The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-12
From Tie .Nsp York Herald.
The Celestial ErnDjre

LECTURE BY DIR. BTETNER, AT HOPE CHAPEL
On Wednesday evening, DIR. Bettner delivered
his second lecture on Oriental life, aud chose Chi
ma his subject. Considering the advantageous
position Of China, he said, its high state of cult
walton, the extensive commerce and enterprise of
It's people, their curious customs and habits, Chi
na, the Oldest and still the newest nation in the
world, and standing, il does face to face TO our
own continent, must form a subject of peculiar in
terest to every one Of us The aspect Of the coun-
try is beautiful, diversified by hills and valleys.
and inersected by navigable rivers, and numerous
canals. The whole of China is, in fac, one ex-
tensive garden. II possesses the greatest popula-
ton of any nation on the globe, being, according
to the census of I847, about four hundred and
fifty millions. In order TO supply such vast
number, all kinds of grain and vegetables are ex-
tensively cultivated. great quantity of -four is
imported from Sidney, and their rice from Java
1t in social life we displayed the pecularties
of people-theIr national character and ideas.
The Chinese resemble the French greatly, by fire.
quently assocating together. They have tea gar
dens instead of our coffee-houses. They live very
cheap. All Eastern bathing, which is very much
INDUCED in. is also remarkably cheap. They pay
compliments by saying friend, or brother. Their
salutation consists in bowling, and doubling their
hands. Their visiting cards are somewhat differ
ent from ours, being considerably longer. Their
dinners are served up according to the French
style, and very sumptuous.
NO nauon mas carried The culinary art so far
China. They are remarkably fond Of gela,inous
food, particularly OF several kinds Of sea weed
They use chairs 10 sit upon, while all the other
people in the East do not. In their stores they
have also seats for their customers The food of
the common people consists mostly Of ducks,
pigs, eggs fish, &c. The higher class ncain,
fare very sumptuousy They have many attend
ants, and live, in fact, in a style which is unsur-
passed by any other nation, and which could not
be sustained anywhere else. Every kind Of trade
is considered by them as dscreditabe. The wo-
men are never seen in the streets They live in
constant secusion. The price of labor there is
about ten cents day. on an average First rate
workmen VIII, however, earn forty cents day
The Chinese wear tails or queues; they use the
moustache. In habits, no people are more frugal
and more economical than they are, and none
more cunning and polite. They submit to the ills
OF life with great degree of resignation. Suicide,
that lndebe blot upon the character of the west
ern world, is scarcely known in the east. There
are no poor houses poor rates, the poorer class
es being maintained by voluntary contributions.
The Chinese surpass the whole Of the eastern peo-
pie IN enlightenment and activity. Their institu-
tons indicate high degree Of civilization. The
Chinese education, although the oldest, is the best
IN The world, and somewhat sinisr to our own
system. The government contributes portion of
the money necessary for the support Of schools,
while the parents make up the rest. There every
one read
Virtue and learning in both sexes are strenu-
ously inculcated, and literally rewarded. The
first and greatest statesmen, all their public Of
fcers WERE in early life, the best scholars and the
topmost in their classes. In no country in know
ledge prosecuted with more energy and indomita-
BILE zeal than in China. He then alluded to the
Iittle encouragement the man Of learning has to
expect in this country, and to the niggordly COM