MODE OF PRINTING A WORK.

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short, official notifications, or for works of small importance. When a government notification is required in great haste, they trace out the characters in yellow wax instead of wood, and this is done with the utmost celerity.

When about to print a work, or notification, the printer takes a slab of the characters, and with a hair brush besmears the slab with the ink previously described; the paper is then pressed upon the slab, receiving the impression: one coating of the printingink is sufficient for two or three impressions; but as Chinese paper is exceedingly transparent, and being of too porous a character to receive impressions on both sides, it becomes requisite to fold the paper, printing only on one side. These doubled sheets are then stitched together, the fold being at the outer edge, whilst usually coarse pasteboard, plain and figured, are used for the covers of ordinary works; but the mandarins and wealthy classes indulge in gorgeous bindings for their books, and are as particular in the external appearance of their book-shelves as any European nouveau riche. The bookbinding usually held in the highest estimation, are red brocades, with gold and silver figures; beautifully flowered silks, satins, or gold and silver tinsel.

The Chinese being essentially a literary and reading nation, never destroy the slabs on which the characters of a work are cut; these slabs are preserved with great care, and the place where they are deposited is referred to in the preface of the work. The Chinese mode of printing enables one workman of tolerable ability, to print, or work off, in the course of

ten hours, from six to eight thousand sheets, and there does not exist any necessity for proofs being sent for author's correction.*

Books are sold at a very low price, consequently are within the reach of the million, and the taste for reading manifested by the Chinese may be very cheaply gratified, through the means of itinerant circulating libraries, that are carried about by the proprietors in boxes, which are slung over their shoulders. The borrower either leaves the value of the book in the librarian's possession, or sits down by his side, peruses the book, pays two cash for the loan (less than one farthing), returns the volume, and walks off to his daily occupation. Although the general taste for reading must be commended, we regret to state that this taste must be frequently condemned, as it is deplorable in the extreme, to witness the depravity of feeling publicly evinced in China by the circulation of an enormous number of obscene publications, and indecent engravings, which are eagerly sought after, and are devoured mentally with greedy avidity.

The Chinese books usually contain little matter-we allude to novels, poetry, and tales; the scientific works are frequently exceedingly voluminous; the "Encyclopædia" consisting of six thousand volumes, the abridgment being compressed into four hundred and fifty.

The Emperor Keen-lung had in his library one hundred and forty-seven works on Chinese history and

* Would that some benevolent being would devise a plan to avoid the constant blunders made after author's correction: we confess that we are tetchy, and how we do rave and tear when we see blunders printed, in statu quo, after we have lost time and temper in correcting proofs

CHINESE LITERARY WORKS.

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politics, and the present Emperor Taou-Kwang is said to possess more than two millions and a half of books, on various subjects. Few philosophical works are now, or have been written for centuries past, as the Chinese assert that the ancient sages have embodied in their works all that can possibly be known or explained, and would look upon a new work, written on philosophical or scientific subjects, as impertinent presumption; therefore no progress has been made in scientific researches for ages. New novels, tales of fiction, and poetry, are constantly appearing; the works of Confucius are continually reprinted; and compilations are also made from the writings of renowned sages, and philosophers of antiquity. Although the Chinese indulge in lampoons and satirical sketches of public and official characters, which they paste upon the walls of houses in a conspicuous and public situation, there is but one newspaper published in the whole empire of China, and this is published at Pekin by the Emperor's command. This Gazette contains various official notifications, such as imperial grants of land, remission of taxes, public acts, the day which has been selected by the Emperor for public execution to take place, the degradation of mandarins, and official servants, are here set forth; the events of war are bombastically announced, which invariably represent the warlike prowess of the Celestial subjects, as great and successful; the official accounts contained in this Gazette, during the war, of the thousands upon thousands of "Fan-quis" who were daily slain, and driven before their conquerors, were exceedingly astounding, and the audacious mendacity of the Chinese most amusing.

CHAPTER II.

Antiquity of Chinese Music-Musical instruments-Music of the Chinese -Chinese airs.

THE Chinese claim the distinction of having invented music, as well as printing, and many other arts and sciences; and if we may rely upon their traditional history, and vain boasting, this science was, in olden times, and before the memory of man, brought to the very acme of perfection by them. It is certain, however, that Confucius interested himself considerably about the cultivation and improvement of music, and his instructions and precepts are as highly prized upon this, as upon all other subjects, and deep regret is expressed, at the present day, for the loss of certain ancient treatises upon the subject. Far be it from us to dispute the right of the Celestial Empire to the credit and distinction which it claims; but we must express our hope that the music at present in use is far dissimilar to celestial music; at all events, it is very different from our own ideas of that which is pleasing or melodious.

The airs which are in general use amongst the Chinese, as sang or played by them upon their various instruments, with the exception of the kin, are acquired

CHINESE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

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by ear and by rote; and many of their best performers extemporise; and sometimes these airs, sung by a good voice, or played by a skilful performer upon their instruments, has something agreeable, even to our European ears. A species of recitative is perceptible in the spoken language; and is more marked in their calculations with the swan-paun, or calculating instrument, which are always aloud.

The Chinese have a great variety, both of stringed and wind musical instruments, together with drums, symbols, timbrels, and bells. The most simple of the wind instruments is the Hwang-tei, or flute, which is made of bamboo, and is about two feet long; having two embouchures, the first is much farther removed from the end than in our flutes, and the second is two inches farther down; this last is covered by the internal coating of a peculiar reed: the finger-holes are small, equidistant, and of equal calibre; they are ten in number, of which the performer appears only to use six. The player is afforded the means of varying the pitch, by changing the embouchure. The instrument is neatly bound round with silk at different places, in order to secure it against splitting; and notwithstanding the labour which must be spent upon its construction, it may be purchased for about fortyfive cents, or less than two shillings of our money. We find the performers upon the flute in the north of China much superior to those at Canton, who are very mediocre indeed, and the instrument in their hands is very indifferent.

The Heang-tei, or clarinet, comes next in rank, the stock of which is also made of bamboo, with a bell