of their tyrants. The country round is luxuriant and beautiful, and is studded with villas in every variety of picturesque situations. Gardens of plantains, oranges, and other fruits, surround the country houses. Brazil is particularly rich in creeping-flowers and shrubs; and these are mingled with the orange and lemon blossoms, and the jassmine and rose from the east, till the whole forms one thicket of beauty and fragrance. The botanical gardens were visited by Mrs Graham. These were destined by the King for the cultivation of the oriental spices and fruits; and, above all, the tea-plant, which was brought from China with several Chinese families accustomed to its culture. It throve extremely well; but the plants cost such expense that they were afterwards abandoned by the New Government of Brazil, the only unwise act which they appear to have committed. These plants might, in their first culture, have cost some expense; but when the great advantage of naturalizing the tea-plant is taken into consideration, this expense was not worth putting in the balance with the wealth that would have accrued to the country from this source. It is much to be regretted that this experiment of cultivating the tea-plant in Brazil should have been given up, when, with a little perseverance, had every prospect of success. it We have the following moving description of the slave-market at Rio Janeiro: I have this day seen the Val Longo; it is the slave-market of Rio. Almost every house in this very long street is a depot for slaves. On passing by the doors this evening, I saw in most of them long benches placed near the walls, on which rows of young creatures were sitting, their heads shaved, their bodies emaciated, and the marks of recent itch upon their skins. In some places, the poor creatures were lying on mats, evidently too sick to sit up. At one house, the half-doors were shut, and a group of boys and girls, apparently not above fifteen years old, and some much under, were leaning over the hatches, and gazing into the street with wondering faces. They were evidently quite new negroes. As I approached them, it appears that something about me attracted their attention; they touched one another, to be sure that all saw me, and then chattered in their own African dialect with great eagerness. I went and stood near them, and though certainly more disposed to weep, I forced myself to smile to them, and look cheerfully, and kissed my hand to them; with all which they seemed delighted, and jumped about and danced, as if returning my civilities. The importation of slaves is a great trade at Rio Janeiro. It is prosecuted with much ardour; and it appears, from accounts furnished to Mrs Graham, that the numbers brought from the coast of Africa, into this port, in 1821, were 21,199; and in 1822, 24,934 slaves. The difficulty of preventing this trade is great. Not only are the Europeans deeply interested in its continuance, but slave-stealing is the principal trade of central Africa. Many of the most powerful nations of the interior derive all their wealth from this source, and they eagerly conspire with the foreign traders on the coast to perpetuate this odious traffic. The British have drawn upon themselves, by their known hostility to this system of violence and cruelty, the hatred both of the Europeans and the Africans, who profit by it. The murder of one of the sailors who landed from the Doris was traced to this cause, and there is little doubt, that to the same cause may be traced the war that is now begun with the Ashantees, so fatally for the British troops. Where so many interests concur to perpetuate this abuse, it is not easy, by any system of maritime vigilance, to put an entire stop to it. Mrs Graham, after sailing from Rio Janeiro, doubling Cape Horn, and residing some time in Chili, returned to Rio Janeiro along with Lord Cochrane. It was in this voyage that she lost her husband, of which circumstance we have a very affecting account. She noticed, on her return, a decided improvement in the manners of the Brazilians, which they had, no doubt, contracted from the continued residence of the court among them. We have, in this second journal, an account of the political transactions in Brazil, and of its final separation from the mother country. In these the new Emperor Don Pedro uniformly took the lead, and conducted matters with great steadiness and propriety, though frequently placed in rather a critical situation. By his conduct, accordingly, he had made himself exceed ingly popular; and at the theatre, where Mrs Graham frequently saw him, he was received with the most unbounded acclamations from all classes. Here the popular spirit, in favour of independence, was also strongly manifested, and broke through all controul. Nothing went down but patriotic songs, and independence or death became the favourite sentiment. Don Pedro, now declared Emperor, far from discouraging this decided expression of the public sentiment, heard it with approbation; and when he was recalled to Portugal by the Cortes, firmly disobeyed their illegal mandate, and evinced his determination to stand or fall with his newly-acquired kingdom. He also received Lord Cochrane with the highest honour and distinction, applauded his bravery and his victories, and rewarded his achievements. In short, there was no pledge that he did