Hewastheauthorofallthepamphletsthathadbeenwrittenonthesubjectofmortmain；andashewasanintimatefriendoftheambassador’s，M。MocenigohadfurnishedhimwithanaccountoftheproceedingsoftheVenetianRepublicagainstthemonks。HemighthavedispensedwiththissourceofinformationifhehadreadthewritingsofFatherPaulSarpionthesamesubject。Quick—sighted，firm，withthecourageofhisopinions，CampomaneswasthefiscaloftheSupremeCouncilofCastille，ofwhichArandawaspresident。Everyoneknewhimtobeathoroughlyhonestman，whoactedsolelyforthegoodoftheState。Thusstatesmenandofficialshadwarmfeelingsofrespectforhim，whilethemonksandbigotshatedthesoundofhisname，andtheInquisitionhadsworntobehisruin。Itwassaidopenlythathewouldeitherbecomeabishoporperishinthecellsoftheholybrotherhood。Theprophecywasonlypartlyfulfilled。FouryearsaftermyvisittoSpainhewasincarceratedinthedungeonsoftheInquisition，butheobtainedhisreleaseafterthreeyears’confinementbydoingpublicpenance。TheleprosywhicheatsouttheheartofSpainisnotyetcured。Olavideswasstillmoreharshlytreated，andevenArandawouldhavefallenavictimifhehadnothadthegoodsensetoaskthekingtosendhimtoFranceashisambassador。Thekingwasverygladtodoso，asotherwisehewouldhavebeenforcedtodeliverhimuptotheinfuriatedmonks。
CharlesIII。（whodiedamadman）wasaremarkablecharacter。Hewasasobstinateasamule，asweakasawoman，asgrossasaDutchman，andathorough—pacedbigot。Itwasnowonderthathebecamethetoolofhisconfessor。
AtthetimeofwhichIamspeakingthecabinetofMadridwasoccupiedinacuriousscheme。AthousandCatholicfamilieshadbeenenticedfromSwitzerlandtoformacolonyinthebeautifulbutdesertedregioncalledtheSierraMorena，wellknownalloverEuropebyitsmentioninDonQuixote。Natureseemedtheretohavelavishedallhergifts；theclimatewasperfect，thesoilfertile，andstreamsofallkindswateredtheland，butinspiteofallitwasalmostdepopulated。
Desiringtochangethisstateofthings，hisCatholicmajestyhaddecidedtomakeapresentofalltheagriculturalproductsforacertainnumberofyearstoindustriouscolonists。HehadconsequentlyinvitedtheSwissCatholics，andhadpaidtheirexpensesforthejourney。TheSwissarrived，andtheSpanishgovernmentdiditsbesttoprovidethemwithlodgingandspiritualandtemporalsuperintendence。Olavideswasthesoulofthisscheme。Heconferredwiththeministerstoprovidethenewpopulationwithmagistrates，priests，agovernor，craftsmenofallkindstobuildchurchesandhouses，andespeciallyabull—ring，anecessityfortheSpaniards，butaperfectlyuselessprovisionasfarasthesimpleSwisswereconcerned。
InthedocumentswhichDonPabloOlavideshadcomposedonthesubjecthedemonstratedtheinexpediencyofestablishinganyreligiousordersinthenewcolony，butifhecouldhaveprovedhisopiniontobecorrectwithfootandrulehewouldnonethelesshavedrawnonhisheadtheimplacablehatredofthemonks，andofthebishopinwhosediocesethenewcolonywassituated。ThesecularclergysupportedOlavides，butthemonkscriedoutagainsthisimpiety，andastheInquisitionwaseminentlymonkishinitssympathiespersecutionhadalreadybegun，andthiswasoneofthesubjectsofconversationatthedinneratwhichIwaspresent。