The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1869-10-12

cBI.N.S s.vB TRs cHEVEsE.
1t is nov conceded by ehrcwd observ.
crs Of current events, thar the Chinese
element is destined TO become IN tho fu-
ture m important part Of our popula-
ton, and 10 exercise il great influence
on the destiny of this continent II is
not therefore to be wondered at that
the periodicals of the time should find
the discussion of anything which per
talus to this remarkable people accept
able to their readers So little have
China and Chinese customs been I'M
derstood that when the public mind is
awakened to the importance Of better
information in regard to that ancient
empire, It is surprised at the very er-
roneous ideas ii has hitherto entertain
ed. This surprise arises not only from
tho difference between our customs and
those Of the Chinese, but also from the
fact that the Chinese have made very
greater advances in civilization than has
been generally supposed by other civil,
lzed nations.
Some Of these facts have been put in
a very acceptable dress by writer III the
Atantic Monthly, for September, from
which we extract portion:
China is the type Of permanence in
the world. To say that it is older than
any other existing nation, is saying very
little. Herodotus, who has been called
the Father Of history, travelled in Egypt
sbont 450 b c, He studied its monu-
ments, bearing the names OF kings who
were as distant from his time as he is
from ours monuments which even then
belonged to a gray antiquity. But the
kings who erected those Monuments
were posterior to the founders OF the
Chinese Empire. Porcelain vessels,
with Chinese notices on them, have
been found in those ancient tombs, in
shape, material, and appearance pre-
cisely like those which are made 10 Chi
ma to-day; aud Roselini believes thou,
to have been imported from China by
kings cotemporary with Moses, or be-
fore him. This nation and its institu-
tions have outlasted everything. The
ancient Bactrian and Assyrian king
doms, the Persian monarchy, Greece
and Rome, have all risen, hourished,
and fallen--and China continues still
the same. The dynasty has been occa-
sionaIly changed; but the laws, customs,
institutions, all that makes national life,
have continued.
The authentic history of China com
mences three thousand years before
Christ, and thousand years in this
history is like century in that of any
other people The oral language Of
China has continued the same that it is
now for thirty centuries. Tue great
wall bounding the Empire on the north,
which is twelve hundred and forty miles
long, and twenty feet high, with towers
every few hundred yards which cross
es mountain ridges, descends into val
leys, and is carried over rivers on arch
es--was built two hundred years before
Christ, probobly to repel those fierce
tribes who, after Intellectual attempts to
conquer China. travelled westward till
they appeared oa tie borders Of Eu-
rope five hundred years later, aud, ur-
der the name Of Huns, assisted IN the
downfall Of the Roman Empire.
All China was intefsected with ca.
mails at period when none existed in
Europe. The great canal, like the great
wall, is unrivaIled by any similar exist
ing work II is twice the length Of the
Eue Canal, is from two hundred TO a
thousand feet wide. aud has enormous
banks buik Of solid granite, along a
great part Of its course. One OF the i'm
portant mechanical inventions Of mod
ern Europe is the Artesian well. That
sunk at Grenoble was long supposed to
be the deepest ia the world, going down
eighteen hundred feet One at st. Louis
IN the United States, has since been
drilled to depth, as has recently been
stated, Of more than four thousand. -
But in China these wells are found IN
tens Of thousands, sunk at yero rem ote
periods TO obtain salt water The meth
Cd used by the Chinese from immemo-
rial time has recently been adopted in
stead Of our own, As being much more
simple aud economical The Chinese
have long been acquainted with the cir
culauon Of the blood; they inoculated
for small pox N tba tenth century; and
about the same time they invented
printing Their bronze money was
made as early A. / 100 b. c., and its
form has not been changed since the
beginning Of the Christian era. The
mariners compass. gunposder, and the
art Of printing were made known to
Europe through stories told by mission
aries returning from ASA. these mis-
slonaries. coasting the shores II the Ce-
lestias Empire IL Chinese innks. saw a
httle box containing a magnetized nee
die, called Ting Tehen, or needle
which points 70 ,bs south. They also
noticed terrible machines used by the
armies IN Caina, called Ho-pao, or fire.
guns. into winch vas pat a. indamma-
bic powder. which produced a noise
Ike thunder, and projected stones and
pieces u iron with irresistible force
Tie first aspect Of China produces
that impression o. tic n.Dd which We
cali the grotesque. THIS is merely be.
eAase the customs o. this singular ma
u9u are - opposite 70 oar ovn They
seen morally, 20 less l1An phyaiealiy,