ed that they had not forgotten the lessons they
had received, but treated them as they themselves had been treated. Had
the Spaniards taught the Peruvians mercy, justice, and piety, by their
own example, this terrible outbreak would never have occurred, and the
weaker race would have become willing servants to the stronger. We
ought always to bear in mind that it is by the just administration of
good laws, and by the conduct of the rich, the educated, and the
powerful, that the lower orders are educated, as much, or even more,
than by the lessons given them by their nominal instructors.

Ministers of religion will preach in vain from the pulpit, and
schoolmasters will find their efforts useless, unless the upper orders
set a good example. I entreat my young friends to recollect that they
belong to the educated classes, whose behaviour is sure to be imitated
by those below them. If their conduct is unchristian, irreligious, or
immoral, they will not only have their own sins to answer for at the day
of judgment, but the sins of those whom they by their example have led
astray. The dreadful excesses committed by the lower orders during the
French Revolution were the results of the irreligious and immoral
conduct and teaching of the upper classes in France. The Peruvian
Indians, who were guilty of the terrible atrocities I have mentioned,
were mostly, in name at least, Christians, and had Christian priests
ministering to them; but their teaching appears to have had no effect in
restraining them from acts totally at variance with all the principles
of Christianity. How could they, indeed, have faith in a creed
professed by men who, from the time of their first appearance in their
country, had not scrupled to murder, to plunder, to ill-treat, and to
enslave them?

It is worthy of remark, that when the Indians destroyed every other
human being in the places they attacked, they in many instances saved
the lives of the priests. I suspect, however, that they did so, not so
much that they respected their sacred character, but because in their
superstition they fancied they were possessed of supernatural powers,
which might be exercised for their punishment if they ventured to injure
them. There were many enlightened and patriotic men among the Indians;
and from all I heard of Tupac Amaru and his family, they were worthy of
a happier fate than befell them. I shall have to describe their
subsequent history as I proceed in