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not have made his philosophical reflections upon the acorn, and we should have been deprived of one of the most charming fables of the immortal story-teller.

The palace of the Emperor presents the aspect of a barracks or a hospital. Such, at least, is the effect it produces on strangers who do not know its character. It is the ancient residence of the Viceroys of Rio Janeiro, and the royal family remain there only a small portion of the time. They pass the summer in the charming villa of Petropolis, situated on the hills that surround the bay; and in winter, in the magnificent residence at St. Christopher, a short distance from the capital. The Emperor visits the city only upon important occasions. He is a man of large figure and very fine appearance. He is German on his mother's side, who was an Austrian archduchess, and there is nothing in his physiognomy that indicates his Portuguese origin; form, features, and manners all announce a Germanic nature. His broad, high forehead bespeaks great intelligence, and his mill eye a sincere and generous heart. His tastes are those of a savant. A Latin library, which he daily enriches with the best works in French, English, and German, forms his principal and favorite distraction. Letters and the sciences are equally familiar to him, All foreigners who visit him are unanimous in acknowledging his great learning and superior intellect. It is a noteworthy fact that in Europe it is not generally princes, who take the lead in progress. In the New World, if a revolution breaks out, it is because the ruler advances too rapidly, and the country refuse to keep pace with him.

It is not uninteresting, in this conneection, to cast an eye upon the Brazilian press, When the first insurrection broke out at Pernambuco, in 1817, it was necessary to have recourse to the French and English soldiers in the harbor in order to get the proclamations printed, Since then, it would seem, the Brazilians have made up for lost time, for at the present day the Brazilian newspapers exceed in size many of the journals of the continent. Unfortunately, however, whoever glances over one of these sheets is soon compelled to see that he is amid an infant society, whose elements have not yet been regularly classified. The Diario, or daily, besides an account of the sittings of the Congress, contains little but insignificant correspondence, pieces of verse, etc., and a mass of advertisements of all kinds, which the skilfully graduated rates place within the reach of every purse. If it is desired to give prominence to a leilão (auction) or to a newly-established depot of the fashions, the advertisement is surrounded with a border, printed in large type, surmounted with an immense attencão! (attention!) If the advertisement comes from the domain of shop-keepers and merchants, an attencão alone does not suffice; recourse is had to the superlative muita attencão! (particular attention!) with a flowered border, Upon important occasions, borders, large type, and the attencão are abandoned, and lithography is resorted to. In fact, nothing is so effective to seduce the reader as to speak to his eyes. If he sees a villa surrounded by palm trees, he knows that a country-seat is for sale. If he wishes to replenish his stables, he glances at the third page to see if some horse or mule is not pawing the ground in impatience for a purchaser, The last columns, and the most numerous of all, are consecrated to the purchase and sale of negroes. Thus the same journals that, as. M. Ribeyrolles forcibly expresses it, 'sometimes lament upon their first page over the sacred misfortunes of Poland and Italy,' end by advertisements addressed to slave-dealers.

Several attempts have been made to establish French journals at Rio Janeiro,