100 



WANDERINGS IN 



Second by it, and its rural beauties seem to surpass all others in 



Journey. 



— the neighbourhood ; there the Captain- General of Per- 



nambuco resides during this time of merriment and joy. 



The traveller, who allots a portion of his time to peep 

 at his fellow- creatures in their relaxations, and accus- 

 toms himself to read their several little histories in their 

 looks and gestures as he goes musing on, may have full 

 occupation for an hour or two every day at this season 

 amid the variegated scenes around the pretty village of 

 Monteiro. In the evening groups sitting at the door, 

 he may sometimes see with a sigh how wealth and the 

 prince's favour cause a booby to pass for a Solon, and 

 be reverenced as such, while perhaps a poor neglected 

 Camoens stands silent at a distance, awed by the daz- 

 zling glare of wealth and power. Retired from the pub- 

 lic road he may see poor Maria sitting under a palm-tree, 

 with her elbow in her lap, and her head leaning on one 

 side within her hand, weeping over her forbidden bans. 

 And as he m.oves on " with wandering step and slow," 

 he may hear a brokenhearted nymph ask her faithless 

 swain, — 



" How could you say my face was fair. 

 And yet that face forsake ? 

 How could yon win my virgin heart. 

 Yet leave that heart to break ?" 



One afternoon, in an unfrequented part not far from 

 Monteiro, these adventures were near being brought to a 



