arises from, their persons, is most offensive to the visual and olfactory organs of an American.

The shops that are devoted to supply tea and cooked food are numberless, as well as the taverns and tea-gardens; and both alike are crowded with the various grades or classes of the inhabitants, from the mandarin and wealthy in their silken robes who frequent the taverns and tea-gardens ; down to the poor mendicant, with scarcely a rag to cover his emaciated form, who goes to the itinerant cook's stand, where he can procure the largest quantity of rice and fish for his few "cash."

Many shops that sell provisions, uncooked, present very unpleasant sights, from the quantity of disgustingly flabby, fat pork that is exhibited for sale, and in some of the narrower streets, it is almost impossible to pass between the stands which are placed before the houses, on which these edibles are exposed for sale. Fish, vegetables, fruit, and pork, appear to be sold in certain quarters of the town.

The fruits of Shang-hae are remarkably fine, the peaches exceedingly so; and the apples, pears, and grapes, would not disgrace the cultivators of Europe or America; but the wealthy take great pride in the productions of their gardens, sparing neither expense nor trouble to obtain finer fruit than their neighbors.

The population of Shang-hae is estimated as being under one hundred and fifty thousand, though probably the population of the city and suburbs (which are extensive and densely peopled) would exceed two hundred thousand. The character of the natives of Shang-hae is peaceable, and their moral qualities are not remarkable for viciousness; but the influx of sailors from many provinces, more especially from Foo-keen, produces frequent rows and fights in the city and environs. The natives of Foo-keen, may be called the pugilists of China, as they are noted all over the Celestial empire for their irascible, pugnacious, and fighting propensities. The province of Foo-keen has been very frequently in a state of rebellion against the lawful authorities.

The wealthy native merchants do not live at Shang-hae, their residences being at Soo-chow-foo, described in the preceding chapter, the most luxurious and wealthy city of the empire, and the most fashionable; in short, as , Paris is deemed in Europe the most civilized capital, so is Soo-chow-foo deemed the Paris of China; for all that is remarkable for fashion, beauty and good taste, in the celestial empire, comes from that city, which is within eighty miles of Shang-hae. Clerks, managing men, and brokers, are resident in Shang-hae, who transact business in the absence of the principals.

The merchandise which is exposed for sale in the shops consists of embroidered, plain, and flowered silks, satins, and crapes, cottons white and colored; carved and distorted bamboo ornaments, bamboo pipes frequently five feet in length, pictures of native scenes, and by native artists; bronzes, jaed stone ornaments; antique porcelain, and every imaginable article of all

descriptions, either of luxury, curiosity, comfort, or necessity. In every part of both the city and suburbs are to be found joss-houses, or temples belonging to the various sects, some of them being fine structures, and handsomely decorated; and to prove how little respect the Chinese pay to religion, theatrical representations are constantly held in the temples at Shang-hae, while jugglers and fortune-tellers appear invariably to select the vicinity of a josshouse, to practice the arts of their respective vocations.

The vast plain of Shang-hae is cultivated to an extent that appears incredible to all, save those who have beheld it; in short, it is one vast garden; the soil is composed of rich loam, in which are planted crops of various descriptions, but cotton is the principal crop that is relied upon, as from this district the greater part of the Nanking cotton comes, both the white and the yellow; from the latter the cloth is manufactured, called in this country nankeen. The other crops are rice, wheat, barley, yams, egg-plants, trefoil, turnips, carrots, cucumbers, cabbages, and sweet potatoes; the people being essentially agriculturists in this neighborhood, farms of every size meet the

eye.

The weeping-willow is to be seen on the banks of all the streams, and the maidenhair tree (salisburia adiantifolia) grows to a large size, the beautifully-pencilled foliage affording a welcome shelter from the noonday heat; a stunted description of elm grows here, but we do not believe the Chinese use it for timber. In the various cemeteries of this district, appertaining to the mandarins and wealthy, clunips or groves of the most luxuriant cypress and pine are to be met with. Within a few miles of Shang-hae (six or seven), are nursery gardens, which contain some curious specimens of the tree pœony, or moutan, well worthy the attention of botanists, as well as plants of the deciduous tribe.

Although the appearance of Shang-hae is inferior to Ningpo, it is the most important place of trade on the coast of China; it is, in fact, the chief entrance to the whole of the Celestial empire, as it is connected, by water communications alone, with more than a third part of China. Vessels and junks come from all parts of the coast of China-Singapore, Borneo, Penang, Malacca, Java, and other parts. This part of the country is called by many the valley of the Yang-tse-keang, and the facility of communication afforded by the numerous rivers, and multitudes of canals, is incredible: some of the latter are natural, while many have been constructed at an enormous outlay, of both time and money, and are stupendous proofs of man's ingenuity.

The facility of the inland transit to the most parts of China, from this place, almost equals that offered by the liquid element; the trade carried on is considerable, and most British and American firms, of respectability in China, have establishments at Shang-hae. Many small craft from the interior, since this port has been thrown open, come down laden, to the water's edge, with teas and silk, carrying back the produce of Europe and

America, and a brisk trade is carried on in white calicoes or long cloths, which the Chinese dye to suit their own peculiar taste. Shang-hae will, probably, in a short time, become the port of the greatest importance in China to foreign merchants, leaving Canton in the rear. In the first place, all green teas, and a great portion of the black, can be taken to Shang-hae at much less expense than they can be forwarded to Canton; the principal silk districts of the northern parts of China are near Shang-hae; cotton. grows in abundance in this district; and the propinquity of Nanking, the former seat of government, and the wealthy and luxurious cities of Soochow-foo and Hang-chow-foo, the inhabitants of which desire and use abundantly the produce of Europe-all conspire to make this port one of considerable trade (which is yearly increasing), and importance to the merchant.

