Quito, 19th November, 1824.[1]
Dear Sir,
A considerable time has elapsed since the date of my last letter to you, and during the same period, if I remember right, I have not been favoured with any of your communications. So that, as far as mere exchange of letters is concerned, I am not so much in arrear as you may perhaps be thinking. It is true, indeed, that it is my part to write to you, rather than yours to write to me, but that again supposes that I have something worth communicating. Now, I am sorry to say that this has not been the case during my partial silence, a silence arising from a very natural cause, that of having nothing to say. I mean that I have had nothing to say about the progress of education in this quarter and though I have still very little to say upon that subject, yet, knowing you take a great interest in the well being of this part of the world, and in my feeble efforts to promote it, I think it my duty to let you know at least where I am, and what I am doing.
You will observe by the line at the top, that I am in the city of Quito, and I shall now state to you why I am here, and what I am engaged in. You know how the war has raged for some time past in Peru, and that Lima has been for a considerable time in the hands of the enemy. I am not sure that I have expressed myself correctly in saying the enemy, a term applied by each party to the other, but which in the mouth of a neutral is an impropriety of speech. I beg leave to justify myself in this, by informing you that I am not a neutral in this contest, as all my feelings and my wishes are on the one side, and of course the other side is the enemy. I leave you to find out at your leisure what side I am on, and shall proceed to give you what information I have to communicate relative to our concerns, the concerns of education.
I left Lima in the beginning of September, with the intention of not returning to it for some time. The immediate cause was the impossibility of moving forwards in our work under the pressure of existing circumstances. The very utmost that could be done was to keep hold of what we had obtained, and even that was done with great difficulty. Our model school in Lima, at the time I came away, contained about 200 children, a number somewhat less than what it contained some months previous to that time. This decrease is owing to the great poverty that existed there, on the one hand; and on the other hand it arose from a natural fear in the parents lest their children should be picked up on their way to the School by the recruiting parties, a fear not altogether groundless. I may mention here, that there is another School on our plan, containing about 80 children.
You know that, for a considerable time back, I have had a desire to pass through that part of this Continent where I now am, but I was prevented from doing so, by the difficulty of leaving Lima in the state in which things were, and by the prospect of making a rapid progress in extending education over Peru. At the time I came away, the difficulty referred to was removed, and the prospect in regard to the other circumstance mentioned was altogether blasted, at least for a time. The difficulty I have noticed was the want of a proper master, in whose hands I could trust the school with confidence. The school, however, at my leaving Lima, was in the hands of a good master, with an assistant to aid him, whilst the superintendence of all is in the hands of my excellent friend the Clergyman, of whom I have often spoken to you with approbation. From this good friend, notwithstanding these favourable arrangements, I was obliged to tear myself away. He urged me to stop, and would at length only hear of my going away in the expectation of my early return, and in the hope of my visit to England being turned to the advantage of the schools in Peru, as I trust it will, should I have the happiness to reach your favoured country.
I thought it advisable, and my duty, to seize the time that thus offered for verifying my long-intended journey. You know, I dare say, that it was not the mere desire of jaunting that led me to propose this journey to myself. The two objects which have hitherto more immediately engaged my attention in South America are those which form the work respectively of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the British and Foreign School Society. With these two objects in view, I left Lima for Bogota the capital of Colombia. Though I can never lose sight of any one of these two objects, yet that of the Bible Society is the main one in this journey.
I have been very much pleased with my journey, in the prosperity I have had in the distribution of the sacred volume. I have observed a very general desire to possess this book, and I have had the pleasure of seeing great numbers flock together, not to receive it as a present, but to buy it. Of upwards of 1500 New Testaments which I had at the outset, not many remain. I had no Bibles, and was very sorry for it, as, from its being generally asked for, I am sure I could have sold many copies. It is gratifying to know that a supply of them may be expected in the course of a few months; and with this prospect I have revived the spirits of many who evidently felt disappointed when I told them that I had none.
It is truly a pleasing sight to see so many eagerly seeking after God; and it cheers the head of the poor traveller, as he moves along now through the woods, now over the mountains, to think that he is the means of cheering the hearts of others, by putting into their hands the only book which can effectually cheer the heart with solid comfort. I refer you for further particulars regarding the circulation of the Scriptures to my letters upon the subject to the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Before I speak of the state and progress of education in Quito, I shall mention two circumstances which have occurred to me since I left Lima. I notice these because they are encouraging, as it respects the progress of education, and because they tend to prove what I have so often stated to you, that there is a very general desire throughout this country for extending the benefits of education to all, and with all possible speed. The circumstances referred to occurred in Truxillo and in Guayaquil.
