and the valley was consequently covered with dense masses of the loveliest green. Water-wheels were observed in all directions, some worked by men, and other and larger ones by builocks, and all pouring streams of water upon the rice crops from the various canals which intersect the valley. At the foot of the hills, near where I stood, were numerous small tea farms, formed on the slopes; while groups of junipers and other sombre-looking pines marked the last resting-places of the wealthy. The ancient tombs of the Ming dynasty are also common here, but they are generally in a ruinous condition; and had it not been for the huge blocks of granite cut into the forms of men and other animals, of which they are composed, there would have been long ago no marks to point out the last resting-places of these ancient rulers of China. So much for human greatness! Higher up on the hill-sides the ground was cultivated, and ready to receive the summer crops of sweet potatoes and Indian corn. Beyond that again, were barren mountains covered with long grass and brushwood, which the industry of the Chinese is never likely to bring under cultivation. Both below and above, on the roadsides, in the hedges, and on every spot not under cultivation, wild flowers were blooming in the greatest profusion. In the hedges the last fading blossoms of the beautiful spring-flowering Forsythia viridissima were still hanging on the branches, while several species of wild roses, Spiræa Reevesiana, clematises, and Glycine sinensis, were just coming into bloom. But look a little higher up to that gorgeously painted hill-side, and see those masses of yellow and white flowers; what are they? The yellow is the lovely Azalea sinensis, with its colours far more brilliant, and its trusses of flowers much larger, than they are ever seen in any of our exhibitions in Europe. The white is the little known Amelanchier racimosa. Amongst these, "In the midst of all these religious services, and scattered over the hill-sides, are other azaleas, which candour compels me to say were outwardly having flowers of many different hues, and all most devoutly performed, things were going on very beautiful. It is still early morning; the sun amongst the worshippers which, as foreigners and is just appearing on the tops of the eastern moun- Christians, we cannot understand. Many, who tians; the globules of heavy dew sparkle on the had either been engaged in these ceremonies, or grass and flowers; the lark, and other sweet song- intended to take their part in them, were sitting sters of the feathered race, are pouring out of looking on, and laughing, chatting, or smoking, as their little mouths sweet and melodious songs. I if they had been looking on one of their plays. looked with delight on the beautiful scene spread And it was not unusual to see a man fill his pipe out before me, and thought within myself, if nature with tobacco, and quietly walk up and light it at is so beautiful now, what must it have been be- one of the candles which were burning on the alfore the fall, when man was holy !"-FORTUNE, | tar."-P. 30. P. 27. tions, by means of two small pieces of wood rounded on the one side and flat on the other. If, on being thrown into the air, the sticks fell on the flat side, they had then an assurance of a favourable answer to their prayers; but, owing to the laws of gravitation, these stubborn little bits of wood fell much oftener on the rounder and heavier side than on the other, and gave the poor heathen a world of anxiety and trouble. Other devotees were busily engaged in shaking a hollow bamboo tube, which contained a number of small sticks, each having a Chinese character upon it. An. adept in shaking can easily detach one of these sticks from the others; and when it falls upon the floor, it is picked up and taken to a priest, who reads the character, and refers to his book for the interpretation thereof. A small slip of paper is now given to the devotee, which he carries home with him, and places in his house or in his fields, in order to bring him good luck. I observed, that not unfrequently it was very difficult to satisfy these persons with the paper given to them by the priest, and that they often referred to those who were standing around, and asked their opinion on the matter. Here is a Chinese temple interior : "I now entered the temple itself, and found it crowded with idolaters. The female sex seemed much more numerous than the male, and apparently more devout. They were kneeling on cushions placed in front of the altars, and bowing low to the huge images which stood before them. This prostration they repeated many times; and when they had finished this part of their devotions, they lighted candles and incense, and placed them on the altars. Returning again to the cushion, they continued their prostrations for a few seconds, and then gave way to other devotees, who went through the same forms. Some were appealing directly to the deity for an answer to their peti "The scene altogether was a striking one, and was well calculated to make a deep impression on the mind of any one looking on as I was. Hundreds of candles were burning on the altars, clouds of incense were rising and filling the atmosphere; from time to time, a large drum was struck, which could be heard at a distance outside the building; and bells were tinkling, and mingling their sounds with those of the monster drum. The sounds of many of these drums are finer than anything I ever heard in England. Most of the fine ones are ancient, and were made at a time when the arts ranked higher in China than they do at the present day. The staple articles of food in the great market of Tse-kee are thus described: "Fish, pork, fowls, ducks, vegetables of many kinds, and the fruits of the season, lined its sides. Mushrooms were abundant, and excellent, as I afterwards proved by having some cooked. Frogs seemed much in demand. They are brought to market in tubs and baskets, and the vender employs himself in skinning them as he sits making sales. He is extremely expert at this part of his business. He takes up the frog in his left hand, and with a knife, which he holds in his right, chops off the fore part of its head. The skin is then thrown back over the body and down to the feet, which are chopped off and thrown away. The poor frog, still alive, but headless, skinless, 1857. Interior China. and without feet, is then thrown into another tub; and the operation is repeated on the rest in the same way. Every now and then the artist lays down his knife, and takes up his scales to weigh these animals for his customers, and make his sales. Everything in this civilized country, whether it be gold or silver, geese or frogs, is sold by weight."