New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-11-13
The Celestial Empire.

nnpned there ana HuiIc W -
advantage in New-York mex; Summer, because
there will be more room 10 display 10 advantage '7
rich contents 81.
There was great pleasure in surveying there II
merely on account of their sPlendor and elegance
which thought fantastic according to our tastes pre-
scented IA obvious standard OF its own by which 10
prize it The rich dresses OF the imperial court the
magnificent jars, the largest worth three hundred
dollars. and looking as if it was worth much more
the presen, boxes and ivory work, the elegant int
riors Of the home and CO ntag room--all these gave
pleasure by their perfection each in its kind
But the chief impression was oil that unity OF eS'
is,ence so opposite to the European, and, for
change. so pleasant from its repose and gi!dea hight
ness Their imperial majes,ies do really seem so
" nersectlv serene that We fancy we might be-
come so under the sway, il not thoroughly virtu-
GUS as they profess 10 be. Entirely new mood
would be ours, as we should sup in one OF those
pleasure boats by the light Of those fanciful lanterns
or listen to the tinkling Of those Pagoda bells
The highest conventional refinement OF certain
kind, is apparent in all that belongs 10 the Chinese
The inviolability Of custom has not made their lie
heavy but shaped il to the utmost adroitness for
their own purposes. We are now somewhat tamil
lar with their literature and we see pervadins II
poetrv subtle and aromatic, like the odors OF their
appropriate bcverae. Like that, too, it Is al! do
mestic-neyer wild. The social genius, fuiterlng
on the wings Of compliment pervades every thing
Chinese Society has moulded them body and SOUL
the Youngest children are more social and Chinese
than human, and we doubt not the infant with lis
frs. CRY, shows its capacity for selfcommand and
ODE ;sance TO superiors.
Their great man. Confucius expresses this social
genius in its most perfect state and highest orm
His golden wisdom is the quntesscnce OF social
Justice He never forgcts conditions and limits; be
is admirably wise, pure and religious, but never
towers above humanity-never scars into solitude
There is no token OF the forest cave in Coniucius
Few men could understand him because his nature
was so thoroughly balanced and his recutude so
pure not because his thoughts were too deep or
high for hem. In him should be sought the best
genius of the Chinese with that perfect practical
good sense whose uses universal
At one time | used TO change from reading Con
fucius TO one of the great religious books OF another
Eastern nation and ii was always like leaving the
street and the palace for the blossoming forest OF the
East. where in earlier times we are told the angels
walked with men and talked not of earth. but OF
Heaven.
AS we looked at the forms moving abou, III the
Museum, we could not wonder that the Chinese
consider US, who call ourselves the civilized void
barbarians so deficient were those forms in the sort
of refinement that the Chinese prize above all. And
our people deserve it for their senseessness in view
u ine,aod of apeinfy how
fcc,ly they rerrcsent their own idea. They are III
feror to Us in important developments but on inc
whole approach far nearer their own standard than
we do 10 ours And it is wonderful that an enlght-
cned European can fail prize the sort OF beauty
they Ido develop Sets OF engravings we have seen
representing the culture of the plant have brought
to us images of an entirely original dyllic loneliness
One long resident in the country has observed that
nothing can be more enchanting than the smile OF
love on the regular but otherwise expressionless
face of Chinese woman. 1t has the simplicity and
abandonment of infantne, with the fullncss OF ma
turc feeling 1t never varies. but ii does not tire
The same sweetness and elegance, stcrcotypcd
now. but having originally deep root in their life
as a race, may be seen in their poetry and music
The las, we heard both from the voice and several
Instruments al this Museum for the first time and
were at first tempted to laugh when something
deeper forbade. Like true poetry the music is CT
the narrowest monotony, kind of rosary, repeti-
ton of phrases and. il its enthusiasm and conven-
,onal excitement like nothing else in the heavens
or on the earth Yet both the poetry and music have
in them an expression OF birds roses and moonlight
indeed they suggest that state where music and
moonlight and feeling are one, though the soul
seems TO twit,cr, rather than sing OF 1t.
1t is wonderful with how little practical insight
travellers in China look on what they see They
seem TO be struck by points of repusion al once and
neither sec nor tell what could give US any real
clue 10 their facts. do not speak now OF the re-
cent lecturers in this city for have not heard them
but of the many many books into which have earlier
looked with eager curiosity-in vain l always
found the same external facts, and the same preju-
dices which disabled the observer from piercing be-
meath them feel that know something OF the
Chinese when read Conucius, or look at the figures
ON their teacups, or drink cup of genuine tea
rather an unusual felicity, is said in this ingenious
CITY which shares with the Chinese trait at least
But the travellers rather take from than add to this
knowledge, and a visit to this Museum would give
more clear views than all the books ever read yet
The Juggling was we'll done, and so solemnly,
with the same concentrated look as the music.
snw the iucslcr afterwards at Ole Bulls concert,
and he moved not muscle while the nightingale
was pouring forth its sweetest descant Probably
the avenues wanted for these strains TO enter his
heart, had been closed by Imperial Edict long ago
The resemblance borne by this jugger 10 our In
dams is even greater than we have seen In any
other case His brotherhood does not to us seem
surprising Our Indians, too, are stereotyped,
though in a different way they are of mould Gu
pable of retaining the impression through ages and
many OF the traits of the races or two branches
of race. may be seen TO be identical, though so
widely modified by circumstances. They are all
opposite TO US. who have made ships and balloons,
and magnetic telegraphs as symbolic expressions OF
our wants and the means OF gratifying them We
must console ourselves with these and our organs
and pianos for our want OF perfect good breeding,
serenity and thorough virtue.