Doctor Walsh observes, that the spectators did not seem to be at all impressed with the solemnity of this ceremony, but laughed and joked about it with a degree of levity not entirely consistent with delicacy. It is a notorious fact that the South Americans have little hearty faith in the religion they profess. The French philosophy taught in their schools has destroyed this, without introducing any thing better. Women are very regular in their attendance at mass; but men give themselves little trouble about it, unless some love-affair attracts them to the church. Girls often marry as young as twelve or fourteen. Ambitious parents there, as elsewhere, are desirous to have their children form matches of interest; but the natural ardor and sensibility of the people is opposed to this. With all the fervid romance of olden time, they fall in love at the first glance; and while the paroxysm endures, “the world is divided into two parts--that where the beloved object is, and that where she is not.” It is no uncommon occurrence for the daughters of wealthy families to leave the luxuries of their father’s house, for the sake of some young man, whose industry will afford them merely a comfortable subsistence. The enthusiastic character of the people sympathizes so readily with such disinterestedness, that a law was recently passed in Brazil to prevent rich fathers from disinheriting their children under such circumstances, unless some important charge could be substantiated against the moral character of those they married. It is much to be regretted that the matrimonial vow is often as lightly broken, as it was fervently uttered. In large cities, French dress and manners prevail to a considerable extent; but in the provinces women frequently follow the Spanish custom of wearing the mantilla, and covering the face, so as to leave only one sparkling eye visible. They likewise ride on horses, or mules, after the fashion of men. The laboring class are principally blacks, or some of the various shades between black and white; and here as in other countries, the free negro is almost as much paralyzed and degraded as the slave himself, by the effects of that lazy and pernicious system. The prejudice with regard to color is much less strong than in North America. The descendants of Africans have a wider field opened for the exercise of such abilities as God may have given them; and both sexes sometimes form highly respectable marriages with the European race. Because the prevailing character of South American women is ignorant and voluptuous, it must not be supposed that there are not numerous exceptions. Even the cities, which are always worse than villages, contain many virtuous, modest, and honorable families; and during the frequent struggles for independence, ladies in various parts of South America have often manifested a sublime degree of firmness and patriotism. * * * * *