This newsletter, containing the first printed reference to a Portuguese voyage to Brazil, has been a subject of controversy to students of American discovery, because the date and original language of its printing and the voyage which it describes have not been identified with any certainty. The copy shown, with the arms of Portugal on the cover, is the probable first state (with the misprint "eytung" on the title page for "Zeytung") of one of two known German editions.

First edition of this volume. Here first appears the Discorso d'un gran capitano di mare Francese, in part discussing Brazil and its natives, the settlements of the Portuguese, and the efforts of the Portuguese to keep French traders out of the area; it ends with a violent attack on the Portuguese and a suggestion that French settlements be founded by force if necessary. Borba de Moraes names Jean Parmentier as the gran capitano and suggests that the Discorso was probably written by his lifelong friend, Pierre Crignon. The charming map, often reprinted, depicts in its details the agricultural wealth for which Brazil was most noted in the period prior to the discovery of her mineral resources.

The rare first edition of the author's treatise giving a chronological survey of geographical discovery up to the year 1555 is open to the account of Cabral's voyage to Brazil in the year 1500. Although it is now thought possible that Cabral's fleet was not the first to reach the coast of Brazil, he is conventionally honored as the discoverer of Brazil and was the first to claim possession in the name of the king of Portugal.

By the first part of the 17th century, Portugal controlled the area of the mouth of the Amazon, though the river itself, discovered by Francisco de Orellana in 1539, was still largely unknown. In 1637, Pedro Teixeira was dispatched to explore the river. "The New Discovery" of Acuña, who accompanied Teixeira on the return journey from Quito, is the first complete chronicle of the Amazon. Shown with the first edition of the work is a manuscript copy in a hand of the period.

Pagan took his work from various sources, including Acuña. In his dedication to Cardinal Mazarin, he suggests that it would be relatively easy for France to conquer the Amazon and establish colonies there. The work is open to the map of the Amazon.

Father Rodríguez narrates the history of the discovery of the Amazon and reduction of the Indian tribes inhabiting the region of the Amazon and Marañon. His work includes an extract of Acuña's chronicle and also gives an account of the missions established by the Jesuits. It is still considered a useful document for the study of the region.

The Amazon, first viewed in 1539, continued to be "discovered" in the 18th century. La Condamine was sent to South America on a scientific expedition by the French Academy of Sciences. The significance of his voyage for Brazil arises from the fact that La Condamine returned to France by sailing down the Amazon to Pará. He was the first trained scientist to make observations on the Amazon, and the map in his Relation exhibited here is the first to show the latitudes.

The first geographical description of Brazil occurs in a letter written to the king by Pero Vaz de Caminha, a government official travelling in the fleet of Pedro Álvares Cabral. The letter, written in Porto Seguro, and dated May 1, 1500, was printed for the first time in Casal's geographical work on Brazil, shown here in the first edition. Volume I is open to the end of the Caminha letter, where he refers to Brazil as Vera Cruz, the name given it by Cabral.

Early printed accounts of Amerindians in Brazil are not common, but the account of Hans Staden is remarkable, even in a small field, both because of his simple and pious style of writing, and the sharpness of his observations. Staden, a German who made two voyages to the coast of Brazil, was captured and in peril of being eaten by Tupinamba Indians. The first edition of his work is opened to part two, which describes the flora and fauna and the customs of the people who held him prisoner.

Claude d'Abbeville was one of the group of French Capuchin missionaries who established a mission in the Maranhão area in 1612. His classic account of the mission also relates the adventures of six Tupinamba Indians who returned with D'Abbeville to France, where they were the subject of much interest and religious fervor. The plate exhibited shows one of the Indians in European dress.

This rare and curious work gives an account of a play performed on the occasion of the entry of Philip III of Spain into Lisbon. Among the events portrayed is the announcement of the discovery of Brazil to King Manoel. The messenger is accompanied by "Tapuya" and Aimoré Indians. Mimosa's Relacion is open to the Chorus brasilicus consisting of quatrains in Tupi and Portuguese.

The catechism of Bernard de Nantes features Portuguese and Cariri in parallel columns. Although printed in Lisbon, it was intended for use among the Amerindians of Brazil, where the author served as a Capuchin missionary and taught for 23 years.

A well-known account of the reduction and conversion of the "Orizes Procazes" in the year 1713. The relation describes the idolatrous and barbaric ways of the Indian group before they were instructed in the Portuguese language and then in the Christian faith.

