The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-10-30

A very crowded and fashionable audience Assem-.
BLEED at the Tabernacle last evening, to hear Mr..
Fletcher Websters first lecture on China and the
Chinese The attractive character Of the subject,
and very general desire TO hear the SON of one OF
our greatest men, and who himself enjoys highly
respectable reputation as gentleman Of distinguish.
ed literary requirements sufficiently accounted for
the numerous attendance. We noticed almost all
the leading members of the legal profession. many
OF our most noted divines, a great number OF our
most influential merchants, and congregation OF
female beauty, elegance, and fashion, which mich,
nave inspired even an ordinary speaker But Mr.
Webster certainly discovered on this occasion tina,
ne is not an unworthy representative of name great
In The annals OF oratory. His lecture was highly
entertaining, well written, and delivered in an agree
able and unaffected style We will give the best
idea OF It, and present perhaps the most readable
report, by giving, from our notes, number of the
most novel and graphic passages
cAMEoNs' CAVE
Al the northern end of the of Macao is the cave
IN Whicn the portuguese poet Camoens is said to have
written his celebrated poem the Luciad the subject
which Is the voyage round the Cape of Good Hope by
Nasco de CANA This is romantic and beautiful spot
The cave is formed by two prodgious boulder rocks
which, with great numbers of other smaller ones seem
10 rave been thrown down upon the earth at random
and piled by chance fantastic and careless shapes
The Portuguese with sad taste have deformed the spot
with wooden cupoa, and a wretched leaden bust On
tho south end of the island is Chinese temple situated
na similar assemhlsge of gigantic rocks but extremely
tasteful The localities OF the place are taken advan
tage OF. with great skill and judgments temple after
temple succeeding each other up the steep winding as
cent cut in the solid rock with heavy balstades all of
mite Nature has been where distorted, the steps
seeming half natural and all that the hand Of man had
done TO be but carrying the design of nature which
meant 1t for place of worship
A CHINESE TEMPLE.
we saw here for the first time beautiful arrange.
ment, which the Chinese call a gate and which
is iavorite arrangement with them in their gar
dens and temples. II is an open circular gateWay
through high granite wall, giving passage from
one enclosure to another. In front OF each of the
temples were granite dragons, beautifully carved
in grotesque, Chinese style, each with move.
able ball OF granite through the teeth his closed
mouth, which must have been out from the inside
for the head solid and the ball could neither be nut
interior OF each temple stone and one or
more idols in inches in the wall just above and behind
the altar In front of the altar bronze or iron Ia.
oles on which we're metal pans filled with loose earth
and used to set the gas.ghted sticks in which are burnt
before the image The IDOLS we're much dec rated with
gold and silver nsei and in these temples they were all
female nsuies they being dedicated to the GODDESS of
the sea Flo~ers both natural and artificial OF gold and
silver leaf which seemed TO be offerings we're living nj
the feet of the idols and the gas.sicks were st b1rp
ing though some worshpper had Just retired from his
devotion There was not here, as there is in India any
mystery or reserve prohibition No guard or priest
TO prevent ones going where he pleased or to watch his
conduct We could have robbed the temple of altits
the altar But felt such would be an i'll reousl OF
the confidence which was implicitly reposed in u.s. and
we lett untouched every sprg and spangle of the god
FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT.
was announced to the minister that letter from CO.
ri Ching containing an imperial edic was about to be
brought TO HIM, by four high officers from Canton The
correspondence had been carried cen the Minis
ter and Ching for time, when this announcement
was made Everything prepared for the recepton
of this first official visit from high Chinese functionaries
and we awaited their arrival After a while a discor
dant noise acc ompanied by loud cries ar ntsrvas ,a
the nus tho 1aI,.
see the approach of visitors Two i'll looking fell
lows, with wire caps their headsone of them with
WHIP and the other with in his handled the pro.
