manufactures, as it regards the gloss and the fixing of the colours, and the rendering them so bright and perinanent; but this is not produced by any secret mordant or process unknown to Europeans. I was once present at the dyeing of silks; and, on examination, found the process conducted in the simplest manner, with the commonest mordants used in England. They know very little of the chemical agents, the use of which has become so cominon in Europe; and the brightness and permanency of their colours must be derived from a very nice experience of the application of the mordants, the climate, and other favourable and concurring circumstances. Owing to the cheapness of labour, a very large number of hands are employed; therefore the work goes on with a rapidity almost beyond conception, and the silks are immediately hung out to dry during the prevalence of the north wind, called by them Pak Fung. Certainly, in any other climate, and under different management, more time would be required, and that circumstance would suffice to alter very much the appearance of the colours. The Chinese never attempt to dye any fine silks with rich colours until the Pak Fung commences, which generally happens towards the last of September, or the beginning of October. This wind is so remarkable in its effects, and so immediately felt, that should it begin at night, even when all the doors and windows are shut, the extreme dryness of the air penetrates into the house immediately, and the furniture and floors begin to crack, with a noise almost as loud as the report of a pistol. If the floors have been laid down in summer, when the air is damp, or if the planks be not exceed ingly well-seasoned, and secured with iron cramps, they will open an inch at least when the north-east monsoon commences. The Chinese will not even pack teas or silks for exportation in damp weather; that is to say, unless they are hurried to do it by the strangers who have business with them, and wish to get their ships away sooner than ordinary. I have known a ship detained three weeks longer than the captain wished at Canton, because the security-merchant would not pack the silks, which formed part of her cargo, until the weather became favourable. This will account, in some measure, not only for the permanency and beauty of the dye, but likewise for the care that is taken to preserve it. The Chinese say that if newlydyed silks be packed before they are perfectly

† They are certainly acquainted with some of the practical parts of chemistry. Cinnabar is made in Canton, as well as some other preparations of mercury; and I am told (though I never saw them) mineral preparations of medicine. It is said that a Chinese doctor always asks which the patient prefers, mineral or vegetable treatment, the former being dearer than the latter.

dry, or in damp weather, they will not only lose the brightness of the colour, but will also become spotted. They may have some secret in the spinning and tissue of silks, which we know nothing of; but certainly not in dyeing them.

When they are wounded, there are no people so easily healed as the Chinese; fractures, which in other countries would require amputation, are there cured without the loss of limb. It may serve to account for this in some degree, if I state that the food of the poorer classes is principally rice and vegetables, accompanied by a couple of little ragouts of tish or flesh, and also a glass or two of their favourite samtchoo, which is very rarely drunk to excess.

Many persons have supposed (who only know the Chinese superficially) that a nation so grave, sedate, and monotonous, cannot include either fops or bons vivans. They are, however, mistaken; few countries possess more of those worthies than China, though, perhaps, their talents are not carried to so great an excess as in other parts of the world. The dress of a Chinese petit-maître is very expensive, being composed of the most costly crapes or silks; his boots or shoes of a particular shape, and made of the richest black satin of Nankin, the soles of a certain height; his knee-caps elegantly embroidered; his cap and button of the neatest cut; his pipes elegant and high-priced; his tobacco of the best manufacture of Fokien; an English gold watch; a tooth-pick, hung at his button, with a string of valuable pearls; a fan from Nankin, scented with chulan flowers. Such are his personal appointments. His servants are also clothed in silks, and his sedan-chair, &c. &c., all correspondingly elegant. When he meets an acquaintance, he puts on a studied politeness in his manners, and gives himself as many airs as the most perfect dandies in Europe, besides giving emphasis to all those fulsome ceremonies for which the Chinese nation is so remarkable. The rich Chinese, who are cleanly, are all fond of dress; though some, from avarice, attend only to outward show, whilst the shirt and undergarments remain unchanged for several days, and expose, at the collar and sleeves, the dirty habits of the master through his splendid disguise. Those who are in the habit of mixing with Europeans are more attentive to cleanliness; but, generally speaking, the Chinese are certainly not so clean in their persons as one would expect from the inhabitants of a warm climate. The Chinese indulge in every species of sensuality, are fond of indecent shows and books, which debauch the minds of youth, and, indeed, are too apt to carry all pleasures to a criminal excess. At their theatres I have seen exhibitions such as it would be im

