to the same article, as his duty required him\nto do. I said that I understood the article in question was as he had\nstated it, but that when I considered how many among all ranks of the\ncatholic clergy made no account of that article, but freely encouraged\nthe circulation of the Scriptures among their flocks, I was inclined to\nthink that the article was qualified by something subsequent to it, or\nthat it was not generally considered as in force. He replied to this,\nthat there was nothing subsequent to alter the force of that article,\nbut rather to strengthen it, and that whatever others did, he considered\nhis duty to be, to follow the rules of the church in that and in all\nsuch matters, as every good Catholic ought to do. I said that I saw the\nforce of what he said, considering what were the principles of his faith.\nI added, that notwithstanding his reasons, I could not but be sorry to\nsee any opposition to the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, a book\nwhich God had graciously given to all, and which should, of course, be\nstudied by all. I observed, also, that I was fully persuaded that very\ngreat advantages would arise from a general reading of the word of God,\nand from these considerations I conceived it to be my duty to put them\ninto the hands of all, and to call upon all to read them with serious\nattention. \u201cAmen,\u201d replied the Bishop, \u201cI also am of the same opinion.\nI am sure that it would be advantageous to all to read the Scriptures,\nbut then let them be read with the necessary directions. If Bibles and\nNew Testaments were to come here with the notes, I would be the first\nto promote their circulation.\u201d Our conversation was extended a good\ndeal further upon this subject, and embraced the usual topics of this\nquestion, but which it is unnecessary here to repeat.\n\nI am labouring what I can to establish a Bible Society here, and it is\nthat alone which keeps me longer in this city. I am not yet sure whether\nI shall succeed or not, but my next letter will inform you.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                               _Bogot\u00e1, 1st March, 1825._\n\nMy last letter to you was written from Popayan on the 1st of January. I\ninformed you at that time of some of the circumstances that occurred to\nme in the way, and gave you some account of the peculiar situation of the\ncountry from Guayaquil to Quito. I shall now resume this description,\nwhich I was obliged to break off abruptly in my last. I remained about\nthree weeks in Quito, experiencing the kindest attentions from many\nfriends. The remembrance of my short stay in that place will always be\nagreeable. Thanks be to God for providing me friends in every quarter,\nand may they all be fully rewarded for all their kindness. I had several\nvery interesting conversations with the Rector, and with some of the\nProfessors of the College in that city, upon religious subjects; and one\nof the Professors who understands English begged me to let him have,\nat any price, two works I carried with me. These were Jones\u2019s Biblical\nCyclopedia and Stewart\u2019s Philosophy of the Human Mind. He said that if\nI could not spare both works, he particularly wished for the first, as\nbeing in the line of his profession as a clergyman, and because he wished\nto examine the subject of religion, not merely from their own writers,\nbut from ours also. I let him have both of them, with which he was much\ngratified. These gentlemen belonging to the College, whom I have just\nreferred to, manifested an excellent and liberal spirit in regard to the\nimprovements necessary in their mode of education in the seminary to\nwhich they belong. There are about 300 students in this college.\n\nNothing very material occurred in the journey from Quito until arriving\nat the province of Pastos. This province has been for a long time past\nin a very unsettled state. It has repeatedly raised the standard of\nrebellion against the existing Government, and has as often been reduced\nto subjection by the force of arms. At each time it has suffered\nseverely, and at present it resembles a deserted country; the finest\nfields and pastures are met with, without a single head of cattle. This\nprovince is still but ill at rest, and may be said to be subdued and\nreduced, rather than tranquillized. A proof of that is to be found in the\nbanditti which exist in it. At the time we passed, there were three or\nfour of these parties in different places, and one of them consisted of\none hundred men. On arriving at Tulcan, which is about three days journey\nfrom the city of Pasto, the capital of the province, we had to take with\nus a guard of ten men. We passed from Tulcan to Pasto, without meeting\nwith any enemy. But from what we heard afterwards, we may consider\nourselves as having made a providential escape, as there was a party of\n16 men seen in these quarters, a few days after we passed. In the city of\nPasto, there is constantly kept a body of about a thousand men; some of\nthese are employed in searching out and in persecuting these banditti;\nand some of them are employed in escorting the mail and travellers\nfrom that to the province of Popayan. The Governor of Pasto gave us an\nescort of forty men, and which was judged necessary from the general\nstate of the province, and from a recent occurrence. This occurrence was\nthe assault and murder of a merchant travelling from Popayan to Pasto,\nnotwithstanding his having an escort of twelve men with him. The soldiers\nwe brought with us behaved very well; we kept a good look out, and\nmounted our centinels every night, particularly in that spot where the\nmurder was committed, and where we passed the night. Had we fallen in\nwith any of these parties we would have been hardly put to it, and had we\nbeen worsted, we should certainly not have escaped with life. From this,\nhowever, and from every other danger on the journey, the Lord delivered\nus. For all these mercies, I feel my heart stirred up with gratitude and\nthanksgiving, and I feel a desire more than ever to devote my whole life\nto the service of God, and to the service of mankind.\n\nI have already stated to you the unquiet state of the Province of Pastos,\nand its desolateness in consequence. The City of Pasto, the capital,\naffords also a melancholy proof of this desolation. Its population has\nbeen reduced from 15,000, to, perhaps, not more than 4000, and in every\nstreet you meet with numbers of houses waste and uninhabited, with all\nthe wood of the doors and windows torn out, and which was used by the\nmilitary for firewood. You are not to consider this revolutionary spirit\nas extending throughout the country, but as confined exclusively to that\nprovince.\n\nUpon my arriving at Popayan, I found there an English medical gentleman,\nof the name of Wallis, who has been upwards of twenty years in the\ncountry. Dr. Wallis shewed me much kindness; he was very friendly to the\ncirculation of the Scriptures, and aided me therein as much as he could.\nThe number sold there was very small, considering the size of the place,\non account of some little opposition from the Bishop, of which I have\nspoken in one of my letters to Mr. B. The topography of Popayan is worth\nnoticing. It is situated in a very large plain, called the valley of\nCauca. It is by far the largest plain in those quarters, the Cordilleras\nseparating farther from each other there than in any other part, and the\nspace between them is, in general, even, or nearly so. It is watered\nby a beautiful river, called Cauca. The population in the whole valley\nis exceedingly small, considering its size and fertility. There is\nlittle doubt, I think, but it will one day become a place of great\npopulation and importance. Its climate is healthy and delightful, with\nan everlasting summer, and its productions, taking one part with another\ninclude every thing, from wheat to the sugar-cane. There is no part of\nColombia which I have yet seen, nor, perhaps, of America, in which I\ncould wish to live in preference to Popayan.\n\nNo part of South America, I believe, has felt more severely the effects\nof the revolutionary war than the city of Popayan and its neighbourhood.\nThe city was taken and retaken, I believe, fourteen times, and there\nis scarcely an individual in it who has not a long tale of woes to\nrelate, either of himself or of his friends. It has now enjoyed peace\nfor some time, and is beginning to regain its former state, but years\nof tranquillity are necessary to restore it fully. There is a mint here,\nwhich coins annually about one million of dollars, of the gold of Choc\u00f3,\nand from the mines of the province of Popayan. There is also coined\nthere twenty thousand dollars of silver. The Director of the Mint is a\ngentleman of the name of Pombo, a literary man, and who has published two\nor three elementary works for schools, of considerable value.\n\nFrom Popayan to Bogot\u00e1 there are two roads across the cordillera, but\nthe one to the south is the best. This is called the Pass of Guanacos,\nand lies nearly east of Popayan; the other is called Quindiu, and lies\nto the north. The cold on the top of the mountain is generally pretty\nkeen. The ascent from Popayan is gradual, but the descent on the other\nside is rapid, and you pass quickly from a very cold climate to a hot\none. It is a frightful road in some places. You have frequently to\nascend and descend very steep places on this side of the mountain, from\nthe many deep glens made by the rivers which you pass. You may be said\nto be riding up stairs and down stairs in these places, and in several\nof them it is literally so. The mules are wonderfully steady, being\naccustomed to these roads, so that they very seldom slip. Some years\nago an Italian doctor, passing that way, was so frightened with the\ngoing down these stairs, that he mounted his mule the reverse way, with\nhis face backwards, and then leaned him down flat upon the mule. This\nattitude, together with his three-cocked hat and queue, afforded no\nlittle diversion to the muleteers who conducted him. This kind of road\ncontinues till you come to the town of La Plata, and after that you have\na much better road, the greater part of which is in the great valley of\nthe river Magdalena, and one of its contributaries. The usual stages or\nplaces where you hire mules, on the way between Popayan and Bogot\u00e1 are,\nLa Plata, Neiva, and La Mesa. In most places the mules are scarce, on\naccount of the great number of these animals destroyed by the war. At\nproper distances on the road there are houses called Tambos, which are\nthe inns of the place. These houses consist of a roof erected upon poles,\nand without any walls, so that they afford shelter from the rain, but not\nfrom the wind and the cold. The town of La Plata is pleasantly situated\non the banks of a river of the same name, on the first lowlands after\ngetting out from the great mountains. There is a great deal of fertile\nland about the place, affording a great variety of productions, including\nthe sugar-cane, but these fertile lands are almost all lying waste. The\nriver La Plata, about ten miles below the town, joins the river Paez, a\nriver on the banks of which we travelled a good deal, and across which\nwe passed repeatedly. The La Plata and the Paez are nearly of the same\nsize, and make a fine stream when united. When these two streams unite,\nthe whole goes by the name of Paez. After travelling two days on the\nbanks of the Paez, we saw it fall into the Magdalena, and lose its name\nthere.