Death Of The Chinese Lady...
The Times, 1824-07-13T00:00:00

X o rne cteath of the Queen of the Sandwich Islands is to be added that of another remarkable foreign lady, IYtOR l'ung Queon, whio prired on Friday last, at her apartments, No. 94, Palli.mall. This remale was of distin gu15l1 rank in her own country, as must have been obvious to alI who had the pleasure of' hetr acquaint. ance, fiomt her lady-like manners .and easy gracef'ul demeanour. Considerable mystery hangs over the circumstances of her departure from tile celestial empire; and this is not surprising, when we con- sider the strictness of the Chinese laws against expatriation. She, bow,ever, was accompanied to England by her husband, and also bv ier brother. T!we latter had previously visited this country, andl resided several weeks at a hotel in Lnndon,wearing the costume and edopting the manners of an English gentleman; and it would seem that hiis report of a cotntry eo unlike their owno had excited in his sister and her hiusband a desire to visit this distant region. Un- fortunately, they had not su fleletly calculated on the effect wlhici might be produced by diference of climate, tbod, and habits of life, particularly by the different pressure of the aimosphere. This last cause appears to have o erated very powerlfilly on the pulmonary system of both husbanmi nn wife. The h.sbanid 'a first affeete with aspitting of blood, whichV was equally sudlden aad violent: anti thongh it was stopped Ibr a de.y or two by indiciouis remedies, it broke out again with a violence which no medicine could arrest, and pat tin end to thie unifortunate Chinese gentleman in a verv few days. The lady becamte m tgradally.svnsible-oftlhe oeniciuseft'e:?s or the climate. Slic, hohwever, at length began to spit blood, and Dr. 1Vebster, of Grosvenor-street, was called in - but he found lIer lungs already very much aWfected; and the disease advanced with such raptdity as to baffle all medical art. The Chinese, it seens, do not rely solely on the skill of their physicians. They resort to the sa- 6ice of fowls and other small animals, and throwing the blood in the faces of their idols, collect from this and from other iupersti- lious ceremonies the omensofreeovery ordeath.Tliese omens varied, and hopes anid feats of the Chinese lady anti her friends varied twith them, until the inorning preceding her dis o win, when she awoke with a cheerfcl air, saying sshe had seen her husband, who had or- derrd her to come to him, *aitd therefore she knew slie ust dlie- an event which accordingly took place not many hotirs afterwards. fhou Fung Queon wias about twenty years of age, rather fair, but with long Klossy black hair. Her features were cast in the Tartarian mould, but were regular, ant fiar f'rom unpleasant. In- deed, she might besaid to be beautifril, setting aside local preju- dices: it least, tie expression of her coutenaince was pleasing, arnd bespoke Ventleness and courtesy, mixed wilh amodest reserve. .he had the literary attubnmeintt o' her country, anid used to have Chinese bookn read to her by her attendants. Tthere WaS an intel- ligence in her look, and shle was extremely observant of every thing peculiar in the habits and tiiatiters of the individuals whom she had occasion to see, never faiiling to remark any little change in their appearance, dres;s, &c. and to inquire the cause ofit. Tltns, if a female appetared before her one dlay with, and tile next without, a shawl,or if a gentleman had at one time a gold chain and seal io his watcl, and at another time a nere watchliribaind, slie wouldt inquire what teas the reason of these chanzes-whether it -was owing to any thing peculiar in the charmcter of t1;e day-if the individual had been at anY ceremony whicch required a particular dreess, or the like. Her own attire was always neat and elegant, anid in the fashion of her country; ati n nany of the articles of it were. elegantly einbroidered bv her own hand. Shie wore an under robe of the finest Chinese taffeta, a cloak finely ornlaninted with needle work on tbe collar and sleeves, and rich bracelets of gold witts agate, cornelian and other precious stones. Her nails (iwlilcli is asi indubitable marD of gentility in China) were sufftred to grow to a snost inconveuient length; anti her foot was almost incredibly small Such were the personal appearance and manncrs of Yhou Ftig Queon : it is much to be lamented that this nccomplishled and intiel. ligent female didl not live to carry back to her countrymen the result offher observations on English life anti mannerm. Shie is the only one of her sex who has ever ventured on so distant a voyage, an(d she appears to have been remarkably well qualified for observing anti eons- municatng whatever e et Wit wr f otice. DEATH OF TUBE CHINESE L.ADY.