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bustle, or disorder. Their goods are arranged in the most perfect manner, and nothing is ever out of its place. These traits assimilate them to the more enterprising of the western nations, and place them in prominent contrast with the rest of the Asiatics. It is confidently asserted, by those who have had the best opportunities of judging, that, as business men, they are in advance of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese merchants.

It has been charged upon the whole body of Chinese dealers, that they will cheat and deceive, whenever an opportunity falls in their way. That there is much dishonesty in China, particularly among the inferior traders and lower orders of people, it would be folly to deny. Some of the shops have the word Pouhoa—“ no cheating here"-in large characters over the door; and on the masts of the canal boats, in which the poorer people travel, there is generally pasted this caution :-" Kin shin ho paou"-" Mind your purses." But there can be as little doubt that injustice has been done the Chinese by the sweeping charges of corruption levelled at their merchants. We have conversed with several American merchants, who resided many years at Canton-particularly Mr. Cushing, of Boston, and Mr. Dunn, of Philadelphia-and their testimony is, that the higher class of merchants there, are as honourable a body of businessmen as exists in any country, that a contract, though merely verbal, is always held by them to be binding, and that, in short, there are fewer of the tricks of trade among the Chinese, than in some countries where the pure light of Christianity ought, long since, to have produced a different state of things. There is a variety of amusing inscriptions on the scrolls hung up in the interior of some of the shops, which serve at the same time to mark the thrifty habits of the traders. A few specimens are sub

joined :- Gossiping and long sitting injure business." "Former customers have inspired caution-no credit given." "A small stream always flowing."

"Goods

genuine, prices true." "Trade circling like a wheel,"

&c.

The sight of the breakfast table, induces naturally a few observations on the articles of food and drink used by this people. The wealthier Chinese are much addicted to gastronomic pleasures, and are as delicate in their tastes as any other epicures; but pinching poverty makes the mass as little fastidious as can well be conceived. They make little use of beef or mutton, owing to the scarcity of pasturage. Of animal food, the most universal is pork. Their maxim is, "The scholar forsakes not his books, nor the poor man his pig." Immense quantities of fish are consumed. Ducks are reared in large numbers, and wild fowl, of various species, are abundant. The flesh of dogs, cats, rats, and mice, enters into the bill of fare of the Chinese poor. The larvæ of the sphinx-moth and a grub bred in the sugar-cane are much relished, as also sharks' fins, the flesh of wild horses, the sea-slug, and a soup made of a species of birds'-nests. At an imperial feast given to the last British embassy, a soup concocted of mare's milk and blood was among the dishes!

Of vegetables they have a large variety, not needful to mention. Rice is the most esteemed and the most abundant. This is the chief thing for which they wish and work. Certain sailors once asked Gutzlaff, whether the western barbarians used rice, and, as he was rather slow in replying, they exclaimed, "O, the sterile regions of barbarians, which produce not the necessaries of life strange that the inhabitants have not long ago died of hunger!"

The Chinese are not at all addicted to water-drinking. They distil from rice certain liquors resembling our beer, wines, and whiskey. The grape, though abundant, is not used for any such purpose. The universal national beverage is tea. This is drunk in unstinted quantities by all classes of the people, from the self-styled "Son of Heaven," to the occupant of the meanest hovel or sanpan. So enormous is the consumption of tea by the natives, that M'Cartney is of opinion that, if the whole foreign demand should, by some accident, suddenly cease, the price of the article would not be materially affected. Many of the wealthier natives are exceedingly fastidious in their taste, which they gratify by the use of teas obtained at prices that would startle us by their enormity. It is, however, only the very rich and the very luxurious who indulge habitually in such extravagance.

XVIII. A Street, with Sedan and Bearers.

Adjoining the mercantile establishment is a passage, five feet broad,-about the average width of a Canton street, which it is intended to represent. It is nearly filled by a sedan, in which the owner is comfortably seated, while he is borne gently along by a couple of coolies. The one in front is as intelligent and merry-looking a fellow as the Collection contains. A body servant is in attendance, who trots along by the side of the lordly chair. The interior is just large enough for the convenient reception of a single occupant. Instead of pannels, the sides are covered with a woollen cloth for lightness, and there is an additional covering of oil-cloth, to be used in case of rain. Two bearers place the light, elastic poles upon their shoulders, and move, sometimes at considerable speed, with measured tread, and a scarcely percep

tible motion.

66

The sedan looks like the very home of comfort and repose. The illustrious Falstaff never took mine ease in mine inn" more luxuriously, than the rich Chinaman in his vaunted palanquin. This vehicle is much used by the wealthy, and affords almost the only mode of land-travelling known, the horse being rarely, though sometimes, employed. Private gentlemen are allowed only two bearers; the herd of civil officers, four; viceroys, eight; while the Emperor's dignity requires six

teen.

The sedan has often been a bone of contention between the foreign merchants and the native authorities. The former have, again and again, demanded earnestly the privilege of using it; the latter have as vigorously resisted the demand, and hitherto with success.

XIX. The Pavilion.

This is a large apartment, forming the eastern termination of the saloon, from which it is separated by what may be called a species of carved net-work. The carving penetrates entirely through the wood, and represents figures of men, animals, birds, flowers, &c. The colours of this open work are as gay, rich, and even gorgeous, as gilding and paint can make them; yet so skilfully are they disposed, so well do they blend and harmonize, that their effect is altogether agreeable. The room thus inclosed is a perfect fac-simile of an apartment in a wealthy Chinaman's palace. The visiter will be not less struck by the quantity than by the kind and disposition of its furniture and decorations. There is a book-case in one corner, a long high table for the reception of ornaments in the back part of the room, a large square table at each end of this, with another of smaller dimensions in

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front of it, two tea-stands, two rows of chairs facing each other on opposite sides of the apartment, with a footstool for every chair, besides flower-pots, spittoons, porcelain stools, lamps, &c. &c. The walls are hung with a variety of decorations, chiefly long silken scrolls, with maxims, as before described; and the tables are covered with characteristic ornamental articles.

There are six figures in the pavilion, intended to represent the mode of paying and receiving visits. Tea and pipes are always served on these occasions, and frequently sweetmeats or dried fruits. The common mode of salutation is to join the closed hands, and lift them twice or thrice towards the head, saying, Haou-tsing, tsing; that is, "Are you well?-Hail, hail!”

Here terminate the cases that contain representations of men and women. The figures are modelled out of a peculiar species of clay, admirably adapted for the purpose. They are highly creditable to the taste and ingenuity of the Chinese, who, though not good sculptors, are excellent modellers, and they afford specimens of a style of art altogether novel to an American. The attentive observer will have noticed a remarkable sameness of feature and expression running through the whole collection, though all are accurate likenesses of originals, most of whom are now living. High cheek bones, flat noses, small black eyes, a yellowish complexion, and a rather dull, heavy expression of countenance, are the general characteristics. Chinese physical nature is said to be cast, as it were, in the same mould, throughout the whole Empire, notwithstanding its various provinces differ so widely in soil and climate. And this characteristic sameness extends to the mind as well as body. The phenomenon has been ingeniously explained by the author of "Egypt and Mohammed Ali," who traces it to despotism as its prima

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