CHAPTER IV. 



RIO DE JANEIRO. 



A. D. 1808. 



RANKS— EMPLOYMENT.— MANNERS— CHARACTER. 



VICEREYS. THE aUEEN. REGENT. ROYAL FAMILY. PALACE. EQUIPAGE. — 



CONDE ' DE LINHARES. COURTIERS. ECCLESIASTICS. LAWYERS. MERCHANTS. 



SHOPKEEPERS. ARTIZANS. PORTERS. ITINERANT DEALERS. BEGGARS. 



WOMEN. THEIR DRESS. PERSONS. EMPLOYMENTS. CHILDREN. DOMESTIC 



ARRANGEMENTS.— FURNITURE.— VISITS. DINNER PARTY. EVENING. VISIT AT 



ILHA DOS FRADRES. EDUCATION. IGNORANCE. FILTH. VICES. ADMINIS- 

 TRATION OF JUSTICE. 



PREVIOUS to the arrival of the Royal Family in Brazil, the 

 country was governed by Vicereys, sent from Portugal, who enjoyed 

 almost absolute authority. Hence those, who depended upon the great 

 man's opinion, or were any way connected with his Court, became dis" 

 posed to pay him even servile attention ; and indemnified themselves, as 

 well as they could, for the humiliation which they underwent, by exact- 

 ing a like deference from every one below them. In this way, servility 

 pervaded all classes of society. When the representative of Royalty 

 appeared in the streets, all, who saw the distant shadow of his equipage, 

 not only uncovered their heads, but bent one knee to the ground. No 

 one thought himself entitled to pass a common soldier on duty, or to 

 read a public notice stuck against the wall, without performing some act 

 of homage. It is, no doubt, proper to pay the external and visible 

 marks of respect to important officers and high characters ; but in Brazil 

 this principle is extended to a positive degradation of the manly character. 