A rare and interesting document which outlines regulations for the administration of the Indian missions in Pará and Maranhão following the secularization of the missions by the Portuguese Crown during the period 1750-1755. The provisions were later extended to all Amerindians of Brazil.

A Portuguese-Brazilian dictionary published by José Mariano da Conceição Veloso from a manuscript of unknown authorship and intended for use of the religious who worked among the Indians in Brazil. It is not extensive, but its importance derives from the fact that it served as a basis for later and more complete vocabularies of the indigenous language, called in this, the first edition, "lingua geral do Brasil."

This royal letter to the Governor of the Capitania of Minas Gerais proclaims a formal state of war against the Botocudo Indians, who fiercely resisted the advance of the whites, even at this late date.

A sermon preached in Bahia on the occasion of the publication of a Crusade Bull in 1644. Braga dedicated his sermon to João IV, then king of Portugal. The arms of Portugal appear on the title page.

Vasconcelos' history of the Jesuits in Brazil bears the distinction of being one of the most beautifully printed books of its time. It was also a subject of some controversy because in it, Vasconcelos presented the hypothesis that the Earthly Paradise was located in Brazil. The book is open to verses of Father José de Anchieta (1534-1597) called the "Apostle of Brazil."

Antônio Vieira was born in Lisbon but came to Brazil at an early age and studied for the priesthood at the Jesuit College in Bahia. Not only was he one of the most important figures in 17th century Portuguese and Brazilian history, he was, without doubt, the most interesting as well. He pursued various careers, including those of missionary and statesman and was acknowledged the master of Portuguese prose in his day. The sermon exhibited from volume III of his collected sermons is perhaps his most famous and was preached on the occasion of the defeat of the Portuguese forces by a Dutch fleet off Pernambuco. In the sermon, Vieira rebuked God vehemently for favoring the Dutch heretics over the Portuguese Catholics.

This letter, addressed to the Father Superior of the Maranhão mission, was written when Vieira was Visitor-General of the Jesuit missions in Brazil.

The first seven leaves of this manuscript volume discuss the subject suggested by the title; the last four are titled "Resulção theologica sobre a administracão das rendas do hospicio de S. Joseph da Provincia da Piedade sitio na cidade da Belem de Grão Para." A document of social and historical interest, with a charming manuscript map of the area at the mouth of the Amazon.

First edition of the constitutions of the Archbishopric of Bahia which were drawn up in the Diocesan Synod of 1707, under the direction of Archbishop Sebastião Monteiro da Vide. The work, which also contains a catalog of all Bishops of Brazil until 1676 and the Regimento do Anditorio Ecclesiastico, is a very important historical source for the Catholic Church in Brazil.

This account of the transfer of the Blessed Sacrament to a new church in Vila Rica not only described the religious ceremonies involved, but also gives an abundance of detail for the secular festivities celebrated and provides a good picture of life in Minas Gerais at the height of the 18th century mining boom. The very rare first edition of this work which is shown has the autograph signature of the Conde das Galveas, Governor of Minas Gerais (1732-1735), pasted on the flyleaf.

Father Marques came to Rio from Portugal in 1702 and later served as Rector of the Jesuit College there. His work, a treatise on the dispensations conceded by the Pope to the Church in Latin America, is indispensible to Brazilian church history, since some portions allude to the Brazilian situation in particular.

Latin translation of the Relação abbreviada de republica que os religiosos Jesuitas . . . establecerão nos dominios ultramarinos published at Lisbon in 1757, by or at the instance of the notorious Marques de Pombal. This account of the Jesuit Indian missions in Brazil and Paraguay concerns their conflicts with the civil authorities which ultimately resulted in Jesuit expulsion from the Portuguese colonies.

Thevet, a Franciscan friar, was in the expedition of Villegagnon, who attempted to establish a French colony at the mouth of the Rio Janeiro in 1555. His account of the country (called France Antarctique) is shown in the second edition, printed by Plantin. The illustrations of the natives, animals, and plants are exceptional. The book is opened to a plate of an Indian smoking, a plate also appearing in the earlier Paris edition of 1557. In the same year another depiction of Indians smoking was shown in Hans Staden's account. (No. 9 in this exhibit.)