not give of his attachment to the interests of Brazil, and of his resolution to preside over its destinies, and to lead the way to freedom and independence. At the same time, such conduct is not very natural in a hereditary prince, trained up in the school of despotism, and accustomed to consider Brazil as merely a magnificent appendage to his hereditary possessions. How he should so suddenly fall in love with freedom is rather strange; and how he should so willingly consent to reign over Brazil as a separate kingdom, when he has the prospect of succeeding to it and the crown of Portugal at the same time. That he should agree to dismember his hereditary possessions is singular enough; it is so contrary to all the prejudices of hereditary monarchs, that we can scarce believe our eyes when we see a Portuguese monarch the friend of the people. Is it possible, after all, that his whole conduct may be a tissue of the most refined duplicity, and that he is still retaining Brazil with a view of more conveniently reducing it under the yoke of Portugal? If this were the case, the conduct of Don Pedro would exhibit a tissue of hypocrisy to which there is nothing parallel in history. He has gone such lengths, he has brought the whole details of his life, and a thousand little circumstances, to concur so entirely with all his public professions, that we can scarcely believe him in his heart a traitor. It has been surmised that the French are still intriguing to foment disturbances in Brazil, and to raise up a Portuguese party, that the country may be recovered; of this party, that Don Pedro the Emperor, belying all his professions, is really the head; and when it makes its appearance, that he will then assert his rights, and boldly overpowering all opposition by the sword, will again declare Brazil a dependency of Portugal. We can scarcely believe that such an act of unmatched perfidy will be attempted by Don Pedro, or that, so young, he should have been such an adept in deceit, as completely to cover from the view of all mankind his secret records. It is impossible, also, that he can conceal from himself the danger of such an enterprize. The Brazilians are, to a man, set on independence and freedom. Their new constitution guarantees to them these blessings; namely, personal and religious freedom,-trial by jury, the liberty of the press, &c. Now, they have already had experience of these blessings. They have tasted of the sweets of liberty; and it would be not only a most unjust, but a most hazardous experiment, to attempt to replunge them into the gulph from which they are just emerged. They are all armed, it must be observed. The militia is formed of citizens trained to the use of arms, and ready to defend their newly-acquired freedom with their blood. A desperate and very uncertain contest would, therefore, be the consequence of any unconstitutional attempts of the sovereign; and the question is, whether Don Pedro, who seems to be of the most amiable dispositions in private life, and attached to his wife and family, may not rather chuse to reign peaceably as a constitutional sovereign, and to enjoy all the legitimate splendour which justly be longs to him, than to run any desperate risks in pursuit of arbitrary stones in profusion. At the theatre, one lady made a display of diamonds worth about £.150,000. Mrs Graham gives the following, among other proofs, of the inconveniencies of slavery. Being at a splendid ball, she observes: I took the liberty of remarking to one of the ladies, the extreme youth of some of the children who accompanied their mothers this evening; and saying, that in England we should consider it injurious to them in all respects. She asked me what we did with them. I told her that some of them would be in bed, and others with their nurses and governesses. She said we were happy in that; but that here there were no such persons, and that the children would be left to the care and example of the slaves, whose manners were so depraved, and practices so immoral, that it must be the destruction of the children; and that those who loved their children must keep them under their own eyes, where, if they were brought too forward in company, they at least could learn no ill. I love to collect these proofs of the evils of slavery-even here where it exists in a milder form than in most countries. I left the dancers busily engaged at twelve o'clock, and I heard that they continued the ball until three. Mrs Graham, during her residence at Rio Janeiro, was introduced to the Emperor and Empress, of whose personal virtues and agreeable manners she speaks in the highest terms. She appears to have risen into high favour, as she received the appointment of governess to the young Princess, and left Brazil with a view of returning to fulfil this duty to her charge. She went to court on the Emperor's birth-day, and gives the following account of the ceremony : There was little form, and no stiffness. Her Imperial Majesty conversed easily with every body, only telling us all to speak Portuguese, which of course we did. She talked a good deal to me about English authors, and especially of the Scotch novels, and very kindly helped me in my Portuguese, which, though I now understand, I have few opportunities of speaking to cultivated persons. If I have been pleased with her before, I was charmed with