at cannot be
foreseen. Of course, the younger men tinkle the guitar, and make love
more or less openly to the girls. When age overtakes a man or misfortune
overpowers him, there is no poor law to take him in charge, but there
are extensive and well-organised charities in every centre which are
eager and willing to assist those who are temporarily afflicted, and to
afford sustenance--a bare sustenance, perhaps--to those who are
permanently disabled.

The amusements of the town--the theatre, the concert, and the opera--do
not affect the workman much; his budget does not allow of such
indulgence, except on the occasion of a free performance. Though they
are fairly musical and love the theatre, the Portuguese have no really
aesthetic side to their character. There is a queer song and dance,
topical and rather broad, the _chula_, the somewhat monotonous refrain
of which is to be heard everywhere and at all hours, and from all
manners of lips. The washerwomen kneeling by the brook bang the
unfortunate clothes on the flat stones in rhythm with the tune, and
beguile the time with the interminable song. It arises in unexpected
places, and is a fairly sure item in the gathering of the younger folk,
both in towns and villages, in the cool of the evening. Concerts and
theatres are fairly patronised by the more moneyed classes, but the
performances are not, as a rule, of a very high calibre. There is a
subsidised theatre at Lisbon, but it does little to elevate the dramatic
art elsewhere.

CHAPTER XIX

PORTUGUESE INSTITUTIONS

The Portuguese army is raised by conscription, each parish, according to
size, having to contribute an annual quota of young men between twenty
and twenty-one years of age. These have to serve three consecutive years
with the colours, and then pass into the reserve for another ten years.
During the latter period no conscript can leave the country without a
passport. In time of peace the army is supposed to number about thirty
thousand men, and on the war footing should consist of about one hundred
and twenty thousand men and two hundred and sixty-four guns. The men,
who in summer wear brown holland clothes, look hardy enough, and,
according to ordinary report, are worthy of the plucky _cacadores_ of
the Peninsular War, who, according to Napier, made most excellent
soldiers when properly led. It is still said of the Portuguese soldier
that with three beans in his pocket he can march and fight for a