\u2014From the town of La Plata the heat begins, and when you reach the\nMagdalena it is very great, and continues so all along the banks of the\nriver. This is decidedly the hottest place I ever was in. The thermometer\nevery day rose to 97\u00bd, and remained there two or three hours together.\nI was in a constant state of perspiration during the 24 hours, except,\nperhaps, from 2 o\u2019clock in the morning till 8. This was the only respite,\nif respite it might be called. At Neiva we left the road and the mules,\nand took to the river, down which we went for some days. From Neiva\nto Honda the river is navigable in what are called balsas. The balsa\nconsists of long poles or trunks of trees laid close to each other, with\nothers laid over then cross-wise, and again, above this row, or above\nan additional one, is a kind of flooring, made of the bamboo flattened\nout. The wood of which these balsas are made is exceedingly light, and\nvery well adapted for the use. In this vessel there is not a single nail\nused, nor a single rope. The poles are tied together with what are called\nbejucos, which is a species of plant that grows abundantly in these\nquarters, and resembles a rope in length and thickness. With these,\nwhich are of all sizes, the whole work of nails and ropes is performed.\nOver the balsa is raised a roof, thatched with what the wood affords.\nThis protects the luggage as well as the passengers from the rain. In\nthis rude vessel we passed some days and some nights, sailing when we\nhad light, and at night fastened by one of these ropes to a tree. The\nriver was very shallow at the time we passed, so that we frequently got\naground in the middle of the stream, at which time our boatmen, or bogas\nas they are called, had to get into the water and push us along. There\nwas another evil of a worse kind which we had to encounter, namely,\nthe trunks of trees sunk deep in the bottom of the river, sometimes\nappearing above the water, and sometimes not. It requires a good deal of\ndexterity to steer among these at times, as the current perhaps draws you\nstraight to them. Against one of these sunken trees we drove one day, and\nfortunately broke it with the blow. The shock pitched our bogas into the\nriver in a moment, but they were immediately again on board. This blow,\nhowever, broke some of our wooden ropes, and we were under the necessity\nof fastening ourselves to a tree till we got repaired. The bogas got\ninto the wood, and got, quite at hand, other ropes of a similar kind,\ncut them down, repaired the bark, and in an hour\u2019s time we were again\nat sea. The general landing place for travellers for Bogot\u00e1, is not as\nfar down as Honda, but at a place called Fusagasug\u00e1. Here you leave the\nriver, and begin to ascend the hills, and afterwards the mountains, and\nsensibly to change your climate from extreme heat to temperature, but a\ntemperature which, under these circumstances, feels quite cold. On the\nlast day\u2019s travel to this place, we began early in the morning to ascend\nthe mountain by a steep and rugged road, closely wooded on both sides.\nWe kept ascending till about noon, when we reached the top, and the wood\ndisappeared. Here I expected we would have had, as usual, to descend\nagain, but quite otherwise. On the top of this mountain is a large\nbeautiful plain, and at the farther end of it stands the city of Bogot\u00e1.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n                                               _Bogot\u00e1, 5th April, 1825._\n\nI had the pleasure of writing you on the 25th of February last, and of\ngiving you an account of those places, in which the Holy Scriptures\nwere distributed in the course of my journey. I noticed to you at\nthe same time, the only instance I met with of opposition to the\ncirculation of the Scriptures without notes. I also informed you of my\nendeavours to bring about the establishment of a Bible Society in this\ncity. By the last packet for England, I sent you a copy of No. 29 of\n\u201cThe Constitutional,\u201d a newspaper published in this place, and which\ncontained an advertisement relative to the subject in question. By that\nadvertisement, you would see that something was doing in the matter,\nand from the respectability of the gentlemen who are there mentioned,\nyou would perceive that we had met with some valuable supporters, and\nthat there was a prospect held forth of succeeding in this object. I\nnow send you Nos. 30, 31, and 32, of the same paper, which will point\nout to you the different steps we have taken, and you will be able to\nnotice also the progressive encouragement we obtained. You will perceive\nby the two last numbers that our Society at length obtained a fair and\nfirm establishment. I say a _fair_ establishment, because the whole of\nour transactions were done in open day, and because all who wished to\nstate their objections were not only permitted, but encouraged to do so.\nOur meeting on the 24th was very well attended, and consisted of the\nmost respectable class of the community in this city, both clergy and\nlaity. We had, on that occasion, a very warm and interesting discussion\nof the point in question. A professor in one of the colleges was the\nfirst who spoke, a man of very respectable talents, and commendable for\nhis Christian virtues, but withal full of Catholic prejudices. This\ngentleman opposed our object, as being contrary to the acts of the\ngeneral councils of the church, and as being injudicious and hurtful,\nespecially under present circumstances. The next who spoke was the\nvery respectable rector of the principal college of this city. In this\ngentleman we met with a warm friend to our Institution, and we had the\npleasure of hearing him reply to the objections of the preceding speaker.\nBoth these individuals are clergymen. The next who spoke was also a\nclergyman, a well known and eloquent preacher in this place, a man full\nof zeal, and who adorns his profession by a very exemplary conduct. This\ngentleman opposed our plans, as the first speaker had done, and even went\nfarther, and said, that under existing circumstances, he considered it\nimproper to have a general circulation of the Scriptures, even with the\nnotes affixed. This last observation relieved us a little, in respect to\nthe opposition we met with from this individual, as it was plain that, as\na Catholic, he proved too much, and thus overshot his mark, and injured\nhis cause, inasmuch as he carried things farther than either the Pope or\nthe Council of Trent. This ended our opposition, or at least finished\nthe list of our opponents, for no other individual present spoke on that\nside of the question. The gentleman, however, who had spoken first, was\nso full upon his subject, that he rose again and again to advocate his\ncause, until it was necessary to reply to him from the chair as to\norder, and to the giving an opportunity to others to speak as well as\nhimself. Several gentlemen spoke in succession, and warmly advocated the\ncause of the Bible Society in general, and pointed out to the meeting\nthe consistency of the object of the Society to be established, with the\nlaws and customs of the people of Colombia, and stating at the same time\nthe great advantages that would certainly arise to their country, from\na general circulation and reading of the word of God, not encumbered\nwith notes, but in its own native simplicity, as it was delivered by\nthe Almighty to mankind. The two Ministers of Government who were\npresent, Mr. Gual, and Mr. Castillo, very ably, and at considerable\nlength, defended and supported the object of the Society, and pointed\nout that there was nothing of a clandestine nature in the establishment\nof this Institution, but that it had the full and open approbation of\nthe Executive Government of the country, and also of the ecclesiastical\nauthorities.\n\nAfter our plans respecting the Society had thus been clearly and openly\nstated to the assembly, and nothing kept back, and after we had heard\nall that was to be said in support of its adoption in Colombia, and also\nthe objections urged against it, the sense of the meeting was taken\nby vote. The question put amounted to this: Is it compatible with our\nlaws and customs, as Colombians, and as of the Roman Catholic church,\nto establish a Colombian Bible Society in this capital as a national\nSociety, and whose only object is to print and circulate the Holy\nScriptures, in approved versions, in our native tongue; and does such a\nSociety meet with the approbation of this assembly? This question was\ntriumphantly carried in the affirmative, and almost unanimously.\n\nI need not tell you how much pleasure I enjoyed in witnessing this\ntriumph, nor how many anxieties previously entertained respecting the\nresult of these meetings, were at once laid asleep, or were changed into\nthat tranquillity, that peace and joy, which arise from seeing the name\nof the Lord glorified among men. I know you will participate in the same\nfeelings, and will hail the establishment of this Society as a new era\nin South America. See here one of the happy effects of the political\nrevolution! and it is but one of many, some of which are already visible,\nand the rest come on in their natural order and beauty. Blessed be God,\nwho doeth all things according to the counsel of his own will, who maketh\nthe wrath of man to praise him, and who in due time saith to the wars,\nas to the winds and the waves, peace, be still! and thus leaving us in\nthe midst of the calm, to exclaim, Who is a God like unto our God, who\nbringeth order out of confusion, and who maketh waters to spring up in\nthe wilderness, and streams to flow in the desert.