her now. When the Emperor had received the public bodies, he came and led the Empress into the great receiving room, and there, both of them standing on the upper step of the throne, they had their hands kissed by naval, military, and civil officers, and private men; thousands, I should think, thus passed. It was curious, but it pleased me, to see some negro officers take the small white hand of the Empress in their clumsy black hands, and apply their pouting African lips to so delicate a skin; but they looked up to Nosso Emperador, and to her, with a reverence that seemed to me a promise of faith from them, a bond of kindness to them. The Emperor was dressed in a very rich military uniform, the Empress in a white dress embroidered with gold, a corresponding cap with feathers tipped with green; and her diamonds were superb, her head-tire and ear-rings having in them opals such as I suppose the world does not contain, and the brilliants surrounding the Emperor's picture, which she wears, the largest I have seen. On the whole, we think it is evident from this work, that the independence of Brazil stands on the solid basis of popular opinion. It does not by any means seem probable that it will ever return under its former yoke; and though there have been some late surmises and reports, as if France were intriguing in that quarter to forward the schemes of the Holy Alliance, yet, unless a large military force were sent, we are convinced that nothing else would avail. If Don Pedro, the Emperor, were attempting to re-impose the yoke of Portugal on the country, he he would kindle up a flame that would risk his crown and his head; would consume royalty altogether. Where the people are unwilling to go into the schemes of their rulers, they must be forced. But the Brazilian Emperor has not the means of forcing them, even if he were inclined; and there is no Portuguese force that could accomplish such a service;" while foreign aid, on the one side, would call forth foreign aid on the other, since Great Britain would not allow France to interfere in the affairs of Brazil. If any thing of this sort were attempted, she would throw her own weight into the opposite scale; and in this case little would be gained for the interests of the Holy Alliance. In short, the banner of freedom and independence waves over the whole continent of South America, and we do not see the least chance of any unfavourable revolution in the affairs of this vast country. SKETCHES OF THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. No. I. THE first General Assembly of the Reformed Church of Scotland was held in Edinburgh on the 20th of December 1560. The place of meeting is not specified, but the names of the members are recorded; and in a roll of more than forty, only six are styled Ministers. These are, John Knox for Edinburgh, Christopher Goodman for St. Andrew's, John Row for Perth, David Lindsay for Leith, William Harlaw for the West Kirk, beside Edinburgh, and William Christison for Dundee. The others are styled Commissioners for particular churches, or for the churches in particular districts. The first business of the Assembly was to provide for the more regular and extensive dispensation of the ordinances of religion; and the several Ministers and Commissioners gave in the names of those persons within their respective bounds whom / they reckoned best qualified for preaching the word, administering the sacraments, and reading the common prayers. In the First Book of Discipline, drawn up about this time by the Reformers, it was laid down that," to the churches where no Ministers can be had presentlie, must be appointed the most apt men that distinctlie can read the Common Prayers and the Scriptures." By the common prayers we are to understand, the prayers in the Book of Common Order which was drawn up for the use of the English Church at Geneva, and which seems to have been adopted by the Scottish Reformers as a kind of directory for public worship. It was required, that in every notable town," one day in the week, beside Sunday, be appointed for sermon and prayers, The reader was not only to read publicly the scriptures and common prayers, but also to instruct the children of the parish. And if, from reading, he attained to the gift of exhorting, he might at length, by consent of the Church, be regularly admitted to the ministry. From the books of Assignation of Stipends, it would appear, that, soon after the establishment of the Reformation, many parishes had not only a Minister, but also an exhorter and a reader. In this First Assembly, however, more than thirty persons are reckoned apt and able to minister, while only eight or nine are named as qualified to be readers. While the Assembly proceeded in their own right to make these arrangements for the edification of the Church, they seem to have acknowledged the legal privileges of patrons; for mention is made in this first session, of Mr John Ramsay being presented by Sir John Borthwick "as Minister for the kirk of Aberdour and Torrie." The second session of this Assembly was held on the 21st of December. A question being proposed concerning the lawfulness of marriage within the degrees of consanguinity, forbidden by the Canon law, it was found, "That be the law of God marriage may be solemnized betwixt parties in the second, third, and fourth degrees of