Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/380

 ^66 ANNUAL REGISTER, 175^.

fobes and drefTes fuitable to their refpedlive offices in which they ap- pear on public occafjons.

There are fcho )ls in every town in which the cominon people are taught reading and writing, and alfo mufic and dancing, in which arts they become very Ikilful. The Jt^fuits are very careful in confulting the natural bent and genius of their fcholars, and iri oif^dling their (Indies and appli- cation accordingly. The lads of the molt promifing genius are taught the Latin tongue with great fuccefs. ]n one of the court yards of every curate's houfe are the va- rious fhops or workhoufes of pain- ters, or carvers, gilders, iilver- fmiths, carpenters, weavers, and clockniakers, and of feveral other mechanics and ariizans, who daily work for the public under the diredion of the coadjutors, and at the fame time teach the youth their refpedive arts, and occupa- tions.

The churches are large, well built, finely decorated and enlight- ened, and not inferior to the jicheft in Peru. Each church has a choir of rnuHc, compofed of in- llruments of all forts, and very oood voices, fo that divine fervice 13 celebrated here with as much pomp and folemnicy as in cathe- drals: nor are the public procef- fions lefs fplendid, efpecially that of the bolt, which whenever it is carried abroad^ is attended by the governor, alcadcs, and regiocrcs, in their robes, and alfo by the mi- litia in a body.

The houfes of the Indians are as well built and as well furnifh- ed as moll of the SpaniP-i houfes in Peru. The greatell part indeed have mad walls, others are built

with brie!:, and fotne with fione, but are all covered with tiles. Jn every town there is a houfe where gun-powder is made, that they may never want it when they are obliged to take arms, and always have it ready to make artificial fireworks on rejoicing days ; for all fclHvals are here obferved with as great ceremony and exaflnefs as in the greateil cities. Upon the proclamation of a new king in Spain, the governors, ai:ades, re- gicores, and officers of the miiitia, appear drefled in hew roljes and uniforms of a dift'crent faftiion fiom thofe they wore before.

There is a fort of convent in every town, in one part whereof" are confined women of an ill life, and the other part is deltined for the reception of married women who have no family, and who re- tire thither when their hutbands are abfent ; for the maintenance of this houfe, and for the fup- port of orphans, and of old and infirm people, all the inhabitants of the town work two days in every week, and the profits of their labour, which is called the labour of the community, are fet apart for this purpofe. If the produce of this labour be more than is neceffary for their fubfiftence, the furplus is laid out to buy ornaments for the churches, and cloaths for the or- phans and nged, and infirm people: io that here are no beggars, nor any who want the necefTarics of life. In fhort, bv the wife policy and prudent regulations of the Jefuits, the whole community enjoys peace and happinefs.

The Guaranies are fo profufe and negligent, that the curates arc obliged to take into their hands all their goods and llufFs,

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