to be the resourses principally thought of in vacant

hours.

Persons of rank in China are so careful about the quality of the water intended for their own consumption, that they seldom drink any without its being distilled; and every Chinese infuses tea, or some other vegetable, supposed to be salubrious, in the water which he uses. It is generally taken hot, as is indeed wine, and every other liquid; and habit has that effect upon the senses, that fermented and spirituous liquors made hot are thought agreeable, as well as salutary. In other climates, warm beverages are also found most wholesome. In the hot climate of Hisdostan, choultries, or inns, are founded along some of the public roads, as buildings for pious uses are elsewhere. In those choultries, weak, but warm liquors are provided for all travellers. The Chinese enjoy, however, in hot weather, the grateful coolness produced by ice, seldom indeed applied to any of their liquors; but principally to fruit and sweetmeats, which thus may be justly termed refreshments. In bowls, which are generally used in China instead of dishes, alternate layers were placed, of ice, together with kernels of apricots and walnuts, or the seeds and slices of the hairy root of the Sien-wha, or nymphæa nelumbo, probably the lotus of the Egyptians; and were frequently presented to the ambassador and suite at breakfasts, given by some of the principal mandarines.

Baking bread is as little common in China as roasting meat. No proper oven is to be seen in this part of the country. Instead of bread, boiled rice, or other grain, is generally used. The rice swells considerably in boiling; and this operation is supposed to answer, as to wholesomeneess or facility of digestion, the purpose of the fermentation of the dough in regard to bread. Wheat grows in many provinces in China. That grain, also, called buck-wheat, produces flour, which, when freed entirely from the bran, is perfectly white, and is frequently, as well as other flour, made by the Chinese, into the form of cakes. These, by

exposure to steam, are reduced to the consistence of dumplins.

The Chinese method of dressing victuals consists chiefly in stewing animal substances, divided into small square morsels, mixed with vegetables, and seasoning them with a variety of savoury sauces, and a combination of opposite tastes.

Among other instances of the viceroy's attention to the ambassador, a temporary theatre was erected opposite to his excellency's yacht. The outside was adorned with a variety of brilliant and lively colours, by the proper distribution of which, and sometimes by their contrast, it is the particular object of an art among the Chinese to produce a gay and pleasing effect. The inside of the theatre was managed, in regard to decorations, with equal success; and the company of actors successively exhibited, during the whole day, several different pantomimes and historical dramas. The performers were habited in the antient dresses of the Chinese at the period when the personages represented were supposed to have lived. The dialogue was spoken in a kind of recitative, accompanied by a variety of musical instruments; and each pause was filled up by a loud crash, in which the loo bore no inconsiderable part. The band of music was placed in full view, immediately behind the stage, which was broad, but by no means deep. Each character announced, on his first entrance, what he was about to perform, and where the scene of action lay. Unity of place was apparently preserved, for there was no change of scene during the representation of one piece. Female characters were preformed by boys or eunuchs.

The custom mentioned by some old travellers, of the Chinese applying sails to carriages by land, is still in some degree retained. It was probably observed in parts less fertile than the borders of the Pei-ho; for Milton mentions

"The barren plains "Of Sericana, where Chineses drive

With sails and wind their cany waggons light."

Those cany waggons are small carts, or double bar rows, of bamboo, with one large wheel between them. When there is no wind to favour the progress of such a cart, it is drawn by a man, who is regularly harnessed to it, while another keeps it steady from behind, besides assisting in pushing it forward. The sail, when the wind is favourable, saves the labour of the former of these two men. it consists only of a mat, fixed between two poles rising from the opposite sides of the cart.

This

simple contrivance can only be of use when the cart is intended to run before the wind; and was probably the resource of an individual, who wished to have no companion of his labour, and partner of his profits, or who happened not to meet one.

SIR G. STAUNTON.

SECT. CXI.

BEFLECTIONS ON SWITZERLAND -MANNERS-AMUSEMENTS.

