80 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 



the very best of women. One thing was quite inter- 

 esting in the talk we had. The Emperor asking about 

 Agassiz's impressions in Brazil, he answered, "Every- 

 thing delights me with one exception and perhaps 

 that exception is one which it would be indiscreet to 

 speak of here." "No, no," the Emperor said, "be per- 

 fectly frank. I like to have your observations, favor- 

 able or unfavorable." "Then," said Agassiz, "I must 

 say it shocks me to see numbers of negroes who are 

 crippled in their limbs in consequence of the numer- 

 ous burdens they carry on their heads. It is a hid- 

 eous consequence of slavery here." The Emperor re- 

 sponded at once with the greatest earnestness, "Slav- 

 ery is a terrible curse upon any nation, but it must and 

 it will disappear from among us." The Empress took 

 up the strain and said she considered it the saddest 

 feature in their social system. They seemed to have no 

 hesitation in expressing their horror and detestation 

 of it and their hope that it would be rooted out. 

 Some measures are being taken toward it, I believe, 

 but it is one thing to theorize and another to practise. 

 However, there is here not at all the feeling of the in- 

 feriority of the negro, which exists among us. The free 

 blacks and the slaves live side by side, and the former 

 may rise to wealth and good social position and even 

 to distinguished places in political life. After as long 

 a call as we thought it discreet to make, we paid our 

 parting respects. One thing about the Emperor's way 

 of saying good-bye is very funny, and Agassiz says 

 he supposes it is in order to save strangers the embar- 

 rassment of backing out of his presence. He shakes 



