14

THE EMPEROR'S BIRTH-DAY.

can born, in quiet possession of the right of kings in || is vapid and bombastic in some of the 4th of July oraeither hemisphere, in both the Old and New Worlds. tions, and much that is any thing but poetry in many Donna Maria is still the queen of Portugal. Don Pe- 4th of July poems, celebrated as that day is by perdro II., by his very youth and innocence, continues to sons of nearly every age, condition and neighborhood exert a most happy influence over the destinies of the of our great country. But it may be safely questioned wide empire of Brazil. Donna Januaria and Donna whether in any other portion or age of the world, fifty Francisca remain attached to his court, and are styled successive anniversaries have called forth an equal his most august sisters, while Donna Januaria, by vir- amount of true eloquence, both in story and in song. tue of a decree of the general assembly of the empire, At any rate, the recent efforts to promote moral, as well is entitled the imperial princess, and would ascend the as intellectual and political improvement, on that day, throne in the event of her brother's death. The design ||and to diffuse it through the whole mass of society, furof the above rapid sketch of historical facts will be mani-nish a peculiar and happy feature in the celebration of fest to the reader. our national jubilee.

In the establishment of an hereditary monarchy on the shores of the western world, there occurred an event of no trifling interest or importance. Nor does it become us, in our superlative contempt for whatever is not republican, to regard it with indifference. It is far, however, from being the design of this article to enter into political reflections. I wish merely to illustrate some of the customs which have grown out of the event, and which prevail throughout a wide and interesting portion of our continent.

The writer has repeatedly witnessed similar celebrations in the southern part of our continent, but never became acquainted with the solitary instance in which a public address on any subject was delivered, unless, perchance, in the theater. Females have no part in the matter, except to behold from their balconied windows the attempted pageantry of a procession, or to gaze upon the varied costumes of foreign diplomatic and consular agents, or those of other persons of naval, military, or civil distinction, who are formally The Brazilians celebrate six dias de grande gala, or invited "to add by their presence to the pomp and political holydays. The 1st of January heads the list, splendor of the beija maon." This term signifies the with New-Year's compliments to his majesty. The kissing of hands, and indicates literally the ceremonial 25th of March commemorates the adoption of the con- salutation of the sovereign at the Lusitanian and Brastitution. The 7th of April is the anniversary of the zilian courts. But as the emperor cannot be corporeemperor's accession to the throne. The 3d of May is ally present in the several and distant provinces of his the day for the regular opening of the imperial legisla-realm, how shall the appropriate salutation be paid tive assembly. The 7th of September is the anniver- him? That genius which presents a crucifix or a picsary of the declaration of national independence; while the last, though by no means least in the catalogue, is the emperor's birth-day, on the 2d of December. The custom of celebrating le jour de naissance, the anniversary of one's introduction to the joys and sorrows of mortal existence, has descended from olden time.

The formality of birth-day presents and the etiquet of birth-day compliments in former days and in other countries, is to many an object of curious inquiry. But no where else have those formalities been so excessive as in Roman Catholic countries. There, individuals are systematically trained to celebrate the day of their patron saint, of the patron saint of their village, of their church, of their sovereign, &c. In connection with these, their own birth-day, and those of their friends, assume an importance correspondent to their ideas of relative consequence. Thus the natal days of the princesses already named are designated by authority dias de pequena gala, or complimentary holydays for the nation.

The celebration of the gala days in general, even of those most important in our estimation, such as the anniversary of national independence, affords a striking contrast to similar celebrations in the United States. The display of flags, the parade of soldiery, and the pealing of cannon are common to both. But whatever is intellectual, and calculated to instruct the public mind in the history of the past or in the principles of civil liberty, are peculiar to one. There may be much that

ture before the worshiper, to aid the infirmities of his conception, and which teaches that praying before the image of a saint will secure to us more of the favor of the Deity, has not been backward to suggest a resource for an occasion like this.

The place of honor in the sala de cortejo, hall of salutation, is allotted to the portrait of his majesty. On either hand, supposing the place to be the capital of a province, will stand the president and the bishop. Before these, "in measured step and true," pass the dignitaries invited, in the order of their rank and distinction, at the appropriate place, paying their obeisance to the imperial portrait. Mutual compliments are thereafter interchanged among the company, and each individual retires in the midst of whatever display he has chosen or been able to summon for the occasion.

