way to be compared with it. Besides its advantages as a great emporium for the interior provinces, it is favourably situated for a trade with Brazils, the West Indies, Europe, the Cape of Good Hope and Asia. The assertion of Dupradt, that neither Tyre, Carthage, nor Rome, had higher destinies than this city, is not exaggerated. p. 102.

'Some apparent confusion exists in the political divisions of the United Provinces; a few explanatory remarks, may not be unnecessary. This confusion arises from the mistake of confounding some of the smaller subdivisions or jurisdictions, with those which properly come under the denomination of provinces, and considered members of the union, governed in the manner prescribed by the provisional statute. It must be borne in mind, that the viceroyalty was divided into two audiencias, four intendencies included in each; four in the lower country, and the like number in Upper Peru. Each of the eight intendencies, had their subordinate jurisdictions, with lieutenant-governors and sub-delegadoes. p. 111.

In the audiencia of Buenos Ayres, the term, intendency, is no longer used, that of province, having taken its place; and at the same time, the number of provinces were increased in 1814, after the capture of Monte Video, by the division of some of the intendencies. For instance, Cuyo and Tucuman were taken from Cordova; Santa Fee, Monte Video and Corrientes, were taken from Buenos Ayres.

'Five new provinces were therefore laid off; making the present number nine, (including Paraguay,) instead of four. They are Salta, Tucuman, Cordova, Cuyo, Buenos Ayres, Paraguay, Santa Fee, Corrientes, and Monte Video.

'They are called free provinces, because the Spanish authorities have ceased to exist, although, during the contest, Salta and Tucuman were, for a short time, the seats of war; but for the last three or four years, the Spanish arms have been confined to Upper Peru.

'The Portuguese, in their war with Artigas, have taken possession of part of the province of Monte Video, but with

the avowed intention of refraining from hostilities against those provinces which are at present united.

Of the nine provinces, all are united except Paraguay, Santa Fee, Corrientes, and Monte Video. The first entered into an amicable arrangement with Buenos Ayres, at the commencement of the revolution, but has since resolved to keep aloof from all parties; and is, therefore, to be regarded as a neutral, excepting so far as respects Spain. Since Santa Fee has withdrawn itself, the town and immediate vicinity, only, have been free from the jurisdiction of Buenos Ayres, as all the rest of the province has been subjected to the control of the general government. Part of the Entre Rios was under the jurisdiction of Corrientes, and part of Santa Fee. The people however, of Santa Fee, Entre Rios, Monte Video, are in favour of joining the confederacy, when they can do it on such terms as they think to their interests, whatever may be the intentions of Artigas, who at present governs them. What may be the ultimate wish of Paraguay, is not known. p. 112.

'The five provinces of the union contain four hundred and fifty thousand souls, exclusive of Indians, and about six hundred thousand square miles; little short of the whole extent of our old thirteen states. p. 114.

'It appears, that the capital has a force of seventeen thousand seven hundred and fifty-two, well diciplined and wellarmed men, ready, at a very short warning, to make front against an enemy, without counting those who are not enrolled, and who would be called out on any extraordinary emergency. p. 174.

'The total given in the table, that is to say, twenty-nine thousand seven hundred and fifty-seven, may very safely be taken as the lowest estimate of the effective force; of these, about one half are regulars in the pay of the state. The different kinds of force, are in the following proportions; one thousand two hundred and ninety-six artillery, thirteen thou

sand six hundred and ninety-three infantry, and fourteen thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight cavalry. p. 176.

'The most effectual plan fallen upon by the government for recruiting their forces, has been the purchase of negro slaves, entering them as soldiers, under the condition of giving them their liberty, after two years service. About a fourth of the regulars, are blacks, have been thus purchased, and are not inferior to any troops in the world. p. 177.

'In their arsenals and manufactory of arms, they have fourteen thousand stand; in their different parks, they have an extraordinary quantity of fine cannon and field artillery, and in their public stores, a great abundance of munitions of war, of every description. They have the finest brass cannon I ever saw; the greater part of which belonged to the king. Their supplies of this nature are, in fact, more like those of some old and powerful state, and not of one so recently established; they will not have to expend any large sums in these things for many years. p. 178.

'The revenues of the state, are at present almost entirely levied in the province of Buenos Ayres, with the exception of about two hundred thousand dollars collected from the province of Cuyo, Tucuman, Cordova, and Salta. The receipts of the customs is the only indirect tax which falls on the provinces generally, and its proceeds are faithfully appropriated to the support of the common cause. The duties on stamps are still continued, but do not afford any great amount of revenue. The tables annexed to the report of Mr. Rodney, exhibit a concise view of the receipts and expenditures, as well as of the outstanding debts of the state. The receipts of the customs amounted to one million one hundred thousand dollars, which may be regarded as about the average. It is the largest item in the account of their receipts. In consequence of the high rate of duties which had been established under the mistaken idea that they fall entirely upon strangers, a good deal of smuggling was occasioned.

Through the representation of English merchants, and experience of the evil, they have since been induced to lower them considerably. They ought to be extremely cautious how they give occasion to a renewal of the old system of corruption and bribery, which had fallen into disgrace in the republic, when formerly nothing was disreputable but detection.

'An important item is composed of loans from native and foreign merchants, not altogether voluntary; what degree of constraint may be used, I know not, nor am I prepared to say how far a people contending for their existence would be justifiable in going.

'There is another irregular mode of raising money, which falls heavily upon individuals, though intended to be borne by the community, as there never has yet been established any system of direct taxation.

'Last year, for instance, the sum of seventy-eight thousand four hundred and eighty-three dollars was apportioned among the different gremios, or bodies.

'The old Spaniards are occasionally called upon, and are required to pay liberally. Considerable sums have been drawn for the revenues of the monasteries. There are besides, large sums levied from butchers and bakers, and considered a species of indirect tax on the people. The bakers are the millers, and also the dealers in wheat. This tax was very heavy, but has since been reduced. The contributions of last year to the amount of eight thousand dollars monthly, fell upon thirty bakers.' p. 185.

220

ART. III.The Bucktail Bards, or State Triumvirate, &c. a poem. [Published at New York.]

2. Proces Verbal of the Ceremony of Installation of President of the New York Historical Society, &c.

A REVIEW of the first named of the above productions, has been handed to us for insertion in this Journal. The style, and import of the critique bespeak its origin in a vigorous and cultivated understanding: but the sentiments which it holds forth, are so much in discordance with our own, that it cannot be admitted into the pages of the Analectic Magazine.

There is in the very respectable community of the city of New York, a fashion we fear much too prevalent, of turning into ridicule and burlesque, both persons and things, connected, for the time at least, with the best interests of literature and science. Our national literature is at present struggling with many difficulties, and repressed by many disadvantages, among which, not the least nor most inconsiderable, is national neglect. It therefore behoves those possessed of the powers of wit, rather to turn the shafts of satire against the enemies of learning, to be indulgent towards its profespower, the zeal, sors, and encourage, by all the means in their whether real or affected, of its friends. Our scientific institutions are, of course, yet in their infancy; and have obtained no very strong hold on the confidence and respect of the nation. Eminence in literature, has not, except in the case of the present attorney-general of the United States, conduced to political promotion; nor has it often happened, that men distinguished for their success in professional or political life, have desired the reputation of being votaries of science, or have made any effort to disseminate among those under the influence of their example, a taste and a veneration for liberal studies. There can be no question of the unfortunate effect of the circumstance above mentioned. As long as eminence in any branch of natural science, history, or belles lettres is deem