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92 



THE PEA SAN Til V. 



more religious ; and though their knowledge is 

 very confined, still their frequent communication 

 with Recife and other towns renders them, of 

 course, less unacquainted with what passes in the 

 world than the inhabitants of the interior. The 

 free schools which are established in many places 

 are of much service, and although reading for 

 amusement is totally beyond the comprehension 

 even of many persons of the secondary rank, still 

 the acquirement of the rudiments of knowledge 

 prepare them for improvement, when books begin 

 to make their way. Some of my , neighbours, 

 both at Itamaraca and at Jaguaribe, chanced at 

 times to come in whilst I was reading, and would 

 be curious to know how it was that I could find 

 amusement in being so employed. I remember 

 one man saying to me, "You are not a priest, and 

 therefore why do you read ; is that a breviary in 

 which you are reading ?" On another occasion, 

 L was told that I had got the character among 

 the people of colour in the neighbourhood of 

 being very holy*, for that I was always reading. 

 A person who can read, write, and keep accounts, 

 Uto attained the height of perfection, and is 

 much respected ; or rather of late years, one 

 who does not know how to do these things is 

 looked down upon. The women particularly 

 pride themselves upon the superiority which they 



* " Dizem, que Vm. he muito santo.'' 



