Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-11-24
CHINESE FLORAL EXHIBITION.

One DAY l attended n native horticultural exhi-
bition, which was held in an old temple within the
walls. The open courts Of the building were Till
with rows Of Towering plants, in earthen pots and
vases, watch were also arranged in circles around
some weak fountains in the center. There were
some fine specimens Of the mau-faR, or peony,
white, pink and crimson, and with an odor very
similar to that Of the rose; but the most admired
flower seemed to be the lnn.whei, q Dubious water.
plant, with q blossom resembling that OF the or
chiIs in form, yet Of q dirty %yellowish green hue.
The great aim Of the Chinese florist is to produce
something as much unlike nature as possible, and
thus this blossom, which for aught l know, may
be pure white,o or yellow, in its native state, is chan
ged into a sickly, mongrel color, as if it were af-
ficted with n vegetable jaundice or leprosy.-
There was q crowd Of enthusiastic admirers ar
round each of the ugliest specimens, and l was
told that one plnnt, which was absolutely loath-
some and repulsive in its appearance, was valued
Mt three hundred dollars. The only taste which
the Chinese exhibit to any degree is q love of the
monstrous. That sentiment Of harmony which
throbbed like a musical rythm through the life Of
the Cracks, never looked out of their o5lique eyes.
Their music is q dreadful discord; their language
is composed of nasals and consonants, they admire
whatever is distorted or unnatural, and the wider
its divergence from its original beauty or symme-
try the greater is their delight.
CHINESE MORALITY.
This mental idiosyncrasy includes a moral one
of similar character. 1t is my deliberate opinion
that the Chinese are morally the most debased
people on the face of the earth. Forms of vice
which in other countries are barely named are in
China so common that they excite 10 comment
among the natives. They constitute the surface
level, and below them there are deeps on deeps of
depravity so shocking and horrible that their char
acter cannot even be limited. There ale some dark
shadows in human nature which we naturally
shrink from penetrating, and l made no attempt to
: ,,llank Inflammation, re thia lind. 1nt thora roS
enough in the things which l could not avoid see
ing and hearing-which are brought almost daily
to the notice of every foreign resident-to inspire
me with a powerful aversion to the Chinese race.
Their touch is pollution, and harsh as the opinion
may seem, justice to our own race demands that
they should not be allowed to settle on our SOIL
Science may have lost something, but mankind has
gained by the exclusive policy which has governed
China during the past centuries.
CHINESE DINNER.
Among these festivities the most notable was a
Chinese dinner which Col. Marshall gave at the
consulate. The building was in a Llaze of Ian
terms and flowers. An arched avenue of colored
lights led from the gate to the door, where the Wis
itor assembled between a double row of fragrant
white and crimson mau-tanS to the first story
Here the quaint silk lanterns were redoubled; Gu.
rious baskets and urns Of grass and shells, filed
with flowers, were suspended from the ceiling, and
the dining-room, handsomely draped with flags,
contained 4 yeritable bower, or arbor Of greenery
enshrining the American eagle. The dinner was
prepared with great care, not only the Taou-tai's
silver cups and chopsticks, but even his cook hav.
ing been borrowed for the occasion. The dishes
were numerous and p~alatable, but hardly substan'
tial enough for q civilized taste. They were most
ly soups, n dtsome of them we're distinguished by
very peculiar favors, which l found difficult to an.
alyze. The choicest dishes were birds'-nest soup
sharks'-fns, and a dark stringy substance, which
the Taou-tai said he had procured at Pekin, al
, great expense. The dinner was followed by {
grand ball, and a supper in the European style
Bayard Taylor.