Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-02-20
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Baltimore american.
THE CHINESE AT CANTON.
A MORNING WALK.

One bright Sunday morning IN No'cuhpei'
| set out with a party OF gentlemen, lncIuu-
inr several members of the French Embassy,
to visit such manufactures OF SILK ana lac
ouer ware as were worthy of notice.
OF the actual manufacture of porcelain
and of ivory ware | can say nothing, as the
first is not made in or near Canton, and con-
ceruing the second nothing can be learned.
Armed with stout sticks we began our walk,
guided hv IA Ghinlman, our rear being brought
up bv one Of the Frenchmen, who very in
1uisilively stopped to look at any thing and
every tliinr, aud to make notes of nothing at
all. We passed through many streets that |
had not been in before, and remarked the
great size and beauty of many of the stores
far superior to any in China street. The
people began to stare at us, and as we pro-
crossed without minding them, amused them
selves with believing FankUej. The lower
Chinese seem to regard foreigners as a spe-
cies of wild animals, and to look at them as
men look at Gagged beasts in a menagerie.
We proceeded until near the city wall, and,
suddenly turning about, found ourselves in a
shop, with silk just from the loom, and three
or four of the most prominent silk merchants
waiting to receive us.
Nearly the whole of the raw silk of China
is produced in four provinces cut by the Both
DdTdllpl OIL ldllthut, dDOul lOul IullulCu HlllCS
north of Canton.
We saw many rich varieties of silk, and
were made aware of the fact that the finer
goods are kept entirely for home consump-
ton. The embroidery of the Grape shawls
is worked solely by hand. One Of the shawls
ordered by a Chinaman was to cost five hun
bred dollars instead of the flower pattern it
was embroidered with landscape, boats,
houses, and pagodas. We also saw a cOun-
terpane Of straw-colored satin, ground work.
ed in variegated silk, valued at three hundred
dollars. Their damasks are always spleD-
did, and now and then, by good chance, a
roll brought from the northern provinces may
be found, which is of far richer texture than
the Canton work.
1t is no doubt true in China, az in al. 9TH
or parts of the world, that the finest Of tho
manufactures are found in the great capitals,
and the richest silks must 60 to Pekin.
The loom is strikiggly rude aDd clumsy IN
Its appearance Two mon WORK 1t, ono shift
ing tho wool and the other throwing the
shuttle. The loom is like the policy Of the
Chinese Government, seeking no new i'm
provements, working on in the manner of by
gone centuries, and weaving out its Won
d%erfully beautiful and harmonious fabric.
The ingenuity of the Chinese in packing
Is more noticeable in the silk goods, because
they are folded in the soft bamboo paper in
such a manner that once undone no foreigner
can restore the bIaJle to its pristine shape
and compactness. Some people say that the
Chinese are not an inventive, but merely an
Initiative nation. They were the first who
made six, introduced into Rome through
Persia theirs were tho earliest inventions
Of the mariners compass, Of gunpowder and
Of printing. These three last have exercised
the greatest influence upon the human race,
and any one Of ;hese may entitle them to
very high rank as originators. They have
carried education among their lowest orders
farther than the most enlightened nations
their books may vie in clcapnesS with the
proiussedly cheap editions of the United
States, and the true reason why the mari
ner's compass has not boen improved upon,
is, that their commerce, under their Tartar
masters, has been invariably restricted. In
inland navigation alono have they been al
lowed some freedom, and even Ia that their
models have been given them with a veto on
change.
Their artillery and gunpowder are compar-
atively useless, and the reason is obvious
from the commencement of the Manchow
dynasty until the English invasion, a period
of upwards of two centuries, they have been
in the most profound peace.
Their finest silks are yet difficult to sur
pass, and in any thing that has drawn upon
their industry and ingenuity, they have sue
ceeded as well as people can who are cut off
from the rest Of the world, without examples
of excellence. The great wonder is, that
under these circumstances they have pro-
crossed so astonishingly far. For ages have
the Chinese been acquiring those habits and
customs that render them now so singular,
and ages must elapse before they can change
and become as other men are.
But while industry and ingenuity are re-
garded with any favor, the Chinese will hold
a high rank among the nations. The faults
OF the people are the faults of their rulers;
they are more sinncd against than shining;
they want leaders, but they have those ele-
ments OF greatness in their character which,
properly directed, would surInount every OBJ
stacle.
The day after visiting the silk stores, we
went to Il different part of the suburbs, up
the river, to visit a lacquer ware mandatory
belonging to Hipqua, a jolly old fellow, who
mas followed the maxim, "laurh and prow
iat'' We found in his establishment about
forty persons, little boys Just beginning their
tTade' and old men engaged on the best work.
Inc wood is of a light variety, Resembling
iur' This is ioated down the Pekiang from
The forests, and the observer will often see
Just above Canton, vast RATS Of it, acres and
acres in extent. Having brought the wood
TO the required sizc and smoothnpss, the
workman lays on a coat vi the lac, which is
inc gum OF a shrub, and may be tinged of
any nue. the most common being black,
brown and red.
Surprising a fine article being prepared,
1HlG fret nAaf - $500 IT, -