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 
