NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



commonly in loud and harsh tones. Their general air is sly and coquet- 

 ish ; and they have no idea that their carriage can possibly excite disgust^ 

 or even that they can fail to be objects of admiration. They have few 

 opportunities of conversing with the other sex, and what good fortune 

 offers they use with eagerness. 



Such manners may be attractive to their countrymen, but their 

 influence can extend no farther. To a taste a little more refined, it is 

 more material that the ornaments of these females have a pleasing effect, 

 and set off the charms of a face, the features of which are round and 

 regular, of a black, lively, inquisitive eye, a smooth and open forehead, 

 a mouth expressive of simplicity and good temper, furnished with a 

 white and even set of teeth ; united with a moderately handsome figure, 

 a sprightly laughing air, and a demeanour gay, frank, and unsuspicious. 

 Such is the common appearance of a young lady, about thirteen or 

 fourteen years of age ; a period when she usually takes upon her the 

 cares of a household, or rather, notwithstanding obvious disqualifications^ 

 assumes the character of a matron. Indeed, at eighteen, in a Brazilian 

 woman, nature has attained to full maturity. A few years later she 

 becomes corpulent, and even unwieldy ; acquires a great stoop in her 

 shoulders, and walks with an awkward waddling gait. She begins to 

 decay, loses the good humour of her countenance, and assumes, in its 

 place, a contracted and scowhng brow ; the eye and mouth both indicate 

 that they have been accustomed to express the violent and vindictive 

 passions, the cheeks are deprived of their plumpness and colour, and 

 at twenty-five, or thirty at most, she becomes a perfectly wrinkled old 

 woman. 



Early corpulence appeared to me to arise from their secluded and 

 indolent habits. They were seldom seen out of doors, except when 

 going to mass, so early as four o'clock in the morning, on Dias Santos, or 

 days of sacred obligation ; and even then the whole form and face were 

 so wrapped up in mantles, or enclosed within the curtains of a Cadeira, 

 as to preclude the enjoyment of fresh air, and to conceal every feature, 

 except perhaps a wickedly talkative eye. These Cadeiras answered, less 



