Lima, 12th July 1822

Mr J Thomson to Mr James Miller (BFSS)[1]

Lima, 12th July, 1822.

Dear Sir,

My last letter to you was written a few days before my leaving Chile. I then apprized you of the state of things there at that time, and of my intention of setting out for this place. Through the blessing of God, I arrived safely in this country on the 28th of last month, and have now to state to you how things look here, in reference to that truly important object—EDUCATION.

I believe I told you, some time ago, that from various circumstances I expected every encouragement would be given to our object here by San Martin. I have not been disappointed in this. My expectations have all been ful­filled, and more than fulfilled. San Martin is most decidedly a friend to general, to universal education. I hope none of the members of the Committee of the British and Foreign School So­ciety will be offended, but rather gratified, when I say, that they are not more friendly to this object than San Martin. Because I have come to Peru to promote this object, I have received from him every mark of respect and personal attention, as well as every encouragement to pro­ceed in this work. The Marquis of Truxillo, and each of the ministers of government, feel deeply interested in the same object. Blessed be God for this encouragement. In his hand are the hearts of all, and he inclineth them to whatsoever he will.

Surely the days draw nigh, when ignorance shall be ashamed to walk about anywhere in open day. May the glorious war now waged against her be a war of extermination. It will I trust be so, and when this enemy of mankind shall be slain, the British and Foreign School So­ciety shall be clothed with her spoils, and be crowned with never fading laurel. Is it wrong to indulge pleasing prospects of the future ame­lioration of mankind? Is it sinful to cherish the hope of better times for this poor unfor­tunate world? I think it is not. If it is right to pray "Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven," it cannot be wrong to expect that this prayer, daily reiterated from the mouth of thousands, will one day be heard, and be answered in all its extent; and when the will of God is done in this world, as it is done above, then shall the felicity on earth resemble the felicity of heaven.

The following is a translation of a decree of this government relative to the Schools, and which was published in the Lima Gazette of the 6th current.

"Preamble.—Without education there is proper­ly speaking no society. Men may indeed live to­gether without it, but they cannot know the ex­tent of the duties, and the rights which bind them one to another, and it is in the right knowledge of these duties and rights that the well being of society consists. The bringing of education to any degree of perfection, is, from the nature of the thing, slow. To accomplish it, time is re­quired, and some degree of stability in the go­vernment, as well as some other circumstances, both natural and moral. All these must com­bine, in order that the education of the people may become general, and that thus a foundation may be laid for the continuance of those Institutions which may be established among them. Of the various improvements which the government has been desirous of making, none has been more earnestly and constantly kept in view since the moment of its commencement, than the refor­mation of public education. In those intervals of tranquility which have been enjoyed from the clamour of arms, this object has occupied their attention; and though the sun has not stood still, they have found in activity the secret of doubling the length of the day.

"It has already been announced, in various decrees of the government, that the introduction of the Lancasterian system in the public schools, was one of the plans in meditation. It is not yet possible to calculate the revolution which will be produced in the world by this system of mutual instruction, on its becoming general throughout the civilized world. When this shall take place, ignorance shall come to an end, or at, least shall be reduced to certain limits, beyond which it shall never be allowed to pass. The time is now arrived for setting this system agoing in this place, and the commencing of it is worthy of the month of July—a month in which pos­terity will record many events of importance; and we trust they will do us the justice to declare, that we have desired to make this time memorable by deeds which philosophy ap­plauds, and which spring from the noblest principles of all human actions, namely, the love of glory, founded on promoting the prosperity and happiness of mankind. The above are the reasons on which the following decree is founded.

"The Supreme Deputy, with the advice of the Privy Council, decrees—

"1. There shall be established a central or prin­cipal school, according to the Lancasterian system, under the direction of Mr. Thomson.

"2. The convent or college of St. Thomas shall be appropriated to this purpose. The friars at present residing in it shall remove to the large convent of St. Dominic, leaving only so many as are necessary for the service of the church at­tached to it.

"3. In this establishment the elementary parts of education shall be taught, together with the modern languages. The teachers necessary for this pur­pose shall be appointed agreeably to the arrangements which will be pointed out in the plan for the National Institute of Peru."

"4. At the expiration of six months all the public Schools shall be shut, which are not con­ducted according to the system of mutual in­struction.

"5. All the masters of the public schools shall attend the central school with two of their most advanced pupils, in order to be instructed in the new system; and in studying it they shall attend to the method prescribed by the director of the establishment.

"6. As soon as the director of the central school shall have instructed a sufficient number of teachers, these shall be employed, with competent salaries, in establishing public schools on the same princi­ples in the capital city of each province of the state.

