entered a large apartment, thronged with Brazilian nobles and gentry. These were waiting to follow us to the throne-room according to their respective rights of precedence; and exhibited in strong contrast, every variety of dress, from that of marquesses, and condes, and vizcondes, in the costumes of their ancestors, centuries ago, and of archbishops and bishops, in full canonicals, and clergy of every order in appropriate garb, to the insignificant finery of the humblest gentry, and the hair shirts and sackcloth of monks, with shaven heads and bare feet.

In due time, by the Indian file we had commenced, I reached the door at which my first bow to royalty was to be made; (I beg pardon of their majesties of the Sandwich and Society Islands, if I detract from their prerogatives by the assertion) and in accomplishing the reverence was not so much awed, as not to perceive for no time was to be lost-that the floor was covered with a Turkey carpet of plain crimson, with a medallion in the centre, and a border round the room. On elevating my head to advance two or three yards farther, I saw that the emperor stood on the upper step of the throne, with the prince next on his left, and the princesses beside their brother. Here, on making a second reverence, I in my turn, received the full imperial bow, Mr. Tudor having repeated the usual form, " I have the honor of presenting to your imperial majesty, &c. &c.," in connection with the name of the individual.

This gave an opportunity of observing the personal appearance of the emperor on the occasion. He was in a richly embroidered military dress; and, being uncovered, I perceived his forehead to be low, and

hair light brown; though his whiskers and mustaches are black. He seemed in extreme good humor, and kept bobbing the head of the prince in return to the bows made; and smiling to see how unwilling his imperial neck was to bend, even under this discipline, while his beautiful full eyes remained turned up through his brows on the company, at the lowest inclination that could be forced upon him.

My next movement was to the medallion in the centre, immediately in front of the throne; where a third congè was made, though the emperor was bowing to those coming after me. Two more were still to be accomplished, the exchange being five to one in the imperial favor, and those backwards; as the face must be kept towards the throne in completing the semicircular line by which you pass from the door of entrance at one corner of the room, to that on the same side, by which you retire.

In making good this retreat, I observed that officers of state lined the walls at regular intervals, bearing maces and other ensigns of authority; that the whole room, in ceiling, cornice, and casement, was richly gilt, hung in draperies of green damask, lined with white and gold, and furnished with mirrors and a profusion of splendid chandeliers, candelabra, and lustres from the ceiling and against the walls.

Finding it to be no infringement of etiquette to stand near the door and witness the obeisance of the courtiers, I remained for a moment for this purpose. They approached the throne in single procession, as we had done; and kneeling, kissed the extended hand of the emperor, and each of the children. Five hundred hurried rapidly, in this manner, through the room.

THE LATE EMPRESS.

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There being no empress, ladies at present do not attend court; but, two or three of high rank, in the service of the princesses, were seen in a side room, in full dress, with a profusion of diamonds and ostrich plumes in their hair.

I have been much interested in the character of the late empress; pleasing in her person and manners, of superior mental endowments, and amiable and domestic in her habits, she was a universal favorite, and greatly beloved by the people. To other attractive qualities she added those of great benevolence, and seeming piety of heart, and abounded in deeds of private charity, and other good works. Her youth and early fate, being only twenty-eight years of age at her death, two years since, added to rumors of a wounded spirit from the infidelity and unkindness of her husband, have thrown a touching interest around her memory; and I never pass a convent, situated between Flamengo and the city, in which her remains are deposited, without musing on some affecting incidents in her history which have come to my knowledge. A principal defect in her character appears to have been a negligence of dress: a source of much matrimonial unhappiness in more humble spheres, and often the origin of much of the wretchedness known in that relation. The emperor is young; but now just thirty; and however justly chargeable with a want of tenderness and courtesy as a husband, is said to be a most affectionate and devoted father. He spends much of his time with his children, and in person daily superintends their education.

These interested me more than any thing I saw. They seemed healthy, innocent and happy; and I al

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PRINCE AND PRINCESSES.

most pitied their probable destiny. Their number and ages reminded me of my own little set; and I fancied that a young gentleman of my acquaintance, under the same accidents of dress and footing, would have made a finer looking prince imperial, while a sister would have borne the palm for beauty from the princess of her age.

The dresses of all three were elegant, but neat and simple. The boy wore a spencer of mazarine blue silk, with white under clothing, and a cape of broad lace on the neck and shoulders; and the girls were in white muslin, embroidered with gold, without jewels or other ornament; and their hair, of light brown, smoothly combed and parted in the middle of the forehead. The early loss of their mother; the reputed licentiousness of the father; the errors of their religion and the confessed corruptions of the court, made me look with feelings of sorrow upon them, in their present innocence and unconsciousness of the moral danger and degradation to which they are exposed. May their fate in this respect be more propitious than has heretofore too often attended an imperial birth.

CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.

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LETTER IX.

PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF THE CITY.

Praya do Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro, Į
April 8th, 1829.

YESTERDAY, after a call at the British embassa dor's, Mr. Tudor and myself drove into the city for the purpose of visiting some of its public institutions; and spent the morning at the chamber of deputies, the public library, the academy of arts, and the national

museum.

The deputies, composing the upper house of the imperial legislature, were in session in the vicinity of the palace. The chamber is a spacious and lofty room of Grecian architecture, in a building appropri ated to the purpose; furnished with a throne on the east end, and galleries for spectators under arched colonnades on either side. The seats of the members are in two semicircular rows in front of the throne; the curtains of which were dropt in the absence of the emperor. The archbishop of Bahia is the president of the chamber; and was seated in a chair of state in front of the throne, in the purple robes of his ecclesiastical office. I had been introduced to him on Saturday, at the palace, as one of the most distinguished men of the empire, and of high influence both in church and state. The galleries were crowded with well dressed citizens, who were listening, as we entered, with great interest, to an animated speech from one of the deputies. The speaker closed his address almost immediately, however; and the chamber adVOL. I.

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