\n\nOur last meeting to _establish_ the Society was held yesterday afternoon,\nand consisted of those who had subscribed as members of this Institution.\nThe President, Vice Presidents, the Treasurer, and Secretaries, were\nchosen at this meeting, and you will find their names in the paper,\nNo. 32, I now send you. These gentlemen, you will see, are of the most\nrespectable inhabitants of this place, and this gives at once a tone\nand a stability to our Society. Besides the preceding office-bearers,\nthere was chosen a Committee, consisting of twenty, one half clergymen\nand the other half laymen. The gentlemen elected into the Committee, are\nalso of the same highly respectable class as those whose names you have\nmentioned in the paper. It is intended to publish, as soon as possible,\nan account of the origin and actual state of the Society. Along with this\nwill be published the Rules and Regulations adopted, the names of the\noffice-bearers and committee, and a list of subscribers. To all of which\nwill be added a short address to the people of South America, upon the\nobject and the advantages of the Society. I have much pleasure in saying\nthat the subscriptions already amount to 1380 dollars. I should not omit\nto mention to you, that all the meetings upon this matter have been held\nin the chapel of the University, which is in the principal Dominican\nConvent of this city. The Rector of the University and the Prior of the\nConvent have been and are our very warm friends and supporters. With the\nformer the subscription paper lies, and is daily obtaining additional\nsubscribers. One of our secretaries is also a Dominican Friar, is\nsecretary to the University, and formerly filled the office of secretary\nin the district tribunal of the Inquisition of this quarter. It is this\ngentleman who has written all the articles in the Newspaper about the\nSociety, and what you read in the English part is merely a translation\nfrom the same article in Spanish, as written by him.[6]\n\nI have now to say a few words respecting the conduct on this occasion\nof Mr. Gual, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and now President\nof the Bible Society of Colombia. I wish to speak of the conduct of\nthis gentleman in the highest terms, and in doing so, feel that I am\nnot using the voice of flattery and adulation, but complying with the\nprecept of rendering to every one his due. It is an act of injustice to\nwithhold the praise that is due to any one, when a proper occasion offers\nof mentioning it. I had occasion to call upon him at different times,\nin regard to the preliminary steps for setting the Society on foot, and\nnotwithstanding the hurry of business in his public situation, I always\nfound him ready to spend a few minutes in listening to the propositions\nmade to him as to our mode of acting in this matter. He also cheerfully\nattended and presided at all our meetings, and constantly defended, with\nmuch judgment and eloquence, the glorious work of circulating the Holy\nScriptures in their natural beauty, in every corner of his native land,\nover all this continent, and finally throughout the world.\n\nMr. Castillo, the Minister of Finance, also warmly advocated our cause,\nand these two gentlemen, as well as the Minister of the Interior, have\ngiven 50 dollars each by way of donation, and are, besides, annual\nsubscribers of 20 dollars each. The Vice-President has also given us a\ndonation and his subscription of 24 dollars.\n\nI have much pleasure in noticing to you that Colonel Hamilton, H. B.\nM. Commissioner to this Government, and Mr. Henderson, the British\nConsul-General, have lent the influence of their names and of their\npurses to the forwarding of our Society. Colonel Campbell also, the\nBritish Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires, just arrived in time to be present at our\nlast meeting, and both he and Mr. Henderson were chosen members of the\ncommittee.\n\nI have requested Mr. Gual to write a few lines to Lord Teignmouth, by way\nof introducing our new Society to a friendly correspondence with that\ngreat and venerable Society over which he has so long presided, with so\nmuch honour to himself, and with much advantage to mankind. I expect Mr.\nGual\u2019s letter to-morrow, and shall forward it with this. He is going\nalso to write a few lines in order to begin a correspondence with the\nAmerican Bible Society.\n\nI have now been detained in this city considerably longer than I expected\nupon my arrival here, but I have the satisfaction of thinking, that my\nstay has been prolonged in the forwarding of a good work. I now set off\nimmediately, and expect soon to have the pleasure of seeing the friends\nof the Redeemer\u2019s cause in the United States; and not very long after, if\nthe Lord will, I hope once more to behold my native land, and to salute\nthere my friends and brethren in Christ Jesus.\n\n[6] These articles from the newspaper are added at the end of this\nletter, as descriptive of the state of the country in regard to these\nmatters.\n\n    _Articles regarding the Formation of a Bible Society in Bogot\u00e1,\n    extracted from \u201cThe Constitutional,\u201d a weekly Newspaper\n    published in that City, in Spanish and English._\n\n                                                _17th March, 1825._\n\n    On the 15th instant, at half-past five in the afternoon, a\n    public meeting took place in the Chapel of the University of\n    this city, at which were present Dr. Pedro Gual, Secretary\n    of State for Foreign Affairs; Dr. Antonio Malo, Member of\n    the Senate; Dr. Joaquin Gomez and Dr. Mariano Mi\u00f1o, Members\n    of the Chamber of Representatives; Dr. Jose Maria Estevez,\n    Rector of the College of San Bartolom\u00e9; Father Joaquin Galvez,\n    Rector of the University; Father Mariano Garnica, Prior of the\n    Dominican Convent; Dr. Nicolas Quebedo; and the Secretary of\n    the University. The meeting was assembled at the instance of\n    Mr. Thomson, Agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society,\n    with the view of establishing a Bible Society in Colombia.\n    The Rules for the proposed Society were read, and after some\n    observations from Sr. Gual, it was resolved unanimously to call\n    a general meeting on Sunday next, the 20th instant, at four\n    o\u2019clock in the afternoon, in the same place, in order to take\n    into consideration the advantages or inconveniences of such an\n    establishment in Colombia; to obtain the general consent for\n    the incorporation of a Society similar to that which has been\n    the source of so many spiritual benefits to the human race in\n    Europe, Asia, and Africa; and of which a correct idea will be\n    given to the public by means of the press. In the mean time,\n    it is distinctly stated, that the sole and exclusive object\n    of this Society is the dissemination of the Holy Scriptures\n    throughout the world.\n\n                                                _24th March, 1825._\n\n    On Sunday last, the 20th instant, the meeting took place\n    which was advertised in the CONSTITUTIONAL of last week,\n    for the purpose of establishing this valuable and important\n    Institution. Upon this occasion eloquent and appropriate\n    speeches were delivered by Sres. Gual, Castillo, and Herrera;\n    and, after a debate of considerable length, it was agreed to\n    convene a general meeting, by means of circulars, for this day,\n    (Thursday,) at four o\u2019clock in the afternoon. The principal\n    object of this invitation is to place the basis of the Society\n    on the most permanent and respectable foundation; to hear the\n    opinions, and be benefited by the judgment of the gentlemen\n    who may assemble; and to determine definitively upon what\n    may appear most suitable and in conformity to the state and\n    relations of Colombia. By the blessing of Heaven we hope to see\n    accomplished the desires of those who have devoted their wisdom\n    and love of their country to the promotion of so benevolent an\n    undertaking.\u2014We will have the pleasure of publishing a report\n    of the speeches delivered on the occasion, also the rules and\n    regulations of the Society, together with the objections that\n    may be urged against it.\n\n                                                _31st March, 1825._\n\n    At length the setting on foot of this establishment has been\n    obtained, and its advantages will soon be known to those who\n    are alike the friends of the religion of Jesus Christ, and\n    of the true enlightening of the people. Endeavours were made\n    to bring together all the principal persons of this city, by\n    issuing upwards of 300 cards of invitation; and notwithstanding\n    the smallness of the Chapel of the University, there assembled\n    in it two-thirds of those invited. It is our intention to\n    publish the speeches then made, together with the discourses\n    offered us by some gentlemen who had not time to deliver them\n    upon that occasion. This we promise to do with the greatest\n    correctness possible. The opposition which has been made to\n    this beneficent Institution by sinister interpretations of its\n    object, is not to be wondered at, nor that strife of opinion\n    which has already been manifested upon this important subject.\n    It is, however, strange that any public writer should have said\n    that it would be better to print two millions of copies of the\n    Catechism, (the only book of instruction afforded to the people\n    by our old oppressors,) than to print and circulate the Holy\n    Bible. It is not suitable in itself, nor is it consistent with\n    our upright motives to excite contention. The exclusive object\n    of the Bible Society which has been established in Colombia\n    is, to facilitate to all Colombians the reading of the divine\n    word, in our own native tongue, from approved versions, such\n    as that of Father Scio, or that of the celebrated Torres Amat,\n    which has just been published in Madrid with all the necessary\n    licences: and this object will be accomplished without in any\n    degree infringing upon the Articles of the Council of Trent.