Description
This book is a report on Spain written in Madrid by the French diplomat Jean-Francois de Bourgoing when France was becoming increasingly involved in the American Revolution. At that time the French were pressing the Spaniards to join them. Bourgoing first describes Spanish society on religiosity, the Church and the Inquisition. His perspective is that of a disciple of Voltaire. His description of the various governmental bodies, the economy and foreign trade, especially with Spains vast colonial empire including the Indies, was designed to be practical for French policy makers. The final chapters on the Court and the state of the arts in Spain reveal Bourgoings chauvinism. His secularism, typical of Frances enlightened elite, was to culminate in the French Revolution a decade later.
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