In both these places I received proposals from the magistrates to remain among them, in order to establish schools on our plan, and to promote the objects of education in general. In both cases I had a struggle with my feelings, though not with my judgment, in declining the honour offered me. Though my duty bade me pursue my journey, yet, in consequence of these proposals, I cannot help taking an additional interest in the progress of education in the places mentioned; and through the intercourse that took place upon this subject during my short stay in these tours, I expect some good will result, of which I shall afterwards inform you.
I come now to speak of the state and prospects of education in this city. The state of elementary education here is, at present, very low, but its prospects are more encouraging. Perhaps you are aware that the Colombian Government is taking active measures to extend education over all their share of South America. Some time ago a Central School on the Lancasterian plan was established in Bogota, the capital. This school was set a-going by a friar who had been banished from his native country on account of his then-called revolutionary principles, and who had learned the system during his exile. Upon his return to America he established this school in the capital, which has now existed two or three years.
It is the wish of the government to put a model school in the capital of each department, and from these schools to send out masters to all the towns and villages the department contains. For this purpose the friar I before mentioned, has lately arrived here, and is getting his school-room prepared. I have had several conversations with this individual, and have been much pleased in observing the very lively interest he takes in the education of youth, as well as in the general progress of knowledge throughout his native country. It is delightful to shake hands with such persons, and to unite one's heart with them wherever they are found. I augur much good from the establishment and direction of schools by a person of this character. I do from my heart wish him great success, and a success equal to the desires of his own benevolent mind. The Intendant or Governor of the department is an excellent man, and very desirous of the progress of knowledge throughout this quarter. He is urging forward the school with all diligence; and to supply the children with books, he has bought of me 50 New Testaments.
The next thing I have to notice is of some interest, and respects female education. You are aware, that the education of this sex is very limited in South America. It is so in Quito, as might be expected. From the consideration that this is a large place, and the chief city of a large and populous district of country, I was very desirous of doing something towards establishing a female school or academy here. I spoke to the Intendant and others upon the subject, and found them all willing to do whatever was practicable in carrying into effect such a desirable object. The plan I proposed was, to send for a well-instructed person or two from England, in order to establish at once a school or academy of the best description; and I promised to do, on my part, all I could to procure such persons upon my arrival in England. My proposition was very favourably received, and a plan was immediately thought of for carrying it into effect.
The want of funds was the only obstacle that occurred, and where to find them was the object to which the attention of all was directed. At length it was discovered that there was a certain religious house in the city which had good funds belonging to it. This house is not a nunnery, though it is somewhat allied to it. It is what is here called a Beateria; and if one were called upon to give it a name corresponding to its nature, it might be called a House of Idleness. This name, at all events, would suit the character given me of it by the Intendant. To get this house and its funds was now the object of consideration, and a petition to the general government of Colombia was thought of for that purpose. You know that respecting a matter of this kind, it is necessary to interest the female sex themselves in it. I accordingly spoke with some ladies upon the subject, and found them very anxious to lend their influence to obtain the object in question.
I am lodged and very kindly treated in the house of the Marquis de San José, and I wished that the Marchioness should take the lead in this affair, as a matter of courtesy on my part, and principally because she is the person of most influence in the place. I stated to her the plan proposed, of establishing a school or academy in the style of those in England, and was happy to find that she entered heartily into it. The way ultimately fixed upon for carrying forward the plan is this: The lady before mentioned, along with some female friends, is to draw up a petition to the Intendant, begging that something may be done for establishing a female academy in Quito. As soon as this comes into the Intendant’s hands, he will state his opinion upon the subject, strongly recommending it, and pointing out where the funds may be obtained for the purpose. The petition thus prepared is to be put into my hands, and I am to have the honour of laying it before the Vice-President in Bogota upon my reaching that city; and such is the interest taken by the Government in these matters, that I have no doubt of its complete success.
I remain, my dear sir,
Very sincerely yours,
J. Thomson.
[1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. London: James Nisbet, 1827, pp. 215-223. Twentieth Report of the British and Foreign School Society (1825), pp. 123-126.