\n    If this plan draw forth opposition\u2014if this object is capable\n    of producing bitter and extemporaneous censures, then we will\n    be under the necessity of classing the people of Colombia with\n    the most uncivilized people of the world. This Bible Society\n    has been established with the consent and approbation of\n    the most distinguished persons, actually entrusted with the\n    Executive Government of the Republic, and the Ecclesiastical\n    Government of the Archbishopric, to whom it belongs exclusively\n    and without dispute to watch over the spiritual and temporal\n    happiness of the people, and whose fidelity none without\n    injustice can call in question.\n\n                                                 _7th April, 1825._\n\n    On the 4th current there assembled in the Chapel of the\n    University, those Foreigners and Colombians who have so\n    generously contributed to the formation of this establishment,\n    and whose names will be furnished upon another occasion.\n    Rules and Regulations for this Society were read, and were\n    unanimously approved of as the laws of its organization.\n    In conformity to these Rules, the subscribers proceeded to\n    the election of President, Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, and\n    Secretaries, when the following gentlemen were duly elected.\n\n                              _President._\n\n    Don PEDRO GUAL, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.\n\n                         _First Vice-President._\n\n    Don JOSE MARIA CASTILLO, Minister of Finance.\n\n                        _Second Vice-President._\n\n    Doctor JOSE MARIA ESTEVEZ, Prebendary, and Rector of the\n    College of St. Bartholomew.\n\n                         _Third Vice-President._\n\n    Doctor JUAN FERNANDEZ DE SOTOMAYOR, Rector of the College del\n    Rosario.\n\n                              _Treasurer._\n\n    Don JOSE SANS DE SANTA MARIA, Senator, and Comptroller of the\n    department of Cundinamarca.\n\n                             _Secretaries._\n\n    Father ANTONIO MARCO GUTIERRES, Secretary of the University.\n\n    Doctor R. N. CHEYNE.\n\n    In the same manner the members present proceeded to vote for\n    a Committee consisting of twenty individuals, one half of\n    whom are Clergymen. The Society wished to place among its\n    principal office-bearers the virtuous and worthy Governor of\n    the Archbishoprick; but this gentleman, with his accustomed\n    moderation, declined this honour, and very properly noticed,\n    that the third article of the Rules reserved to the Ordinary\n    of each diocese, the right of examining the edition of the\n    Holy Scriptures that should be published by the Society, in\n    conformity with the decrees of the councils; and that the\n    exercise of this power would prevent him, as Governor of this\n    diocese, from accepting of the honour that this respectable\n    Society wished to confer upon him.\n\n    It was then resolved on to print, as soon as possible, in the\n    form of a pamphlet, the speeches made at the last meeting,\n    the Rules and Regulations of the Institution, a list of\n    subscribers, and the transactions of the Society. It was also\n    agreed upon that the advertisements of the Society should\n    be made through \u201cthe CONSTITUTIONAL,\u201d in consequence of its\n    Editors having cheerfully employed their pages in promoting\n    this Society. Finally, it was agreed on that the Subscription\n    List should lie with the Rector of the University, at whose\n    apartments all who wish to subscribe, may have an opportunity\n    of doing so, on any day from eight to nine o\u2019clock in the\n    morning.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n_To the Committee of the British and Foreign School Society._[7]\n\n                                                _London, 25th May, 1826._\n\nGentlemen,\n\nAgreeable to your wishes I sit down to give you a sketch of the progress,\nand of the actual state of education in South America. I shall begin at\nBuenos Aires, and shall take the different states in the order in which\nI travelled through them. When I left Buenos Aires, in May 1821, there\nwere eight schools for boys in that city, supported by the magistrates,\nand all of them conducted, more or less, on your system. There were, I\nthink, about as many more schools in the small villages around the city.\nThese were also under the care of the magistrates, but had not been put\nupon your system at the time mentioned. I had visited some of them for\nthe purpose of organizing them upon this plan, but the never-ending\nrevolutions of that unhappy period, prevented the proper measures from\nbeing carried into effect for their improvement.\n\nUpon my leaving Buenos Aires, the schools were put under the direction\nof a very respectable clergyman, who, I thought, would conduct them\nwith much advantage, but, from his not being well acquainted with the\nsystem, or from his being peculiar in the application of it, the schools\ndid not improve, but rather grew worse. This state of things lasted\nfor several months, until the Society, which had been formed some time\nbefore my leaving that place, becoming re-organized, and arousing from\nits lethargy, began to take a particular interest in forwarding education\naccording to this system. Much was done through this means; and, I am\nhappy to say, that I have lately heard that the Society continues its\nuseful exertions, and is likely to become more efficient from year to\nyear. As you wish me to mention some individual or individuals in the\ndifferent countries in South America with whom you could advantageously\ncorrespond in furtherance of your Christian object, universal education,\nI give you here the name of the Secretary to the above-mentioned\nSociety, Don Bartolom\u00e9 Mu\u00f1oz. This individual is a clergyman of great\nrespectability, he possesses a spirit of active benevolence, and is a\nwarm friend to education. With this gentleman you may correspond with\ngreat advantage to the furtherance of your object; and I am sure it will\nafford much satisfaction to the individual mentioned, and to the rest of\nthe Society, to hear from you, and to labour with you in this good cause.\n\nI am not sure whether I mentioned to you in my letters from Buenos Aires,\nthe circumstances of the meetings at the first formation of this Society,\nbeing held in the chief Franciscan convent of that city. This is worth\nmentioning, as it shows the liberality of priests and friars on the\nsubject of education. The Provincial of the order, Don Hip\u00f3lito Soler,\nlived in this convent, and was very friendly indeed to our object. The\nuniform kindness and courtesy which I experienced in my many calls upon\nhim in his cell, I shall never forget. The Prior of the convent was also\nvery friendly. To the list of our excellent friends among the priests,\nI must not omit the highly respected Dean of Buenos Aires, Don Diego de\nZavaleta. The nephew of this gentleman, Don Ramon Anchorez, was also\na very particular friend, and often encouraged me to go forward when\nobstacles lay in the way.\n\nI have mentioned the labours of the Society in promoting Schools\nin that city. I must also mention, and very particularly, that the\ninterest taken by the government, under the direction of Don Bernardino\nRivadavia, greatly contributed to carry forward this noble object. The\nlabours of the gentleman now mentioned, in instructing his countrymen\nin true political wisdom, by precept and by example, and his exertions\nin forwarding the cause of knowledge and general education, have mainly\ncontributed to give to Buenos Aires, (what it indisputably enjoys)\nthe first rank among the new American states. His name will ever be\nassociated with the happiest part of the revolution of that country; and\nhe will long be looked upon as its best benefactor. Accounts have just\nreached London, that this gentleman has been recently elected President\nof the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata, an honour justly due\nto him as the regenerator of their independence of Spain, and of their\ndependance upon each other. We may, I think, fairly augur, that much\ngood will be done in the advancement of education by this individual\nthroughout the various provinces of the Union, at the head of which he is\nnow placed. I think a letter of congratulation from the Society is justly\ndue to him, and, from what I know of his sentiments, I have no doubt of\nhis readily acceding to any plans the Society might suggest for the\nestablishing of schools throughout the provinces.\n\nThrough the means above stated, the number of schools has greatly\nincreased in Buenos Aires since I left it. The Rev. Mr. Armstrong, in a\nletter lately received by the Bible Society, reckons them to amount to\nabout _one hundred_, and thinks they may contain about _five thousand_\nscholars. In the letter now referred to, Mr. Armstrong states, that he\nhad presented 500 New Testaments to these schools on the part of the\nBritish and Foreign Bible Society, and he expresses a hope that this\nprecious volume is likely to be generally used in all the schools before\nlong.\n\nAt the time I left Buenos Aires, there was a very good girls\u2019 school,\non the British system, containing 120 scholars. I have not heard\nparticularly of this school since that time, but hope it continues to\nprosper as it then did. The person who organized this school was Don Jos\u00e9\nCatal\u00e1, a native of Spain, and a zealous promoter of education. This\ngentleman was the first who studied the system at our schools in Buenos\nAires. He was afterwards appointed to be master of the central school,\nand continued in that situation until a few weeks before I left that\nplace.