Growth of Pedro II of Brazil
In the life of Pedro160II of Brazil, growth in both his personal and public roles took place in the decade beginning in 1853. At the start of this period, he was still struggling to find his way. But by its end the Emperor was a mature and steady leader, and Brazil was united and on its way to unprecedented national prosperity and prestige.
I was born to devote myself to culture and sciences, the Emperor remarked in his private journal during 1862. He had always been eager to learn and found in books a refuge from the demands of his position. His ability to recall passages which he had read in the past was both notable and noted. Subjects which interested Pedro160II were wideranging, including anthropology, history, geography, geology, medicine, law, religious studies, philosophy, painting, sculpture, theater, music, chemistry, physics, astronomy, poetry, technology, among others. By the end of his reign, there were three libraries in So Cristvo palace containing more than 60,000 volumes. A passion for linguistics prompted him throughout his life to study new languages, and he was able to speak and write not only Portuguese but also Latin, French, German, English, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Chinese, Occitan and a TupiGuarani language. He became the first Brazilian photographer when he acquired a da
Source: Wikipedia