Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1845-12-04
Ce,it,a and the Chinese.

Passages from Mr. Fletcher Web>ter's
Lecture on sChina and the Chinese
at the Tabernacle.
First OFFICIAL risit.
1t was announced To the miniser tina,
letter from Cor, Ching, containing an i'm
prrial edci was about To be brought To
hun. hv four high officers from Canton.
The correspondence had been carried on
between the Minister aud Ching Tor some
time, when dis announcement was made.
Every thing was prepared for the recep
,ion of this fir. official visit from high Chi
nese tunclionaries, and we awaited Their
arrival. After "a while di>rordant noise.
accompanied by loud cries at intervals.
was heard and we looked from the blinds
| of the verandah. 10 see the approach OF
| our visitors. Two I'll looking fellows.
with wire cap. on their heads-one of
| them with whip, and the other with an
| axe in his hand led the procession.
! These were tie execuiioners. who always
precede high officer. Next came a
score Of poorly dressed and very dirty sol
diers, with spears and shields, and hal.
ber,s. Then man or two on wretched
| Monies. whnSe hair stood ont in all direc
lions. and whpse names and tails were ig
Moran, of brush or curryromh; then the
| hand If music aud then the sedan chars
of the orta men III n,eIves They were
four u, number all large aud fine looking
pei sons dressed IN ligh, colored Grape
! gowns. fastened round their waists by
blue glrdlps, and buckles of precious
stones We stood up TO receive them
with our hats on tor i, is Chinese etiquette
TO be covered. mark Of respect. -
They entered with their caps on. display
ing their red and blue buttons and pea
| cock's feathers The buitonis fastened
To the top of the cap. and the feather
hangs down behind They approached
shook their own hands AT us, and the
che: among Them presented the letter Il
the Minister On receiving it. he motion
ed To them III be seated. and take of trei
caps; which. observing carefuiiv our owr
movements. aud keeping exact time viii
us, they did One of the interpreter
now read the letter, and after short in
,erval of silence. such sort Of conversation
as can be carried on by means of lnierpre
.ers, and Iooks.an signs took place. 'i'h
frs, ciyll,y WAS. "n their part, askin,
| our names: this Information being give
an,l,reclprora ed. they proceeded To shoe
our notions Of good breed dug BY asking on
ayes! thus however, is AN indispensable
attention; we returned IL at once, am
were of course much edited by our IN
formation f,er a few minutes CONVEX
sa,ion. a luncheon. IN the Chinese style
was announced and we entered the dinin
room; our guests, according ~ Chimes
: etiquette, seated on ,ae left, which. wit
them, is he place of honor. Chops,lck
h nj been provided Tor all Of us, and W
| made aur first experiments with them. /"
the unrrslraned Amusement, OF our Yne,is
They showed litle inclination 10 eat
hni decided taste-for the harharifn II
quors. champagne and cherry shoalce -
"A very red faced gentleman. wiom w
Afterwards saw very frequen.ls, Nant
:, choo Tartar. nv name rung I'm, disposed
lzof half dozen tumblers ofo"unce. ina
many minutes We WEE astonIshed b,
HE very loud tone OF lher voices; II mus
= have been easy IN llaveheard IN the stree
every thing said by,hem. AS il Is
: poin, of polltneS- lo'+mpty "ne's glass
whenever drinking with t,iend-an
they each drank y,h all Of ns-they be
: came. gradually. S elevated as their vol
ces. Civlli,ies were now exchange,
= with grea, uran',y; One unavoidabl
= one we VOID have gladly dispense,
with. I@isthe fashion for every one /
help himssf with his own chopsticks
= from anv ash on the table which he ca
.s reach: I'd when he feels DESTROYS Of Offer
he ING ,e.lm"nlals Of particular regard. a
Wells respect. he reaches oul and seize
= sor.ihlng with his own chop-s,icks. an
n, Goning To- the individual for whom !,
signs the favor Ia open his mouth, pu,
= the morsel. whatever it il. between n:
teeth. As they are not particularly mic
4 in their eating. aud their teeth are nv n
means pearls. we would have pardope
the omission Of this attention. l, wa.
however, not TO be escaped; all that wa
left US, was retaliation. which we imm,
dia,eIy prac,iced. After an hour a, table
Of shouting conversation on their par
and of mods and hecks and wreathe
smiles on ours we rose and moved +,