DURING the period of that new species of tyranny, which assumed the name of revolutionary govern ment, I was not merely involved in the common danger which threatened every individual in France, but had claims to particular proscription. It was not only remembered by many of the satellites of Robespierre, that I had been the friend of the Gironde, of madame Roland, martyred names, which it was death to pronounce; But, that I had written a work, published in England, in which I had traced without reserve the character of our oppressors; whose ferocious purposes I had often heard developed with the glowing eloquence of Vergniaud, and the indignant energy of La Source. No danger could be more eminent than that of living under the very tyranny, which I had the perilous honour of having been one of the first to depreciate, and to proclaim.

In this situation an opportunity presented itself of obtaining a passport for Switzerland. The road from Paris to Basil leads for the most part along a level country, which displays a picture of fertility, but few

scenes of beauty or grandeur, except a branch of the Vosges, which we traversed near Belfort, and whose swelling mountains, presenting faint traces of those we were going to contemplate, we saw bounding our horizon, and stretching along the plains of Alsace.

I found Basil crowded with strangers of all ranks, and all nations; being, at that period, when general hostility had barred the passes from one country to another, almost the only spot left open for transactions of commerce, the asylum of the fugitives, and the dawning negociations of peace.

The first view of Switzerland awakened my enthusiasm most powerfully. "At length," thought I, "am I going to contemplate that interesting country, of which I have never heard without emotion! I am going to gaze upon images of nature; images of which the idea has so swelled my imagination, but which my eyes have never yet beheld. I am going to repose my wearied spirit on those sublime objects,-to sooth my desponding heart, with the hope that the moral disorder I have witnessed shall be rectified, while I gaze on nature in all her admirable perfections; and how delightful a transition shall I find in the picture of social happiness which Switzerland presents! I shall no longer see liberty profaned and violated; here she smiles upon the hills and decorates the valleys, and finds, in the uncorrupted simplicity of this people, a firmer barrier than in the cragginess of their rocks, or the snows of their Glaciers!

Such were my meditations, when I first set my foot on the soil of Switzerland. The scenery of the country more than fulfilled the glowing promise of imagination. With respect to the character and manners of the people, a residence of several weeks at Basil some-what chilled my enthusiasm. I had frequent opportunities of mixing in their societies, and discerned neither the love of arts, of literature, of liberty, nor of any earthly good, but money. I heard of nothing but the comparative value of louis and assignats; and if I had not seen the Rhine rolling its turbulent waves mar

jestically by the windows, I might have fancied myself in Change-alley, or the Perron of the Palais Royal.

But if I was disappointed, it was perhaps my own fault, or rather the fault of former travellers. Warmed with enthusiasm for the natural beauties of the country, fancy, which loves the dreams of happiness and perfection, has delighted to associate with those enchanting scenes the charm of congenial society; and to connect with the sublime landscape the higher qualities of mind. Imagination places stock-jobbers and usurers with as much reluctance amidst the grandeur of Swiss scenery as it would fill with a mis-shapen Gothic image the niche of a Grecian temple. It must be indeed admitted, that the love of gold is a taste pretty generally diffused throughout Europe; that neither the inhabitants of Paris nor of London can be taxed with any remarkable indifference for riches; nor have wealthy persons in either of those capitals any reason to complain of the neglect of their fellow-citizens. But although the people of most countries are, with respect to the researches of gain, burghers of Basil during the hours of the morning, the evening at least is devoted to amusement, to social pleasure, to friendship, to some object that cheers or sooths the heart; and the projects of interest are laid aside till to-morrow. At Basil alone, the toils of trade find no relaxation. They begin with the day, but do not finish at its close; since even the hours of recreation are made subservi ent to the views of interest; and the only species of amusement in which the burghers of that city indulge themselves, is one at which they can arrange their commercial dealings, strike bargains, and vigorously pur sue that main chance which appears to be, their "being's end and aim.”

With those views, the men have formed themselves into different societies, called tabagies, or smoking clubs, because all the members smoke most furiously. Each club is composed of nearly the same age, a custom to which the love of equality perhaps gave rise, but which is observed to be extremely prejudicial to the