On the last day of November, 1839, late at evening, the writer of this article was on board a Brazilian steam packet, approaching the city of Bahia, or St. Salvador, from the north. As the Pernambucana rounded the Cape of St. Antonio, and bore up directly for her anchorage in front of the town, volleys of rockets, in irregular succession, shot up from the heights above us, careering with fiery and serpentine track through the dark expanse of a clouded sky. Their innocent crackling responded, like distant musketry, to the peal of many a deep-toned bell, which, from church, cathedral, and convent, announced approaching festivities.

THE EMPEROR'S BIRTH-DAY.

15

This city, one of the oldest in America, the ancient || summer evenings is always calculated to throw enchantcapital of Brazil, the first seat of the viceroys, and es- ment over the feelings. Especially so on this occasion pecially distinguished among the Brazilians as having was the scene when the observer turned his eye upward been the first landing-place of the king of Portugal, from the varied and skillful exhibitions of artificial in his visit to the New World'; yea, St. Salvador itself, light to the vaulted empyrean, and there gazed upon no longer than one year previous, was in the hands of the bright constellations so profusely set in the clear traitors to their country. The bloody flag of rebellion and moonless sky. waved over the ramparts of her ancient forts. The majority of her citizens had been driven from their peaceful homes, and the fires of licensed incendiarism had laid in smoking ruins some of her fairest edifices. The troops of the legality having been at length suc-nished by the thousands who thronged the scene. From cessful in regaining the city, and restoring peace and quiet to her streets, the inabitants resolved on this occasion to give some worthy demonstration of their loyalty and their affection to the youthful emperor.

To the mind disposed to philosophize on man, there was presented no inferior occasion. The wealth, fashion and beauty of the Bahians never boasted a more felicitous display, than was mutually witnessed and fur

hoary age to playful youth, no condition of life or style of character was unrepresented. There might be seen the warrior and the civilian, the man of title, the man of wealth and the slave, all sharing deeply in the common rejoicing; while among the crowd a practiced eye might have discerned the desperado and lurking assassin. Never especially had the presence of females in such

The 2d of December came. It was not clad in the frosty robes of a northern winter, with whistling winds and drifted snow at its heels. Nay, the north is not farther from the south than is the idea many a fair read-numbers been observed to grace a scene of public feser has pictured in her imagination at the bare mention of December; from the reality of the day in question. Preceded by but a brief interval of twilight, the sun threw upward his mellower rays, burnishing the wreathed clouds of the eastern horizon. Presently from his bed of ocean he rose majestic on his vertical pathway, looking down on one of the fairest scenes nature ever presented to the eye of man. The boundless expanse of the Atlantic, on the east, the broad and beautiful bay on the south and west, with its palm-crested islands and circling mountains, were but an appropriate fore-ground to the lovely picture of the city herself, reposing like a queen of beauty amid the embowering groves of the proud eminences over which her huts,|| her head, can scarcely be improved by any imitation of her temples, and her lordly domes were scattered.

tivity. Mothers, daughters, wives and sisters, who seldom were permitted to leave the domestic circle, except in their visits to the morning mass, hung upon the arm of their several protectors, and gazed with undissembled wonder at the seemingly magic enchantments before and around them. The dark and flowing tresses, the darker and flashing eye of a Brazilian belle, together with her sometimes darkly shaded cheek, show off with greater charms from not being hid under the arches of a fashionable bonnet. The graceful folds of her mantilla, or of the rich gossamer vail which is sometimes substituted, wreathed in some indescribable manner over the broad, high and fancy wrought shell that adorns

foreign fashions. Nevertheless, the forte of a Brazilian lady is in her guitar and the soft modinhas she sings in accompaniment to its tones.

