The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-26 00:00:00

flowers, so as completely to conceal the frame. Various
descriptions of dried spices, preserved fruit, and sweet-
mtotts were tastefully arranged in carved ivory and tor-
toiseshell baskets, whilst pine-apples, tumbelows, guavas,
mandarin oraeges, ichees, and bananas were placed in
bowls and sauces about the table with due regard
to effect. L would be impossible to describe tho
exquisite appearance of this dinner-table loaded with
the most exquisite flowers and the most luscious fruits
of China, the variety and arrangement of the colours
producing a pleasingly novel effect upon a European.
All the viands are cut into small square pieces, and
served up in a rich gravy, the food being placed in bowls,
instead of dishes; the sauces, such as oil, soy, vinegar,
and capers were placed in small bowls, which stood upon
silver trays, very finely embossed. Sam-shoo—a sort of
spirituous liqucr extracted from rice—both hot and cold,
and the native wino of china—resembling in flavour
weak and acid 'Madeira—were put into highly chased
silver pots, of a slender, upright form, with handles and
spouts, which were dispersed round the table at equal
distances; before each person was placed a small em-
bossed silver cup, about two inches high, to drink the
sum-shoo and wine from, ar.d by the side of etch of
those elegantly minute tankards was an embroidered
silken case, containing a knife and chop sticks; the latter
were of ivory, but the handles of the knives were richly
carved and Composed either of Jaid-stone, ivory, sandal-
wood, or chased silver. The first course was served on
antique white porcelain ; a small bowl containing
boiled rice and an empty bowl to eat his food
from, being placed before each guest. This course
consisted of salted and highly seasoned meats Of
various kinds, pounded shrimps and other fish
moulded into the shapes of various animals, there wss a
stew of sharks' fins and beche de wer, and a kind of soup,
which was made from the fre:h water tortoise, very like
turtle. It has been asserted that earth worms are to be
found at the table of the luxurious. This we believe to
be incorrect, but we saw on this occasion what might
easily be mistaken for them—the grubs which are to be
found at the root of the sugar cane, and which are consi-
dered a delicious morsel by the Chinese epicure. The
food is eaten from a bowl with the chopsticks, and after
each dish a little warm shampoo is taken. The mode of
taking wine is somewhat like our own, the host rises
from his chair, challenges a guest, who rises also,
the
parties bow lowly and empty the cups, tapping with
them on the thumb-nail, to show they have been com-
pletely emptied. The next course was served on coloured
porcelain, and consisted of variously dressed poultry, cut
into small pieces in the forms of birds and other animals;
with this course appeared the celebrated birds'-nest soup,
which is made from the gelatinous lining of the swallow's
nest, and tastes like unflavoured calves'-feet jelly, until
the various sauces are added, when it becomes exceed-
ingly piquant and palatable. The succeeding course was
served on white porcelain, with a green dragon por-
trayed on the white ground. These beasts had but four
claws, those with five being only used by the Em-
peror. This course consisted chiefly of water-
fowl, among which was the mandarin duck, fattened to
an enormous extent, salted, dried, and smoked. It is
then cut into small pieces, stewed in a rich gravy, and
esteemed a great delicacy by the Chinese. The rice-
bird was also on the table, which is one delicate delicious
morsel of fat of a gamey flavour. The vegetables are
dressed with a quantity of oil and toy, or stewed id
gravy, and but few are used by the wealthy. The water-
chestnut, the stem of the 'rate:x.4lly, the root of arrow-
wort, and the sweet potato or yam, are in vogue among
the wealthy. Next followed a course of pastry and
sweetmeats, all being placed in bowls; the contents of
these basins were formed into the shapes of animals,
birds, beasts, fishes, and flowers coloured, to represent
nature in a very correct wanner. The interiors of these
nice creatures were filled to repletion with the sweet-
meats, and although the idea is not a nice or a delicate
one, the internals cf these pastry animals were very
pleasant and delicious. This course was succeeded by
others, the numbers and variety of which would only
weary in description; each following course was served
as the preceding one, the contents of the bowls only
being varied. In such a feast of ceremony the masti-
catory process continues for four or five hours. The
greatest mark of attention on the part of the host is to
press his guests continually to eat more; sometimes he
will transfer morsels from his own bowl to that of his guets,
at other times he will with his chopstick at once
deposit the tit-bit in the mouth of the favoured one.
The Chinese mode of living and cocking is so luxurious
and luscious, that the digestive organs of a European
should be in good order to enjoy it with impunity. As
soon as the lengthy repast is over, tea is handed round
as before. The host then ushers his visitors to witness
theatrical representations and pyrotechnic displays. The
costumes of the actors were rich; each character advanced
to the front of the stage, and informed the audience
whom he represented and what he was about to perform.
The Chinese are proficients in pyrotechnic art; and the
fireworks which were exhibited at the end of this enter-
tainment were, chef d'ceuvre of skill, the four elements
having been called into requisition to furnish animals,
birds, fishes, and reptiles, both real and imaginary, from
whose bodies issued streams of flame. Fire-dragons as-
cendrd into the air, and were metamorphosed into fire-
vomiting lions; a huge bird of some unknown speeies
fluttered in the air in a sheet of flame; presently a huge
serpent crawled from the beak of the bird, and was lost
to view in many tinted flames; ~ne large lantern ascended
in a mass of fire, from which smaller lanterns issued,
which, in their turn, sent forth various and
innumerable forms. On the back of an enor-
mous fish was seated a portly mand trio, from
a hose aldermanic corporation burst forth the
streams of lire, which appeared to c use intense delight
and excite the greatsst merriment amongst the spec-
tators. The last firework was by far the most beautiful
and perfect, being completely artistic in its dstails. This
represented a mandarin's house, with the whole of the
adjacent buildings belonging to the rEsidence. the roots
being ornamented with belle and figures. This burnsd
for some short time, and then changed into a mandarin
seated in his sedan chair, with the usual train of atten-
dants, bearing flags, beating gongs, and carrying lan-
terns. The effect of this mass of many-coloured flames,
defining the outline of the various forms, ha descrir-
lion; and as the last spark died away we could have
been to mpted to follow Oliver Twist's example, and
asked for nt->re.' "

