The National Museum is situated on each side of the Campo d’Acclamacao, and is open to the public on Thursdays. It occupies at present but three rooms, having been sadly plundered of its contents by Don Pedro. The specimens of minerals are numerous and scientifically arranged; but the entomological department is meager, considering the immense numbers and beautiful varieties of insects for which this country is so justly celebrated: there are many private collections in the city which far surpass this, in numbers and brilliancy. In addition to the abovenamed department are several cases, divided into compartments, showing, in miniature, implements of trade and manufactures.
The Senate House, on the opposite side of the square, is a very plain edifice, badly built, and propped up in every direction with long pieces of timber.
On the day when the minister of the interior delivered in his budget, I visited the House of Representatives. The gallery and four private boxes were crowded. We occupied one of the latter. There were about seventy members present, highly respectable in their appearance, although some were of a doubtful white, and others quite black. They were dignified in deportment, graceful in action, and spoke with great fluency.
Education has made great progress throughout Brazil within the last fifteen or twenty years. Beside several Lancasterian schools, supported by government, to which are admitted, gratuitously, children of all colours, (slaves excepted,) primary schools are to be found throughout the city; and private schools also, in which are taught the higher branches of education. There are also a surgical and a medical academy, an academy of fine arts, and ecclesiastical seminaries.
SCENERY—PUBLIC GARDENS.
The city has two public libraries; one of them contains between sixty and seventy thousand volumes, in all languages. The other is at the Convent of St. Benedict. I visited that institution when the librarian was absent, but was amply compensated for the tiresome walk up the steep hill, on a hot day, over a very rough pavement, by the beautiful views exhibited in every direction. There, were seen mountain, hill, and dale, cultivated and in a state of nature—an ocean, a bay, a river, and on their surfaces were floating noble line-of-battle ships, merchant vessels, and an abundance of little skiffs. At my feet lay the city, with its busy throng, and at every important point were fortresses and castles, showing forth rows of formidable cannon. The day shone forth with great brilliancy; not a cloud was seen hanging over the Payo d’Assucar, the Corcovado or the Tejuco; numberless vessels were seen far at sea, pressing for the port, under a cloud of white canvass, during the continuance of the breeze. On the left lay the palace of St. Christovao; and, in the far west, a noble range of hills, terminated by the spiked tops of the organ mountains, rendered the picture enchanting and unrivalled. At the foot of the hill is the arsenal; being deficient in room, the wall of the convent, on that side, was taken down, and the rocks being blown away, a secret entrance was discovered under the church, so ingeniously contrived as to be hid from observation—it appeared like the rocks in which it was formed.
Public Gardens.—On the bay shore, commencing near the Praya or Beach do Flamingo, is a pleasant garden, surrounded by a high wall, and guarded at its various entrances by soldiers. It is much resorted to by the inhabitants after sunset. The avenues are of good width, well gravelled, kept clean, and are finely shaded by native and foreign trees, and with hedges of flowers indigenous to the climate; but the pure and wholesome breezes, and a view of the bay, are obstructed by a mound, thrown up unnecessarily high, to protect this retreat against an ever-rolling surf.
Looking to the right at the further extremity of the beach, along which is a range of good houses guarded by a high granite wall, lies the beautiful Gloria hill, having a small white turreted chapel, Nossa Señora de Gloria, or our Lady of Glory. It is of an octagonal shape, lies partially concealed amid noble forest and fruit trees, and is adorned with hedges of myrtle, interspersed with jasmine: and there,
“Weak with nice sense, the chaste Mimosa stands,
From each rude touch withdraws her timid hands;
Oft as light clouds o’erpass the summer glade,
Alarmed, she trembles at the moving shade,
And feels alive, through all her tender form,
The whispered murmurs of the gathering storm;
Shuts her sweet eyelids to approaching night,
And hails with freshened charms the rising light.”
I was much gratified with two visits made to the Botanic garden, situated about eight miles from the palace. The first visit was by water, as far as Boto Fogo. From thence it is probably three miles by land over a tolerably good road, lying principally amid mountain scenery, the Corcovado being on the right.