The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-11 00:00:00

Sir J. Bowring on Siam and the Siamese,

On Monday evening Sir John Bowring delivered
a lecture at the Bristol Philosophical Institution, the
subject being " Siam and the Siamese. The learned
knight, in commencing his lecture, referred to the
Siamese twins, who, he said, were not, after all,
Siamese. Their father was a Chinaman, and their
names were Chinese. They had the good fortune to
amass a good deal of money together, and went to
the United States, where they settled, where they
married, and where they both of them had had chil-
dren. He could not enter into the embarrassments
of their domestic arrangements—(laughter)--but
certain it was that they were attached to one another
at this very moment. The country of Siam was a
very remarkable one ; it was about 200,000 miles in
extent, and had a very large population, and until
recently we had had very little intercourse with it.
Something, but not much, was known of the early
history of this remarkable land ; but it was cele-
brated in the most distinguished of the epic poems
of Portugal. Some time ago we succeeded in estab-
lishing commercial relations with Siam, but they had
fallen into desuetude ; and the conditions of the
treaty had not been observed. The hon. knight
spoke of the fruitless efforts of Mr. Craufurd and
Rajah Brooke to re-establish those relations which
he was afterwards the instrument of re-establishing;
and at the same time remarked that these gentlemen
did the best they could under the unfavourable circum-
stances in which they were placed. He then spoke of
the sovereigns of Siam, and of the great advan-
tages which had accrued to Siam, China, and other
countries by the extension of free trade, and said
that free trade was producing throughout the world
a revolution of thought and feeling, more kind and
tolerant and charitable, and more Christian, than
had existed in the generations which had passed
away. He adverted to the small amount of trade
formerly carried on with Siam, and observed that—
thanks to a liberal policy, and the results of the com-
mercial treaty—no less than 200 vessels were engaged
in traffic with that country. Sir John gave inte-
resting details of his mission to Siam with a view to
re-establish commercial relations, and pointed out
how amicably the difficulties which beset his
mission were subdued. He then spoke of a few
topics which ;particularly characterised the
Siamese nation. The Siamese might be consi-
dered as the most attached to the Buddhist faith ;
indeed, Buddhism was the most universal faith
amongst the Chinese, Thibetans, Siamese, and
amongst most of the nations east of the Ganges.
The Siamese were singularly attached to Buddhism,
and no man exercised the rights of citizenship until
he should have passed a certain time in the Buddhist
convent. Every youth in Siam spent some months
under the teaching of the priests, and there he was
initiated into the great characteristics of his faith.
Most of the priests were maintained by contributions
which were brought to them from every house in
the morning. The priest came in silence and took
up the gift of the. people, and in that way he was
provided, and provided superfluously for his wants,
and the wants of the convent. With the Siamese,
drunkenness was one of the rarest offences. In the
religions of about 700 millions of human beings—
amongst the Buddhists, amongst the Brahmins, and
amongst the Mahomedans—the use of acohol was
prohibited and considered an offence. He was not
one of those who went to the full extent of many of
his friends, because he thought abstention was not
necessary or desirable if these blessings of Provi-
dence could be used wisely or temperately; but still
if he were to be asked whether abstention was not
far better than excess, he could not at all doubt
what the result should be, and he could not but own
that among the nations that utterly abstained
ho the
lic
crimes of violence were far more rare than they were
amongst us. He had seen but few drunken men in
China. He had never seen a drunken man in Siam.
It was true they used opium, but the use of opium
had not led to those crimes of violence which were
associated with intoxication produced by alcoholic
liquors. Sir John, conclusion, spoke of the vari-
ous productions of the country, and the commerce
which they afforded with the country and the colo-
nies.
were
ng discourse. i e s
. accorded O n the
tothe
motion
learnedof the Rev.F C. Skey, thanks
. r
for
his interest-

