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But the object at Barcelona which is the mod ftriking, and which, according to myknowledge at lead, has no where a rival, is the quay. The defign and execution areequally good. I guefs it about half a mile long. A low platform of ftone is built buta few feet above the wrnter, clofe to which the fhips are moored ; this is of breadthfufficient for goods and packages of all forts in loading and unloading the Veffels.A row of arched warehoufes open on to this platform, and over thofe is the upper partof the quay on a level with the ftreet; and for the convenience of going up or downfrom one to the other, there are gently hoping ways for carriages, and alfo flair-cafes.The whole is mofl folidly eredted in hewn ftone, and finifhed in a manner that difcoversa true fpirit of magnificence in this moft ufeful fort of public works. The road bywhich we travelled for feveral miles—the bridge by which we paired the river—andthis quay, are works that will do lafting honour to the prefent king of Spain .There are now about 140 fhips in the harbour; but the number fometimes muchlarger.
It is impoflible to view fuch admirable works as the quay of Barcelona, without re-gretting the enormous fums wafted in war and bloodfhed. No quarrel happens betweentwo nations, but it cofts twenty fuch quays; a thoufand miles of magnificent road ; anhundred bridges; the pavement, lights, fountains, palaces, and public ornaments offifty cities. To till a prince or a parliament (the latter wants this leffon to the full asmuch as the former), that a war is as abfurd as it is cruel, for it will coft fo muchmoney in figures, makes not the leaf! impreffion; they never fee the money, and theexpence is of iomething ideal; but to tell the king of Spain that it would coft the Ef-curial, St. Ildefonfo, his palace at Madrid , and all the roads in his kingdom, and hewould think very ferioufly before he engaged in it. To reafon with a Britifh parlia-ment, when her noify fa&ious orators are bawling for the honour of the Britifh lion,for the rights of commerce, and freedom of navigation; that is, for a war—that fucha war will coft an hundred millions fterling, and they are deaf to you. But let it coftthem thofe roads on which they roll fo luxurioufly, the public bridges, and the greatedifices that decorate the capital, and our other cities, if the members were willing atfuch a price to hazard a war, the people would probably pull down their houfes.Yet the cafes are precifely the fame; for if you fpend the money that w r ou!d formand build fuch things, you in effect fpend the things themfelves. A very little calcu-lation would fhew, that the expence of our three lad wars, which had no other efFedtwhatever but to fpill blood and fill gazettes, would have made the whole ifland ofGreat Britain a garden; her whole coaft a quay ; and have converted all the houfes inher tow ns into palaces, and her cottages into houfes. But to return.
The manufactories at Barcelona are confiderable. There is every appearance asyou walk the ftreets of great and adt-ive induftry; you move no where without hearingthe creak of flocking engines. Silk is w'rought into handkerchiefs, though not on fogreat a fcaie as at Valencia ; ftockings, laces, and various fluffs. They have alfo fomewoollen fabrics, but not confiderable. The chief bufinefs of the place is that of com -miftion; the amount of the trade tranfaCted is confiderable, though not many fhipsbelong to the port.
'JLhe induftry and trade, however, which have taken root, and profpered in this city,have uithftood the continued fyitem of the court to deal feverely with the whole pro-vince of Catalonia. The famous efforts which the Catalans made to place a prince ofthe houfe of Auftria on the throne of Spain , were not foon forgotten by the princes ofthe houfe of Bourbon, to their difhonour. Heavy taxes have been laid on the people;and the whole province continues to this day difarmed; fo that a nobleman cannot
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