The day was ushered in by the roar of cannon from the several batteries and vessels of war. From that moment might be seen the shipping of every nation The public garden, surmounting as it does the proudin the harbor, gaily decked with flags, signals, and || est height of the town, and separated only by an almost streamers of unnumbered hues. No girlish fancy ever perpendicular descent from the sea, which laves the base prided itself more on the gaudy ornaments of a doll, than does the seamen's on an occasion like this, in "rigging out" from every mast, yard, brace, stay, and bowline of his vessel, some appropriate bunting to float in the playful breeze.

of the eminence, presented two scenes of especial attraction. One was at the marble monument erected in memory of Don John's visit to Bahia. Long and learned inscriptions in Latin had been set with solid gold in its quadrilateral tablet, to explain its first design. But some vandal hand had chiseled out the precious metal, thus marring the beauty and splendor of the structure. On this occasion illuminated forms, fitted to the peering shaft of the monument, celebrated in measured extravaganzas the glories of their youthful sovereign, that day fourteen years of age.

A Te Deum was celebrated in the morning at the cathedral with the presence of troops and martial music. In the afternoon the levee took place at the president's palace; while, for the evening, were reserved the ball, the theater, and the illumination. The latter alone had attractions for the writer, and that not so much between the lighted windows of the city as in In another quarter had been fitted up, expressly for the romantic walks of the public garden. There, under the occasion, on a high parapet overlooking the ocean the dark dense foliage of the mango, the lime tree, the and bay, a fancy structure in imitation of an Athenian bread fruit, the cashew, and countless other species of temple. Supported by the central columns, was arrangtropical growth, hung long lines of illuminated globes. ed the full length portrait of the emperor himself. In These were constructed to radiate severally the prin- the rear were bands of martial music, and around were cipal colors of the rainbow, as they waved with grace- the dignitaries of the province. The president himself fulness in the evening breeze, which came loaded with was present, in order to open with due formality the the fragance of opening flowers. The calmness of congratulations of the evening. At a given hour, the

curtain rolled up from before the looked-for painting, || how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee and the emperor was duly presented to his thronging and devoted subjects. The air was rent with vivas and enthusiastic acclamation, while music mingled its symphonies with the shouts of the multitude, and at the same moment the whole heaven was emblazoned with the simultaneous discharge of a thousand rockets. There stood the emperor, faithfully portrayed in his still delicate and child-like features, arrayed in the in-no such emotions, how are our conceptions aided by signia of his titled rank, at once the idol and the hope

For three successive evenings the same ceremonies were repeated, and the people loved to linger around the fancied presence of their monarch, rendering every possible expression of their loyalty. The ceremonies were finally closed by a formal and magnificent display of pyrotechnical skill. Thus was celebrated the fourteenth natal anniversary of DON. PEDRO II., D'ALCAN-agents. To speak of "the hindrance of God's merTARA, EMPEROR OF BRAZIL.

THE NATIVITY.

of these two persons, that the divine glory was common to both.

17

And it is

ness of the Divine compassion for our race.
not to be wondered at that when we adore, our grate-
ful hearts should be turned to the cross, and should
yearn over the victim of our transgressions. But en-
lightened devotion, such as the sanctified experience,
recognizes the overwhelming presence and mercy and
power of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The second particular is what immediately concerns us. The Father loved the Son before the foundation of the world; that is, eternally. Mutual love constitutes fellowship. Parental love forms the most blissful of all fellowships. Such love there was between the Father and the Son. And it was eternal. O then what oceans of bliss must have attended these eternal fellowships between the persons of the Trinity! The Father loved the Son with a parental love, and of course with affections as intense as was possible to the Infinite Mind; for the divine perfections of the Son warranteded for our transgressions." such an intense love.

Let us bless the incarnate Son for ever and ever; but let us also praise the Father and the Spirit, as realizing that the "whole Deity is known" in Christ's incarnation; because the whole Deity moved Jesus to take on him the seed of Abraham that he might be "wound

Having thus considered the origin of the incarnation, and traced it by the Scriptures to the compassion of the Trinity, let us next contemplate its mode.

