THE BRAZILIANS 



of the old negress, who had been in the house since the days of 

 slavery. When I returned to the house after a walk by the sea, I 

 found in my room a plate containing a sample of this porridge. 

 And often, if I took part in any festive gathering, flowers were sent 

 to me afterwards, or the best fruits were picked for me, so that I 

 realized that the true Brazilian puts his heart into his hospitality, 

 and is always thinking of what he can do to give his guest pleasure. 

 This hospitality, indeed, is exercised even by people who according 

 to our lights have no reason to show it. When I travelled by the 

 electric tramway from Olinda to Recife, and wished to pay my 

 fare, the conductor not infrequently informed me that it had already 

 been paid; and when I asked him who had paid it he replied that 

 it was paid by a gentleman sitting behind me, who had already got 

 out. The Brazilian who on entering a train or railway-carriage sees 

 an acquaintance sitting in front of him, or one whom he knows to 

 be — as I was — a guest of his country, has the courtesy to pay this 

 passenger's fare with his own. Even in the cafes my check was often 

 paid in this way, though I never knew who paid it. A Brazilian 

 would not think it becoming to light a cigar in a railway-carriage 

 without offering one to his neighbour. 



When I asked myself why I found these manners so pleasant, it 

 seemed to me that they reminded me of the old days in my own 

 Fatherland, before the haste and bustle of to-day had come into 

 being, and when there was more room to move, so that such customs 

 were still possible. To live in Brazil was like living again in the 

 Germany or the Europe of a century or two ago ! 



Then with us too people had more leisure; life was not so noisy 

 and insistent in its demands, and the individual had not yet become 

 a mere cog-wheel in a great machine, unable to do much more 

 than reel off the work allotted to him. 



In Brazil — and I am referring here to those regions that are 

 somewhat remote from the large centres which are in touch with 

 Europe — a man is something more, even in the eyes of the Govern- 

 ment, than a profession, or perhaps even a mere title. He is valued 

 as a personality, and his subsequent position, even if this be official, 

 depends very largely on whether his is a congenial character. It was 

 characteristic that when I received my appointment (as I was later 

 informed) some anxiety was expressed as to whether or not I was 

 married. In Brazil one simply has to be married; otherwise one 



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