1843] CAMOENS' CAVE. 67 



of the barber, who removes the wiskers, and shaves the 

 head, the ears, the nostrils, and even the eyelids. 



"Passing through Macao, I visited Camoens' Cave, 

 the burial place of the immortal Portuguese poet, author 

 of the 'Lusiad'. It is situated in a beautiful garden, 

 belonging to Madame Pereira, not very far from the city 

 of Macao, and close to the European burial-ground. The 

 so-called cave is a rude, picturesque archway, formed of 

 two enormous blocks of stone, with another large rock 

 placed upon them, and elegantly shaded with splendid 

 showy trees, which wave their feathery branches over the 

 entire mass fit resting place for a poet's " mortal coil". 

 On the summit of the roof-block, they have placed a 

 small hexagonal summer-house, chiefly remarkable for 

 the ridiculous number of silly signatures of unknown 

 visitors, who ignorantly deface and mar whatever is 

 curious, hallowed, or beautiful. Most of these debasing 

 autographs are English ; the only one, worth noticing, 

 was by some inspired Portuguese, who had written, in 

 the devotion of his heart, "Luis Camoens te adoro!" a 

 sentence, however trite, singular for its affecting simpli- 

 city. In the solitude and retirement of this garden, and 

 in the midst of the rocks that now form his grave, the 

 immortal minstrel is said to have delighted to wander, 

 and "chew the cud of sweet and bitter fancy". The 

 verses, with the composition of which his tender soul 

 beguiled the tedium of his lengthened banishment, now 

 serve to decorate the marble of his tomb. The poet's 

 bust surmounts the pedestal, and shows a head, at once 

 benevolent and animated. Many a pilgrimage is made 

 to this hallowed spot, and the effective scenery of the 



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