Chinese soar beyond the dull level of these acquirements, he soon discovers, that his countrymen detest such vague flights; nor indeed would they be able to appreciate them, even if one could be found able to enlarge the bounds of their knowledge. The general belief is, that whatever the ancients did not teach, is unworthy the attention of a son of Hán. The mind is therefore kept in subjection; it may not, and unaided, it cannot proceed farther than the prescribed limits, and must model all thoughts according to the orthodox canon. This blunts the faculties, and produces slavish submission to authority, without permitting the right of inquiry. Few as the ideas are that are communicated by this course of instruction, they are often not fully comprehended, and the words conveying them are mechanically repeated without much idea of the meaning. Thus there is strictly speaking no mental cultivation, and the yoke of submission to dogmatic precept is easily borne, as its pressnre is not felt by such callous minds.

Such is exactly the state in which a despotic government wishes its subjects to be. Control then becomes easy; the people are kept in awe, by working upon their prejudices, and where all minds are tutored in the same manner, the same measures will be equally applicable to the whole commonwealth. The emperors have always been anxious to uphold this acquiescence in what is written. The advantages accruing to the rulers are immeasurable, and with such subjects they can safely venture a little upon their endurance. A whole code of laws is therefore drawn up to suit this mental slavery. There is law upon law, and precept upon precept, regulations, edicts, proclamations, commands, and behests without end. They are calculated to restrain every action, and to make an immense people the puppets of their superiors. Though these laws often lie dormant, yet they are rigorously executed when it suits the sovereign pleasure of the rulers. So artfully is everything managed, that when they wish, the innocent feel most its crushing power, and, before they are aware, are hurried to ruin and doomed to suffer the most crying injustice. The myrmidons of the magistrates keep the people in constant terror, and as it were, pounce upon their victim with cunning wiliness. This is indeed a thralldom, for the fear of this arbitrary power paralizes their energies. Since it cannot be resisted by open force, the sufferers use corresponding craftiness to escape from its clutches, or to protect themselves against its assaults. To this we trace another cause for the deceitfulness of the Chinese character.

When we remember that the Chinese have no religious instruc

4

tions, and are also without the fear of the only true God, and have no accountability to him in all their actions, we are by no means astonished that there is so much vice amongst them. In our own lands, there is a sense of honor, a dread of sinning against the rules of society, and above all the acknowledgment of the holy Gospel as a safe guide of conduct, together with the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit upon the heart-all of which prove a curb to the wicked, and in many instances hinder the outbreak of unbridled passions. In China such restraints are not known or very partially felt. Whatever does not attract the attention of government, may be and is committed without remorse or compromise of character. In judging therefore of this character, we must take into consideration the circumstances under which it is formed-this will help us to have more patience with the people, and it ought also to have a tendency to make us grateful for the privileges we enjoy as Christians.

If we glance at the female part of the community, we shall find somewhat in their character worthy of commendation. A woman spends most of her time at home, and if she belongs to the poorer class, there is the leam upon which she labors, or the needle which she plies; besides her more usual domestic duties. Ladies of wealth often spend a part of their time in embroidering and other fancy work. In their love of apparel, Chinese ladies are not a whit behind their sisters in the west; those of the poorest rank generally dress better and more decently than the men, and a right honorable lady's robes are magnificent in the extreme. There is no infringement of decency in their costume, for the garments encase the whole person, like a tortoise's shell; even the small feet are completely hid, for it would be a violation of female propriety to make a parade of this criterion of beauty. The majority of the sex, having received little or no education, have of course few resources of mental amusement; and those whose means elevate them above the necessity of manual labor, spend much of their time in a kind of busy idleness or a listless toying, far beneath the great end of their being. Many of them no doubt educate their children as well as they can, but girls are not expected to know much, and the boys are at a very early age with. drawn from their sway. Unceasing toil fills up the life of females

in the lower walks of life.

As soon as they have arrived at womanhood, and usually long before, they are engaged in marriage, and as they cannot form alli.. ances for themselves, this task devolves upon go-betweens, who are generally old women. Wherever there is an advantageous suitor, the

offers on the part of the ladies are numerous. Rich people, who have daughters only, seek out for worthy sons-in-law, and invite can. didates for their hands from amongst whom they may choose. This custom is exhibited in the popular novel called Yu Kiáu Lí, or The Two Cousins. When married, these become their adopted children. The marriage vows are well kept on the part of the woman, and proportionally loose on that of her lord. How lightly she may be held, how much soever she may suffer, as a general thing the wife remains faithful to her husband. Suicide is not uncommon, when the wife feels the brutal manners and treatment of her husband to be past endurance.

The Chinese are particular in avoiding connections with their relatives. Families of the same surname cannot legally marry, for they believe that the slightest degree of consanguinity deteriorates the race, and perpetuates, or give rise to hereditary disease. Their notions of beauty are indeed singular; a small foot, and a chalky complexion approaching to the ghastly, are regarded as essentials to females loveliness. A pensive, languid look, and a delicate silvery voice, are always attractive in their view.

