Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-10-24
OPIUM AND ITS BANEFUL EFF.
FECTS.

The "Chincse Repository" for April, 1857,
published at Canton, gives curious and in.
teresting account Of some paintings by ma
tive artist in China street, Canton, named
Sunquo. They are on rice paper, six in
number, forming series, designed to exhibit
the progress Of The opium smoker from health
and prosperity to misery and degradation, in
fact, they are a counterpart to Hogarth's ia
nous "Ruke's Progress" So far as we can
ascertain, the idea was original with the
painter and regarded as mere works Of art,
the pictures are by no means unworthy Of
notice. The figures and attitudes are well
conceived and drawn, and the story clearly
and strongly carried through.
The account Of these pictures by the ma
tive artist so aptly illustrates the fearful con.
sequences which result from smoking opium,
that canno, do better than transcrlbe from
the above mentioned periodical, the cxpana-
tions which accompany the pictures
The son of gentleman of fortune, his
father dying while he was but youth, comes
into possession Of the whole family estate
The young inan, having no inclination for
either business or books, gives himself up
to smoking opium and prohigacy. In little
time his whole patrimony is squandered. and
he becomes entirely dependant OH the labor
of his wife and child for his daily food
Their poverty and misery are extreme.
No. l. This picture represents young
man at home, richly aitired, in perfect health,
ang vigor Of youth. An elegant foreign
clock stands on n marble table behind. On
the right is a chest of treasure, gold and sil.
yer; aud on the left, close to his side, is his
personal servant, and, at little distance,
man whom he keeps constantly in his em-
ploy, preparing the drug for use from tht
crude article, purchased and brought to the
house.
No. g In this he s reclining on a superb
sofa with pipe in his mouth, surrounded by
courtezans, two Of whom are young, in the
character of musicians. Ills money now
goes without any regard TO its amount.
| No. 3. After no very long period of indul-
gence, his appetite Cor the drug is Unsuitable,
and his countenance sallow aud haggard.-
Emaciated shoulders high, teeth naked, face
black, doing from morning to night, lie be-
comes utterly inactive. In this stute he sits
moping, on very ordinary couch, with his
pipe and other apparatus for smoking lying
Il by his side. At this moment, his wives-ot
wife and concublne-come in; the first
Il finding the chest emptied of its treasure,
stands frowning with astonishment, while the
| second gazes with wonder al what she sees
spread upon the couch.
II No. 4. His lands and his houses ore now
all gone, his couch exchanged for some rough
boards and q ragged matrass; his shoes are
off his feet, and half awry, rs he sits bending
forward, breathing with great difficulty
\ His wife and child standing before him, pow
crty stricken, suffering with hunger; the one
\ in anger, having dashed on the floor all his
apparatus for smoking, while the little son,
unconscious of any harm, is claPping his
hands and laughing at tho sport. But lac
beeds not either tha one or the other.
No. 5. His poverty and distress are now
extreme, though his appetite grows stronger
\ than ever; he is a dead man. In this plight
he scrapes together few copper coins, and
hurries away to one of the smoking houses,
to buy little of the scrapngs from the pipe
of another smoker, to allay his Unsuitable era
wings.
/ No. 6. Here his character is 6xed-a sot.
Seated on a bamboo chnir, he is continually
swallowing tho fpces of the drug so foul tina,
H tea is required to wash them down his throat.
II His wife and child are seated near him, with
II skens Of silk stretched on bamboo reels, from
which they are winding il off into balls; thus
earning mere pittancc for his and their sup
port, and dragging out from day TO day
miserable existence.
II These pictures be it remembered, are en-.
tirely the work of Chinese artist. The ex-
Il plantations, also, are his, translated from the
original Chinese. They give, therefore, the
impression Of the baneful effects Of opium
smoking which facts and observation have
made, not upon any individual alone, but
II upon multiiudes of the Chinese for such pic
turcs are commonly the result, not Of a sin
II gular notion in the mind Of an isolated indl.
vidusl, but Of a feeling that widely prevails.
II They are indications of the general sense OF
II a class. ut least, Of the community.
II One fact, in addition, needs to be mention
ed. II appears that the opium may be smo-
kcd a second time. Thus after having salts
fed the more luxurious appetite OF the veal.
II thy customer, the refuse may serve to feed
n The same depravcd appetite ~ low class oi
victims, and thus tend to double the amount
of mischief. This appears from the account
Of the 5ih picture OF the series, and also Is
abundantly confirmed from other sources.