Government is well apprized of
this circumstance and of the little risque they run in being deprived
of so important a possession, else it will not be easy to penetrate the
reasons which induce them to treat the troops who compose the garrison
with such cruel negligence. Their regiments were ordered out with a
promise of being relieved, and sent back to Europe at the end of
three years, in conformity to which they settled all their domestic
arrangements. But the faith of Government has been broken, and at the
expiration of twenty years, all that is left to the remnant of these
unfortunate men, is to suffer in submissive silence. I was one evening
walking with a Portuguese officer, when this subject was started, and
on my telling him, that such a breach of public honour to English troops
would become a subject of parliamentary enquiry, he seized my hand
with great eagerness, "Ah, Sir!" exclaimed he, "yours is a free
country--we"!----His emotions spoke what his tongue refused.

As I am mentioning the army, I cannot help observing, that I saw nothing
here to confirm the remark of Mr. Cook, that the inhabitants of the
place, whenever they meet an officer of the garrison, bow to him with
the greatest obsequiousness; and by omitting such a ceremony, would
subject themselves to be knocked down, though the other seldom deigns to
return the compliment. The interchange of civilities is general between
them, and seems by no means extorted. The people who could submit to
such insolent superiority, would, indeed, deserve to be treated as
slaves.

The police of the city is very good. Soldiers patrole the streets
frequently, and riots are seldom heard of. The dreadful custom of
stabbing, from motives of private resentment, is nearly at an end,
since the church has ceased to afford an asylum to murderers. In other
respects, the progress of improvement appears slow, and fettered by
obstacles almost insurmountable, whose baneful influence will continue,
until a more enlightened system of policy shall be adopted. From morning
to night the ears of a stranger are greeted by the tinkling of the
convent bells, and his eyes saluted by processions of devotees, whose
adoration and levity seem to keep equal pace, and succeed each other in
turns. "Do you want to make your son sick of soldiering? Shew him the
Trainbands of London on a field-day." Let him who would wish to give his
son a distaste to Popery, point out to him the sloth, the ignorance