TRAGEDY.—AThe
orAkninfainolnicamafetdo
pf
rßi
gr
ee
ns
tt
snt.delnn:
returned
it oaefst: ah industriousfoenas
home
fiun 1
as
ttragedywatoemoafni,nintoxi-
cation, vwhichxhio-
dminahrae"oylrritAashitit:o:t!bocteEfuholls:CuTtirerihadCcuenlihisTnibmiolnatnahtrh ago, a widow named Mazares, the
aided by her labour in supporting the household. A few
ca lion, quarrelled with his wife, and ended by beating her.
The unfortunate woman passed the night in tears, and the
next morning went out early, telling a neighbour that she
was going to -visit one of her children who was in an asylum
She was not again seen alive. She, as it was afterwards
discovered, went with her three remaining children to a
deep pond, where she first threw iu the two younger, and
then taking in her arms the eldest, aged 11, jumped in with
her, and the whole were drowned.
ADVERTISEMENT.I-110110Way'S rins.—yonfidential Ad-
vice.— To all persons who suffer from bilious headaches,
are most strongly recommended as the safest, best, and
circulationovin g
they quickest mode of obtaining ease without weakening or ir-
ritating the nervous system. Holloway's pills are especially
disordered stomach, biliousness, or flatulency, these pills
useful in clearing
tf.boer r
produces fevers unless remedial. measures are adopted with-
outaway any excess of bile, which usually
delay. In asthma, bronchitis, and congestion of the
all danger,
andlungbs,y they maypurifying
effec-
tually prevent relapses. By rousing the liver to a fair se-
cretion of bile, and quickly carrying it off from the system,
these pills ward off low spirits, listlessness, and thoeu dis-
tressing feelings often called nervous.
beandrereliegdulaurnng

U USES.—Messrs. TOPLIS aria ROBERTS
Lyme numerous furnished and unfurnished TOWN,
üburban, and Country RESIDENCES to LET or SELL.
Particulari forwarded for three stamps, upon statin#,T exact
requirements and rental. Offices, 2,Conduit-street,Reg,ent-
street, and South Kensington, tacing the Museum.

S KENSINGTON,
O UTIIn
Quee's, and Rutland Gates, Queen's-gate and Peters-
te, Cornwall, and Princes Gardens,
ham Terraces, Queen's-g.nc Cromwell-road, Onslow and Thurloe Squares,
E
Boltons. Sze. 111esrs TOPLI-i and ROBERTS have RE -4-
ENCES to SELL 2aConduit-street, nd LET in these and surrounding
localities. Offices, , Re,gent-street, and
j
South Kensington, facing the Museum.

THEATRE 110 Y AL, DRURY-LANE.-
31anagers, Messrs. E. Falconer and F. B. Chatterton.
1 lIIS EVENING thr. rerformanc will commence with
on
Shakspere's Tragedy of MX( 111;1H.cs Messrs.Jas . Anders n,
T. 6wlnbourne, C. Vandenhoff, J. Neville; Miss Atk.nson,
ac.
lo conclude with Milton's Mask of COMUS. 11Icssrs.
Hcnri Drayton, Wilbye Cooper ; Miss Poole, Miss AuLusta
Thomson, Szc.

Co nmence at 7.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.-
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Buckstone.
This Theatre is now OVEN for the season.
TO-NIGHT, Sheridan's Comedy of THE SCIIOOL FOR
SCANDA I , in which Mr. Chippendale, Mr. Buckstone, Mr.
Compton, Mr. W. Farren, Mr. Howe, Mr. Rogers, Mr. W.
Gor(Jon. Mr. Clark, Mr. Braid, Mr. Weathersby, Mr. Coe,
IVir. P. White ; Miss Nel:y Moore, Miss Snowdon, Mrs. E.
yitzwilliam, Miss C. Hill, Jtc ,will appear.
To be followed by LEND ME FIVE SH lILLNGS. Mr.
Oelightly (his original character), Mr. Buckstne.
Concluding with EASY SHAVING. Miss Louise Keeley,
Miss Fanny Wright, dc.
On Thursday, October 12, Mr. Charles Mathews will re-
appear, after a remarkable and mast triumph nt perform-
ance of L'llomme Blase, in Paris, and in the French tongue,
Making his debut here in the English version of the c.ame
piece, entitled USED ti P, sustaining, his original character
of Sir Co. Coldstream. Mrs. Charles Mathews will also
appear on he same evening in Planche's Extravaganzi of
THE GOLDEN FLEECE, Nsith Mr. Charles Mathews.
On Friday and Saturday. USED UP, THE GOLDEN
FLEECE, and other Entertai daily, from 10 till 5.
nments.
The Box •office will be open

