94 RIO DE JANEIRO. 
With regard to those of Rio de Janeiro I own that, 
hoAvever strongly prejudice might operate against them, I 
never could perceive in their conduct any thing that could 
warrant the opinion of their being more licentious, or more 
immorally inchned, than females are in other countries. Nor 
do I believe that their good humour, signified by smiling, 
nodding, and' throwing flowers from their balconies to passing 
strangers, after having repeatedly seen the same thing done 
when the fathers or the husbands were standing by their side, 
could justly or candidly be construed into any assignation, 
to convey any particular meaning, or bear any other explana- 
tion than that of its being a mere local custom, practised 
without design ; much less could it afford sufficient grounds 
for the very heavy censure that has been passed upon them. 
It is scarcely fair to decide on the disposition and moral 
character of a whole nation from the occasional occurrences 
and observations of a few hours in the day, during a week's 
residence ; and where the character of the fair sex is at stake, 
we ought at least to incline to the favourable side, especially 
as, in every country, the female part of society owes, in a 
great degree, its good and bad qualities, and more particu- 
larly the latter, to the conduct of the men. 
The manners are so different in different coimtries, and 
local customs sometimes so extraordinary, that ocular ob- 
servation alone may easily be deceived. In France it was 
the common custom for the gentlemen to kiss every lady they 
might meet in the streets on new year's day ; and he who 
should omit this ceremony would' have been considered as a 