-FORTUNE, p. 45. The trite remark, "that human nature is the same all over the world," finds its truest and most affecting illustrations in the presence of the dead. All over the world, the power which the memory of beloved ones has over survivors is seen in the sub-covered with a large mound of earth, faced with dued grief of the recently stricken heart, the touching devices and legends of every churchyard, and the quiet aspect of those who, in "weeds of woe," walk softly over the new-made graves, as if unwilling to disturb the rest which even the body of the wicked finds there. While these manifestations of grief are met with in China, others are added to them, which, in this as in most of their customs, make them stand out differing widely from the rest of mankind. Thus the responsibility for the death of all who die by accident, or from assassination, is laid upon the proprietor of the ground where they are found. This mode of hedging in life is found to influence the whole nation; but the mandarins and relatives of the dead often find it a powerful means of oppressing unfortunate proprietors. M. Huc well remarks on this subject: "Draconian laws have been found necessary to restrain within the limits of duty these materialist populations, living without a God, without a religion, and, consequently, without a conscience." "The most beautiful spots on these hill-sides are chosen for the tombs of the dead, which are scattered about everywhere. The sombre pine, the juniper, the arbor-vitæ, and the cypress, are generally planted round the graves. As common as these, and equally ornamental, is the Photinia becomes covered with bunches of red berries. glabra, a noble evergreen, which in the winter The weeping-willow is also sometimes used, and has a very pretty effect, particularly when one is planted on each side of the tomb. These trees are planted in a half-circle round the grave, leaving the front open. Within this half-circle is the tomb itself, the most common kind being stone in front, on which the name and age of the deceased are cut and painted. In front of this again is a stone pavement, with smooth stone seats, whether destined for the visitor or for the spirit of the departed I cannot tell. Sometimes I met with tombs of the most elaboEach told its tale of wealth or ferent ways. rate workmanship, and constructed in many difpoverty; some must have cost very large sums, while others consisted of the coffin laid upon the surface of the ground, and thatched with a little straw. It is a pretty sight, and yet a painful one too, to see the relations of the dead visiting the tombs of their ancestors, which they do at stated and incense, and chanting prayers to the gods or periods, for the purpose of burning sycee paper spirits of the departed. Sometimes a mother may be seen with her children, the youngest probably still an infant in her arms, assembled in front of the grave of the husband and father. The widow is wailing and lamenting her bereavement, and the poor little ones look on so seriously, while every now and then they prostrate themaged who are paying the same respect to the last selves before the grave. Or, it may be, it is the resting-place of those who had been taken away in early life, and to whom they had looked forward as the stay and prop of their declining years. Or, again, a solitary individual may be The bodies of those who die among their seen performing the same rites-young, middleown relatives are treated with the greatest aged, or old, as the case might be-which sugrespect. Memory is to cling to that like gested the idea that he was poor and friendless, there is little genuine feeling in all this, that it is ness throughout the years of life still in the last of his race. It has been asserted, that store for those left behind; and as this re-a custom which must be observed, and that it membrance becomes a religion to the Chi- would just be as well if such a custom did not nese-for almost the only imaginations of exist. I believe, however, there is as much genuan unseen world which they have are asso- ine sorrow amongst the Chinese for the loss of ciated with it-we might look for the pre- relatives as there is amongst ourselves; and, if valence of great respect for the dead. But we consider the way they dote upon their childin China, as in more favoured lands, the ren, and the reverence and love they have for sion. That in many instances all is mere show "forms, modes, shows of grief," are often aged parents, we can come to no other conclufound when there is not "that within which and required by custom, I have no doubt. On passeth show." Such of our readers as have one occasion, as I was wandering amongst these stood for an hour near the gate of Père-la- hills, a chair passed me containing a very beautiChaise, and watched one fashionable carriage ful lady, dressed in the gayest satin. I caught a and another coming slowly from the direc- slight glimpse of her countenance as she passed, tion of the Boulevards, and drawing up near and was so much