\n\nI mentioned to you, in some of my letters, that I had paid a visit to\nMonte Video, where I was kindly received by the first ecclesiastic of\nthat place, Don Damaso Antonio de Lara\u00f1aga, a priest of a liberal and\nenlightened mind, and a friend to education. This gentleman laid the\nsubject of the establishment of schools on the British system before\nthe magistrates, and, in consequence, I was authorized to send a master\nto them, who was to receive a salary of 1200 dollars a-year, whilst\nengaged in establishing and superintending the schools. The person most\nqualified for this undertaking was Don Jos\u00e9 Catal\u00e1, already mentioned.\nHe was, accordingly, sent there with a supply of the necessary articles\nfor making a commencement. I received, whilst in South America, different\nletters respecting his progress, which was at first slow on account of\nthe war in which that place was involved, and the scarcity of funds\nconsequent upon it. Afterwards he was enabled to get on better. The last\nletter I had from him is encouraging, of which I shall give an extract:\u2014\n\n\u201cThe school which I formed here has produced upwards of eighty children\nwell instructed in elementary education. These have given satisfaction\nto those best qualified to judge, and to the public in general, in two\npublic examinations which have taken place. The number of children now\nin the school is 208. Two years ago, I formed a private school upon the\nLancasterian system. It contains at present forty children belonging to\nthe best families of this city, who pay for each child six dollars a\nquarter. The master of this school is a young man of excellent talents,\nand of good conduct. He attended the central school for a whole year,\nin order to learn the system well, and to approve himself capable of\nconducting a school upon these principles. He expected to be employed in\none of the schools which the magistrates were about to establish, but as\nit was impossible for them to carry forward their purpose, owing to the\ndisturbances of the times, I advised him to establish a private school.\nThe young man had not means to do this, as he was the son of a poor\nwidow. The Society, however, gave him lessons, slates, and pencils, and\nMr. Noble gave him the wood to make the seats and desks. Thus provided,\nhe offered to instruct, under the auspices of the Society, and by my\ndirection,\u2014elementary education, and also the principles of geometry,\ntrigonometry, and geography, and to hold a public examination of his\npupils every year. I am happy to inform you that the children are making\nvery great progress, owing to the steadiness and fidelity of the master,\nand to the six well instructed monitors whom I sent him from the other\nschool, each of whom knows more than any of the masters of this place.\n\n\u201cI am sorry to inform you that the master of the central school died\nabout three weeks ago. In consequence of this misfortune, I have been\nobliged to take the school into my own hands until another master be\nappointed.\n\n\u201cI mentioned to you, in a former letter, that I had organized Mrs. Hyne\u2019s\nschool in Buenos Aires on the Lancasterian system, with this peculiarity\nin the arrangement, that the children are taught in English one day,\nand in Spanish the other; as she has scholars who speak these languages\nrespectively, I sent her some of the lessons printed here for the use of\nher school.\u201d\n\nThe school here referred to is kept by an English lady, and was just\nbeginning when I left Buenos Aires. It was afterwards fully established\non your system as above mentioned. I have had frequent information\nrespecting the prosperity of this school, and am told that the youth of\nthat city show a great desire to study the English language, and are\nmaking progress in it. Their parents have thus shown their desire for\nthe education of their children, in instructing them in our tongue, and\nthey have shown their liberality in sending them without scruple to be\neducated by an English lady belonging to the Protestant church.\n\nIn the preceding review of the schools in Buenos Aires, there is much\nto cheer the minds and hearts of those who interest themselves in the\nwelfare of their fellow-men, and who use their best exertions for\nthis end, in the way in which they can be most effectual, namely, in\nthe instruction of the young. To see the youthful flocks increasing\nin numbers, and growing in the knowledge of the purest religion and\nmorality, by reading and imbibing the sacred oracles, is a sight truly\ngratifying, and to hear of this will, I am sure, afford much satisfaction\nto the Committee of the British and Foreign School Society. It will also,\nI trust, lead you to renewed exertions on behalf of that country, and,\nknowing your readiness to do so, I beg leave to suggest the propriety\nof sending out a person possessing good talents, and well acquainted\nwith your system, that he may be employed in extending education through\nthe various provinces of these United States; and, in recommending this\nmeasure, I repeat my conviction, that the gentleman now elected President\nof these States, Don Bernardino Rivadavia, will take a pleasure in\nseconding your views.\n\nI now turn your attention to the provinces of Mendoza and San Juan,\nas these form a part of the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata.\nIn March 1822, I visited these places, and found a very great desire\nexisting there, in regard to education. Our excellent friend, Dr.\nGillies, was at that time (and still is) residing in Mendoza. He had\ncontributed much to create such a desire, and was very active in using\nevery means for satisfying it. It was through his very urgent request,\nthat I visited these places, I was much gratified with what I saw there,\nas regards a growing spirit of knowledge and liberality. The governor\nof Mendoza was very friendly to the establishment of Schools. A Society\nfor promoting them was established a few days after my arrival, and a\npetition was presented to the Governor, that a small printing press,\nbelonging to the town, might be placed at their disposal, that they might\nprint lessons for the schools, and might otherwise gain a little for\npromoting their objects. This request was immediately acceded to, and the\npress and the types were transferred accordingly. A newspaper has been\nprinted at this press for some time, and it has greatly contributed to\nenlighten that quarter. A girls\u2019 school was begun whilst I was there,\nand measures were taken for establishing schools for boys, which were\nafterwards carried into effect. After these favourable circumstances\nhad been some time in operation, a storm overtook our worthy friends.\nThey were like to be overwhelmed by a spirit of fanaticism, which had\nraised itself against the promoters of education and reform, by those of\na contrary mind. The enemies of righteousness prevailed for some time,\nbut at length they stumbled and fell, and truth and improvement again\nappeared, and prevailed, and now reign in triumph. Those individuals who\nhad combined together to benefit their country, and whose benevolent\narrangements were thus for some time impeded; these very individuals are\nnow the chief persons in the government, and are thus enabled to carry\ntheir measures into effect.\n\nIn the Province of San Juan I found many enlightened individuals who were\nwarm friends of education. There were, no doubt, many of other feelings\nand wishes. A printed circular was sent to the different persons of\nnote in that place by the Governor, inviting them to a meeting in his\nown house, for discussing the subject of establishing schools on your\nsystem. A good many attended, and some were for the measure, and some\nagainst it. The Governor was a warm friend to the object, and the meeting\nbroke up by his signifying, that it was the intention of the government\nto use its best endeavours to forward this object. I left some Scripture\nlessons for the schools in that place, as I had done in Mendoza, the\nprice of which, together with the expenses of my journey there, were paid\nby the Governors of these two places.\n\nBefore I leave San Juan, I wish to notice the meritorious conduct of Don\nSalvador Carril. In the meeting referred to, he was one of the principal\ndefenders of our objects, and strongly urged the adoption of the proposed\nplan. Some time after, this gentleman was appointed Governor in that\nprovince. When holding that situation, he wished to use all his influence\nfor the establishment of religious liberty in his native province. I have\ngreat pleasure in stating that in this _he completely succeeded._ He has\nthus had the honour of leading the way in this important matter, and of\nmaking his own province _the first part of South America, to declare for\nReligious Liberty_. The date of this _era_, for such it may be called to\nthis new continent, is the sixth of June, 1825. The province of Buenos\nAires has adopted the same wise and liberal policy, but the first honour\nis due to San Juan, and to its Governor Carril.[8] I must not omit to\nmention here, Mr. Rawson from the United States, and who has long\nresided in San Juan. His name is connected with every measure for the\nimprovement of that country.\n\nIn regard to the other provinces of the Rio de la Plata, I can say very\nlittle, but I believe education is in a very low state in all of them.\nThe names of these provinces are, Santa F\u00e9, Entre Rios, Corientes,\nParaguay, Salta, Tucuman, and C\u00f3rdova. It is, however, very probable,\nfrom the general spirit diffused through these countries, that plans\nfor the improvement and extension of education would be very favourably\nreceived, particularly under the recommendation and fostering care of the\nPresident, Don Bernardino Rivadavia.\n\nI omitted to mention before stretching across the Pampas, another\nLancasterian School and Society. This School and Society are situated\nabout 500 miles to the South of the City of Buenos Aires, at the\nmouth of the Rio Negro, where there is a small fort and town. Colonel\nOy\u00fcela, who was appointed Governor of that quarter some months before\nmy leaving the eastern side of the continent, attended our central\nschool to get acquainted with our system, and on going to the place\nof his appointment, he carried with him a supply of lessons for the\ncommencement of a school. I afterwards learned, that he had endeavoured\nto interest the inhabitants of that place in the education of their\nchildren, and that he had succeeded in establishing a school, and\nin forming a small society for its support. To this small society,\ncontributions were made by the inhabitants of such things as they had,\nand these were turned into money, and kept the school going forward. The\nconduct of Colonel Oy\u00fcela in this matter is truly praiseworthy, as it\nsprings from a sincere desire to promote education, and to benefit those\nover whom he is placed. If all governors, _far and near_, were to act in\nthe same manner, we should soon see ignorance turned into knowledge all\nthe world over.