Léry was one of a group of French Protestant colonizers who sailed to Brazil to join the colony of Villegagnon. The account of his voyage to and from Rio gives information on Brazilian natural history, Indians, and many other topics, and appeared in various editions because of its great popularity. This is the first edition in the state without "La Rochelle" on the title page.

The official Spanish account of the Dutch and French attack on Bahia which was repulsed by the Portuguese and Spanish forces under Governor Pedro de Silva.

The news of the Portuguese Restoration was received in Brazil while negotiations were underway between the Dutch and the Portuguese for an agreement to humanize the conduct of the war (and spare the destruction of sugar plantations and crops). This is the letter in which the Brazilian viceroy Montalvão notified Johan Maurits, Governor-General of the Dutch forces, of the proclamation of João IV as king of Portugal.

Father Calado lived in Brazil many years and took part there in the hostilities against the Dutch. He was also an eyewitness to the Dutch festivities on the occasion of the receipt of the news of the accession of João IV as king of Portugal. The book itself has an interesting history, as it was suppressed by the Inquisition and republished in 1668 with a new title page. Copies dated 1648 are very rare.

The author lived nine years in Brazil in the service of the Dutch West India Company. Nieuhof s work contains many documents, and he is considered an authority on Brazil for the period of his residence (1640-1649).

During the War of the Spanish Succession, Brazil was considered a valuable prize by the French, who attacked Rio in 1710, and again in 1711. Duguay-Trouin was a famous French corsair, leader of the successful capture of Rio de Janeiro from the Portuguese in 1711. This work on his campaign is completely engraved, both text and plates.

The period of Spanish domination of the Portuguese throne (1580-1640) resulted in an enlargement of territory for Brazil and contributed to a growing sense of nationality. The news account shown describes the festivities in Rio de Janeiro in March of 1641, on receipt of the notice of the restoration of Portuguese independence, with João IV as the Braganza king.

Conhecimento or bill of lading for a shipment of sugar sent from Recife to Lisbon in the ship Nossa Senhora da Conceição as a contribution towards the payment of the dowry of Queen Catherine of Great Britain (the former infanta of Portugal who married Charles II in 1662).

This signed letter appoints João Frazão as Adjutant of the garrison of one of the forts at São Luís de Maranhão. Albuquerque was a Portuguese of the minor aristocracy whose family had financial interests in Brazil. He served the Portuguese government successively as governor of Grão-Pará, Maranhão and Rio de Janeiro.

The penetration into the São Francisco region and details of life in late 17th century Bahia are also recounted in this relation about missionary activity among the Cariri Indians of Brazil.

When the Royal Academy of History in Portugal undertook the task of preparing a history of the Portuguese empire, the viceroy at Bahia decided to found a comparable academy, called at its inauguration in 1724, Academia dos Esquecidos, "The Forgotten". Pitta's history of Brazil was the only serious production by a member of the Bahian academy. Pitta was himself a Brazilian, born in Bahia. The first edition is shown.

The author was governor of the state of Maranhão and Grão Pará between 1718 and 1722. His history of the area is the classic work on the subject, but his accuracy and objectivity have sometimes been questioned.

Legal memoranda relating to Brazil, compiled for his own use by Dr. João Antonio Palter de Mendonça, successively Judge of the High Court at Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. The first half is arranged alphabetically by subject, and the second half transcribes many of the original documents in full. Especially noteworthy is the collection of royal decrees relating to the treatment to be accorded to foreign ships calling at Brazilian ports on one pretext or another.

Brito was a correspondent of the Academia Real das Sciencias of Portugal. This historical monograph, the first written on the Capitania of Santa Catarina, was published at the expense of the academy. The Lilly Library copy which is shown lacks one map.

This work, edited by Joannes Laet, consists of two distinct parts. The first part, "De Medicina Brasiliensi," was written by Willem Piso, and the second part, "Historiae rerum naturalium Brasiliae," was written by George Marcgraf and Laet. Until the 19th century, it was the only illustrated work about Brazilian natural history. Printed by the Elzevir press, it is a fine example of the beautiful Dutch works published on Brazil. One copy shows the title page with the signature of Johan Maurits, Governor-General of Netherlands Brazil, 1637-1644, and the second is opened to the section on birds of Brazil.

The Erario mineral is based on the author's twenty-year residence and practice of medicine in Minas Gerais. Apart from its value as a source for the history of tropical medicine, and more particularly as showing the state of surgery and medicine in eighteenth century Brazil, the Erario mineral forms a fascinating source for the social history of Minas Gerais. Both the 1735 edition and the even more rare edition of 1755 are shown.

