The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-04-29


Ter. You cannot enter any Of their great
cities without meeting multitudes Of
men, women, and children conveying liz.
uid manure into the fields and gardens
around. The stimulants to production
are applied with most untiring industry.
In this colony of Hongkong I scarcely
ever ride out without finding soTe little
bit of ground either newly cultivated or
clearing for cultivation.
oMNIvERoUsNEss.
The Chinese, again have no prejudice
whatever as regards food they eat any
thing and everything from which they
eau derive nutrition. Dogs, especially
puppies, are habitually sold for food aud
| have seen in the butchers shops. large
dogs skinned and hanging with their Wis.
cera by the side OF pigs and goats. Even
to rats aud mice the Chinese have no OBJ.
jcction-ncither to flesh Of monkeys aud
snakes the sea slug is an aristocratical
and costly delcacy which is never want
ing, any more than the edible birds
nests, at feast where honor is intended
TO be done to the guests. Unhatohed
ducks and chickens are favoritc disl..
Nor do the early stages of putrefaction
create any disgust, rotten eggs are by
no means condemned to prcdition fish
Is the more acceptable when it has a
strong fragrance and flavor to give more
gu to o the rice As the fool the Chinese
ca, g for the most part hard, coarse aud
of little cost, SO their beverages are sing
ularly economical. Drunkenness is
rare vice in China, and fermented spirits
or strong drinks are seldom used. Tea
may be saiu to be tho national, tho uni
versal beverage; and though that EN-.
ployed by the multitude does not cost
more than from 81 to Cd. per Id an in.
fusion of less costly leaves is commonly
employed, especially in localities remote
from the tea districts. Both in eating
and drinking the Chinese are temperate,
and are satisfied with two daily meals
" the morning rice " at about ten, q M,
and the evening rice " at five, p. m.
The only repugnance | have observed in
China is to the use Of milk-an extraor.
dinary prejudice, especially considering
the Tartar influences which have been
long dominant in tho land but never
saw or heard Of butter, cream, milk, or
whey being introduced at any native
Chinese table.
MATRIMONIAL PECULlARlTIEs.
Tie marriage of children is one ofthe
great concerns Of families. Scarcely ia
child born in the higher ranks of life
ere the question Of its future espousal
becomes frequent topic Of discussion.
There is large body of professional
match-makers, whose business it is to
put all :h" prel iminary arrangements in
train, to settle questions Of dowry, to
accommodate differences, to report on
tln pros and cons of suggested alliances.
There being no hereditary honors in
China-except those which reckon up.
wards from the distinguished son to the
father, the grandfather, and tho whole
limo Of ancestry, which may be eunobled
by the literary martial genius Of dc.
scendant-the distinctions of caste are
unknown, and successful student even
of the lowest origio would b, deemed
fit match for the most opulent aud dis
tiDeulshed female in the community.
The severe laws which prohibit maria.
gos within certain degrees of affinity
(they do not, however, interGict it with a
dcceased!wife'S siSter) tend to make mar.
riages more prolific, and to producs
healthier race of children So strong is
the objection to the marriage of blood
relations, that a man aHd woman of the
same Sing or family name caanot lawful
fully wed.