The Sun.
London, England, 1808-08-11 00:00:00

SP;11:v.

After- thee-glOtions struggle which the. peOpie ni
this country have made for their independence, and
which we tru,St ill not only secure that independ-
ence, but tend to emancipate all Europe from the
chains of the French Tvrant, we need make no apti-
logy for inserting the following article.
Spain is sitnated between the 36th and 44th de-
grees of northlatimdc, and between 3 of east and
of west longitude from London. The greatest
length from west to east is about 600 miles, and the
breadth from north to south upwards of 500 ; thus
forming; if s.ve-incltide Portugal, almost a compact
square, surrounded on all sides, by the sea, except
where the Pyrennean chain forms a grand natural
harrier against France. Spain contains about 143,000
square miles, and eleven millions of inhabitants.
Bourgoing has observedlhat the divisions of Spain
teeeived -in maps and books of geography are little
known in practice: - The three provinces of Biscay,
Navarre as a kingdom, and the Asturias as a princi-
pality, form states apart, which neither admit-cus-
tom-houses nor intendants, nor scarcely any ap-
pearance of fiscal government. In this respect all
the rest of the monarchy is divided into r,venty-
t..o provinces for the Cro'wn of Castile, and four for
that of Arragon. These provinces are of very une-
qual extent;. those of Castile being the kingdom of
Gallicia, the provinces of Burgos, Leon, Zamora,
Salarnanca, Estremadura, Palencia, Valladolid, Se-
govia, Avila,-TOro, Toledo, Mancha, Murcia; Gua-
dalaxara, Cuenca, Soria, Matlrii and Andalusia,
which comprises four provinces decorated with the
title of hingdoms;which they bore tinder the Moors,
namely, Seville, Cordova, Jaen, and Granada: The
four provinces of the crown of Arragon are, the
kingdom of Arragon, the kingdom of Valeatia, the
principality of Catalonia, and the kingdom of Ma-
jorca.

The climate of Spain has been deservedly' praised
as equal, it' not superior, to that of any country in
Europe; but in the southern provinces the heat is
insalubrious, and malignant fever, sometimes sweep
off great numbers. The chains of mountains-which
intersect the country at different intervals,. contri--
bute, however; to temper the ciiintite, and sup,,ly
cooling breezes. In the south the sea breeze agree-
ably diversifies the_ heat of summer, anti in the
northern provinces the severity of the winter is al-
layed by the proximity of ibe ocean, which gene,
rally supplies g'des that are rather humid than
frosty.
The face of the cow t.ry, though it exhibits a great
number of tinprodne.;tive general delight
ful, abounding in tragrant pasturage, vineyards, and
groves of orange-trees, and the hills and wastes them-
selves being clothed with wild thyme, rosemary, and
lavender. • Its principal produaions are—wool, so
highly esteemed for the excellence of its quality,.
silk, oil, wine, and fruits. The sugar:Cane- thrives
in this country, and it might supply all Europe with
5•.,-;iron ; sumach, an useful article in the preparation
of morocco leather, abounds in the mountains of
Granada ; the mastic, the !vim, the cedar, the cork
tree, and even cotton and pepper grow in many
parts : the superb Arneri:an Aloe, which is in En g.
land one of the most magnificent ornaments of our
gardens, grows berg; without cultivation, and forins
wbole hedges. The rivers and streams of'Spain are
numerous, and the chains of mountains give a grand
variety to the proipea of the country.
The revenues of the Crown amount to five Mil-
lions and an half sterling. Those deriVed from Ame-
rica, in addition, are immense but it is calculated
that not above one million sterling enters the coffers
of the King. The finances are badly regulated, and
the public debt prodigious.