Alpoym's two books on the science of artillery have a curious Brazilian association quite apart from the fact that they were written in Brazil. The historian Varnhagen has suggested that they were actually printed in Brazil, and that the fictitious imprints of Lisbon and Madrid were designed to conceal this fact and evade the law forbidding the establishment of a press in Brazil. If, as seems unlikely, this theory is true, then these two works must be counted among the earliest books printed in Brazil. The Exame de bombeiros is shown open to plate XVII, inexplicably dated Rio, 1749.

The author, a surgeon who lived in Bahia, relates his success in the cure of scurvy for both residents and patients en route from India.

Gomes describes a species of Brazilian ipecacuanha called cipó, in this memorial dedicated to the Prince Regent, Dom João. In the dedication he addresses João as Protector of Sciences, Agriculture, Commerce and the Arts. Bound with this imprint is another by the same author Ensaio sobre as boubas which is reprinted (Lisboa, 1815) from the Memorias of the Academia Real das Sciencias.

This royal proclamation establishes the office of Superintendent of Health and sets up regulations governing quarantine of ships in Brazilian ports, including those carrying slaves.

In this royal letter, João VI outlines the establishment of a Royal Military Academy in Rio which is to offer instruction in mathematics as well as the physical and natural sciences.

This narration is the first "on the spot" account made of the gold and diamond mines in Brazil. Because of the success it enjoyed, Mawe's work, shown here in its first edition, was later published in other editions and translations.

First edition in French of Koster's esteemed work on the north of Brazil. The author was the son of an English sugar dealer and emigrated to Brazil because of illness. Koster was acquainted with various notable Brazilians of the times, and was encouraged to write his book by Robert Southey, the famous historian of Brazil.

Prince Maximilian's travels across Brazil from 1815-1817 were very productive scientifically. He and his companions assembled a considerable zoological collection. This account with the beautifully printed albums of plates gives an interesting picture of the interior of Brazil just prior to independence, and the customs of the Indians he encountered, particularly the Botocudo.

Spix and Karl Friedrich Philip von Martius undertook their travels for the purpose of exploring the Amazon. Their work is one of the best sources of information on Brazil at the time. The first volume and the handsome album of plates are shown.

Very rare first edition of this celebrated sermon on justice. Father Sá, a native of Brazil, was professor of humanities and theology at the College of Espirito Santo at Bahia.

This is the most well known of the sermons of Father Matos, a native of Bahia and brother to Gregório de Matos. Matos entered the Jesuit order in 1644, but left the order in the same year as the publication of this work, and at a later date became a Carmelite.

Father Gusmão was born in Lisbon, and entered the Jesuit order after coming to Brazil at a very early age. Most of his writings were of a pious nature, such as the present work, written late in his life, and the better known work on Christian education, Arte de crear bem os Filhos (Lisboa, 1685).

This allegorical novel first published in 1682, belongs to the same family of works as the Pilgrim's progress of John Bunyan, and is considered to be the first work of fiction written in Brazil by a Portuguese author. Copies of the second and fourth editions are shown. Only three novels are known to have been written in Brazil during the colonial period. The other two (also shown in this exhibit) are the Compendia narrativo de peregrino da America of Nuno Marques Pereira, and the Maximas de virtude e formosura of Thereza Margarida da Silva e Orta.

During his long and fruitful career, Father Vieira produced a literary corpus consisting mostly of sermons, letters, and state papers. This particular collection includes some works of a more literary nature, such as his sonnet "A Despedida dos Indios" which is shown.

The first part of this work is a relation by Manoel José Correa e Alvarenga of the ceremonial observance held in São João del Rei (Minas Gerais) on the occasion of the death of João V of Portugal, and the second part gives the text of the funeral sermon preached by Salgado on the same occasion. A separately published work by Salgado, Oraçaõ funebre (Lisboa, 1751) is bound at the end. The engraved plate shown represents the catafalque which was erected for the observance.

First edition, and second edition in state with title continuation "imitando o sapientissimo Fenelon na sua viagem de Telemaco". This very rare work — the first book published by a Brazilian woman, was attributed to Alexandre de Gusmão (1695-1753) in the third edition. Recent studies, however, have affirmed that the pseudonym Dorothea Engrassia Tavareda Dalmira is that of Thereza Margarida Orta, a native of São Paulo, and sister to Matias Aires Ramos da Silva Eça.

