250 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF [Sess. lvi. 



Professor Agassiz, who knew him well and was a good judge 

 of his acquirements. When a mere boy-Emperor, and 

 engrossed by the cares of a new and gigantic empire, he 

 found time to work at Physics and Chemistry in his own 

 laboratory, and to master several languages, besides keeping 

 up with the Politics and Scientific progress of Europe. He 

 could converse and w^rite fluently in French, Italian, Spanish, 

 German, and English, in addition to his native Portuguese. 

 In ancient languages, besides Latin and Greek, he w^as well 

 versed in Sanscrit, Arabic, and Hebrew ; and, when in exile, 

 he busied himself translating the " Arabian Nights " into 

 Portuguese, and latterly in translating from the Hebrew 

 Jewish poetry and ritual songs as sung by the Jews of all 

 countries. Among his favourite authors were Sir Walter 

 Scott, Victor Hugo, and Longfellow, from whose writings he 

 made several poetical translations into Portuguese. 



His Majesty was fond of Scotland, and, after his visit to 

 Europe in 1871, often enquired after those whom he had 

 met in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Botany was a favourite 

 study, and he ranked the Botanic Garden of Edinburgh 

 as the best he had seen in his travels after those of Kew. 

 His delight was to be among celebrities in Science and 

 Literature, and he much regretted that the state of affairs 

 in Brazil did not allow him to be present at the tercentenary 

 commemoration of the Edinburgh University in 1884, to be 

 associated with Virchow, Pasteur, Lowell, &c. It gratified 

 him much to receive the degree of LL.D. from that univer- 

 sity, in recognition of which he conferred high decorations 

 on the Chancellor, the Principal, and the Secretary. It was 

 also his desire and intention to visit the Forth Bridge, in 

 the construction of which he had taken great interest, but 

 his physicians and family were averse to his risking the 

 cold and fatigue of the journey. 



In London His Majesty was enthusiastic in seeing all 

 that was interesting. He especially enjoyed the British 

 Museum and K(;w Gardens, to botli of which he made 

 studious visits. Out of London, wliat most interested him 

 were the arsenals and dockyards, and the officers who showed 

 him over the works at Woolwich were nmch struck with 

 his great scientific knowledge of guns and gunnery, and the 

 construction of ironclads. In fact, his endowments were 