\n\nThe British System was begun in Chile, in July 1821. The Director, Don\nBernardo O\u2019Higgins, manifested a sincere desire to extend education\nthroughout the country over which he was placed, and was ready to listen\nto any improvements in the manner of communicating knowledge, which might\nbe brought before him. The principal Secretary of State, Don Rafael\nEchevarria, was also much interested in the subject. Three schools\nwere established in Santiago, the capital, one in Valparaiso, and one\nin Coquimbo. Some months before I left Chile, Mr. Eaton arrived there,\nhaving been sent from London, by Mr. Irisarri, to promote education\non the Lancasterian plan. The government intended to send Mr. Eaton\nto Conception, in the south of Chile, to establish schools in that\nprovince, but on representing to the director, that it would be better to\nconcentrate our labours in the capital, and from thence to send qualified\nmasters to the various provinces, it was acceded to that Mr. Eaton should\nremain in Santiago. Our labours were continued there together until\nI received an invitation from General San Martin to go to Peru. Upon\nconsidering fully the importance of this invitation, as affording an\nopportunity for extending the blessings of education, in that interesting\ncountry, I thought it advisable to accept of it, considering that Mr.\nEaton would remain in Chile, and that thus what had been begun there,\nwould be maintained, and that by degrees, through his labours, the\nsystem would be generally extended in that quarter. These expectations,\nhowever, were not realized, as Mr. Eaton, in a few months after I went\nto Peru, fell sick, and was obliged to return to England. In consequence\nof this misfortune, the cause in Chile began to decline, and I believe,\nat the present moment, the schools formerly established are in a very\nlow state, if not given up altogether. It is much to be regretted, that\nthings should remain in this state in Chile, and that the great work of\neducation should be retarded there, whilst it is making progress in other\nquarters. During my stay in Peru, I had some notices of how things were\ngoing on, and where they might probably end, unless I should accede to\ntheir invitation to return there, or at all events send a well qualified\nmaster to sustain the system. I could not go myself to Chile, although\nI had a great desire to go, because my leaving Peru at that time, might\nhave occasioned a retrogression similar to what had taken place in Chile.\nIn consequence of this, I looked out for a well instructed master to\ngo there. Before I succeeded in obtaining one, the Spanish army took\npossession of Lima, and General Rodil, who commanded the fortresses of\nCallao, refused to allow the master to go when I called on him to obtain\na passport.\n\nFrom the representatives of the Chilian government, now in London, I have\nlearned that there is a great regret at the disappointment met with in\nregard to the schools; and that there exists a sincere desire to remedy\nthe evil as much as possible, and without delay. I mention this to the\nCommittee agreeable to your request that I should point out the best\nmeans for forwarding education in South America. I would suggest the\npropriety of seeking out a well qualified person to go to Chile, and if\nthe one selected is well fitted for conducting education, I have no doubt\nof his obtaining a favourable reception, and of his being the means of\ngreatly benefiting that country. For the encouragement of such a one, I\nwould say, that Chile enjoys a delightful climate, and its inhabitants\nare, I think, more moral in general than in any other part of South\nAmerica where I have been.\n\nThe persons you might correspond with in Chile upon this subject,\nare the present Director, General Freire, Don Rafael Echevarria, Don\nHenrique Camillo, and Don Manuel Salas. General Freire was Governor of\nConception when I resided in Chile; but, on a visit he paid to Santiago\nwhen I was there, I had an interview with him, in which he manifested\nhis satisfaction at the progress of our schools on your system, and\nhis readiness to encourage the introduction of the same plan in the\nprovince of Conception, when we should be able to send a master there.\nI have, indeed, no doubt of his hearty co-operation with any measures\nwhich the Society may adopt on behalf of Chile. The other three person\nmentioned will lend all their aid in this good work. Mr. Echevarria\nwas First Secretary of State at the time I was there, and encouraged\neducation on this system by sending his own son to our central school,\nand by a frequent attendance himself in the afternoons when his public\nbusiness was over. Mr. Camillo was, and I believe is, contributing\nto the enlightening of his countrymen respecting education and other\nimprovements by publishing a periodical work which had these things for\nits sole object. Don Manuel Salas is already known to you by my letters\nfrom Chile. He is a man up in years, and his only desire is to benefit\nhis countrymen in every way he can, and he looks upon education as the\nmost effectual means of doing permanent good.\n\nI have only further to mention respecting Chile, that Mr. Ega\u00f1a, the\npresent envoy from that government now in London, will be ready to\ngive the Committee any information or assistance in his power to the\nfurtherance of this object.\n\nMy arrival in Peru, in the end of June 1822, and the favourable\ncircumstances in the establishment of schools there, is detailed in my\nletters written about that period. Some time after these prosperous days,\nthe war in that country greatly hindered the progress of education.\nWe had often been scourged by this foe before, particularly in Buenos\nAires, but the occurrences in Peru were to me, at least, new. Our former\nwars were among ourselves, and whatever party gained the ascendancy the\nschools went on unmolested, or nearly so; but in Lima we came in contact\nwith the Spaniards, the well known encouragers of ignorance, at least so\nfar as South America is concerned. Twice was Lima taken possession of\nby the Spanish armies during my residence there. On the first occasion\nI left the city along with some thousands, who fled at that unhappy\ntime. The schools suffered an interruption of three months by the first\nvisit of the Spanish troops. On the second occasion, to prevent a like\ninterruption, I remained in the city, and the schools went on, though not\nso prosperously as we could have wished. The protection we enjoyed at\nthis time was owing, I believe, in a good measure, to the general feeling\nin the place in favour, of education. After remaining six months under\nthe Spanish dominion, in that city, and finding it impossible to advance,\nI left that place on my way northward, and finally came to England.\nOf the result of this journey you are already acquainted, through the\npublications of the Bible Society.\n\nThe Central School established in the College of the Dominican Friars\nin Lima, contained, on the entrance of the Spanish army, 230 children,\nand was going on well; there was another school on the same plan which\nhad 80 scholars in it. In both these schools printed sheets of extracts\nfrom the Scriptures were used for lessons, the same as in Buenos Aires\nand Chile. But in addition to this, in Lima the New Testament entire,\nprinted by the British and Foreign Bible Society in London, was used as\nour principal school-book. In this precious volume the children in the\nhigher classes read, and were questioned as to its contents. The same\nvolume was carried home by the children, and read by them there, and\nportions of it also were committed to memory. These portions were recited\nin school, and premiums were awarded according to the accuracy of the\nrecitation, and the clearness of the views which the children gave in\ntheir own language, of what they had recited. Besides the sheet lessons,\nthe Scripture extracts were printed and used in the form of little books.\nRequests at times came from the parents to have a copy of these to read,\nwhich requests were complied with, and thus the word of God became more\nknown, and I trust more revered and obeyed.\n\nI am not sure whether I mentioned to you or not, on former occasions,\n_the name_ of an esteemed friend and an able coadjutor in the work of\neducation. It would in me be a dereliction of duty to pass over in\nsilence the name and the character of this individual. The gentleman I\nspeak of is Don Jos\u00e9 Francisco Navarrete, a clergyman in Lima. After\nan acquaintance with him for about two years, and experiencing during\nthe half of that time his able co-operation, I beg leave to recommend\nhim to the attention of the Society, in reference to the furtherance of\neducation in Peru. I have had three letters from him since my return to\nEngland, and am happy to find that he continues his exertions unabated in\npromoting the instruction of youth, and that the schools left under his\ncharge are doing well. He informs me that a school has been established\nin Hu\u00e1nuco, and that it is conducted by a native of that place, who\nattended our school in Lima several months when I was there. Hu\u00e1nuco\nis a very happy station for a school. It is situated in an interesting\ncountry, and is the key to the large uncivilized population which inhabit\nthe banks of the Huall\u00e1ga, Ucay\u00e1li, and Amazon. From Hu\u00e1nuco as a centre\nI am persuaded much may be done on behalf of these poor creatures,\nwho, though living in one of the richest portions of the world, wander\nabout almost naked, half fed, and in complete ignorance of the arts and\ncomforts of life; and what is still more to be regretted, no cheering\nray breaks in upon them of a world to come, and of the everlasting\nfelicity to be enjoyed there through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us hope,\nand let us pray for it, that education may soon begin among them, that\nthe Holy Scriptures may be put into their hands, and that the Spirit\nof God may descend upon these poor Gentiles, as it did on us in former\ndays, that their sins may be washed away, and that they may enjoy an\ninheritance among all them that are sanctified.