struck with her beauty, that I It immediately turned off the little hill-road, in the celebrated cemetery, will understand that instantly stood still and looked after the chair. the show of grief can be put as suddenly on the direction of a tomb that had been lately and off by the Parisian belle, as by the widow made, where it was set down by the bearers. referred to at the close of the following Following this chair were two female servants and a coolie with a box of clothes, a basket of sketch: provisions, and some sycee paper and incense. The lady, on stepping out of the chair, commenced robing herself in deep mourning, by putting on a gown of sackcloth over her gay dress; but on seeing I was looking on, she stopped immediately, and threw the gown to her attendants, with whom she was laughing and chatting away, as if grief and she were perfect strangers to each other. Anxious as I was to witness her proceedings, I felt it was wrong and indelicate in me to remain in my present position, so I walked onwards, until a small hedge and clump of bamboos hid the party from my view. I then turned into the plantation, and selected a spot where, through an opening in the foliage, I could see all without being seen myself. The handsome widow, for such she apparently was, had again put on her sackcloth robe, her women were standing by her side, and the wailing commenced in the most business-like manner. This continued for nearly half-an-hour, while at the same time incense was burned, and various tawdry-looking strips of paper were hung about the grave. At last the ceremony was finished, the coarse sackcloth was consigned to the coolie, and the lady, all gay as before, and with but little traces of grief, step. ped into her chair and was carried away."-FORTUNE, p. 53. In the month of August, Mr. Fortune had a sudden and severe attack of fever, and was treated after the following singular fashion by the Chinese "leech":— "He then despatched a messenger to his house for certain medicines, and, at the same time, ordered a basin of strong hot tea to be brought he bent his two forefingers and dipped his knuck les into the hot tea. The said knuckles were now used like a pair of pincers on my skin, under the ribs, round the back, and on several parts of the body. Every now and then the operation of wetting them with the hot tea was repeated. He pinched and drew my skin so hard, that I could scarcely refrain from crying out with pain; and when the operation was completed to his satisfaction, he had left marks which I did not get rid of for several weeks after. into the room. When this was set before him, and then cover myself over with all the blankets which could be laid hold of. The directions of my physician were obeyed to the letter, but nevertheless, I lay for an hour longer ere perspiration broke, when, of course I got instant relief. Before taking his leave, the doctor informed me he would repeat his visit on the third day following, about ten in the morning, this being about an hour before the fever was likely to return. He told me not to be at all afraid, and gave me the welcome news that the next attack, if, indeed, I had any more, would be slight, and that then I would get rid of it altogether. "True to his promise, the old man was with me on the third day, about ten o'clock in the morning. Has the fever come on?' 'No,' I replied; it is scarcely the time yet. I suppose I shall have it in another hour. He now desired me to lie down in bed, and the pinching process was repeated in the same way as it had been done before, but if anything it was more painful. I had then to swallow another large dose of pills, and lastly, the hot decoction from the tea-pot. Ere I had drunk the last cupful my skin became moist, and I was soon covered with perspiration. The fever had left me, and I was cured. I was probably the first Hong-mou-jin the doctor had treated, and he was evidently much pleased with the result of his treatment."-P. 103. During his residence in China, Mr. Fortune met with another class of doctors, to whom he refers with great good sense-the Medical Missionaries. His remarks on the labours of Dr. Lockhart, during the siege of Shanghae, will be read with great interest by all, but especially by that small band of Christian philanthropists who wish to set a medical mission along side of every purely religious one, which shall be planted by British Christians. The wonder to us is, that, with the example of the Apostolic Church before them, and the presence in it of Luke the beloved physician, the churches of Christendom have been so long in discovering the lever power in this, for lifting up such a population as that of China, out of the carelessness, as to the claims of the "foreign doctrine," which has been found characterizing them. It seems strange that at this time of day, there should be so many mission stations throughout the world which have no medical branch connected with "When the messenger arrived with the medicine, the first thing I was asked to swallow was a large paper of small pills, containing, I suppose, about a hundred, or, perhaps, more. Am I to take the whole of these?' I asked, in amazement. Yes; and here is a cup of hot tea to wash them down.' I hesitated; then tasted one, which had a hot peppery kind of flavour, and, them. Mr. Fortune's testimony cannot fail making up my mind, gulped the whole. In the to encourage those who, in the past, have meantime, a tea-pot had been procured, capable been labouring in this direction, and quickof holding about three large breakfast-cups of en them to undertake greater things in the tea. Into this pot were put six different vegetable productions-about half an ounce of each. These consisted of dried orange or citron peel, pomegranate, charred fruit of Gardenia radicans, the bark and wood of Rosa Banksiana, and two other things unknown to me. The tea-pot was