Abstract
MR. LATOUCHE'S narrative is full of interest and instruction; but why has he not indicated the year or years during which he travelled in Portugal? There is even no date on the title-page. We hope Mr. Latouche will supply the necessary dates in a second edition. The author refers with justice to the general ignorance of Portugal and of its people; many, no doubt, suppose they are a sort of degraded Spaniards, whereas we think it is pretty clear, from the information contained in the work before us, that the Portuguese are in many respects superior to their neighbours. Mr. Latouche evidently knows Portugal well, and has carefully observed the characteristics of its people. In his narrative he wisely gives very few details about the beaten tracks, but describes principally what he saw in districts which are never visited by the ordinary traveller. His work contains much information concerning the people, their ethnology, language, manners, customs, superstitions, and history; about the country itself, its physical features, its natural history, the state of agriculture, and other points of interest. As to the ethnology of Portugal, Mr. Latouche seems to believe that the people are an agglomeration of a greater variety of elements than that of any other country in Europe, and that these elements still remain to a large extent heterogeneous, different elements preponderating in different districts—Celts, Iberians, Phœnicians, Romans, Visigoths, Saracens, Greeks, French, and Jews all contributing their quota. As an illustration of the extensive infusion of Jewish blood throughout all ranks of the people, Mr. Latouche tells the following anecdote:—“When that foolish bigot, King Joseph, proposed to his minister Pombal that all Jews in his kingdom should be compelled to wear white hats as a distinctive badge, that sagacious minister made no objection, but when next he appeared in Council it was with two white hats— ‘one for his Majesty and one for himself,’ explained Pombal, and the King said no more about his proposal.” With regard to the natural history of Portugal, Mr. Latouche thinks there is much still to be learned; that,in fact, it has been less studied than that of any other country in Europe. There is no doubt much truth in this, but we hope it will not be necessary for any foreign “patient naturalist” to learn the language, as Mr. Latouche suggests, in order to investigate the natural history of Portugal. Surely there is a sufficient number of competent men in the country itself to undertake the task, if their attention were directed to the importance of having it accomplished. Indeed, we believe there have not been wanting signs recently of an awakening of intellectual life in Portugal, and we hope that one of its results will be a thorough investigation of the natural history of the country, as well as a vast improvement in the wretched system of education which prevails. The Portuguese, as our readers know, were at one time one of the most enterprising people in Europe, and under proper guidance might still occupy an honourable position among the nations.
Travels in Portugal.
By John Latouche. With Illustrations by the Right Hon. T. Sotheron-Estcourt. (London: Ward, Lock, and Tyler.)
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[Book Reviews]. Nature 12, 185 (1875). https://doi.org/10.1038/012185b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/012185b0