In 1794 the military establishment of Spin con-
•sis:ed of t 14,00') men; but at present it is thought
•not to exceed 30,000, a great proportion of whom
have been with politic precaution dra,:vn by 43norta-
parte out of the country. 0t late years Spain has
'paid great attention to her navy, which has however
been crippled in the recent-warfare with Britain ;
:the ships: of the line can now scarcely be computed
-az More than fit-ty.
rTliieSpanish Monarchy, previous ,to
.the recent
_revolution, was, in every sense, absolute. The power
of aristocracy .tras of late years been greatly ablidg-
-ed-, chiefly by the influence of the royal tavoniite,
• the Prince of the Peace. -In pursuance of the'same
system, the Cortes, •or • supreme - councils; which
possessed an.authority greater than the parliament
of England,' have -been for some time -aboti'shed.:
The privy council, which prepares . business and
arranges papers for the Junta, or council of state, is
comPoSed- of -a' number of noblo:ts and grandees, 110-
mitaited by the king. TheJonta itself,, a sort of ca-
binet council, consists of the first secretary of stato,
,and three or tour other minislers, who directed every
thing -according to the will of the. king, or latterly.
of t he , fit wourite. ,

The enlabidligion tolerated. in Spain is the Roman
Catholic: 7'n ecclesiastical matiftr, the is su-
preme he, nominates all archbishops and bishops,
and even to most bf the smaller benefices. He
taxes the revenges of the clergy, and -no papal bull
Call be published without his approbation.
There, is nu doubt but climate bas: an Influence
over the flatiops charaEteristic dispositions of na-
_ tions ; but to deduce from this alone the origin of
-serOus and melancholy constitutions, is an error de-
ll on i:rated_by facts, Winch every individual is at
to verity. The climate of. England is damp
-.and higgy "this is,the cause of that spleen and taci-
turnity which prevail in the English
.nation, ac-
cording to the opinion of the French but .the
climate of Spain and-Turkey being light, the-sky
• seretn and the sun always resplendent, ought .to
incline the'people of those countries to mirth
Lveriheles the T.urks and the Spaniards are si)ent,
dull, and thoughtful. The climate of Sweden- and
c.l Petersburg!' is cold, foggy, and damp, yet the
Swedes and Uussians are as lively as the French.

,-It.ts well ascertained that high degrees of civili-
zation, lar from facilitating the expansion and dis-
,play of great charaders, tend only to restrain them
withi❑ ti►e bounds of established custom. The
passions are masked by forms, and by those. de-
ceitful manners which are qualified with the deno-
mination of politeness and. lon ton.; the inhabitants
cf the country, or mountains particularly, .whose
manners are harsh and-rusticated, have more open-

nei3 and sinCerity•of toe great
springs of the soul fose their eia&City, and at length ,
have neither play nor strength.
But to return to the Spaniards. What nation in
the world had a Ul,•re ardent 'imagination,:a more
acute and penetrating wit "?" What people are more
fiery more enthitsiastic,and more Const:int ill then:
No obstaCle can discourage them ,
if any offer, they behold them ,coolly, and surmount
them_by dint: Of patience, The fortressrof San
-Fernalido, Commonly called Figueras, was,oyerleok-
ed by three mountains, t ,vo Of Which were within
gun-shot, and the third within reach of bombs. Had
Figueras belonged to the French, or any oilier nation,
they doubtlessly would have decided that it was best
to fortify these three' mountains, and thus prevent
the approach of an' enemy
.t 2. the fortress. The
Spaniards thought it more simple to lower the
mountains ; two are already reduced below the fire
of the place., and they are at work in levelling down
the, third. The government,thought 'prepert to dig
a port at Tarragona, a city of Catalonia. Tarragona
is situated in the centre of a bay that
.forms a semi-
circle ; steep rocks line the shore all along, and
they decided 'to drive the sea, fill:titer ; a mine
was sprung in consequence of that decision, and a
rock being thereby detached, and thrOWn:for ward;
they • formed a jetty about '6OOO yards in length,
Under which shelter their Men of war have already
pas'ed the winter in safety. It is intended to gain
about 4000 yards more, and by dm constanalbour
of 700 galley-slaves, a work will'be completed which
alone would establish the glory of the age. But.
Tarragona is in Spain, and the Spaniard, 'vhc> con=
stantly aims at what is useful, latiours without osten7
Cation, and cares but little for that vapour called va-
nity. He doeS not publish wonders, as other nations
have done, before• they were undertaken ; their utili,
ty alone distinguishes them after they are complet-
ed. It is reckoned that three feet a-day are con-
quered from the sea by the exertions of these 700
galley-slayes.

- deservin,, ofremark in the Spanish charaaer,
that a nation which carries passion to a degree of
frenzy, is, in its intercourse with the sex, roost open
hearted and sincere. The Spaniard posscsses.a brave
and manly spirit .; lie speaks toJiis Prin with re-
speci, bait likewise with the freedom that belongs to
the proper dignity of man ; a dignity which he is tul!y
conscious of, and which foreigners confound with
pride. .