then filled to the brim with boiling water, and allowed to stand for a few minutes, when the decoction was ready for the patient. I was now desired to drink it cup after cup as fast as possible, future. " During the time of the siege, Dr. Lockhart's Chinese hospital was crowded with patients. Some came to have limbs amputated, others to have balls extracted, and others again to have their wounds dressed. All were attended to in the kindest manner, without money and without price.' It did not signify to the Christian missionary whether the person carried to his door for medical aid, was an imperialist or a rebel; it was enough that he was a human being, suffering pain, and desiring to be relieved. And hence the wounded of both parties met in the same hospital, and each had his wounds attended to by the same friendly hand." Again, But the Medical Missionary Society have objects which are even of a higher nature than healing the sick, and curing all manner of diseases.' When the patients assemble for medical treatment in the hall of the hospital, they have the Gospel preached to them by one of the members of the London Mission. Private religious instruction is also given to patients in the different wards. And thus, while the heart of the cold and unfeeling Chinese is softened and opened up by kindness-which he feels to be disinterested, and which acts like spring showers upon plants -the seeds of the Gospel of Christ are sown upon it, and it is hoped, in many, very many instances, they may vegetate and produce their fruits in after years, when the patients have returned to their homes. re "It is certainly a most barbarous custom that of deforming the feet of Chinese ladies, and detracts greatly from their beauty. Many persons think that the custom prevails only amongst persons of rank or wealth, but this is a great mistake. In the central and eastern provinces of the empire, it is almost universal. The fine ladies who ride in sedan chairs, and the poorer classes who toil from morning till evening in the fields, In the are all deformed in the same manner. more southern provinces, such as Fokun and Canton, the custom is not so universal. Boat women and field-labourers generally allow their feet to grow to their natural size. "Dr. Lockhart, whose name I have already the result of his extensive and varied experience mentioned in these pages, gives the following as on the subject. He says:— 666 have the feet bound up in early life, and whose "The Chinese, as a people, are cold and indifferent to religion of any kind: humanly speak⚫ing, nothing less than a miracle will convert them to Christianity. Missionaries have been in China for many years; larger numbers have been sent out from England and America since the last war, when the country was partially opened up to foreigners. These men have been labouring there, I believe, in most instances, most conscientiously, and with an ardour and single-mindedness of purpose which is worthy of all praise, and yet what a healthy constitution, this construction of the is the result? How few have believed their foot may be carried on without any very serious port!' The Chinese as a nation are jealous, self-consequences; but in scrofulous constitutions, ish, and eminently conceited; it is therefore diffi- the navicular bone and the cuneiform bone supcult to convince such minds that nations, many constant pressure and irritation to which they are porting the great toe, are very liable, from the thousand miles distant, will subscribe large sums of money merely for their religious benefit, exposed, to become diseased, and many cases that men are to be found who will leave friends have been seen where caries, softening, and even and home with no other views than to convert death of the bone have taken place, accompanied them from heathenism to Christianity. And with much suppuration and great consequent sufhence it would seem that the labours of the medifering. Chinese women have naturally very the feet utterly destroys all symmetry, according small hands and feet, but this practice of binding to European ideas, and the limping, uncertain gait of the women is, to a foreigner, distressing to see. Few of the Chinese women can walk far, and they always appear to feel pain when they try to walk quickly, or on uneven ground.'" -FORTUNE, p. 248. or cal missionary societies would prove a powerful auxiliary in aiding the spread of the Gospel among such a people. All nations, even the most cold and selfish, have some kindly feelings in their nature capable of being aroused and acted upon. If anything will warm such feelings in the minds of the Chinese, the labour of the medical missionary is well calculated to do so. The blind receive their sight, the lame are enabled to walk, and the wounded are cured. And when the better feelings of the man are thus expanded into something gratitude, his prejudices are more likely to give way, and thus his mind may become softened, and more apt to receive religious impressions."-FORTUNE, pp. 128, 130, 134. The remark, quoted above, from Dr. Medhurst, in reference to Chinese shoes, is equally applicable to the cruel practice of destroying the growth of Chinese females' feet-"The doing of everything the contrary way to other nations." Chinese expressed surprise and regret for having used the term, and thus given offence, but innocently asked if we were not white devils; and if not, what we were, and by what name they should call us! though this jealousy may perhaps find its account in this strange and barbarous mutilation, there is no reason to attribute to it the invention. It has been introduced gradually without any deliberately formed purpose, like other fashions. It is said that, in some remote antiquity, a cer- "Alone as I now was, and surrounded by thoutain princess excited universal admiration for the sands of Chinese in one of their inland cities, it