From the dense population of Shang-hae, a large portion of land in the vicinity of the city is appropriated to the burial of the dead; numbers of coffins literally encumber the earth, as they are not buried, but placed upon short posts, thatched over with paddy-straw; the Chinese frequently allow these coffins to crumble into dust before they bury them, many, apparently, having a strange dislike to placing the dead in the earth. Mounds after mounds meet the eye, of a conical or round form, in which the dead are deposited, and as these are planted either with shrubs, flowers, or a long, feathery, waving grass, the effect is most picturesque and pleasing; more especially as these vast burial-places are kept in neat order, and trim array, from the precepts which are inculcated by their religious beliefs, and a Chinaman would consider the neglect of the tomb of his ancestors, as one of the most heinous sins he could commit.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA.

Ir is essential in forming a just estimate of the character and habits of a nation, to be conversant with their government and laws; and no country affords a more striking example of the truth of this remark than China. The monarchy is the most absolute that ever existed, the emperor having unbounded power and authority over the lives and property of his subjects; his words are oracles, and his commands are obeyed and executed with alacrity and humility; being regarded as the vicegerent of the Ruler of the world, and the father of his people: upon the reciprocal duties, then, of parent and children, the laws and political government of China are established; and the principle is found interwoven through all their institutions. Accordingly, we find the emperor designated as "Son of Heaven," "August Sovereign," "Holy Emperor," "Father of the Empire," while he is treated with the most abject and servile submission; none daring to approach him except on bended knees, or pass his habitation except on foot. The whole empire is considered to suffer in his person, and his loss is the only misfortune his subjects should dread; should indisposition overtake him, the alarm is instantly sounded, and princes and mandarins of all classes hurry to the palace courts, where, on bended knees, and regardless of the inclemency of the weather, they pass day and night in token of their grief and respect, while they supplicate Heaven for his restoration. So great is the respect and reverence with which the emperor is regarded, that the people accord the same marks of respect, in his absence, to his ministers of state, viceroys, and mandarins, of all grades, in the execution of their respective offices, regarding each officer as the representative of their sovereign, and "rendering honor to whom honor is due."

The language and actions of both the emperor and people accord well with the principles of their government; if a province be visited with pestilence or famine, the emperor forbids amusements; fasting, he confines himself to his palace, and publishes proclamations wherein "the deep lamentations wherewith he bemoans, both night and day, the misfortunes of his children, which wound his heart to the quick, and continually occupy his thoughts, searching for the means of restoring them to happiness," are set forth in glowing terms; the whole document bearing the impress of one addressed to the members of a large and mighty family, by a kind and indulgent parent. On the other hand, their moral maxims, and the books of their ancient sages, abound in passages such as these: "The son of heaven, even our mighty emperor, hath he not been placed upon the throne by

Ty-en?" "The holy emperor sits upon his throne, the parent of his people; he should not, therefore, be feared so much as he should be loved for his virtue and his kindness."

Notwithstanding the great power wherewith the emperor is invested, the law permits his ministers of state humbly to remonstrate with him, and to submit what they may conceive to be errors in the administration of the government; and should the emperor inflict punishment upon his officer for making such representations, history affords many examples of martyrs who have suffered death in their attempts to oppose the deviations of their prince from the paths of wisdom, and in consequence have received the highest encomiums from the nation, and rendered their names immortal. The position of emperor can be no sinecure in China, when we reflect that all public documents must pass through his hands, and receive his approbation or veto. The tranquillity of the empire depends entirely upon the indefatigable assiduity of the prince, to preserve order and superintend the administration of justice; should he and his council relax in their zeal, the viceroys and mandarins in distant parts of the empire would become tyrants, from whose provinces and districts justice would be banished, and revolt would ensue of such results there have been ample proofs in Chinese history, which serve as examples to warn emperors to tread in the steps of their great predecessors who retained their authority and secured tranquillity and prosperity to their subjects by their indefatigable watchfulness.

Next in official rank follows the prime minister, or president of the council, called Chiow-sian, who always possesses the confidence of his sovereign; the number of the other ministers of state, or the Co-lao, depends upon the will of the emperor, but they seldom exceed five or six; these ministers and the chief presidents of the supreme tribunals, together with the principal officers in the army and navy, compose the first order of mandarins.

The council-chamber of the co-lao is adjoining the emperor's hall of audience; subordinate to this council there are six supreme courts or tribunals, the chief presidents of which report all their proceedings to the co-lao, for the information and decision of the emperor: to these six courts, or tribunals, are confided the superintendence of the various branches of state affairs, and each has its separate department.

The first supreme court is called Lei-pow, and to it is confided the selection of mandarins for all the provinces, and conducting the correspondence with them it is subdivided into four departments; the first selects the mandarin; the second examines into the conduct of those in office; the third seals official documents, delivers official seals to the various mandarins on their appointments, and examines the seals of all official documents and correspondence, before they are submitted to the chief president of the lei-pow; and the fourth examines into the merits and conduct of the princes of the blood, and all the mandarins.

The second supreme court is called How-pow, or treasury; this court