CHAP. XXII.

AMERICAN MINES.

151

by agriculture, by manufactures, or by commercehad become possessed of property; and thoughnot received into the ranks of the Europeans, be-came of great assistance in the creation of wealthand the accumulation of capital.

Though the capital of the country was thus in-creased chiefly by the labour of the original raceof people and of the races which had arisen by amixture of them with the new settlers, they werenot the great adventurers in mining-undertakings.There was little spirit of enterprise among thoseclasses, but what industry they exercised was ac-companied with that rigid parsimony which is thesure but slow operating cause of the creation ofindividual and national wealth. But when capitalis created it naturally seeks employment, and themore cautious acquirers or their successors mustfurnish means to more adventurous spirits to em-ploy that capital in such ways as talent, enterprise,and perseverance can alone direct to successfulterminations.

The extent of Mexico , the difference betweenits progress and that of the other portions of theAmerican continent, but especially the vast quan-tity of the precious metals which it has furnished,have made a slight view of the origin of its wealtha proper preface to that which we proceed to con-sider—the actual produce of the mines of gold andsilver.

The amount has been already examined into up