96 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 



A curiosity. When the first electric machine was in- 

 vented, to what use was it put ? To make puppets dance 

 for the amusement of children. To-day it is the most 

 powerful engine of civilization. But should our work 

 have no other result than this, to know that certain 

 facts in nature are thus and not otherwise, that their 

 causes were such and no others, this result in itself is 

 good enough, and great enough, since the end of man, his 

 aim, his glory, is the knowledge of the truth." 



One word upon these lectures, since we are told by the 

 Brazilians themselves that the introduction of public lec- 

 tures among them is a novelty and in a certain sense an 

 era in their educational history. If any subject of science 

 or letters is to be presented to the public here, it is done 

 under special conditions before a selected audience, where 

 the paper is read in presence of the Emperor with all 

 due solemnity. Popular instruction, with admittance for 

 all who care to listen or to learn, has been hitherto a 

 thing unknown. The suggestion was made by Dr. Pacheco, 

 the Director of the Collegio Dom Pedro II., a man of liberal 

 culture and great intelligence, who has already done much 

 for the progress of education in Rio de Janeiro ; it found 

 favor with- the Emperor, who is keenly alive to anything 

 which can stimulate the love of knowledge among his 

 people, and at his request Mr. Agassiz has given a course of 

 lectures in French on a variety of scientific subjects. He 

 was indeed very glad to have an opportunity of introducing 

 here a means of popular education which he believes to 

 have been very salutary in its influence among us. At 

 first the presence of ladies was objected to, as too great an 

 innovation on national habits ; but even that was overcome, 

 and the doors were opened to all comers, the lectures being 