manufactures, as it regards the gloss and the fixing of the colours, and the rendering them so bright and permanent; but this is not produced by any secret mordant or process unknown to Europeans. I was once present at the dyeing of silks; and, on examination, found the process conducted in the simplest manner, with the commonest mordants used in England. They know very little of the chemical agents, the use of which has become so cominon in Europe; and the brightness and permanency of their colours must be derived from a very nice experience of the application of the mordants, the climate, and other favourable and concurring circumstances. Owing to the cheapness of labour, a very large number of hands are employed; therefore the work goes on with a rapidity almost beyond conception, and the silks are immediately hung out to dry during the prevalence of the north wind, called by them Pak Fung. Certainly, in any other climate, and under different management, more time would be required, and that circumstance would suffice to alter very much the appearance of the colours. The Chinese never attempt to dye any fine silks with rich colours until the Pak Fung commences, which generally happens towards the last of September, or the beginning of October. This wind is so remarkable in its effects, and so immediately felt, that should it begin at night, even when all the doors and windows are shut, the extreme dryness of the air penetrates into the house immediately, and the furniture and floors begin to crack, with a noise almost as loud as the report of a pistol. If the floors have been laid down in summer, when the air is damp, or if the planks be not exceed ingly well-seasoned, and secured with iron cramps, they will open an inch at least when the north-east monsoon commences. The Chinese will not even pack teas or silks for exportation in damp weather; that is to say, unless they are hurried to do it by the strangers who have business with them, and wish to get their ships away sooner than ordinary. I have known a ship detained three weeks longer than the captain wished at Canton, because the security-merchant would not pack the silks, which formed part of her cargo, until the weather became favourable. This will account, in some measure, not only for the permanency and beauty of the dye, but likewise for the care that is taken to preserve it. The Chinese say that if newlydyed silks be packed before they are perfectly

† They are certainly acquainted with some of the practical parts of chemistry. Cinnabar is made in Canton, as well as some other preparations of mercury; and I am told (though I never saw them) mineral preparations of medicine. It is said that a Chinese doctor always asks which the patient prefers, mineral or vegetable treatment, the former being dearer than the latter,

dry, or in damp weather, they will not only lose the brightness of the colour, but will also become spotted. They may have some secret in the spinning and tissue of silks, which we know nothing of; but certainly not in dyeing them.

When they are wounded, there are no people so easily healed as the Chinese; fractures, which in other countries would require amputation, are there cured without the loss of limb. It may serve to account for this in some degree, if I state that the food of the poorer classes is principally rice and vegetables, accompanied by a couple of little ragouts of fish or flesh, and also a glass or two of their favourite samtchoo, which is very rarely drunk to excess.

Many persons have supposed (who only know the Chinese superficially) that a nation so grave, sedate, and monotonous, cannot include either fops or bons vivans. They are, however, mistaken; few countries possess more of those worthies than China, though, perhaps, their talents are not carried to so great an excess as in other parts of the world. The dress of a Chinese petit-maître is very expensive, being composed of the most costly crapes or silks; his boots or shoes of a particular shape, and made of the richest black satin of Nankin, the soles of a certain height; his knee-caps elegantly embroidered; his cap and button of the neatest cut; his pipes elegant and high-priced; his tobacco of the best manufacture of Fokien; an English gold watch; a tooth-pick, hung at his button, with a string of valuable pearls; a fan from Nankin, scented with chulan flowers. Such are his personal appointments. His servants are also clothed in silks, and his sedan-chair, &c. &c., all correspondingly elegant. When he meets an acquaintance, he puts on a studied politeness in his manners, and gives himself as many airs as the most perfect dandies in Europe, besides giving emphasis to all those fulsome ceremonies for which the Chinese nation is so remarkable. The rich Chinese, who are cleanly, are all fond of dress; though some, from avarice, attend only to outward show, whilst the shirt and undergarments remain unchanged for several days, and expose, at the collar and sleeves, the dirty habits of the master through his splendid disguise. Those who are in the habit of mixing with Europeans are more attentive to cleanliness; but, generally speaking, the Chinese are certainly not so clean in their persons as one would expect from the inhabitants of a warm climate. The Chinese indulge in every species of sensuality, are fond of indecent shows and books, which debauch the minds of youth, and, indeed, are too apt to carry all pleasures to a criminal excess. At their theatres I have seen exhibitions such as it would be im