\n\nAnother favourable circumstance has taken place since my leaving Peru,\nin regard to the quarter I am now speaking of. In Ocopa, not far distant\nfrom Hu\u00e1nuco there has existed for many years a College of Friars, most\nof whom were natives of Spain. This College has been made to change its\nobject, and instead of being as formerly a nursery of Friars, it has\nbecome a seminary for the education of youth on the British System, and\nits ample funds are now applied to this object. This happy change has\nbeen effected entirely through General Bol\u00edvar. After mentioning this\ncircumstance, as bearing on the character of Bol\u00edvar, it might be thought\nunnecessary to say more respecting him, as the instance now mentioned\nvery plainly indicates his desire to benefit South America, not by his\nmilitary exertions only, but also by the gentler, more effectual means\nof early instruction. I must however add two circumstances more, in\nproof of Bol\u00edvar\u2019s deep interest and active exertions in the cause of\neducation. Some months subsequent to the decree referred to for changing\nthe object of the College of Ocopa, he issued a decree for establishing\na Central School on the Lancasterian System, in the capital city of each\nprovince throughout Peru, and from which Central Schools, masters are to\nbe sent into all the towns and hamlets of the respective provinces. This\nis a most effectual measure for speedily enlightening all the inhabitants\nof that country. The other circumstance I have to mention in regard to\nBol\u00edvar is a decree he issued about a year ago for sending two young\nmen from every province in Peru to England, to receive here, at the\nexpense of the Government, the best education that can be obtained. After\nfinishing their studies in this country, these young men are to return\nto their native land, and to fill important stations in the great work\nof general illumination. I am sure the hearts of the Committee are by\nthis time warmly attached to this useful individual, whom God Almighty\nhas raised up to be so great a blessing to his country, in breaking\ntheir chains of oppression and of ignorance. Ten of the young men sent\nby Bol\u00edvar have arrived in this country, and are now pursuing their\nstudies in the neighbourhood of London. One of these was a monitor in our\ncentral school in Lima. The rest of the young men are expected to arrive\nhere soon. I am happy in being thus able to confirm, by unexceptionable\ninstances, the opinion I formerly gave you of this great man, after\nenjoying the pleasure of an interview with him, and conversing upon these\nsubjects.\u2014To these things must be added the appropriation of 20,000\ndollars for promoting schools in Caraccas through Mr. Lancaster.\n\nIn the lustre of Bol\u00edvar, I had nearly forgotten something more I had to\nsay of our friend Navarrete, a man who only needs the station of Bol\u00edvar\nto do all that he does. In one of the letters I lately received from\nhim, he says, he has obtained from the Government the grant of part of a\nnunnery for establishing a girls\u2019 school. This nunnery is close beside\nthe college where the boys\u2019 central school is. This school, about to\nbe established, is to be the model and the central establishment for\nthe education of the female sex, a branch of education very much wanted\nin that country. May God speed the labours of our dear friend in this\nmatter, and may mothers, and daughters, and sisters, embalm his memory\nfor ages to come!\n\nI believe the Committee is now aware that I have given up any intention\nof returning to Peru, and that I have fixed on another spot of South\nAmerica, where I intend to spend my remaining days. I would beg leave,\ntherefore, to solicit the attention of the Committee to Peru, and would\nsuggest the propriety of their sending out a fit person to that place, to\nbe actively employed in the establishment of schools. I have no doubt of\nsuch an individual meeting with a favourable reception, and of his being\nimmediately employed by the Government in this work.\n\nBefore leaving Peru, I wish to notice one of the articles of the\nconstitution of that state, as it has an important bearing upon the cause\nof education. The article in question states, that the elective franchise\nis open to all, but with the express preliminary qualification, that\nthe voter be able to read and to write. It is, however, added that in\nconsequence of the ignorance in which the Spaniards have kept the people\nin general, this pre-requisite shall not be required until the year 1840.\nThe measures which the Government is pursuing for promoting general\neducation, bid fair, I think, to qualify all by the given time, in the\nmanner referred to.[9]\n\nIn regard to education in Colombia, I have hitherto said but little, and\nthat little is contained in a letter to you from Quito, in November 1824.\nIn that communication, I mentioned a plan for establishing a seminary\nfor the education of the female sex in that city. The difficulties\nof converting a monastery into such a seminary are considerable, and\nalthough I am pretty confident of the ultimate success of that measure,\nI cannot speak definitely as to its progress. The last notice I had\nupon the subject, was in a letter from one of the members of Congress,\nin which he says, that the question was to be forthwith discussed in\nCongress. I hope no long time will elapse before we have the gratifying\nintelligence of the complete success of this measure, and, in expectation\nof this, I suggest the propriety of having a well qualified person\nready to occupy this station. I am thus particular upon this point, as\nI conceive the carrying into effect the proposed plan, will have a most\nbeneficial tendency on the welfare of that large city (the largest in\nColombia), and on that of the populous and interesting district in which\nit is situated.\n\nIn passing along from Quito to Bogot\u00e1, I found three schools established\non the British or Monitorian System; one was in Yahuar\u00e1, and the other\ntwo were in Popayan; one of the latter was for boys, and the other for\ngirls. The establishment of these schools, in the provincial parts of\nColombia, is the result of a general plan of education upon this system\nin connection with a central school established some time ago in Bogot\u00e1,\nthe capital. On arriving at that city, I visited this model school, and\nhoped to meet there the director of the establishment, to converse with\nhim in regard to the number and efficiency of the various provincial\nschools. I was however disappointed of seeing him, as he was then\nactually engaged on a tour through some of the provinces to promote the\nformation of new schools. I cannot, therefore, state how many schools\nwere then in operation, but I have good reason to think the existing\nnumber is calculated to encourage the friends of education, and that it\ngoes on increasing.\n\nI received from Mr. Restrepo, the minister of the interior, a set of\nthe lessons used in the schools. One regrets to find the Scriptures not\nthere, nor any extracts from a volume so much calculated to benefit\nus, in youth and in age, in time and in eternity. With this important\nexception, the lessons are good, and every way superior to the trash\nformerly used in the schools of South America. One part of the lessons\nis worthy of notice. The constitution of the country is divided into\nportions and sections, and is read in the schools. By this means\nthe children get acquainted in early life with the real nature and\ncircumstances of their native land, and thus become better citizens, and\nmore useful to each other. This plan is worthy of imitation in other\nquarters. It is to be hoped that ere long this judicious plan, which has\nbeen adopted for imbuing the early mind with a knowledge of the statutes\nof their country, will be adopted also with regard to the statutes of God\nunfolded in the Holy Scriptures.\n\nThe next part of what was formerly called Spanish America is Guatemala.\nThis is properly neither in North nor South America, and it has, in\nconsequence, been denominated Central America. Not having visited that\nquarter, all I have to say of it in regard to education is but little,\nand that is, of course, from the information of others, I understand\nseveral schools have been established in the capital and elsewhere, but\nnone of these are on the monitorian plan. In conversing with Mr. Zebad\u00faa\nthe envoy of that government in London, and with Mr. Herrera, a gentleman\nfrom that country who feels a great interest in education, I have learned\nthat they are very desirous of obtaining a person thoroughly versed in\nthis system, in order to establish a central and other schools in that\nrepublic. I hope the Committee will have this quarter in view as well as\nthe others recommended above, when properly qualified teachers can be\nobtained.\n\nThe only other part that remains to be noticed is Mexico; and for\ninformation respecting the state and prospects of education there,\nI beg leave to refer you to the interesting communication of our\nexcellent friend, Don Vicente de Rocafuerte, Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires from that\ngovernment.[10]\n\nIn reviewing the state and progress of education in South America, there\nis undoubtedly much that is calculated to gratify and to cheer the hearts\nof those who delight in the progress of knowledge, and in the welfare\nof man. Besides the pleasure that arises from seeing what has actually\nbeen done in the few years in which these new states have enjoyed the\nboon of liberty,\u2014there is yet more to cheer us in contemplating the\ngeneral feeling which pervades the country upon the important subject\nof education. During my seven years\u2019 residence in that country, I have\nhad intercourse with all classes of society there, and, through repeated\nconversations and otherwise, have come, I think, to understand what are\nthe actual feelings and desires of the people upon this point. _I have\nno hesitation in saying, that the public voice is decidedly in favour\nof UNIVERSAL EDUCATION_. I never heard, even once, what is still to be\nheard elsewhere, \u201cthat the poor should not be taught.