THE LATE EMPRESS. 79 room, in ceiling, cornice, and casement, was richly gilt-hung in draperies of green damask, lined with white and gold—and furnished with mirrors and a profusion of splendid chandeliers, candelabra, and lustres from the ceiling and against the walls. Finding it to be no infringement of etiquette to stand near the door and witness the obeisance of the courtiers, I remained for a moment for this purpose. They approached the throne in single procession, as we had done; and kneeling, kissed the extended hand of the emperor, and each of the children. Five hundred hurried rapidly, in this manner, through the room. There being no empress, ladies at present do not attend court; but two or three of high rank, in the service of the princesses, were seen in a side room, in full dress, with a profusion of diamonds and ostrich plumes in their hair. I have been much interested in the character of the late empress; pleasing in her person and manners of superior mental endowments, and amiable and domestic in her habits, she was a universal favorite, and greatly beloved by the people. To other attractive qualities she added those of great benevolence, and seeming piety of heart-abounding in deeds of private charity, and other good works. Her youth and early fate-being only twenty-eight years of age at her death, two years since-added to rumors of a wounded spirit from the infidelity and unkindness of her husband, have thrown a touching interest around her memory; and I never pass a convent, situated between Flamengo and the city, in which her remains are deposited, without musing 80 PRINCE AND PRINCESSES. on some affecting incidents in her history which have come to my knowledge. A principal defect in her appears to have been in a negligence of dress a source of much matrimonial unhappiness in more humble spheres, and often the origin of much of the wretchedness known in that relation. The emperor is young; but now just thirty; and however justly chargeable with a want of tenderness and courtesy as a husband, is said to be a most affectionate and devoted father. He spends much of his time with his children, and in person daily superintends their education. These interested me more than any thing I saw. They seemed healthy, innocent, and happy; and I almost pitied their probable destiny. Their number and ages reminded me of my own little set; and I fancied that a young gentleman of my acquaintance, under the same accidents of dress and footing, would have made a finer looking prince imperial—while a sister would have borne the palm for beauty from the princess of her age. The dresses of all three were elegant; but neat and simple. The boy wore a spencer of mazarine blue silk, with white under clothing, and a cape of broad lace on the neck and shoulders; and the girls were in white muslin, embroidered with gold, without jewels or other ornament; and their hair, of light brown, smoothly combed and parted in the middle of the forehead. The early loss of their mother-the reputed licentiousness of the father-the errors of their religion and confessed corruptions of the court-made me CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES. 81 look with feelings of sorrow upon them, in their present innocence and unconsciousness of the moral danger and degradation to which they are exposed. May their fate in this respect be more propitious than has heretofore too often attended an imperial birth. LETTER V. PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF THE CITY. Praya do Flamengo, Rio de Janiero, YESTERDAY, after a call at the British embassador's, Mr. Tudor and myself drove into the city for the purpose of visiting some of its public institutions; and spent the morning at the chamber of deputies, the public library, the academy of arts, and the national museum. The deputies, composing the upper house of the imperial legislature, were in session in the vicinity of the palace. The chamber is a spacious and lofty room of Grecian architecture, in a building appropriated to the purpose; furnished with a throne on the east end, and galleries for spectators under arched colonnades on either side. The seats of the members are in two semicircular rows in front of the throne; the curtains of which were dropt in the absence of the emperor. The archbishop of Bahia is the president of the chamber; and was seated in a chair of state in front of the throne, in the purple robes of his 82 PUBLIC LIBRARY. ecclesiastical office. I had been introduced to him on Saturday, at the palace, as one of the most talented men of the empire, and of distinguished influence both in church and state. The galleries were crowded with well dressed citizens, who were listening, as we entered, with great interest, to an animated speech from one of the deputies. The speaker closed his address almost immediately, however; and the chamber adjourning, we were disappointed in an opportunity of judging of the parliamentary eloquence and talent of the assembly. The public library is located in a suit of rooms in the palace. It was brought from Lisbon by John VI. of Portugal, on the flight of the royal family to Brazil in 1808; and contains upwards of seventy thousand volumes—many of them valuable and ancient works. The books are arranged according to their subjects, in a convenient and handsome manner, in a succession of halls on two floors; one of which is furnished with a table, reading desks, and seats for the accommodation of any person-citizen or stranger--who may wish to consult authors in the collection. A canon of the church has the superintendence of the institution, and very politely conducted us through the rooms. A copy of the first printed edition of the Bible attracted our particular attention-it is on vellum and` in excellent order. On the title page the then novelty of the execution is proclaimed by a declaration in Latin, that this volume is not written with a pen, but impressed according to the marvellous invention of John Faustus. The most splendid work ACADEMY OF ARTS. 83 exhibited to us, was a folio edition of the travels of Prince Maximalian of Germany, in Brazil. The whole typography is in the finest style of the arts. It is highly embellished with colored engravings, possessing all the delicacy and high finish of painting; and presenting admirable illustrations of Brazilian scenery, character, and costume. To one who has never witnessed the splendid tints of sky and landscape as exhibited here, and in some other parts of the world, the coloring would be thought too high wrought and gorgeous; bordering on that which would be called gaudy and unnatural-but it is strictly true to nature. We found Dr. Walsh in one of the apartments; and after a general survey of the collection, passed some time in agreeable and instructive conversation with him, and the gentleman acting as our conductor. The academy of arts is situated in a narrow street near the centre of the city. The exterior of the building is neat and classical; but on alighting, we found the whole interior undergoing a thorough repair; and the exhibition of paintings and statuary for the present closed. In one room only there were a few pupils receiving lessons from masters, and copying various studies. A large painting was standing upside down against one of the walls, which, on a closer view, we perceived to represent the coronation of the emperor. Its chief merit, like David's coronation of Josephine, consists in the number of portraits from life which it contains. Every head on the canvass, it is said, |