Page:The Chinese Repository - Volume 01.djvu/29

 three, four, five, or more, if they can, one over another; ami are very careful to be covered quite down to their feet, because of the damps, which are great, and much dreaded by them. In summer they only wear a single garment of silk, or some such dress, but have no turbans.

"Their common food is rice, which they often eat with a broth like what the Arabs make of meat, or fish, which they pour upon their rice. Their kings eat wheaten bread, and all sorts of animals, not excepting swine, and some others. Their drink is a kind of wine made of rice; they have no other kind in the country, nor is there any brought to them; they know not what it is, nor do they drink of it. They have vinegar also, and a kind of comfit like what the Arabs call natef, and some others.

"There are schools in every town for teaching the poor and their children to write and read, and the masters are paid at the public charge. The Chinese have no sciences, and their religion and most of their laws are derived from the Indians; nay, they are of opinion, that the Indians taught them the worship of idols, and consider them as a very religious nation. Both the one and the other believe the metempsychosis, but they differ in many points touching the precepts of their religion.

"The Chinese have some skill in medicine; but it almost wholly consists in the art of applying hot irons, or cautaries. They have also some smattering of astronomy; but therein the Indians surpass them.

"When the Chinese are about to marry, both parties come to an agreement, then presents are made, and at last the marriage is celebrated with the sound of many sorts of instruments and drums." "They observe the degree of consanguinity," adds the second traveller, "after this manner. They are divided among themselves, into families and tribes, like the Arabs, and some other nations; and they know each other by the difference of their descents. No one marries in his own tribe.

"The Chinese and Indians are not satisfied with one wife; but both the one and the other many as many as they please.

"The Chinese are fond of gaming and all manner of diversions. They worship idols, pray to them, and fall down before them; and they have books which explain the articles of their religion."

Every reader of these copious extracts, will see at once, a striking resemblance between the Chinese of the 9th and 19th centuries. Differences exist, some of which we have noticed, and others may come under review hereafter. Such permanence of national character, such inflexibility of manners and customs, are rarely found, and never exist without their peculiar causes; to observe which, in this case, and trace them to their results, opens a wide field for the philosopher, anti the political economist. Who will enter it?

(to be concluded in the next number.)