:3ro
j 7SSFebruary.
A V O Y A G E T O T H E
•and yet, fuch is the poverty of the common people, that very
few of thefe -fall to their lhare.
The artificers in various manufactures here, are very ingenious
and expert. To fay any thing about the excellence of their
•china-ware, would be abfurd, as every female gofiip in England
can harangue by the hour about the neatnefs and elegance of her
lalt “ longfet," though, to be fure, it did not coll near fo much as
her neighbours• but— “ indeed Ihe wanders how fame people can
have fo little tafte
Their numerous patterns in filk and velvet are certainly ingenious
and well-fancied; but for goodnefs of fabric, and lalting
beauty, they undoubtedly mull give place to our looms in Spital-
Fields.
Many of their artificers Ihew a great degree of dexterity and
ingenuity, particularly in their cabinet ’ and lacquered work-;
many of thefe things are, however, merely ornamental, and but
little .calculated for real utility.
The Chinefe method of wearing their hair is fomething lingular,
though I believe the fame cultom prevails all over the Eall.
They lhave the head clofe, except a fmall circular place on the
crown ; this being frequently lhaved when they are mere infants,
the hair afterwards grows remarkably long, and is wore in a neat
triple plait.
The women fuller their hair to grow long, and drefs it in neat
circular folds on the top of the head, in a conical form ; in this
curious fold a number of ornaments are wore by the better fort.
Small
N O R T II - W E S T C O A S T O F A M E R I C A .
Small feet are reckoned extremely handfomer amonglt. the females,
fo that they are cramped up from their infancy; and by
this means many of them are. little better than cripples.
In regard to their Government, I can fay but little; The Em-r
peror is of Tartarian extraction, and may, I believe, be called a
defpotic monarch ; at lealt, the fubordinate parts of Government^
fuch as the Cultoms, &c. we can experimentally, fay,. are ItriCtly.
fo. However, we have undoubted proofs that their police is in
fotne-refpeCts better regulated than that of any country in the-
world.; for. the Englilh- Supercargoes, on. their leaving Canton;
frequently leave at lealt one hundred thoufand pounds in fpecie
behind them, under no better fecurity than the feal of the Hong7
Merchants and Mandarines, The Captains at the different private
factories trull their property, without the lealt fcruple,- tcx,
the care of Chinefe fervants, and, I believe,. an inltance of dif«- -
honelty was fcarcely ever, heard o f..
I have before obferved, that the' Chineie are fond of high-fea-
foned dilhes,,yet they are very moderate in their meals, never -
making, more than two in the day; the firlt about ten in the
morning, the fecond about five in- the afternoon.; the intermediate
time is employed, by thofe not engaged in bufinefs,. in fmoaking,,
drinking tea, and paying vifits to their neighbours,.
The Chinefe language is-exceedingly difficult to> be underltooih;
and this does not proceed from its being copious, but quite, the ■
reverie, the. fame word having a great variety of lignifications, according
to the different modes of pronunciation, and this variety
of emphafis is oft diltinguilhed by a kind of finging tone ; fo that
.1 am inclined to think a party of Chinefe obliged to converie, together.
February..