New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-12
Lth I'm Sianl.

Ire secure last evening n the cooper
| Union free course was by Mrs. A. II. Leon.
owens, and the advertised fact that che
was to lecture on Royal and Domestic
Life in Siam" attracted an audience tina.
entirely filled the large hail of the Institute.
At the hour for the lecture Mrs. Leonowens
I appeared on the platform under Peter
| Cooper's escort, and was introduced by him
to the audience. His Introductory speech.
as was her Introductory bow, was received
with very hearty applause. The subject
/ matter OF the lecture upon Siamese manners
was Illustrated by about forty s,ereOptican
| views thrown upOn q screen back of the
speaker. Among these the great sleeping
| and emerald idols, temples. pagoGas, pal
! aces, priests, peasants and actors, kings.
princes and elephants. As Was told in the
| tirst Of the discourse when the late King OF
Siam sent for an English lady to educate
his children, Mrs. Leono~ans was chosen
/, fjr the Cffice of governess in the royal
! family bv reason of her knowledge of the
Oriental lalg iages, which she had acquired
! during residence with her husband in
| Siam. The King aspired TO be an English
| scholar himself, and. indeed, Kept printing
| office supplied with fonts Of English type,
! and SO be wanted his eighty one children
! educated in English. At this time no Eng
| lish lady had entered the inner city" Of the
| capital city Of Siam, and to Mrs. LeOnowe
| was reserved the honor of being the first to
| do this The name of Siam means in the
| language of its natives, 1.-The city of the
free'-tree from the superstitions of the
Brahmins, and the people begin their record
FIVE centuries before Christ. The government
of the country consists of first or supreme
king, supreme secret council of twelve
officials, and second king. The sessions
of the secret council are held at midnight
in great secresy, and it's spice are found
throughout the kingdom. The king is not
| merely enthroned but enshrined, as if he
| was god. and no person lie allowed to stand
erect in his presence. Even the members
of his body are specially named, as for in
stance his head bears q long. many sylla-
bled title, signifying the sacred, supreme,
majestic top The royal head lie q sacred
member, and q little prince had his hair all
shaved CT because he had been cOntami-
mated by being patted on the head by his
English governess When Mrs. Leonowene
first appeared in the royal presence, she
saluted the King with low bow, but the
attendant women attempted to pull
her down by her skirt Later, when
the King began to study English with
Mr.. Leonowens, he sprawled out upon
the floor with his books before him,
and required hislnstructor 70 do likewise
At this point the late King appeared to the
audience on the screen. Some views of
scenery in Siam followed, and then the
sacred white elephant, chained, belted and
adorned in chains Of gold, was led forth.
When this beloved animal died the king
dom went into mourning, and the King, who
had been unmOved by wives or children de-
parting this life, wept cOpiously when this
royal brute died. The trunk was embalm-
ed and laid swav in gold case, and bits of
the preserved skin were keptin jewel boxes,
while the remainder OF the carcass was re-
duced to ashes. The city OF the King is dlvid-
ed into the outer and inner parts, and the in
terror is inhabited exclusively bv women
and children. No one but the King is al
who 90 to collect aims. This inner city is
entirely independent of the male popula-
ton, and is self-supp0rting, prOvid-
ing its own police force and corps
Of executioners. The King lives in
the the outer court. and is surrounded by
and multitude of other attendants. A
view OF Siamese soldiers shown here was
said to represent q band of amazOns of the
inner city, but there was nothing wOmanly
in their appe arance. A view Of silver and
gold wear was shown, and picture of the
kings crown. This latter was an edifice Of
gold, and set with tier upon tier of large,
uncut, but rich diamonds. Its value is in
calculable. Siamese architecture, Mrs.
Leonowens pronounced as like the Egyptian,
but superior to that in beauty When q
king dies every one is obliged to shave his
head in mourning. His heart is placed in
an urn and his body, after year, burned
and the ashes sitted through flame into the
urn that no particle Of the body may
reminge with the earth. The present
King Of Siam was a pupil Of Mr.. Leon.
owens, and is still a young man: He is
liberal in bis views and ideas, and strives
to better his people bv abOlishin1 slavish
habits and traffic in slaves. He has not
wholly succeeded in his efforts and reform,
and is now in danger of falling into the con-
troll Of schemers.-Ne,r York W0rh