"7. At the first public examination which shall take place in the central school, those masters who have been most attentive in learning the system, and shall have made such progress as to be able to conduct schools according to it, shall receive the reward of a gold medal, to be ordered for that purpose by the Minister of State.

"8. For the preservation and extension of the new system the Patriotic Society of Lima is particularly requested and commissioned to take such measures as may be considered necessary for these purposes; and they are desired to make known to the govern­ment those things in which its cooperation may be required, in order effectually to carry forward this important object.

"9. In order that the advantages of this system of education may be extended to the female sex, which the Spanish government has always treated with culpable neglect, it is particularly recom­mended to the Patriotic Society to take into con­sideration the most likely means for establishing a central school for the instruction of girls.

"10. The salary of the director, and the other ex­penses necessary for this establishment, shall be defrayed by the government. The Minister of State is authorized to issue all the orders necessary for the punctual fulfilment of this decree.

 "Given in the government palace in Lima, 6th July, 1822.

 (Signed)  "TRUXILLO".

"By order of his Excellency, countersigned,

"B.MONTEAGUDO".

As we go on in our operations, I shall com­municate to you the result.

P.S. Please send me five thousand slates by the first vessel for Lima.

[1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 38-43; New Evangelical Magazine Vol IX, 1823, pp.189-191; Eighteenth Report of the British and Foreign School Society (1823), pp.125-128.

Lima, 28th January 1823

Lima, 28th January,1823.[1]

A good while has elapsed since I mentioned to you any particulars of my affairs in reference to the schools. During this time, however, I have more than once thrown out hints, signifying that matters went on but slowly. I had too much reason for these complaints. The truth is, I was once and again on the point of leaving this place. My affairs here have been such, since my arrival, that I may truly say, my hopes and prospects in South America never were so high, and never were so low as they have been, at different times, in Lima. I formerly stated to you the very favour­able reception I met with from San Martin,  and from the first Secretary of State,   Monteagudo. Both of these left this place a good while ago, although under  different  circumstances. To  me their loss was severely felt. I never mentioned a wish to San Martin, or to Monteagudo, that was not granted, and granted immediately in the most obliging manner.    

After their going away, I scarcely mentioned anything I wished done that was not refused. I should not, perhaps, say re­fused, for I was not actually denied; I was told that the things I stated would be done, but these pro­mises were never fulfilled. Had I been  plainly refused, there  is every probability that I should have left this place long ago. After experiencing a number of delays, and when my little stock of patience was all gone, I  asked for my passport. The same individual, however, who had so often put me off with fair promises, contrived to put off my passport also, and kept me waiting days toge­ther, with every thing nailed up for my departure. It was then agreed on between us, that since the school plan we had in view could  not be carried into effect from want of funds, I should stop three or four weeks to instruct some individuals in the Lancasterian system. About twelve came, in con­sequence of this, to my lodgings once a day, for the instructions referred to. At the close of the time mentioned, these individuals were much pleased with the new plan, and some of them represented the matter to the minister, who gladly entered into it, and it was agreed that I should stop, and that what was wanting should be granted. I did think him for this time sincere, and I believe he was so; but I was again subjected to be put off from week to week, until I found that I was circumstanced exactly as before.

I petitioned anew for my pass­port, and in the meantime wrote a letter to the Congress, detailing all that had happened from the time of my arrival in Lima, and concluded by stating, that 1 intended to leave this place by the first vessel that sailed, but that I would return or send some person instructed in the plan of the schools, if a desire should be expressed by the Congress to that effect. The result of this commu­nication was far beyond my expectation. Upon my letter being read, a great deal of interest was taken in this matter, and it was unanimously agreed to that the school should be commenced as soon as possible. An order was accordingly issued, that everything I wanted to set it agoing should be immediately granted. When I wrote to the Congress, I had little thought that they would be dis­posed to carry this object forward at the time, having not long before resolved to use the utmost economy with the public money, and to carry nothing forward that was not of an urgent nature. This resolution was very necessary from the low state of the public funds, owing to their limited re­sources,  and the great expenses of the  war. 