An anthology of literary works by the participants in the Academia dos Selectos of Rio de Janeiro, in praise of the Governor of Rio, Gomes Freire de Andrada. Sá, the secretary of the group, compiled the collection which was presented to Andrada at a meeting on January 30, 1752.

Second edition of Eça's essay on pride and vanity, in which traces of Enlightenment ideology can be seen.

Pereira was a native of Caitu, Bahia. His work, Compêndio narrativo do peregrino da América, first published in 1728, is an example of Baroque narrative, and is the first work of fiction written by a native Brazilian. Two editions of the book are shown.

The publication of this collection of Costa's poems (with misprint Orbas for Obras) marked the beginning of the Arcadian movement in Brazil. Costa was one of the leaders of the Inconfidência Mineira, an important Brazilian secessionist movement of the 18th century influenced by Enlightenment ideas and inspired in part by the American Revolution.

Ms., 4to, in quarter leather.

This manuscript features satirical poems alluding to the works of contemporary literary figures. The volume is open to a satire based on a poem of Inácio José de Alvarenga Peixoto (1743-1793) written to a certain D. Anna Fortunata. Peixoto, a leading figure in Brazilian Arcadian poetry, was an associate of Cláudio Manoel da Costa, and was exiled to Angola for his political activites in the Inconfidência rebellion in Minas Gerais.

Alvarenga was another of the Minas poets who participated in the Arcadian movement. This edition of his poem, O Desertor, issued without place or date of publication, is the second — the first having been issued at Coimbra in 1774. The volume may be dated as appearing in or after the year 1788, by the announcement of the publication of the Mondegueida of Silveira Malhão on the final integral folio. This announcement is not present in the copy described by Moraes.

The author was a poet of the so-called "Minas School," a group of writers who gathered around Cláudio Manoel da Costa. This poem about Domingos Ferreira da Assunção is the first in Brazilian literature to feature an African hero. Gama was perhaps best known for his epic poem, O Uraguay, first published in 1769.

First edition of both volumes. This work of Barbosa consists of songs without music (modinhas) rather than poetry as a strictly literary form. Barbosa's use of Afro-Brazilian folk themes introduced these elements in Portugal where they became very influential, and some musicologists consider that his modinhas are the basis for later Portuguese popular music.

Tomás de Aquino Belo Freitas, the translator of Voltaire's epic poem, was a native of Minas Gerais who studied at Coimbra and practiced medicine in Vila Rica. His work, shown in the edition of the Impressão Régia of Rio, was first published in Oporto in 1789.

Ottoni was a native of Minas Gerais who spent his life in public service in Brazil and Europe. The work shown, a poetical paraphrase of the Proverbs of Solomon, is a very early product of the press in Bahia.

These poems in the neoclassical style concern political personalities and themes. Saldanha, a native of Pernambuco, was a participant in the republican revolutionary movement in that province which proclaimed the Confederação do Equador. The movement was suppressed in 1824, and Saldanha, condemned to death for his activities, became an exile.

1 manuscript 1.

This passport is signed by the Lord High Admiral of England, Ireland, and Wales, and countersigned by William Lord Burghley (1520-1598), Queen Elizabeth's most famous minister. It grants a safe-conduct for the Portuguese ship St. John "of 80 tons or thereabouts" of Lisbon, manned by a Portuguese and Spanish crew, "whereof is Master Peter Fernandes, Spaniard," freighted for a voyage to Bahia in Brazil, to load a cargo of sugar, brazilwood, and other commodities. The passport afforded protection not only against interference and seizure by any English privateers and men-of-war, but also earnestly desired all Dutch "and other places being in good league and amitie with her Magesty" to do likewise. The safe-conduct includes the ship's return voyage which may be made to London, Flushing, or Hamburg. A very interesting example of the importance of Hanseatic merchants in the Brazil trade.

Figueiredo's navigational works were the first to include pilot guides for the routes to Brazil. Such guides provided directions for ships involved in the triangular trade between Portugal, Africa, and Brazil. The 1614 edition shown is an enlarged version of the 1608 edition.

Following the discovery of diamonds in Minas Gerais in the early part of the 18th century, the Portuguese crown attempted to control diamond mining and trade by various restrictive regulations which were never completely satisfactory. In 1740, a series of contracts were initiated, providing for the mining of diamonds on a monopoly basis. The contract shown, promulgated by Sebastião José de Carvalho in 1753 in the name of the king, was the most severe to date and specified harsh punishment for those who violated the conditions of the monopoly administered under the king's protection.

