Journal of a Voyage to Brazil: And Residence There During Part of the Years 1821, 1822, 1823Callcott, Maria, Lady
History
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil: And Residence There During Part of the Years 1821, 1822, 1823
Callcott, Maria, Lady
Brazil -- Description and travel
_January 8th, 1822._--The only variety in my quiet life since the first,
was afforded by a large and pleasant party at Miss Hayne's. There I saw
abundance of jewels on the heads and necks of the elderly Portuguese
ladies, and a good deal of beauty, and some grace, among the younger
ones, whom I begin to understand pretty well. We had some good music,
and there was a great deal of dancing, and not a little card-playing.
To-day we left the house on shore, and are again at home on board the
Doris, with all our invalids much better. Having settled every body
comfortably, I went ashore to the opera, as it is the benefit night of a
favourite musician, Rosquellas, whose name is known on both sides of the
Atlantic. The theatre is very handsome; in size and proportion, some of
our officers think it as large as the Haymarket, but I differ from them.
It was opened on the 12th of October, 1813, the Prince Don Pedro's
birth-day. The boxes are commodious, and I hear, that the unseen part of
the theatre is comfortable for the actors, dressers, &c.; but the
machinery and decorations are deficient. The evening's amusements
consisted of a very stupid Portuguese comedy, relieved between the acts
by scenes from an opera of Rossini's by Rosquellas, after which, he
wasted a great deal of fine playing on some very ugly music.
_Wednesday, January 9th._--To-day is expected to be a day of much
importance to the future fate of Brazil. But I must go back to the
arrival of a message from the cortes at Lisbon, intimating to the Prince
their pleasure, that he should forthwith repair to Europe, and begin his
education, and proceed to travel incognito through Spain, France, and
England. This message excited the most lively indignation not only in
His Royal Highness, but in the Brazilians from one end of the kingdom to
the other. The Prince is willing to obey the orders of his father and
the cortes, at the same time he cannot but feel as a man the want of
decency of the message, and being thus bid to go home; and especially
forbidden to carry any guards with him, as it should seem, lest they
might have contracted too much attachment for his person. The Brazilians
regard this step as preliminary to removing from this country the courts
of justice, which have for fourteen years been held here, and so
removing causes to Lisbon, by which means, Brazil would be again reduced
to the condition of a dependent colony instead of enjoying equal rights
and privileges with the mother country, a degradation they are by no
means inclined to submit to.
The feelings of the people are sufficiently shown, in the address sent
to the Prince, a few days ago, (24th of December,) from St. Paul's; as
follows:--
"SIR,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account