t 557 ) 



-and elegance, Brazil would lay under tribute every court in the civilized 

 .world. 



The Dutch were artful enough to poison the ears of the ministers of Portugal 

 against the proposal of making diamonds a free trade, and assisted in the per- 

 secutions against those unfortunate sufferers who were detected in possessing them; 

 but surely that narrow-minded and self-interested policy is now done away with ; 

 nor would it be credited in modern history, that the Government of Brazil, for 

 a trivial, pecuniary profit, should be the dupes of their own bank and a few 

 interested strangers. 



Branches of the Revenue. 



The following is a statement of the various branches of the revenue of Brazil, 

 which is perhaps unequalled by that of any other country consisting of the same 

 population :— ' 



1 . A fifth upon all the gold obtained in any and every part of Brazil. 



2. A duty of fifteen per cent, upon all merchandize entered at the Custom- 

 •house and imported, except what is imported in Portuguese ships, which ^ays 

 something less. 



3. A small tax upon exports. 



4i Tythes, or ten per cent, upon the productions of the land. This branch of 

 revenue yields a large income to the state, to which it has belonged since the first 

 settlement of the colony, when the reigning Sovereign, by contract with his Ho- 

 liness, agreed to pay the salaries of the clergy, in order to induce them to go to 

 that remote and uncivilized country. It is also claimed by the state in virtue of 

 the order of Christ, of which the monarchs of Portugal are grand-masters. It is 

 portioned into distinct districts, each of which is either contracted for, or put up 

 at auction separately in the treasury under such arrangements as to be allotted to 

 those who have most interest. The several renters collect it by ascertaining the 

 number of negroes upon every estate, or possessed by every house-keeper, and 

 agree to receive a £ertain rate per head instead of taking it in kind. The amount 

 for which the various tythes are sold it is not easy to calculate, but it must be very 

 considerable. 1 am almost certain that the tythes of Rio Grande alone were sold 

 for ten thousand pounds per annum for three years *. In Bahia, and other places, 



* This revenue arises from hides, which are subject to this duty. 



