The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-02-02
Some OF the National Peculiarffies Of
the MOou.Eycd CeIestiaIs.
From The New YORK Times, 20tb.I

From the New York Times, 20th.l
A large audience filled the ball Of the
Cooper Union last evening TO hear Mr.. +.
Il. Drew's lecture on the Chinese. Mr..
Drew has been a resident OF the Celestial
Empire since 1865, and now holds the office
under that Government OF Commissioner OF
the Imperial Customs. The lecture last
evening was devoted TO the social and
home life Of the Chinese, and showed care
full study and q thorough knowledge OF
their habits. "The curse Of intemperance
In the use of liquors." said Mr.. Drew,
"is almost unknown. The Chinese are a
people of very regular habits. They
are personally clean: baths are provided
for the people ut very low prices,
and these luXurics are universally
appreciated and made use OF. Hot baths
can be had for penny each, with attend
ance." Ii had been often remarked, he
stated that no Chnaman plants more rice
than he can personally care for. LabOrers
are well paid at seventeen cents per day,
and liberal salary for Chinese lackey or
housc-servant is from S. TO SO per month.
the employee finding himself. There is no
wlie-beating in China. The laborer after
his toll revels in opium, which quiets and
sootnes his nervous system, rather tending
10 aniability or stupor than to the unde-
sirable activity Of the western tield-hand
who regales himself in his leisure hours
with whiSkey. Mr.. Drew spoke 1T length
OF the opium habit, and said that
although it was undcniably n ma
tional vice, it was not INDUCED in
so universally rs had been often re-
ported by casual observers. lie spoke OF
the difference in potency Of the Indian
drug and that grown in the confines OF the
Chinese Empire itself. Chinese opium was
very much taller, and perhaps almost cor
responded with the tobacco Of the western
races. II was not impossible that the Chi
nese emigrants to this country, after a resi-
dence here, might forego the deadlicr drug
entirely and adopt the tobacco habit OF their
new neighbOrs. He referred 10 the spirit
OF caste in China, and the deep-rOOted
custom Of ancestor worship, and the
conservation OF the purity OF the gems.
4 girl child was not so welcome a
newcomer to n Chinese father rs boy,
and this was its explanation The boy per-
petuated the race. while the girl only grew
ND TO become a member ard wor>hippcr OF
the iQreS OF another family. This explained
the custom, il such it could he called, of
. llllnilclut VI ltllIlt NlitNlNIis hithDAA- II
this rarely occurred except among the
poorer classes. Public sentiment was OPP
posed to it. signs were sometimes to be
seen in public places by the waters side,
.'Do not drown your girls" In the Chi
nese families the boy buries the ither. for
dead he becomes an object of worship. The
son conducts the religious rites Of the tribe.
and prOpitiates prayer and reverence the
unforgetiul shade. The social status OF
Chinese women were yet comparatively
low; the man who loved his wife better
than his mother or his sisters would be
thought moral enigma. "a WIFE" says
the ChiGesc mornlsi, "if lost at any time
can be replaced, but your parents never"
And yet the Regency Of the Empire was
held by two women. "Chinese women
are much as others OF theirseX." He spoke
Of the size Of their feet, which were often
/ but two or three inches long, and so diff
| cult to use that II often became necessary
for Chinese woman of high rank to Use a
lamp-pOst or wall as q support if standing.
olill they dined together, they gOssiped.
they enyied each other, and bred mischie.
as neatly as il they had been 0ccidentals.