affinitie and consanguinitie, and such others as are not prohibite expresslie be the word; and therefore it was thought good that the estates sould interpone their authoritie and approve the same by law.” The only other resolution which is recorded, as passed in this Session, is one which in the eyes of many will need some apology. It was ordered, "That the parishioners of Restalrig repaire to Leith kirk, and that the kirk of Restalrig be razed and utterlie destroyed, being a monument of idolatrie.” Restalrig is enumerated by Keith, in the Appendix to his History, page 257, as a deanery, with a considerable revenue. But, perhaps, the "idolatrie" which provoked this sentence of the Assembly, will be best seen by the following extract from a manuscript entitled " Ane perfecte Inventor of all the soumes doted to pious uses since the dayes of King James the First." "Charter of erection of the kirk of Restalrig, making therein a dear and eight prebendaries, and two singing bairns. The Dean to have for sustentation the parsonage of Laswade, with the ten-pound land in the parish of Stoabrok, called Kirkgill, for a glebe, with a manse and yard lying beside the said college. He must sustain the college with fuel, windows, books, lights, chalices, and other ornaments, and two boys to the quoir of the parish kirk of Laswade. The first prebendary shall have twenty pounds yearly out of the king's work in Leith, with a chalmer, a yard, and a singing school, and shall sustain two boys to sing, light the candles, and sweep the kirk, to whom the Dean shall also pay yearly eight pounds. The second pre bendary shall be called Sacristan,-shall have the sixth of the parsonage of St. Mary of Rosay, in Bute, with four pounds from the Dean, with a chalmer and yard, to attend daily in the kirk, keep the jewels, ornaments, books, chalices, and keys, and four times a-year to account to the Dean and chapter; to wash the ornaments of the altar at his own charges, and to keep two boys to ring bells, light candles, and sweep the kirk. The other prebendaries to be called prebendaries of Bute, and to have each a sixth part of what remains of the said parsonage. The eighth prebendary to be called prebendary of the Isle of Bridnam, to have eight pounds of the king's work in Leith, five merks of some tenement in the Canongate, and all oblations at the altar and relics of St. Bridnam. 10th October 1515. It would appear, too, that the Deans of Restalrig were very active in opposing the Reformation. When it was argued in Parliament (1543) whether the scriptures might be commonly used in the vulgar tongue, N. Hay, Dean of Restalrig, is mentioned by Calderwood (Large MS. Vol. 1.) as the principal speaker against the proposal. And in 1560, John Sinclair, Dean of Restalrig, is enumerated as one of the most zealous of the French or Popish faction. What effect these things may have had in prompting this resolution of the As sembly, and to what extent this resolution was accomplished, it may now be difficult to ascertain. The sentence of the Assembly seems only to affect the building, and it is known that the legal dissolution of the deanery did not take place till 1592. In that year, the Parliament ratified the division of it into the parsonage of Laswade and the parsonage VOL. XIV. of Dalkeith. Mr George Ramsay, who had some time before been promoted to the deanery, retained the parsonage of Laswade, and was to receive the vicarage of the same, if it should become vacant in his lifetime. Mr Archibald Simson was continued parson of Dalkeith. The Assembly, it would appear, adjourned from the 21st to the 27th of December, at least there is no record of any proceedings on the intervening days. In his account of the proceedings of the third session, Calderwood (Large MS. Vol. I. p. 618.) mentions, that "the petition of weights and measures was referred to the Parliament." This matter is not alluded to in the Register or Buik of the Universal Kirk. It is probable, however, that the prayer of this petition was for equalizing the different weights and measures in use throughout the land. This was a subject upon which the Parliament had already made several enactments, which do not seem to have been very strictly observed or enforced. So early as 1503, it was "statute and ordanit, that all measours and wechts, baith pynt, quart, firlot, pec, elwand, stane, and pund, be of ane quantite and mesor, quhilk sal be ordanit in Edinburgh be our Soverane Lord and his Chamberlane and consale, and that ilk burgh cum and fech their mesours selit and maid, and keip the samyne." In the Parliament which met at Edinburgh, June 1555, this Statute is recited, and a committee nained to see that its provisions be carried into effect. Some delay, however, seems to have taken place in the matter, for a similar Act was passed in the Parliament of 1563. Whether the petition alluded to was connected with this matter, or how far the reference of the Assembly might influence the deliberations of Parliament, it is impossible to determine. In this Session, it was appointed that the election of Ministers, Elders, and Deacons, be made publicly in the church, premonition being given upon the Lord's-day preceding. It was also appointed that parties offending should make public confession of their sin. In the First Book of Discipline, the Reformers had laid down a plan 4 X |