First, it was a real incarnation. There was nothing illusory or merely apparent in Christ's humanity. His physical sensibilities and wants were strictly those of flesh and blood-were such as all men experience, except as sin and habit may have modified them. The Scriptures testify that Jesus Christ was made of a wo

But, in compassion to our race, the Father "gives his Son," "delivers him up," "spares him not,' ""bruises him," "puts him to grief," "makes his soul an offering for sin." Here is a sacrifice (not in the sense of penal sufferings, like those of the cross) on the part of the Father. The Son consents to be "delivered," "bruised," "put to grief," and suffer the hidings of his Father's face for a season. Here is a preliminary sacrifice on the part of the Son. And doubtless the Ho-man; that there is one God, and one Mediator between ly Ghost shares in these counsels of pity. That the God and men, the man Christ Jesus; that, as by man gift of Jesus was a sacrifice, on the part of the Father, came death, by man also shall come the resurrection we cannot but infer from the language of Scripture of the dead. To become man he is represented as "He that spared not his own Son, but freely gave him having "emptied himself" of the form of God. All up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely these hints and declarations are in direct opposition to give us all things?" That it was a sacrifice on the a sentiment which early obtained amongst certain herpart of the Son we learn from the agony in the gar-etics who taught that Christ was not born of a woman, den, and from the expiring cry, "My God! my God! nor was in reality man; but that his birth and sufferwhy hast thou forsaken me?" That the Holy Spirit ings and death were illusory-in a word, that all perjoined in this sacrifice we may infer from the fact that taining to his earthly state was a mere apparition from God, in all his sacred persons, consented to the incar-heaven. It was necessary, if we credit the Scriptures, nation-the Holy Spirit, especially, having "prepared that the Redeemer should partake of the nature of the a body for the Son." redeemed. Jesus therefore became man. He assumed From all this I would conduct the reader to a con-not only a body, but a human soul, with its proper susclusion which I conceive to be of practical impor- ceptibilities and infirmities. He became familiar with tance. It is that the three persons of the Godhead, all the innocent weaknesses and woes of our nature; moved by one common affection, namely, compassion and purposely so, for to feel and suffer like us were for our fallen race, made a common effort to restore us essential to the perfect fulfillment of the mediatorto purity and happiness. The Son is the atoning vic-ship which he had assumed. "We have not an high tim, and the formal sacrifice is made by him. Yet his priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our inchief agony did not consist in overt persecutions, or in firmities; but was in all points tempted as we are, yet pains inflicted by mortal hands, but in the hidings of without sin;" "wherefore in all things it behooved him his Father's face; and this last was a deprivation to the to be made like unto his brethren, that be might be a Father who inflicted, as well as to the Son who en- merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining dured it. The Father "spared" the Son to be thus to God. For in that he himself hath suffered being "bruised" by the Almighty Hand. Those infinitely tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted," blessed fellowships which had eternally subsisted be-Hebrews 2d and 4th. tween the persons of the Trinity, were now, as to their usual form, interrupted; and mingled in their felicities were the agonies of the filial and the compassions of the paternal God. It follows that, so far as tokens of compassion for our fallen state may provoke our pen-mean enough to suit his poverty and obscurity. Mary, itence and adoration, we should worship not merely therefore, in the hour of her extremity, was expelled. one but the three persons of Deity with equal ardors She wandered abroad, and in the rudest, vilest spot in its of gratitude and praise. We owe our redemption to suburbs, gave birth to the Prince of glory. Amongst God-to Father, Son, and Spirit. It is true that in all the millions of mankind, history records the birth Jesus we see "the fullness of the Godhead"-the full-of one in a stable-that one is the Son of God. Who

3

Second, the incarnation was attended with circumstances of deep humiliation.

Our Savior was born in an insignificant town; and yet it seems to have contained no solitary dwelling

would have thought that she whom the angel pro- || been overshadowed by the dove-like Spirit, and are nounced "blessed among women," being driven out now watched and guarded in the sepulcher, that they from human to brute habitations, should suffer unat- may rise and "sit down with him on his throne." For tended, and in the solitude of her strange exile and their comfort and joy, let the obscure worshipers of desertion should mingle the notes of her first faint Christ come, like the wise men, to the manger, and beeucharist with the bleatings of the flock, and the low-hold in the feeble embraces of the virgin, the despised ings of the herd? The poverty of his parents, with of mortals, but the adored of angels-the scorn of their unseasonable but necessary journeying and ab- || earth, but the supreme beauty and glory of heaven. sence from home, rendered the circumstances of the Savior's birth extremely humiliating. But the Holy One elected his own states, and was willing, it would seem, by his meek example, to teach us lightly to esteem the world, and to behave as pilgrims on earth. Thus does he admonish the rich of their nothingness, and the poor to take contentment and heaven as their portion. From the manger and the chill winter night of the nativity, penury, in the midst of its sorest deprivations, may seek a gracious relief.

