I must say for the people here, that they do seem sensible that in Lord Cochrane they have obtained a treasure. * * * * That there are some who find fault, and some who envy, is very true. But when was it otherwise? Sometimes I cry, "O, what a world is this, where what is comely Envenoms him that bears it!" At others, I take it more easily, and say coolly with the Spaniard, "Envy was honour's wife, the wise man said, Ne'er to be parted till the man was dead:" and neither envy, nor any other injurious feeling, nor all the manifestations of them all together, can ever lessen the real merit of so great a man. The acquisition of Maranham is exceedingly important to the empire: it is one of the provinces that, from the time of its first settlement, has carried on the greatest foreign trade.[129] [Note 129: See the Appendix.] _6th_.--We had three days of public rejoicing, on account of the taking of Maranham; and on Friday, as I happened to be at the palace to show some drawings to the Empress, I perceived that the Emperor's levee was unusually crowded. During these few days, though I have been far from well, I have improved my acquaintance with my foreign friends; but of English I see, and wish to see, very little of any body but Mrs. May. _9th_.--I resolved to take a holiday: so went to spend it with Mrs. May, at the Gloria, only going first for half an hour to the library. That library is a great source of comfort to me: I every day find my cabinet quiet and cool, and provided with the means of study, and generally spend four hours there, reading Portuguese and Brazilian history; for which I shall not, probably, have so good an opportunity again. This day the debate in the Assembly has been most interesting. It is some time since, in discussing that part of the proposed constitution, which treats of the persons who are to be considered as Brazilians, entitled to the protection of the laws of the empire, and amenable to those laws, the 8th paragraph of the 5th article was admitted without a dissentient voice: it is this--"_All naturalised strangers, whatever be their religion_." To-day the 3d paragraph of the 7th article came under discussion. This article treats of the individual rights of Brazilians; it runs thus--"The constitution guarantees to all Brazilians the following individual rights, with the explanations and limitations thereafter expressed:-- "I. Personal Freedom. II. Trial by Jury. III. Religious Freedom. IV. Professional Freedom. V. Inviolability of Property. VI. Liberty of the Press." The 14th article goes on to state, that all Christians may enjoy the political rights of the empire: 15th, "Other religions are hardly tolerated, and none but Christians shall enjoy political rights;" and the 16th declares the Roman Catholic religion to be that of the state, and the only one beneficed by the state.