Spanish colonies. It was from those quarters that we were to look for a refutation of our statements, if erroneous, exaggerated, or untrue; for there, and particularly in the River Plate provinces, parties knew, as well as ourselves, the real state of affairs in Paraguay.

But what is the fact? Why that without any interference on our part, nay, wholly without our previous knowledge, the "Letters on Paraguay and Francia's Reign of Terror," translated into Spanish, are in actual process of publication by monthly numbers in Montevideo.* Passing over the compliments which are paid to the work, in the public announcement of its republication in a Spanish garb, we will merely say that the translator (we do not even know his name) states that the truthfulness of the whole book forms its great recommendation to the South American native reader. And we have only, in conclusion, to observe that ours is the first English work on South America which has been translated into the Spanish language by a native of the very countries we have described.

* "El Nacional-Diario Politico, Literario y Comercial. Montevideo, 30 June, 1841."

We suggest, without affirming that the philosoph of the case may be this. The minds of men were taken by surprise on reading the annals of Francia's despotism and crime, and the first impulse was to refuse credence to such a series of horrors acted in our own day, and of which it seemed impossible men should have remained wholly ignorant for so long a time. a time. The character of a living despot is generally developed to the world by degrees; facts come in gradual succession before it, giving time to examine, sift, and digest the whole. Each new atrocity is a corroboration of a former, and prepares the mind to receive a succeeding act of barbarity. But when the whole enormity of the long career of a guilty and bloody tyrant bursts on the view at once,—one dark deed following quick upon the heels of another, all condensed into half a day's reading, and all this of a man still living and still ruling a Christian land,-such a detail is on the spur of the moment deemed incredible, and our feelings pronounce against the probability of the case, ere reason, philosophy, and experience, can come to our aid, to satisfy us of its truth.

No one doubts that Mehemet Ali is a despot -a vindictive prince, who has commanded or

sanctioned more bloody atrocities than perhaps any other during the same period in modern times. But Mehemet Ali's career has been open to the view of all, and his character has been developed to the world by degrees. Had Francia's acts been as gradually laid bare to the scrutinizing eye of mankind, as Mehemet Ali's, the dictator would naturally and indisputably have taken the rank which we have assigned to him, and no one would have been incredulous of his blood-thirsty nature, or of his despotic sway. Mehemet Ali and Francia, indeed, have much in common, with, however, this essential distinction, that while the former has shown a disposition to be a despot both at home and abroad, the latter has been content to be one at home,—a chief cause, we may add, of his savage track having been not only bloody, but silent as that of the tiger.

Dr. Francia has gone to his long, his dark, his terrible account. To his earthly tribunal, where mercy never sat, and justice had no place, many were called and thence hurried into eternity. He has now himself been cited to appear before a judgment seat, where the immolated victim may stand on the vantage ground; and should other

public men in South America,-we speak advisedly, -be tempted to tread in the footsteps of him who was the ruthless Dictator of Paraguay, let them consider that their deeds will one day come to light, and let them forget not how emphatically we are told that there is a retributive justice, from which, here or hereafter, we cannot escape, and which will too surely overtake the shedder of innocent blood.

Many rumours were afloat of Francia's death before it actually took place, but it is now matter of history that he died in Assumption on the 20th of September, 1840. His disease was dropsy,

from which he had suffered for some considerable time previously, and he expired quietly in his bed. His age was eighty-three. The closing scene of his long life has not yet been laid open; but as those who have succeeded to the Government are gradually assuming an intercourse with their surrounding neighbours, we shall, no doubt, soon be put in possession of many interesting facts concerning the latter end of the extraordinary man who, for about eight and twenty years, isolated and desolated Paraguay.

THE AUTHORS.

22

LETTER III.

J. P. R. to GENERAL MILLER.

Landing at Corrientes-Its Traffic-Misery-Artigas's TacticsPersonal insecurity-A New Acquaintance-Don Pedro Campbell and his Page-An Irish Gaucho-A Harangue-The Gaucho and the Governor-Campbell's History-Reflections.

London, 1842. DISMISSING with the two preceding letters from "the authors," the history of Paraguay, and of our adventures there, I shall now transport you, along with myself, from the republic of Doctor Francia to the province of Corrientes. It was at that time acknowledging the supreme rule of His Excellency the Protector, Don José Artigas.* It had formed previously, as it now again forms, one of the United Provinces of the River Plate.

I landed at Corrientes, with a large property in 1815, and I found that the state of anarchy and confusion, of bloodshed, robbery, and violence, which had been consequent on giving up the town to the predatory band of Artigas, had a little, but

* We have given our readers a sketch of him in Letter VI. of "Francia's Reign of Terror."