Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-05-22

vain effort TO attempt 10 describe all the
scenes and individual objects of the streets of
Canton. One might look for years, see some
thing new every day and in describing for.
get to speak fmany. "Why did you not
mention this 7" and "wly did you not men,
ton that 3"-would be asked by various per-
sons, but the same things do not fix the at
tcntion of all observers. Never were peo-
pile, in all probability, more happy than the
vast bulk Of the Chinese. Their faces arc
not expressive of lively pleasure, but the
more lasting, quiet, contened enjoyment of
the good things of life. But they are ener-
getic in gesture, and as there is a severe pun
'shment for fighting, two angry Chinese offer
an amusing sight, for they ransack their Ian
guage for terms Of vi,uperative harshness,
without coming to blow. A shop keeper of
whom we purchased some fans gave us some
trouble in altering them. He always endeav-
ed TO throw the blame on his inferior work
men, and pretended to lash himself into an
uncomfortable rage at the carclessncss when
ever we reploved him for the neglect. lie
would stamp up and down his shop, whisk
about his tail, and burst out with-"I have
speakee that man, have speakee him, he
one grand foolo. Shall mako ALA proper,
can do, can do" The Chinese are also as
extravagant in courtesy as in anger, and at
new year, especially, their politeness is car
red so far as to render them perfectly ridic-
ulous.
We see in the open streets, proofs of the
general diffusion of the common elements
of education, Judging from the numbers of
the lowest cooeys who stop to read the chops
or pacards, pasted upon the walls Of the
houses, aud 10 see them congregalc around
"A vender Of books, who sits upon the ground
with his little collection before him, offering,
showing and explaining.
One old man in China street was always
surrounded. He had little table with a cage
containing two canaries, and had also pack
of cards. He would cover the cage COM
pletcy allow bystandcr 10 choose any card,
and then shuttle it with tho pack so adroilly
that it was impossible to follow. He would
then open the cage, the little bird would hop
out, and select the card at once, never failing
to pull the right one. never could observe
the slightest communication between the
bird and the man, who was one of those mi
nor jugglers so frequently seen in Chinese
cities and villages.
Near the end of old China street. a nnm-
Der of poor women may be observed al any
time, sewing and mendng clothes. They
nearly all have small feet, and it is an error
TO suppose that this beauty is confined exclu-
sively to upper classes. As the rich women
! are not expected TO work much, and 90 out
but little, they universally follow the Gus
tom ; but as the poor females toll like men.
it is absolutely necessary that their limbs
should be unrestrained.
These scams,resses wear enormous spec
taces. giving them an owlish appearance
And that old fellow opposite to them looks
more owlish still, as he wears them while tin
kering upon broken lamp shade. lie has
the art of riveling glass or earhenware, not
understood by the barbarian, for the rivets
appear on one side only. They are seen
through the glass Of course, bu, broken
crockery is so neatly mcndcd that the cracks
are hardly perceptibc, and the metal rivets
are visible only on the back of the plate
lie drills a number Of little holes halfthrough
the substance, hammers in the tacks, and 10 !
the broken article is sound again. So neatly
does he work, that the fragments Of the crys.
tai of a watch may be joined. Close by
are a squad Of gamesters, gambling for con-
dictionary, and vile, bgotted looking Bud
hist prizes, is watching them with intense in
,orest. So after passing through the Cat
market, where numbers of doomed quadru-
peds are crying in wicker baskets, we 60 to
the factories for a cup of Shnqua's most de-
licious Oolong.