\u201d The very opposite\nfeeling most undoubtedly exists and prevails among the clergy and the\nlaity, the governors and the governed. On a survey, therefore, of the\nwhole scene, and in looking into futurity, the brightest views may, I\nthink, be entertained as to the progress and best interests of man in\nthat large and interesting continent; and, from this view of things, I am\nsure none will derive more real gratification than the Committee of the\nBritish and Foreign School Society.\n\n    _Report of Mr. Rocafuerte, Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires in England\n    from the Government of Mexico, delivered in a Speech at the\n    Twenty-first Annual Meeting of the British and Foreign School\n    Society, May 15th, 1826._\n\n    The independence of South America is the consequence of that\n    growing spirit of modern civilization which, having crossed\n    the Atlantic Ocean on the wings of trade, has penetrated into\n    those remote countries, and liberated them from the Spanish\n    yoke. What more gratifying picture can there be for a true and\n    liberal Christian, than that which the new world now presents,\n    overturning a bad system, and establishing a good one, without\n    being attended with scenes of violence and cruelties. It may\n    truly be said that the characteristic feature of the Mexican\n    revolution is that spirit of moderation and generosity which\n    the maxims of the Gospel recommend, and which are the best\n    means for establishing true liberty. Our revolution, in its\n    object, its means, and end, is very different from that of\n    France: among us, it is not an overthrow of all principles; it\n    is a natural tendency to create a new order; it is a general\n    combination to promote the happiness of a vast continent;\n    it is a necessary transition from darkness to light, from\n    superstition to christian morality. From the ruins of Greece\n    and Italy, sprung some rays of light, which, illuminating\n    the darkness of the middle age, prepared the epoch of the\n    discovery of the printing-press, the mariner\u2019s compass, and\n    the new world. From that time, the constant progress of the\n    arts and sciences has converted knowledge into power, and\n    nations have been more or less opulent and happy in the ratio\n    of their scientific attainments, of their industry, and above\n    all, of their moral and religious principles, which form the\n    solid basis of true freedom. To these effects of liberty,\n    England owes her greatness, her happiness, and that very first\n    rank which she holds in the catalogue of civilized nations.\n    Spain, that beautiful country, worthy of a better fate, has\n    been ruined by her ignorance and monkish superstition; she\n    has only one advantage over the Turkish nation, and that is,\n    that she lives under the glorious standard of the cross; and\n    this standard, I hope, will soon lead the valiant and heroic\n    Greeks to victory, and thus enable them at length to spread\n    Christianity over the land of their tyrants.\n\n    Those lessons shall not be lost in South America. We are\n    convinced that the foundation of our future and permanent\n    prosperity rests on the moral improvements of the lower classes\n    of society. It is not enough for a man to know how to read and\n    write, and gain a livelihood; he must have religious habits,\n    must know exactly his duties towards God and towards society;\n    and no institution is so well calculated for obtaining those\n    great objects as the British and Foreign School Society. What\n    an admirable undertaking it is, to bestow the blessing of\n    scriptural knowledge on all mankind, to unite all the nations\n    of the globe, by the brotherly ties of science and religion.\n    Ye noble promoters of this institution! be assured you have\n    many warm friends in South America. The general desire with us\n    of all true and enlightened patriots, is for education; the\n    general cry all over our continent is, _give us education_.\n    This is the reason that the Lancasterian System has been\n    immediately adopted in almost every part of South America.\n\n    Mr. Lancaster is now living at Caraccas, and promoting public\n    instruction there.\n\n    In Mexico, the first Lancasterian School was opened on the\n    22nd of August, 1822; and by one of those singular occurrences\n    in revolutions, the halls of the Inquisition, so inimical to\n    this Institution, were converted into a public school, into\n    a nursery of free men, into a true temple of reason. Three\n    hundred children are taught to read in this school according to\n    this new system of education, a system which will lead to the\n    moral perfection of the world, as the mariner\u2019s compass led to\n    the geographical perfection of the globe. This first school was\n    called _Escuela del Sol_.\n\n    Some time afterwards the Government granted to the Lancasterian\n    Association of Mexico the large and beautiful convent of\n    Bethlehem, and a second school was formed there. This\n    establishment is divided into three departments, and directed\n    by two professors well acquainted with the system; one of them\n    is a Frenchman, who went purposely for that object from Paris\n    to Mexico.\n\n    The first department is calculated for six hundred and sixty\n    children; they learn to read, write, and _cypher_; they are\n    also instructed in the political and religious catechism,\n    orthography, arithmetic, and Spanish grammar. The parents of\n    the scholars who can pay, give a dollar a month, which is about\n    two pounds ten shillings a year; the children of the poor pay\n    nothing.\n\n    The second department will contain four hundred scholars, who\n    pay two dollars per month, or nearly five pounds a year. It\n    is a model or central school for forming teachers and good\n    professors; and these are afterwards to be sent into the\n    different provinces, in order to fulfil the desire of our\n    Government, which is, to place in every village throughout\n    Mexico a Lancasterian school, a printing-press, and a chapel.\n\n    The third department will contain three hundred scholars; and\n    these pay three dollars a month, or seven pounds a year. The\n    object intended in this department is, to teach Latin, French,\n    geography, and drawing, on the principles of the Lancasterian\n    system. This trial has been made, but I am not sure whether it\n    has answered or not.\n\n    In 1823, there were introduced into the Lancasterian school\n    of Mexico, the lessons used in your school in London, taken\n    from the Bible, without note or comment. Some old priests\n    opposed the introduction of these, stating that it was\n    prohibited to read extracts from the Bible without notes. The\n    Secretary of the Lancasterian Association, Mr. Gand\u00e9ra, a\n    very enlightened clergyman, and distinguished for his virtue\n    and zeal in the cause of religion, supported the opposite\n    opinion, and succeeded in establishing in the school the use\n    of these extracts. The consequence is, that our children are\n    acquiring a taste for the perusal of the Scriptures, and they\n    are hence learning to be virtuous, charitable, tolerant, and\n    free. This moral education will promote the cause of religious\n    toleration, and will effect that regeneration which our new\n    political system requires. We cannot remain as we are; we must\n    go forward; and, as said in Parliament by Mr. Canning, (whose\n    name is dear to all our hearts in South America,) \u201cwe must go\n    forward, and keep pace with the growing spirit of the times,\n    and the great change that has been wrought in the opinions\n    of the world.\u201d This great change in the general opinion is,\n    that nations can only be happy under the banners of liberal\n    sentiments and true morality; that, in short, the combination\n    of political and religious freedom is as necessary for the\n    moral happiness of mankind, as that combination of the two\n    gasses, forming the atmospheric air which we breathe, is to\n    our physical existence. This vast plan of human improvement\n    is the great object of your noble Institution, an Institution\n    which truly deserves the gratitude of the world, and the most\n    cordial support of all who are influenced _by the love of their\n    country, and the principles of Christianity_.\n\n[7] Though this letter was not written in South America, as all the\npreceding were, yet its evident bearing upon the subject in hand entitle\nit, perhaps, to the place it occupies.\n\n[8] At page 32, it is stated that religious liberty was publicly\nacknowledged in Peru, under San Martin. This acknowledgement, in Peru,\nof this sound principle of policy and of justice, certainly preceded the\none here referred to in San Juan. But the circumstances were different.\nIn Peru it was the single act of General San Martin, as Protector,\nor Dictator of Peru, and the people of the country had no share in\nit, whereas in San Juan, the declaration of Religious Liberty was a\nlegislative act.\n\n[9] This notice, I find, is mentioned in a preceding letter, yet I leave\nit here also, as I think the subject is not unworthy of a repetition.\n\n[10] This communication, bearing upon the subject of education in\nSpanish America, will be added at the close of this letter. When this\ncommunication is considered as the production of a native of that\ncountry, a gentleman intimately acquainted with its concerns, and\nactually holding a high official situation under the Government of the\nmost populous of these new states, it may tend to confirm the favourable\naccounts from that quarter of the world contained in the preceding\nletters.\n\nThe enlightened and liberal mind of Mr. Rocafuerte, and his truly zealous\nendeavours to raise his country high in political wisdom, in literature,\nin morality, and in pure religion, are truly praiseworthy.\n\n\nFINIS.\n\n\n    DENNETT,\n    Leather Lane, London.","title":"Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America: Written during a residence of nearly seven years in Buenos Aires, Chile, Peru and Colombia","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":76256}