Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-02-02
From the York Recorder.1
Opposite Manners and Customs.

ne SoWulOn urlnKs Oh the JdpdHeSe
are hot; ours are cold. They uncov-
er their feet out of respect; we the
head. They are fond OF black teeth
we of white. They mount their horses
on the right side; we on the left.
Among the Chinese, white is the color
for mourning; son has no right to
wear white clothes while his father and
mother live, but he can wear no other
for three years after their death; with
us black is the color for mourning. The
Chinese use their boots for pockets, put
ting into them their fans, papers, &c.
(the boots are made very wide, and
of black satin OF leather we use our
coats, sc. The dress of women of the
lower classes in China is the same as or
differs out little from that of the men
withus no two things are more dissim-
liar. The Chinese for beauty reduce
both eyebrows to one arched line we
let them alone to form two arched lines,
and delight in the "gracefnl curve.o
Long nails are with us a disgrace; with
the Chinese they are an honour Both
men and women of rank in China suffer
the nails of the left hand to grow to an
extraordinary length, in order to prove
their gentility, and to distinguish them
from labourers and mechanics. De Gu
ine saw mandarin whose nails were
nearly six inches in length, and a ply
stefan who had brought them TO ten or
IL inches. The nails are thus kept ex-
tremely clear and transparent, and al
night are carefully enclosed in bamboo
cases There is another popularity of
custom among the Chinese, which is
said to be uniyersal-they use the left
hand in preference to the right.
A Portuguese woman when she rides
sits with the left side towards the horses
head-and ar English woman the right.
A Portuguese wife never assumes the
family name of her husband, but in all
the Viclssitudes of matrimony retains her
own; an English woman always assumes
the family pane of her husband. The
Portuguese are generally addressed by
their Christian name we, by our family
one. In Portugal the master ofthe house
precedes the visitor in going out with
US. the visitor precedes.
The Italfansreckon the commencement
of their day from sunset; we from SUM-
rise. Their clocks strike all the hours
from / TO 81 ours from l to 70.
The Kamscatkadales always use dogs
for the purpose of labour and travelling;
we use horses and oxen.
We use wine and ardent spirits for in
toxication but the Turks opium. We
undress and go to bed at some certain
hour, and wait the approach of sleep !;
the Turks being seated on a mattress,
smoke till they find themselves sleepy,
then laying themselves down, their SER
wants cover them. Dinner is our prin-
cipal meal supper theirs.
10 Columbia, South America, person
in easy circumstances is carried on his
travels by men, in chair, and in that
country they talk of going on mans
back, as we mention going on horseback.
In conclusion, would state what an
American writer says, viz. that the Span
iards may be said to sleep upon every
affair of importance-the Italians to
fiddle upon every thing-the French to
dance upon every thing-the Germans
to smoke upon every thing the British
Islanders to eat upon every thing-and
the Americans to talk upon every thing.
Extraordinary Escape.-A short time
ago, prisoner in the Jail at Bristol con-
fessed to the iailer where an acquain-
lance of his was carrying on the bust
ness of coming at Birmingham, and ac-
curately described the intricacies and
mazes through which any one would
have to pass before he could arrive at
the mint; relying on this information,
the jailer, accompanied by an intelligent
officer, went to Birmingham, and pursu-
ing the instructions given, they found
every thing correct, and pounced upon
the coiner, whilst engaged in his manu-
factory. The man instantly submitted
himself 10 the intruders, SAYING am
sold; for no one could have found me
out without split; and as know my
doom, | must bear it like man, and
will go with you quietly wherever you
please, only permit me to wash myself
and put on my coat" Finding their
prisoner so submissive, the jailer and
the officer readily granted the indul-
gence required; the man deliberately
washed his hands and face, and having
pretty nearly prepared himsel,as it was
thought to go away, he all at once gave
a jump on the floor, and descended as
quick as lightning through trap door,
which was as instantly closed, and the
gaoler and bis companion were for the
moment petriied with astonishment.
On recovering from their smazement,
they tried the same experiment, but