NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



of the Brazilians, without much reason, regarded the marriage of her 

 eldest daughter with Don Carlos of Spain, in 1810, as another act of 

 the same comedy, all the parts of which were intended to promote an 

 unity of interests throughout the w^hole Continent of South America, 

 and ultimately to bring it under the influence of one crown. 



That this Royal Marriage might be celebrated with suitable splen- 

 dour, an attempt was made to get up some of those spectacles which 

 the Portuguese love and reckon manly. A place was erected for the 

 exhibition of bull fights, and men skilful in such exercises were collected. 

 There was also something in humble imitation of the ancient tournaments, 

 in which images were introduced, and gained great applause, whose 

 centre of gravity was so placed as to cause them to recover their position 

 when overturned. The genius of Brazil made his appearance, repre- 

 sented by an Indian on horseback, whose courser spouted vapour. The 

 long-past glory of Portugal was shown by the models of some forts in 

 the East Indies, taken by her victorious troops almost three hundred 

 years before. And the present pov.er of the Sovereign was displayed by 

 an assemblage of every class of human beings, who live under his sway ; 

 of Europeans in their full dress, Asiatics in their regular costume. South 

 American Indians in their gaudy plumage, and Africans dressed like 

 baboons, with moss instead of hair, affecting to exhibit the evolutions, 

 and resemble in manner, as they did in intellect, their irrational prototypes. « 

 Every country brought forward its peculiar diversions, and all joined to 

 render homage to their Prince. The games were not ill adapted to cir- 

 cumstances ; they might have served any where for the amusement of 

 boyhood; and created here such an interest in men emerging from semi- 

 barbarism, and the profundity of ignorance, that tliey wondered how 

 it was possible for us not to share their admiration. Happily for the 

 future character of Brazil, it was found that from nature or climate, the 

 bulls could not be enraged ; and the frivolities and absurdities w^hieh 

 succeeded the best, were so pointed out and ridiculed that the shows were 

 iiever repeated. 



Among commercial improvements may be noticed the enlargement 



