AFFAIRS OF THE ASSOCIATION. 263

CHAPTER VIII.

Exertions of men in the cause of others, however zealous, condemned when unsuccessful.-Dissolution of the Potosi Mining establishment.-A card of excuse.-Stagnant state of existence.-Unceasing change in the Government of the South American States. Fanciful picture of an idealist.-A regular life.-Domestic concerns.

JANUARY 1, 1827. Whoever has read "Reports relating to the failure of the Rio Plata Mining Association," although he may disagree with the author on some important points, yet must admit that, under the difficulties with which that active officer had to contend, every step was conscientiously taken, according to the best of his judgment, for the interest and benefit of the Association he represented. Himself a man of honour, he cared only for the opinions of such, and, assured of these, he acted, sometimes indeed with precipitancy, but always with a confidence that he was performing his duty.

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AFFAIRS OF THE ASSOCIATION.

By practising all the good, and avoiding the few errors, of such a line of conduct, it might be supposed that a man could hardly fail in gaining the approbation of all parties. The chief commissioner of the late Chilian and Peruvian Company seems as nearly as possible to have done so; but still he was found fault with, and his proceedings were disapproved. Such is the injustice of men, that they view as a crime even the desire to please, when that desire, strenuous as it may have been, has not succeeded. The reflection is certainly disheartening; but it is requisite to bear in mind, that although we cannot command approbation, we should never relax in our exertions to deserve it. This sentiment encourages me now to steer forward in a course which I consider to be for the benefit of my employers, and which, as such, I deem it my duty to pursue.

Having maturely considered the situation in which the affairs of the Association have been thrown, and seeing no prospect of relief, I resolved to break up the whole Potosi establishment, and thereby effect a very important saving in salaries alone. In pursuance of this resolution, I wrote a few friendly lines to my companions in adversity, Baron Czettritz and Mr. Scriviner, stating that, the reduction of the establishment being imperatively called for, I

ACT OF DUTY.

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found myself reluctantly compelled to give them notice that their services were no longer required.

This proceeding occasioned no small degree of surprise to my two friends, and added to the deep annoyance they already experienced, in common with all concerned, from the calamitous turn our affairs had so suddenly taken. They soon, however, reconciled themselves to the event; and their own zealous performance of what they considered their duty, added to their high sense of integrity, prevented them from viewing this act of authority as in the slightest degree unfriendly on my part.

Baron Czettritz, from his practical mining intelligence, skill, and general information, all of which, in the opinion of the natives, were considerably enhanced by that affability of manner before alluded to, and which is the best passport through this country, acquired many friends, who had spread their good report respecting his abilities into distant mining districts, whence he received proposals for remodelling, or conducting, sundry establishments, some of which he thought likely to prove beneficial to his views.

Mr. Scriviner, having profited fairly by the liberal education he had received in the medical profession, which he occasionally practised

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at Potosi with considerable success, retired to Salta, where, at the express invitation of many respectable families of that town, he established himself; and possessing, as he does, those good qualities which seldom fail to acquire friends, he is as likely to make his way through the rugged journey of life, on which he has only just entered, as any young man in his situation, for he carries with him the esteem and good wishes of all who know him.

15th. This day I invited to dinner a few friends to meet the prefect of the department and the gallant soldier, general Cordova. Among those friends was Señor V. Doctor of Laws and secretary to the government, who, to my card of invitation, returned a reply which may be found closely Englished in old Francis Quarles

"Behold these rags-am I a fitting guest

To taste the dainties of thy noble feast,

With hands and face unwashed, ungirt, unblest ?"

That the foregoing is not a very loose paraphrase of the original, may be seen by a glance at the literal translation.

"Doctor V. is extremely grateful to Don Edmondo for his friendly summons to his feast, (festin,) but Doctor V, not having shaved for some days, and being so very dirty (sucio), he begs to be excused from appearing among decent people (gente decente)."

I readily excused my friend, and from the general good-humour and hilarity of the whole company, except the giver of the feast, there was no reason to suppose that the absence of the unshaved, unwashed, uncombed Doctor, was in any way regretted. Except myself, the whole company seemed to enjoy their entertainment with feelings of mirth and merriment. I struggled hard to do so too, but every attempt was fruitless; an unseemly distortion of the muscles about the mouth was the best attempt I could make to laugh at a good joke, and tended only to prove the extreme difficulty of wearing a face of pleasure with a heart of pain; a difficulty which I have sometimes succeeded in overcoming, and thought I could do so here, but in vain.

The state of harassing perplexity into which I was thrown by our sudden and unexpected reverse of fortune, became doubly distressing from the presence of ennui in its most lugubrious character. I found myself for the first time in my life in a stagnant state of existence, in which Time itself seemed to pause, or stole with leaden steps so tediously along, as to leave no other feeling than dreariness and weariness to the exiled mind. It was not a feeling of cankering care, nor pain, nor sorrow: dire as