and benefit of husbandry. The Mefta people did fo, and had a confirmation of their laws from Charles 5th, in 1544, but with this condition, of their not being prejudicial to a third perfon. Let Eftremadura anfwer, whether this is the cafe? and let the farmers then give their opinions. But I must insist with Solinus, that in Spain, no part where there is a poffibility of avoiding it, should remain otiofum neque fterile. *

LETTER

TER VII.

Mifcellaneous obfervations made at Madrid, with fome account of the royal cabinet of Natural History.

THE town of Madrid is now become the capital of the monarchs of Spain, fituated in the center of their dominions, and from one of the fil

thieft

*Ever fince the acceffion of the houfe of Bourbon to the throne of Spain, the extenfion of commerce, and the improvement of agriculture have been primary objects. The Real Junta de Commercio, or Board of Trade, was first erected by Philip the 5th, on the 15th of May, 1707. Many new regulations have been made for the benefit of commerce and agriculture, fince his present majesty's arríval from Naples at Madrid, which was on the 9th of December 1759. For the greater encouragement of agri

culture

thiest places imaginable, is at present on a par for cleanliness with several principal cities of Europe, being likewise well paved and lighted, but in refpect to population, it is far inferior to London,

Paris,

culture, all the old laws relative to corn were repealed in 1765, and the embarrassments with which they were clogged totally removed: new laws more favourable to industry, were enacted, and a spirit of freedom and liberty introduced in the commerce of grain, in order to give every encouragement to the farmer. To improve the minds of the people, Academies were erected in Madrid, Valladolid, Seville, Valencia, and Barcelona, besides many literary focieties in different parts of the kindom, particularly one at Madrid, with the noblest of titles "Los Amigos del pais," The Friends of their country, in which every subject is to be confidered, tending to the advancement of arts, manufactures, and commerce; and the better to convey these ideas to the public, the art of printing has been particularly attended to, and brought to very great perfection: however as all these literary establishments are ftill in their infancy, time only will discover their intended effects. The new roads through the kingdom form a principal branch of modern improvement, and for the better compleating the fame, they have been again put under the direction of the general poft office, by a royal decree of the 8th October, 1778, with new revenues affigned for the purpofe; but with respect to the want of inns, and conveniencies for travellers, Don Antonio Ponz, in his last volume infists, that every thing that has, or can be faid, on the subject, is ftill fhort of the truth. "La verdad es, que en quanto a la penuria que fe padece en esta materia,

qual

*

Paris, or Naples. Madrid is in a high fituation, all the rivers and brooks in its neighbourhood fall into the Tagus, whofe waters roll down to the ocean. The Guadarama mountains, to the north west of the town, are covered with fnow feveral months of the year, which added to the piercing north winds, that reign in the winter, renders it exceffively cold, while in fummer the fouthern and wefterly blafts are generally attended

with

qualquiera fe quedara corto por mucho que diga." Viage de Efpana, tom. 8. folio 212. Madrid 1778.

*The following table was published at Madrid for the year 1778, will fhew the prefent ftate of population in that

with dampness and rain. Travellers have told us, the air is fo fubtle that if a dead dog was thrown into the streets over night, he would not have a bit of flesh on his bones in the morning, but this is a fable, as it is a known fact, that dead dogs and cats lie in the ftreets continually, as well as dead mules, close to the road fide, for days together, without any fuch effect.

Hiftorians relate that King John 2d being in Madrid, in 1434, it began to rain and fnow on the 29th of October, and never ceased till the 7th January following, infomuch that feveral houses were deftroyed, and the inhabitants reduced to the greatest distress for want of provifions; a report having been spread that the King intended to alienate the town, the inhabitants petitioned the King not to defert them, which finally terminated in a royal edict of the goth of May 1442, by which it was ordained that neither the town or its jurifdiction, could ever be alienated.

The

There died this year in the parishes and in the three hofpitals 3483 perfons, without reckoning infants, and those who died in communities, nnnneries, and the other hofpitals of the court; and there have been 4372 births, including the foundlings baptized in St. Gines.

This year 611 infants have been brought to the royal foundation of La Inclufa for foundlings, of which 341 have been baptised in the parish of St. Gines. Kalendario manual, y Guia de forafteros en Madrid para el ano de 1778.

row.

The principal ftreets of Madrid are paved with cut flint, the others with pebbles, found in the neighbourhood, the cut flint on account of its sharpness is very inconvenient to foot paffengers, and the flat pavement near the houses is too narThe town is well supplied with water, and there are conduits in the principal streets; that called del berro, in the neighbourhood of the town is constantly drank by the royal family whereever they are. The bread is white and good, and when the barrenness of the country all around is confidered, the plaza mayor or principal square, where the market is kept, is extremely well fupplied with all manner of provisions.

Mr. Bowles has obferved that if that celebrated profeffor Mr. Henckel, had come to Madrid, he would foon have been convinced of his errror, in faying that "flint was not to be found in ftrata and only in detached lumps, or in maffes, for here he would find all the environs replete with ftrata of flint; and moreover not a house or a building, but what has been conftructed with lime made from flint, * which ferves alfo for fire

arms,

*It is allowed that nature by fome process unknown to us, feems to change limeftone into flint, but this change once made, we cannot by calcination, or any other known

means,