NE THEATRE-ROYAL ADELPHI.
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
THIS EVENING, at 7, GOOD FOR NOTHING. Mrs
Alfred Mellon and Mr. Felix Rogers.
After which, at 8, RIP VAN WINKLE. Rip (his 33d
appearance), Mr. Jefferson, supported by Messrs. Billington,
Ir. Bedford, II Phillips, Felix Rogtrs, Ashley, li.barne, C. J.
Smith; Mrs. Billingtor,
To c,nclude, at half-past 10, with. THE WIDOW'S
VICTIM. Messrs. Bildngton, Felix Rogers, Ashley Miss
Godsell, Miss Seaman, and Miss Jenny Willmore.l

ItOYAL PRINCESS'S TIIEATRE.
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Geo. Vining.
THIS EVENING, at 7 olclock, IT IS NEVER. TOO
LATE TO 3IEND. Characters by Messrs. Vining, T. Mel-
ville, T. Mead, D. Murray, S. Calhaern, 14'. Vibiers, J. G.
Shore, G. Murray, Melion, C. Seyton, R. Cathcart; 31!si
L. Moore and Miss Katherine Rodgers.

ASTLEY' S.—E• T. SMITH, Lessee.—
THIS EVENING, Miss MENKEN and an efficient
Company will appear it, the New Romantic Drama, THE
CHILD OF TILE SUN ; atter which, IX lON.

(11HE' LAST EDITION OF " THE SUN,"
containing the Latest SPOUTING INTELLIUELNCei,
tali be had Every N.:Veiling Of
G. It GLENIE, NEWS AGENT,
co, 4, Connaught-term e, Ilyde-part.

THE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN "
supplied, as soon as published every Eveninv, by
W. ALEXAD ER (late BROOKS), Newspaper Agent, 21,
Old CaveudiNsti- steet, Oxtord-stret.

THE LAST EDITION of '4 THE SUN "
supplied as 0011 as Published. containing all the
LATES HARRIS, and SPORTINCr INTELLIGENCE, by
11. W. Newspaper Agent, 4, Blacklriars-road,
London, S.

THE LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN."
.J. HOLMES begs to inform his friends, and the public
generally. that he supplies the LATEST EDITIoN of
THE sITN " as soon as published —No. 16, Hampstead-
road, NAV.

TEETH AND PAINLESS DENTISTRY.
Messrs. LEWIN and SIMEON MOSELY and
SONS, Dentists,
30, Berners-street, Oxford-street, and 448, Strand,
Opposite Charing-cross Railway Station.
Their painless artificial teeth are unequalled for economy,
durability, comfort, and all purposes of articulation and mas-
tication. Operations of every kind being unnecessary, the
most nervous patient can be supplied without fear of pain or
inconvenience.
Consultation free. Teeth from ss, Sets from 5 to 25 gs.,
warranted.
or the efficacy, utility, and success of their system, vide
" Lancet."
Daily attendance at 30, Berners-street, Oxford-street, and
448, Strand, London • 15, Whitelriargate, ; 10, Norfolk-
street, Sheffield ; 4, iast-parade, Leeds ; and 14, St. Nicholas-
street, Scarbro'.
Observe—Established 1830. No connection with any of the
same name.