cession. These were the execuoners who always
precede high officer Next came score OF poorly
dressed and very dirty solders with spears and shields
ana ha,petts, linen man or two on wreched ponies,
whose hair stood out in all directions and whose manes
and ,ais were ignorant OF brush currycomb then
band OF music and then the sedan chairs of the great
men 'emselves They four in number all large
ana me looking persons dressed in light colored Grape
gowns round their waists by blue girdles and
buckles OF precious stones. We stood up 10 receive
Them with our hats on for is Chinese etiquette to be
covered, as mark OF respect. They entered with their
caps on displaying their red and blue buttons and nea
COCKS feathers The button fastened to the tan nj
the cap, and the feather hangs down behind They an
pIoached shook their hands us, and the chief
among them presented the letter the Minister On
RECEIVING H. he moioned to them to be seated and take
on their caps; which, observing carefully our own
movements and keeping exact time with us they did
OF Tue Interpreters now read the letter and
can be carried on by means OF Interpreters looks
and signs, took place The first civiiy was on their
part asking our names; this inorm being
rscprocated, they proceeded shock notions of
good breeding By asking ages This, however, is
an indispensable attention; returned il once, and
were OF course much edited at information After
few minutes conversation, luncheon in the Chinese
style was announced and we entered the dining room;
our guests according to Chinese etiquette, seated
the lett which with them, Is the place OF honor Chop
sticks had been provided for all OF and made
hrst experiments with them, to the unrestraned
meut OF eur guests They showed little inclination TO
eat but decided taste for the barbarian liquors, cham
payne and cherry bounce. "a very red faced gentle
man, whom We afterwards very frequently a Niant.
choo Tartar, by name Tung Lin, disposed Of half do.
Zen tumblers OF bounce, in many minutes) We were
astonished by the very loud their voices must
have been to have heard the street every thing
ssld oy them As 1t Is point Of polteness to empty
each drank with all of usthey became gradually as
elevated as their voices. Civiltes exchanged
with the greatest urbanity. One unavoidable we
would have gladly dispensed with. is the fashion
every to help himself with his chop from
any DISH on the table which ne reach; and when he
feels desircus Of offering testim onia of particular re-
gard as well as respect he reaches out and sezes
dividual Tor whom he designs the favor to open his
mouth puts the morse whatever is betwee his teeth
As they are not particularly nice in their eating
aud their teeth are by no means pearls would nave
pardoned the omission OF this attention 1t was however
not to be escaped; all that was left u.s. was retaliation
which we Immediately practiced After an hour at Ia
BILE oil shouting conversation their part and of ncds
and becks and wreathed smiles on ours we rose and
moved to the verandah, where new series of delicate
attentions surprised They had ade us tell our
entered with their caps on, shaking their own hands
sat on our ie led US with their own chop. sticks; and
piececravat, coat, wastcoat, shirt bosom trousers
swordbelt gloves, all in turn were inspected Fortu
nsely our good genius Dr. Parker told us this was the
very achme OF politeness and to be initiated without de-
lay Nothing was more agreeable to u.s. who had with
great patience and suavity, shown our hats and swords
and COATS and We began TO scrunze their dress and or
nsments We examined their caps and buttons and pea
cock feathers their little embroidered bags which with
fancases and snuff boxes they hang from their girdea
their hume'rings OF agate their silken gdles and lew
elied buckles One oil them, iung Lin Tartar, made
himself merry with sword belt belonging to one Of us
He put i on to show how much too small il was strutted
up and dow to show US his poity figure struck his full
CHEST and told in a voice OF thunder that he uas a
Manchoo- he then seized my hand squeezed H. to
snow ms strength lie was terror-spreading Tartar
General (1y own, however being much ths largest
Tor both Tartars and Chinese have remarkably small and
delicate hands. he did not make such Impression as he
anticipated After two hours OF
OF this sort our friends retired The proc ession reform
ed. googs beat and pipes squeaed the exeoutoners
yelled the little ponies we're pulled between their
legs and We were left to reflect upon Chine Sc men and
manners.
ENTERING THE CANTON RIVER
Enrf n frat fuq ~ tlea Tho