Celibacy is of rare occurrence, and young men of all ranks marry as early as possible. If some of the poorer classes have no wives, it is owing to their having no money to buy one. The purchase money is paid in the shape of a dowry, and is looked upon as a sort of indemnity for the expense of bringing up the damsel. It is not look. ed upon as an actual purchase of the wife, however, but a kind of settlement upon the parents. Concubines and inferior wives are acquired by the actual transfer of money, and hold a rank between a wife and a servant. If widows have no grown up sons to cherish and sup. port them, nor parents to control them, they can dispose of their own persons; yet it is disgraceful to marry a second time, and public opinion honors the chaste keeper of a widowed marriage.

The entire life of a Chinese is spent in amassing property. There are great incentives to untiring industry. Property is probably safer here than among any other Asiatic nation, and perhaps nowhere so sub. divided. Entail is unknown, and though the eldest son may take the lion's share by main force, his younger brothers must divide with him, Thus the largest estates soon dwindle away, and the accumulation of enormous property is of rare occurrence. The mass of the people however are neither very rich nor degradedly poor, whatever be their occupation. No labor is wanting to extract as much from the soil as it will produce, and if agriculture fails, a man turns his attention to some.

thing else, and gets a living in a most extraordinary manner, especially in petty trading. The whole stock of some of these pedlers amounts perhaps to 10 cents, and with this capital a man perseveringly traffics day after day, gaining from 2 to 3 cents, and laying out his capital to the best advantage. If his exertions afford him rice, or at least sweet potatoes, he puts up with his lot; and if his gains cannot furnish two meals per day, he manages to do with one.

The sons of Hán are reckless about the means whereby to enrich themselves, and ingenious at devices. Amongst a nation of sharpers, however, it is no easy thing to over-reach another, and the deceivers are often repaid in their own coin. A Chinese is ever mindful of the end he has in view. Reverses do not damp his ardor, nor disappointments paralize his exertions, in pursuit of wealth. After losing again and again, he attempts anew to recruit his finances, and sustains the rude blasts of fortune, or the entire destruction of his darling hopes without despair. This has converted the whole celestial empire into a large house of industry, where the god of riches sits enthroned, and leads the whole household at his will. Industry and a spirit of enterprise are indeed ornaments to any nation, but when all its energies are absorbed in the acquisition of worldly gear, the nobler feelings are blunted, and man becomes a sordid animal, indifferent about the sufferings of his fellow creatures, and concentrating all his thoughts upon himself. How much less guilty, however, are the Chinese in following the chief good they know, than other slaves of Mammon who hold his muck-rake so firmly, when higher treasures are offered for their acceptance on high! This extreme selfishness however is counteracted by a large degree of affection for parents, brothers and other relatives; and extends even to members of the same clan. A true Chinese will stand by his own flesh and blood to the last, and sacrifice a great deal in their behalf. He is to his kin a friend in trouble, a devoted adherent to his kinsman, and his condoling protector under sufferings. Palliating his crimes and excusing his misdeeds, he will not allow any stain upon his memory, nor suffer injury to be inflicted upon him with impunity. This feeling divides society into small communities or clans, who often stand in hostile attitude to each other, though they are united amongst themselves.

We meet the extremes of intense feeling and apathetic indifference, of cheerfulness and sullenness amongst the Chinese. If grief takes full possession of his heart, he is inconsolable, he raves like a madman, beats his breast, tears his hair, and utters piercing lamentations; but e causes of such outrageous sorrow must be weighty, and the suffer.

the

ings keen to make him lose the general equanimity of his character. Attempts are made to counterfeit this despair, especially at burials, or under great bereavements. Wrath is not a passion, that sways a Chinese mind, for by effort he dissembles or suppresses his emotion. But on the other hand he is not prone to revenge, and will put up with injuries, that would make the blood of other people boil, and urge a Malay to deeds of deadly hostility. Gratitude however is not a leading feature of his character, though it is by no means unknown, and we have heard of well authenticated instances of grateful remembrance and requital of kindness.

ART. IV.

Review.

Kiáu Ping Siú Chí, or The Soldier's Manual. ed by G. TRADESCANT LAY, interpreter to sir Henry Pottinger's special mission.

THIS is a little work that I met with in a Tartar dwelling at Chápú, buried among books, papers, and the scattered fragments of household stuff. No date is prefixed, but it is apparently a modern performance. The style is copious without ill-considered and inflated sentences, and by presenting many phrases that have a direct reference to what is practical, it helps the reader to a clear and accurate notion of several words, which in the present state of Chinese lexicography are allowed to roam at large in the region of indefinables. As two or three engagements are fresh in my recollection, and there is a prospect of witnessing several more before this war is at a close, I have read this little work with pleasure, and not without profit. Its perusal has sharpened my curiosity, and at the same time confirmed the common opinion, that everything done in China, whatever may be its merits or defects, is planned according the laws of a special system, and executed in conformity with preëstablished rules.

Without further preamble, we will proceed to give a concise view of the little book before us. In the first section, the commissary is instructed to provide trustworthy colones, or camp-followers, and to license them by express nomination, no soldier being allowed to have his own follower. Carts, horses, and waggons, are in like manner to be considered as public property. In passing through the territory of any civil magistrate, the value of a thrum of silk or a flue of down