possible to describe without giving offence to delicacy; and these before the women, who appeared quite pleased at the entertainment. This must be owing, on their part, to a want of education and refinement, and to the habit of witnessing spectacles which European women, of even the worst class, would turn from with disgust. At a Chinese theatre there is always a place set apart for the females (I will not call them ladies), separating them from the rest of the audience by a curtain or screen; but, as they sit in front, near the stage, one has a good view of them, and near enough to discover how much they seem pleased with the play. Women in China are not even taught to read and write; needle-work and music (if it deserves the name) are their only accomplishments. To kill time, they play at cards and dominoes, and smoke incessantly. Men and women of the better classes never mix in society; it is considered disgraceful to eat with their wives; they do not even inhabit the same side of the house. I have, however, known some who broke through this custom, and who have assured me they found much pleasure in dining with their wives. Polygamy has certainly done a great deal of mischief in the way of morals. Some men, even at an advanced age, continue to increase their stock of wives, when they have already sons grown to manhood. I have been confidently informed, that intrigues between those sons and the younger wives, or concubines, of the father, are not uncommon. Dining once with a rich merchant, some comedies were represented to us, where the wit turned upon the refined tyranny of a husband, who beat his wives most unmercifully. We asked him if the wives did not sometimes rule the husband, and begged to have a piece of that kind acted for our amusement. Our host answered in the affirmative, and immediately ordered two or three comedies to be performed, in which the females were complete termagants, and make the poor husband appear the most pitiful, hen-pecked wight imaginable. The strangers present all Jaughed heartily; and we could perceive the women enjoyed it beyond measure; but, the moment the master of the house discovered this, and that we passed some jests upon him, he became serious and embarrassed, and would not permit a continuance of those representations. We may therefore fairly conclude, that in spite of the strict and despotic manner in which wives are treated in China, they sometimes get the upper-hand of their lordly masters. On stricter inquiry I found, that when a Chinese became enamoured of one of his wives in preference, she generally contrived to wheedle him, and govern him as she liked. The rich men, however, are not over-blessed with domestic habits. They dissipate a great

deal of their time at the theatres, or in parties on the water, at the flower-boats, or receptacles for public women, at the exhibitions of fighting quails, gaming, &c. This latter vice is very prevalent amongst all classes and descriptions of people, and is carried to a great excess. Besides cards and dice, they have other sports and games of chance peculiar to the country. The most remarkable are quail-fighting, cricket-fighting, shuttle-cock played with the feet, and tumbling, at which they are very expert. To make two male crickets fight, they are placed in an earthen bowl, about six or eight inches in diameter; the owner of each tickles his cricket with a feather, which makes them both run round the bowl different ways, frequently meeting and jostling one another as they pass. After several meetings in this way, they at length become exasperated, and fight with great fury, until they literally tear each other limb from limb. This is an amusement for the common classes; but quail-fighting belongs to the higher orders. Quails that are to be prepared for fighting require the strictest care and attention. Every quail has a separate keeper; he confines it in a small bag, with a running string at the top, constantly attached to his person; so that he carries the bird with him wherever he goes. The poor prisoner is rarely permitted to see the light, except at the time of feeding, or when the keeper deems it necessary he should take the air for his health. When he airs his quail, he will hold him in his hand (taking great precautions not to spoil his plumage) for two or three hours at a time. The patient care and attention of the Chinese to their fightingquails and singing-birds, are equal to those of the fondest mother for a favourite child. When two quails are brought to fight, they are placed in a thing like a large sieve, in the centre of a table, round which the spectators stand to witness the battle and make their bets. Some grains of milletseed are then put into the middle of the seive, and the quails, being taken out of the bags, are put opposite to each other near the seed. If they are birds of courage, the moment one begins to eat the other attacks him, and they fight hard for a short time, say one or two minutes. The quail that is beaten flies up, and the conqueror remains, and is suffered to eat all the seed. I should suppose the best quail-fight never lasted more than five minutes. Rich men have always a number of birds ready trained, in order to have as many battles as will occupy a considerable portion of the day. Iminense sums of money are won and lost on them. A good deal of time also is spent in making the bets. Sometimes one quail has been known to win several hundred battles, and, all of a sudden, gets beaten by a new and untutored bird; a circumstance which oc