In consequence of the decree of the Congress in our favour, I at once gave up thoughts of leaving this place, and we have been since that time getting on as fast as can be expected. There is another cir­cumstance of considerable importance, which has arisen out of this.  The  person who brought toge­ther those twelve individuals to be instructed in the system, as above mentioned,  is a very  respectable clergyman. [2]This gentleman has interested  himself much in the matter, and has been named by the Congress to take an active part in all the arrange­ments necessary until a School Society be formed. I have had much intercourse with this individual, and have good reason to esteem him highly.  We go hand in hand in our affairs most comfortably. As this gentleman's name is now connected with the schools, and being a clergyman, many preju­dices are thereby removed. This is a matter of no little importance, as there was a strong idea, (whe­ther well or ill founded, I  cannot tell,)  that the late Secretary, of whom I spoke, was atheistical in his views. Perhaps his atheism consisted in his mak­ing free with the convents and other church affairs. However that may be, my being favoured by him probably excited some prejudices, in addition to those arising from my being a Protestant. The counteracting influence, therefore, of my con­nexion with my present clerical friend will, I  have no doubt, be greatly advantageous.

When I add to this, that it is through this respectable individual that I expect the New Testament to be introduced into the schools, of which I formerly wrote, you will see that I have great cause for thanksgiving for the circumstances in which we now stand; and I am even inclined to believe, from what I have seen, that our present encouraging prospects have not been too dearly purchased by all the harassing de­lays that we have experienced. We are very short sighted in all things, and can seldom tell what string of circumstances may end most favourably. Hence it is that we are often joyous, when we have not much real cause for being so; and on the other hand, we are often sad, when everything is going on in the most prosperous manner. How consoling is the thought, that we are permitted to cast all our cares upon God; upon him who knows the end from the beginning, and in whose hands, sooner or later, everything must turn out well.

I think I have perceived, during the time I have been in this place, a greater desire to study the English language than I have met with in any other part of South America. I have uniformly encouraged this desire as much as possible, being fully persuaded that the knowledge of our language, and of the excellent works it contains, will contri­bute in no inconsiderable degree to the progress of this country in every point of view. Want of books suitable for beginners in this language has formed a considerable obstacle, as well as the want of suitable teachers. In order to remove these diffi­culties to a certain degree, and to carry forward this useful object, I some time ago set to work to pre­pare, in Spanish, a grammar of the English language. This is now finished, and nearly all printed. I have at the same time been getting ready a small book, consisting of extracts from various authors in our language, for something of this kind was equally necessary. This little work is also pretty far advanced in the printing.[3] In the next place, in order to carry this object into immediate effect, I lately published my intention of giving instruc­tions in the English language, and I now have twenty-three studying it with me, two of whom are members of Congress.

Accounts have reached us, that on the 19th No­vember last, a severe earthquake was experienced in Chile. The first shock was felt about 11 o'clock at night, and was preceded by a frightful noise. During the night, and for several succeeding days, a number of shocks were felt, less destructive, I  be­lieve, but sufficiently alarming. We have not yet had full information as to the extent of country over which these shocks have been experienced, but from what reports have reached us, it seems to have extended over the greater part of Chile. The greatest damage, we understand, has been done in Valparaiso. In that place several houses have been thrown down, and all the churches have been severely injured. Accounts say that more than two hundred people have perished in Valparaiso alone. Many are the blessings which Providence has pour­ed out on Chile, and one would almost think that earthquakes have been added, by way of giving to it its due proportion of evil.

The same may be said of this country, which has suffered still more from this cause than Chile has done. We do not  know the moment  we may be visited in this city, by one of these dreadful calamities which have laid Lima nearly in ruins at different times. To remind us of our danger, as it were, we are visited by small shocks from time to time; a month rarely elapses without one, and about a week ago we had two in one day. One would naturally think that the being continually exposed to these catastrophes would be productive of some happy moral effects upon the inhabitants of this place. I am sorry to say there are no appearances of these good results. If a comparison were to be instituted between the people of this place, and those of other parts of South America, in regard to morals, I am afraid Lima would appear in the back ground. The most imminent danger, the most signal judgments, seem somehow or other to be productive of nothing but momentary effects on mankind. Wherever this danger or these judgments are, there the words of Jesus are verified; "If they believe not Moses and the prophets, neither would they be persuaded though one should arise from the dead." I question much if we should, in one sense, find fault with this disposition of mankind; or shall I say rather with this arrangement of Providence. It points out to us, I think, how much happier and more solid effects may be produced by the wielding of the word of God, than by wielding the mountains, and casting them into the sea. The word of God is a fire, and is a hammer, and nothing shall be able to stand be­fore it; everything that opposeth shall be reduced into ashes or into dust; and these shall be blown away by the winds, to be seen no more forever.

[1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 70-76.

[2] P. José Francisco Navarrete.

[3] Both the grammar and the extracts were, in fact, published in the same volume: Epitome de Gramática Inglesa. Lima: J.A. López, 1823. (BM)