The Spaniard is proud ; but his pride does not in-
cline- hiin to insolence and. arrogance : he does not
express much, but he is sincere in what he does ex-
press fie makes no shew of "Poliieties, but his be-
nevolence proceeds froth the heart ; he is compas-
sionate and kind, and displays no ostentation in his
mode of doing good. -

The Spaniards are thoughtto be grave ; but gra-
vity is the mark of nations and persons who think, •
.and preserve their own dignity ;and gravity does not.
excltid6.gaiety ; whoever has seen them dance the
fandango and'valero, must have inferved that they
are not always grave. To talk is the'result of im-
perious necessity among the French; it is an error of.
vanity and good manners : to be silent is reckoned a
sign of pride and stupidity. The success of a man in
society is calculated according to the quantity of
words he utters ; the ideas he follows 400 closely.
are :heavy ; a matter deeply investigated becomes
tiresome subject of conversation. In a quarter of-A!
hour, a Frenchman, a Parisian in particular, must,
if he wishes .to acquire the reputation of a cleveri
fellow, review all the news of the day, from po4tics
down to fashions, explain thesysterri. of caloinets,i
foretell their consequences, criticige, the new ' pro
duaions,give the best account of an engagernent if
in time of war, but above all he must not fail to
mention Mademoiselle Roland-eau's song,. and the
tragic merits of Mile. Georges or DucheShas thus
qualified he may be deemed an acCOmplished and' la
chartning man.

The flegmatic Spaniard calculateS and, speaks de-
liberately ; lie follows without vivacity tie plan he
has farmed, hitt he follows it steadily ; therefore
finishes what the Frenchman but begins. The Sii!4-'
niard does not always perform ,great things,- buf be
never undertakes useless ones. Silent by dispositiOn,
concentrating hip ideas, 'he acquires the greaier neat
ness of thdught and proFiet,y:of expression.
cinires four French sentences to convey
,an idea
which the Spaniard will express in:6/e." It might
be asserted that a Spaniard has thought more during
one year than a Frenchman during his whble life.

(To ye continued,)

SCOTLiND.

EDINBURGH; AUG. 6.—Admiral Lord KEITH left
thi3 city on Sunday last, alter attending our races,
for his seat near nurnbartop. Yesterday the Gas-
... •
goy Regiment of Volunteers,
_commanded by Colo-
IVALKER,.returned to Glasgourimorn permanent
duty at Falkirk.

GLASGOW, AUG. 7.—Yesterda7, at two o'cloc4,
pursuant to public notice, was :held at the town.
house, in this city,. a. Special Meeting, of the Lord
Provost, Magistrates, Burgesses, and Inhabitants, in
order to take into consideration the ptoptieCy, of ad-
. dressing his Majest- on:the benevolent and ‘;igour-
ous OLertions: which ,he had .directed to be made in
aid of the Patriots of Spain, so nobly contending for
their liberties againSf the yok,e intended for them by
the sanguinary and tyrannical Ruler of the
_French'

Government." The Lord Provost; attey opening, the'
ii•business of the d:y in.a'neat 'and pertinent address,
proceeded to read two Resolutions for the adoption..
of the Meaing-; . the first, declaring the wisdom and
humanity of granting British succours to Spain at
this crisis,; .the id, was to open a subscription in aid
of so just a cause, and to recommend that the money
so raised should be dirce-ted to the completion of inc
2d Batia,lion of the 7 1 st,Regiment, no qUartered ii
this city,, which his Majesty had been graciously
pleased to name " The Glasgow," in compliment
to-its !Oval and zealous inhabitants,—These R.eso-

lotions being approved of nem. con. a dutiful and
spirited Address-to the Throne was next read and
moved by. the Lord Provost, which, after two or
three approbatory speeches by the senior Magistrates,
also received the unanimous assent, accoMpanied,by
the warmest plaudits of the Meeting, which then
adjourned.

LONDON : Printed by- It Ici4Aßn Ha RRI s, of-No. 4, Mac:lett-court, liow-street; a.
At thw SUN-OrrCE- No. t i StranCi 3 where "km lisementi, Orders t