Such is the author's very interesting and graphic
account of a Chinese feast and its amusing accompa-
niments. The astounding and wonderful feats of
Chinese jugglers remain still unexplained by the
most acute speculators on the mystic art, and for our-
selves we confess we are unable to guess whether
these wonders are the result of dexterity in legerde-
main, and that we labour under a deceptic vim, or
that these strange beings are still really in possession
of that occult science which was known to the magi
of old, and enabled the Egyptian sorcerers to imitate
the miracles of Aaron. Ilre shall extract one or two
feats performed in the author's own house :
" The room in which the performance took place was
denuded of naatting and every article of furniture except
chairs, which were arranged close to the walls for the
spectators, leaving a clear and wide area for the per-
former. He was attired in the of &nary dress of the
middle ranks of the Chinese, a loose jacket and trousers,
white calico steekings, and Clack silk shoes. He had no
covering on his head, and was followed by his coolee or
servant, bearing an unpainted teak-wood box, about
three feet by two. The juggler advanced to the middle
of the room and delivered a pompous oration in Chinese,
to the effect that he never before exhibited the mysteries
GI his art to any save natives of China and mandarins of
the first rank, &c.; that he was chief and head of all.
professors of his art, &c. He then commenced opera-
tions by placing the box at his side. fie stripped off his
jacket, leaving himself nude from the waist upwards,
' with the exception of a white cloth which was twisted
about his loins. H. then twined his long tail of plaited
hair around his head. He then took from the bar an
ordinary earthenware bowl or basin, about 18 inches in
diameter. He then placed the box in the middle of the
room, completely exposed to view. The basin was then
examined by each person successively, the juggler all the
time muttering an incantation in Chinese. All were sa•
tisfied that the basin was an ordinary one, and empty. He
then placed the basin on the floor, about five feet from
the box, untwisted the cloth from about his loins, and
threw it over the basin, continuing the incantation
during the time. Ho spread it out smoothly. This
magic cloth was about a yard and a half long, by
one wide. Before three-quarters of a minute had elapsed
he raised the cloth from the basin, when lo! it was
filled with limpid water, with a living, veritable fish,
three or four inches long, swimming about in it. We
satisfied ourselves that there was no deception, neither
false bottom nor lining; and the performer never ap-
proached it from the time of placing it on the floor till
the cloth was withdrawn. Ile next took from the box
a flower-pot filled with mould, about 12 inches in height
and 18 in diameter. He then handed round for our in-
spection the flower-pot and what appeared an ordinary
seed. He then made a cavity in the mould, placing theseed in it, and covering it over carefully with theearth
He then placed it on the floor where the bowlhad
pre-
viously rested, covered it in like manner
hieh lasted about ten with the cloth,
and recommenced his muttering,e which
young and tenderplant, two t
inchesand w eabbeohreoldtha
h e
mould. It was of a delicate
minutes. He then wi t
drew
about tbfiri chto b
green' colour, with
plant that had just sprouted front
its replaced the flower-pot on
iatlsl
parent the aeesarra thnce of a m
the ground, and recommenced his incantation for about
t hdr about
aw n foot and
thean d
e nde
twenty minutes; during this period we observed the
cloth gradually rising untilsitahgaadinri,ase, a
tender plantwhad be when
the
cithm:a
. a small shrub, clothed with
verdure, and having its branches covered with buds and
leaves. After due examination, the pot was again re-
placed, re-covered, the incantation renewed for about
half an hour, when the cloth was once more removed,
and, to our amazement, the shrub was now clothed with
blossoms and flowers, in appearance resembling those of
the China aster."
We regret our srace will not allow us to extract
the more astonishing feats that followed, we must
only refer our reader,. to the work itself; and a more
readable, amusing, or instructive beck it has not
been our good fortune to nicet with for a long time.

His Royal Highness Prince; Albert has arranged
to lay the first stone of the additional Pauper Lunatic
Asylum for the county of Middlesex, at Colney Hatch,
on Tuesday, the Bth of May, at twelve o'clock. The ma-
gistrates and their friends will be admitted by tickets.
i'aued by the visiting justices—the public.without tickets.
Colney Hatch is situated about nine miles north east
from London, near the village of Soutbgat!. Inconse-
quence of the building being only two atones high, it
will range nearly a quarter of a mile in length. It is
intended to accommodate LOOO patients.
PEDESTRIANISM.—C. FERGUSON AND W. Yin r.—
This match, six miles, for 201., was brought, to a conclu-
sion yesterday, at Harlington Comer, Ferguson receiving
one minute start. This advantage he kept, for on turn.
ing the last mile he was above 300 yards in advance,
and finauy onit in, an emY,Talluert is 56