NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



575 



some Latin ones ; but few, I believe, fell into Brazilian hands, French 

 Books are in demand ; but it was impossible, by any means, to sell the 

 Glasgow Edition of Homer's Iliad, in Greek ; the Septuagint and New Tes- 

 tament in the same language, Hederic's nor even Schrevelius's Lexicons ; 

 nor did a Hebrew Psalter, with a Latin Translation, find a customer. 



With the Sciences, the Arts, both mechanic and those which are 

 commonly denominated fine ones, prospered in a high degree ; and we 

 had not only Blacksmiths, Carpenters, and Bricklayers, but Poets and 

 Painters in abundance. 



The state of Fashion and taste was displayed by the superior show 

 and decoration of retail shops ; and by the puffing advertisements which 

 were published in a style suited to the French Capital. In 1816, a Hair- 

 Dresser announced himself, and solicited patronage from the circumstance 

 of having had the honour to be employed by Donna Carlotta of Brazil, 

 the Princess of Wales, and the Duchess of Angouleme. 



A Junta, or Committee of Commerce, Agriculture, Manufactures, 

 and Navigation, had existed in Rio from the time when the Royal 

 Family arrived, and had attained many objects proposed by its establish- 

 ment. In June, 1816, a sort of Board of Trade was appointed, and 

 some Resolutions passed in consequence, favourable to Brazilian Com- 

 mierce. In taking a general view of this subject, it will be convenient to 

 premise that, previous to the new order of things, almost every Fazenda 

 produced all that it wanted, excepting Slaves, Implements of Husbandry 

 and Mining, and a few Articles of Luxury belonging to the Table, 

 Clothing, Furniture, and Parade. These were imported through Per- 

 nambuco, Bahia, and Rio, and created with these places some small 

 degree of Internal Commerce, and some little Coasting Trade. But it 

 is scarcely possible for persons, who have not paid close attention to the 

 subject, to conceive how languid it was, how slow in its operations, and 

 to what a great extent smuggling existed. The productions of Brazil 

 created more activity. Being generally heavy or bulky articles, they 

 were conveyed for the most part by water, and an Estate was of little value 

 unless bounded by a navigable stream or enriched by Minerals. Plence 