But let us turn to the mysteries of the incarnation. It contains a series, and I will begin with the least, if least may be applied to what is infinite and overwhelming.

It is a great mystery that God should assume the nature of any creature. To say nothing of the comparative dignity of that creature, or the object to be gained in assuming its nature, it is an insolvable mystery that Deity would assume any finite nature for any object whatever. He could not do it for his own sake.

Third, this event was attended with tokens of heav- He was infinitely satisfied with himself, and needed enly gratulation.

not the addition of creature attributes for self-fruition.
Indeed, it is an interesting speculation that all unsin-
ning intelligences are doubtless happy in their own con-
stitutional attributes and prerogatives. It is safe to go
a step farther and say that all thinking, holy beings are
so satisfied with their own natures, that they would
elect to be what they are, rather than any other order
of intelligences. Angels do not wish to be men; and
but for their sin and depravity, men would not wish to
be angels. For the full contentment of his unoffend-
ing creatures, God has doubtless imparted to every or-
der a just self-complacency-an innate preference of
its own nature above that of others; except it be the
preference of adoration which flows towards the Su-
preme and Divine. The idea of a voluntary change
of nature, for self-enjoyment or aggrandizement, could
Above all it could not
not arise among creatures.
arise in relation to God, as though he who is infinitely
blessed could find an increase of self-fruition by assum-
ing another, an inferior nature.

Those holy beings who had worshiped Christ in heaven, followed the descending train of his glory, that they might also worship him on earth. And though they found him humbled to the fashion of a man, it but served to inflame their seraphic ardors, and feed the fire of their devotion. Moreover, they had been used to approach him with loud swelling anthems, and they could not then pay him a silent homage. They had been wont also to see every member of the celestial hierarchies join to fall prostrate in his presence; and then they would fain behold every thing on earth that had life, join in holy raptures to offer him praise; and scarcely did they seem to be aware that simply to proclaim the presence of the Son of God on earth would not secure to him its universal homage. They burned, therefore, with such ardors to announce his gracious advent, and rouse the world to transports, that they could not wait on the shepherds' dreams. Impatient of their slumber, the joy burst forth, and earth and heaven were filled with halleluiahs. Dreary ages had passed since, at sight of this creation, "the morning stars had sung together, and the sons of God shouted for joy;" but then the sad silence was broken, and "a multitude of the heav-ed perfectly just and infinitely benevolent. Benevoenly host sung, Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men."

These events, like the former, afford us instruction and admonition. Among other things they teach us that poverty is not always an infliction of God's wrath, and indicative of his displeasure; but that it sometimes attaches to the heavenly minded, as a certain badge of honor, indicating that the soul is too celestial in its relishes and joys to find any satisfaction in earthly goods and riches. Surely, this is not the only instance in which heavenly ministers have honored the meanest states of mortals with their attendance and commendation. The unheralded by earth are sometimes the heralded of heaven. How many who were born and lived and died, like Jesus reprobated and distressed, have also like him been the beloved of God-have

As God could not assume another nature for his own sake, so neither was he bound by any considerations of justice or of charity, to do it in behalf of his creatures. Without it he always was and would ever have remain

lence demands no more of any being than that his existing powers be employed to the utmost in promoting happiness. From eternity all the powers of Deity had been thus unceasingly employed. His assumption of another nature, not divine, in order to enlarge the sphere or multiply the trophics of his benevolence, is what no finite mind could have conceived. It never occurred to man, amidst the ruins of his fall; and when the revelation came by the Divine word, it was most difficult to be believed; and, indeed, to this very day, faith in so great a mystery stands not "in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God."

But there is another mystery in the incarnation, viz., that God should have assumed our nature, and not rather the nature of angels. So far as we can learn, angels are our superiors either in nature or in station,