NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



69 



The lower apartments are the abodes of poor families, the upper 

 stories are devoted to the purposes of the establishment. At the 

 end of the building, in the Rua do St. Joze, is the chapel, which is 

 generally well attended, but imperfectly lighted and little adorned. The 

 altar has no claim to distinction, except for its inferiority ; and the place 

 for the Recolhidas, or secluded females, behind the grating of which they 

 join in divine worship, is low and heavy. This is also the situation 

 where women of a certain class frequently say their vespers, and hear their 

 masses, in order to cleanse themselves from former stains, and make 

 arrangements for the contraction of new ones. 



This chapel, at the time 1 arrived, was the scene of one most abo- 

 minable custom. The dead child of poor parents was often wrapped in 

 rags, and tucked into the gratings of one of the windows, where it 

 remained until the charity of the pious deposited with it the established 

 fee for burial. Then, but not before, the men, whose work ought to be 

 charity, both to the living and the dead, took away the corpse, and pocketed 

 the cash. The fee, I am told, for the funeral service was six hundred 

 and forty reis, about two shillings and sixpence ; while the daily wages 

 of the poor were no more than eighty reis, or four-pence, and there are 

 generally two holidays, at least, in every week. Thus the man of God 

 absorbs the ten days labour of a poor one, to do — what shall I say ? an 

 act of humanity ? no; but that, which, in my conscience I believe, he 

 himself reckons of no importance whatsoever, and which ought to be 

 performed by priests of every sect, as an act of duty, not of profit. 



The other Recolhimento is near the Easternmost point of the city, 

 and is connected with, or near to, the Misericordia, or Infirmary ; toge- 

 ther they constitute an extensive and noble pile of building. Between 

 them is a large and gloomy chapel, yet not without showy pretensions, 

 when lighted up. This retreat seems to be more respectable than the 

 former, and to contain a greater number of young females. At worship, 

 we can see their shades, and hear their voices, and thus judge, in some 

 measure, of their numbers and ages. Many of their voices are melodious, 

 and their chaunting is of a superior kind. Yet poor are the claims 