delicate smallness of her feet, and as she was be- was absolutely necessary to keep my temper unsides gifted with remarkable attractions, she na-der the most complete control. In circumstances turally gave the tone to Chinese fashion, and the of this kind, if one laughs and jokes with the ladies of the capital adopted her as the type of crowd, and takes everything in good part, all elegance and good taste. The admiration for will generally go well, for the Chinese are, upon small feet made rapid progress; it was admitted the whole, good-humoured and polite; but if he, that, at last, a criterion of beauty had been dis- by any chance, loses his temper, he will most cercovered, and as people have always a passion for tainly get the worst of it, and most likely will be new follies, the Chinese ladies sought, by all pos- hooted and pelted with stones. I had had some sible methods, to follow the fashion. Those who experience in the management of Chinese crowds, were already of mature age, however, resorted in and therefore continued to be in the sweetest posvain to bandages and various means of compressible frame of mind in the midst of the thousands sion. They found it impossible to suppress the legitimate developments of nature, and to give to their basis the elegance they so much desired. Young ladies had the consolation of obtaining some success, but not to the extent they wished. It was reserved for the succeeding generation to witness the complete triumph of little feet. Mothers devoted to the new mode did not fail, when a daughter was born to them, to compress the feet of the poor little creature with tight bandages that hindered their growth; and the results of these measures having appeared highly satisfactory, they were generally adopted throughout the empire."-Huc, vol ii., p. 403. We have already got a glimpse at the capital of the principal silk country of China, Hoo-chow-foo, in the somewhat homely de scriptions of Medhurst: let us now look at it from Mr. Fortune's point of view : "According to Chinese accounts, this city is six miles in circumference, and contains about a hundred thousand families. Both of these statements are probably exaggerated, as the walls did not appear to me to be more than three, or, at most, four miles round. As I was anxious to see something of the interior of the city, I sent one of my men to procure a sedan chair, for the day was excessively warm. The chairmen soon made their appearance, but as their demands for hire were so exorbitant, I refused to comply with them, and determined to walk-a proceeding which, although not so comfortable, would enable me to see more of the shops and people. Entering at the south gate, I proceeded in a northerly direction, and examined all the principal streets on my way. Thousands of people followed me as I went along. They were very uproarious, but good-humoured withal, and appeared delighted with the opportunity of seeing a "Pak Quei-tze," or white devil, a term by which foreigners are designated in this civilized part of the world. Although this term was sometimes used in a tone of contempt or insult, showing that those who used it fully understood its meaning, yet generally it was not so. Upon one occasion some friends of mine remonstrated with some of these polite people, and endeavoured to explain to them that the term was one to which we were not exactly entitled, and that it was not very agreeable. In reply, the who followed me through the city, as if I had been a wild animal or white devil' indeed. "As I threaded my way slowly along, in addition to the dense crowds that followed and preceded me, every window and doorway was crowded with curious-looking faces, all anxious to get a view of the foreigner. It was curious to mark the varied expression in the different countenances. In some, there was a look of contempt, in others, wonder was strongly depicted, but in the vast majority, there was wonder, mingled with fear, as if I was in reality a being from another world. Keeping onward in a northerly direction, and diverging now and then to the right or left, according as an object of interest met my eye, I arrived at last at the north gate of the city. Here I ascended the ramparts in order to get a dense suburb, with a pretty pagoda, and a canal good view. Outside the walls I observed a large leading through it in the direction of the Tai-hu lake. Throwing my eyes over the city, the roofs of the houses seemed nearly all of the same height. Indeed, this is a striking characteristic of all Chinese towns which I have visited. One rarely sees any difference in the height of the houses, except when a temple, a pagoda, or a watch-tower disturbs the monotony of the view. I believe the Chinese have a strong prejudice against one house being raised higher than the others... "It was a lovely evening, the 18th of June. The sun was just setting behind the high mountain ranges to the westward, and although the day had been oppressively warm, the air was now comparatively cool and enjoyable. I was in the midst of most charming scenery; and although only about two miles distant from a crowded and bustling city, everything was perfectly quiet and still. Overhead, the rooks were seen returning home for the day, and here and there, on a solitary bush, or in a grove of trees, the songsters of the woods were singing their last and evening song of praise. Mulberry trees, with their large rich green leaves, were observed in all directions, and the plantations extended all over the low country, and up to the foot of the hills. The hills here were low and isolated, and appeared as if they had been thrown out as guards between the vast plain, which extends eastwards to the sea and the mountains of the west. For the most part, they were covered with natural forests and brushwood, and did not appear to have ever been under cultivation. In some parts their |