134 Anecdotes of Brazil [FKB. 



not been systematically debased by a tyrannical system of colonial 

 government; but, on the contrary, had enjoyed, ever since the removal 

 of the seat of empire from Europe, all the privileges and advantages of 

 an independent kingdom. Under the mild and paternal government of 

 the house of Braganza, she was silently making gigantic strides in the 

 march of civilization. The political horizon, hitherto so bright and 

 serene, now became clouded ; the flood-gates of ambition were burst 

 open, and a torrent of new opinions deluged the country. Liberty, inde- 

 pendence, the rights of man, and the dignity of human nature, with other 

 abstract metaphysical questions the very names of which they were 

 previously unacquainted with now engrossed the minds of the Brazi- 

 lians to the exclusion of every other subject. In the blind infatuation of 

 the moment, they enthusiastically dreamed that the golden age was 

 about to be substantially realized ; and that, too, without any other exer- 

 tion on their part than vociferating from morning till night, " Viva a 

 const it H cid !" <f Now that Brazil has a constitution," said a young 

 officer to me one day, " England is no longer anything." A very few 

 months taught them the fallacy of their opinions. Disappointed in their 

 magnificent conceptions of the constitutional system, they watched with 

 intense anxiety the star of independence just rising on their political 

 horizon. Ardent, of a lively imagination, and as susceptible of impres- 

 sion as mercury itself, the Brazilian was easily wrought on by the 

 master-spirits of the revolution. The new mania spread with incon- 

 ceivable rapidity from one end of the country to the other. The ideas 

 of the mass of the political changes going on,, must have been vague and 

 indeterminate in the extreme ; for I have heard the soldiery vociferating 

 in the same breath, " The perpetual union of Brazil with Portugal for 

 ever !" and then, in singular juxtaposition. " Independence for ever, 

 and death to royalists !" 



I was one day highly amused with a colloquy which I overheard 

 between a Sertanejo, just arrived from the interior,, and his correspon- 

 dent in the capital. " Amigo," said he, (( what means this ' Indcpen- 

 cia !' which I hear in every body's mouth?" "What does it mean, 

 indeed !" rejoined the other, with a look of the most profound political 

 sagacity ; " why, simply this that the English merchant who lives 

 yonder will now be obliged to sell us his merchandize for almost 

 nothing." " Oh !" rejoined the other, with something like a tone of 

 misgiving, " how will he, in that case, be able to purchase my hides ?" 

 " Independence will do every thing; give yourself no concern!" was 

 the reply. The prophecy, so confidently put forth by the pseudo-poli- 

 tician, was not realized. The ardently-desired political change was 

 effected ; but the English merchant still continued to ask and obtain the 

 same prices as before for his wares ; while the Sertanejo found, to his 

 astonishment, that many of the channels through which he used to dispose 

 of his hides were most unaccountably dried up. At last, they sagaciously 

 discovered that they had committed a grand mistake by choosing a 

 monarchical form of government. A republic was the grand panacea 

 for their wants ; but their further career around the political zodiac was 

 arrested by the stern decision of the Emperor Pedro. Scarcely seated 

 on his new-raised throne, than revolution broke out at the very gates of 

 his palace ; the Emperor felt that there are moments when to temporize 

 is madness to hesitate, is death ! With admirable firmness he stopped the 

 wheel of revolution, already in full career ; overturned, at the head of 