"Text of the Royal Decree issued by the King of Portugal authorizing the establishment of the Pará and Maranhão Company for the purpose of encouraging private commercial enterprise between Portugal and Brazil" — Maggs. Bound with this is the Instituiçaõ da Companhia Geral de Pernambuco e Paraíba (Lisboa, M. Rodrigues, 1759). Also shown is an original share certificate of the Companhia de Pernambuco e Paraiba, issued in January 1760.

Rocha was a Portuguese secular priest whose book discussed the subject of the duties of a slave owner to his slaves, and criticized both the institution of slavery and the African slave trade. It was written for circulation among Brazilian sugar planters and is very rare today.

Bishop Coutinho, a prolific and controversial writer, expressed himself on many contemporary subjects, such as the slave trade, the gold mines of Brazil, and church-state affairs. His work on commercial relations of Portugal with her colonies, shown here in its first edition, has been translated into English. This edition also contains a revised version of his "Memoria sobre o preso do Asucar" first published by the Academia Real das Sciencias in 1791.

This broadside proclamation signed by Manoel Moreira de Figueiredo announces the decision of the Prince Regent to offer prizes and other emoluments to those who introduce the cultivation of spices and other useful plants.

Prior to the publication of this volume on the production of milk, cheese, and butter, Veloso had issued a series of ten volumes, also translations of foreign works, on the cultivation of various plants. The translations issued under the protection of the Prince Regent were intended to help improve the status of agriculture in Brazil but unfortunately were received with little interest.

The political alliance between Portugal and England was not an unmixed blessing for the Braganza regime and had special implications for Brazil. England first demanded special concessions in the matter of trade and commerce and, after abolishing its slave trade in 1807, turned its efforts toward forcing Portugal to do the same. This treaty, printed at the Impressão Régia in Rio de Janeiro in Portuguese and English, is one in a series of agreements limiting the slave trade, which was not finally abolished until 1850.

Father Daniel was a Jesuit who spent 18 years as a missionary in the Amazon region. The subtitle of his work, "Hum novo methodo para a sua agricultura, utilissima praxe para a sua povação, navegação, augmento, e commercio, assim dos Indios como dos Européos" is of particular interest today, in view of the current project of the Brazilian government for the construction of the Amazonian Highway, and for the development of the Amazon area of Brazil. The manuscript for the first five parts is in the Bibliotheca Nacional of Rio, and that of the sixth part in Evora. The first edition of the fifth part is shown.

A native of Minas Gerais, Costa was graduated from Coimbra in law. His book presented ideas for the economic development of Brazil and the abolition of the slave trade — ideas which were unusual for the times.

This justification of the Portuguese declaration of war on France following the French invasion of Portugal in 1807 outlines the circumstances leading to the declaration and the conditions for a peaceful resumption of relations between the two countries. The document, with Portuguese and French in parallel columns, was one of the first publications of the Impressão Régia, established by Joao VI after the arrival of the Portuguese court in Brazil.

The royal decree, dated October 12, 1808, concerns the circulation and processing of gold dust in Minas Gerais, and the text of the regulation gives provisional laws on the minting of coins and the conditions for the circulation of Spanish coins in specified areas of Brazil.

With the coming of the Portuguese court to Brazil, a period of institutional reform and the creation of new institutions for improvement of cultural and economic life was initiated. In this royal order, and the Regulations which accompany it, Dom João establishes the first bank ever to be founded in Brazil.

Ms., folio, in leather.

The Napoleonic invasion of Spain in 1808, and the ignominious captivity of the Bourbon king, Fernando VII in France, allowed Carlota Joaquina, sister of Fernando, and wife of the Portuguese Prince Regent, João VI, to have visions of herself as regent of Spain and the Spanish American colonies. In Rio de Janeiro, Carlota received a delegation from Buenos Aires, but her unfavorable reaction to the idea of a constitutional regency and her own husband's opposition brought her negotiations with the Spanish colonists to an unfruitful end. Materials in the Lilly Library relating to the Carlota affair include the 222 page expediente which is shown, and a selection of printed pamphlets in Spanish and Portuguese expressing the viewpoints of those concerned.

When Maria Francisca and Maria Isabel fled to Brazil with their parents, João, Prince Regent of Portugal, and his wife, Carlota Joaquina, they little realized that they would return soon to Europe to take part in state marriages with the king of Spain and his brother. This curious and little-known work is an account of their voyage in the Portuguese ship S. Sebastião, to Cádiz where Maria Isabel became the wife of Fernando VII, and Maria Francisca was married to the Spanish prince, Don Carlos.

The transfer of the Portuguese court to Rio de Janeiro signalled the end of the Portuguese trade monopoly and the opening of Brazilian ports to all friendly nations. Great Britain, as Portugal's ally and protector against the French, was quick to demand a privileged trade relation with Brazil. The document shown, a convention signed by the Conde de Linhares and Lord Strangford, authorized the establishment of the first packet line between Great Britain and Brazil. The first edition was published by the Impressão Régia, Rio, in 1810.

The Visconde do Rio Seco accompanied the Prince Regent João VI to Brazil in 1807 and served the Portuguese court in various official positions. This memorial, a personal justification of his conduct in office, is also useful for its insights into the political life of the times. The copy exhibited has the owner's stamp of the Duke of Palmela on the title page.

In 1815, Dom João issued this Royal Letter elevating Brazil to the status of a kingdom and thus making it equal, rather than subordinate, to Portugal. Needless to state, this important step along the road toward separation and independence was not favorably received in Portugal.

In this letter to an unnamed friend, Dom Pedro expresses his views regarding the Portuguese constitution and the relations between Brazil and Portugal. He complains that he is not able to speak to his father in favor of the Constitution, since João is influenced by those who oppose it. Pedro also inquires about the arrival of the deputies to the Côrtes, and suggests that he wishes to arrange to come to Portugal in order to serve the people and obey the will of the nation.

Following the return of Dom João to assume the throne of Portugal in 1821, tensions between Portugal and Brazil became steadily greater. The Portuguese Côrtes, wishing to reassert dominance over Brazil and deprive the Brazilians of a leader, ordered Dom Pedro to return to Portugal as well. In these letters to his father, Dom Pedro expresses obedience but points out the dissatisfaction in Brazil with political events in Portugal and the growing sentiment for independence. This document is one of several printed by the Côrtes for use of its members in its sessions of 1822, and all are very scarce since they were not for sale commercially.

Following the constitutional revolution in Portugal in 1820, the idea of a constitutional regime was well received in Brazil, and deputies were elected to attend the constituent Côrtes to be held in Lisbon. The Brazilian deputies were treated with scorn, however, and their demands were not heeded. This Portuguese periodical notes with satisfaction the departure of the Brazilians, printing the word deputados upside down to demonstrate disdain for the Brazilian representatives. The final page of number 4 is shown.

As sentiment for independence grew in Brazil, Dom Pedro created a council of representatives of the various provinces. This letter signed on June 3, 1822, by three members of the council, and endorsed by José Bonifacio de Andrada, and others, urged Pedro to call a constituent assembly. When Pedro signed a decree taking this decisive step it only remained for independence to be declared by his famous cry of "Independence or death," at Ypiranga on September 7, 1822.

Although Brazil is noted among nations for the relative ease with which independence was achieved, the movement was not entirely without controversy and apprehension, particularly in the provinces. Baluarte constitucional, a pro-Portuguese periodical published in Bahia, is representative of the Mendel Collection holdings of pamphlets and periodicals issued by the dissident press.

In 1823, João VI sent a Portuguese mission to Brazil led by the Count of Rio Maior to attempt a reconciliation with the Brazilian people. When it was learned that the mission was not empowered to recognize the independence of Brazil, their ship was seized and the members of the group were forced to return to Portugal immediately.

Ms., folio, unbound, with lead seal.

The recognition of Brazilian independence by Portugal was the final phase of the Brazilian independence movement. It was the vital step toward nationhood which allowed Brazil to normalize its relations with the rest of the world while permitting the stabilization of its economic, social, and political institutions. The last bond between Portugal and Brazil was severed on August 29, 1825, when Portugal, through its English negotiator, Sir Charles Stuart (1779-1845), recognized Brazil's independence. Shown is a patent of nobility bestowed on Sir Charles by João VI of Portugal, granting to Stuart the title of Conde de Machico of the island of Madeira, for his role in the negotiations between Portugal and Brazil. The document is from the Stuart manuscript collection.