394 Miscellanies. 
large saloon from the remainder of the great ground floor of their 
houses. It is richly gilt, and ornamented with Chinese paintings on 
silk, inserted in the pannels; and is mounted above with small square 
gilt apertures ; in these latter are inserted paintings of boats and gor- 
geous flowers. ‘Fhe screen forms a beautiful termination to this end 
of the room; _the full effect bursts upon the eye of the visitor after 
passing the folding door. Hours, nay, days and weeks, may be pro- 
fitably employed in examining the details within this magnificent sa- 
loon, which brings the most populous nation of Asia at once before 
the view of the spectator. 
'. Accurate likenesses in clay. —The visitor is first attracted byt the 
accurate and characteristic whole size Chinese figures of various 
rank, from the mandarins to the cooleys, from women of distine- 
tion, to those sculling their boats on the rivers. These are in num- 
ber seventy or eighty, and were made by a very experienced artist in 
this line, from living subjects. The material of the faces and hands 
is a prepared substance, so well adapted to the operation of moulding, 
as to take the impression perfectly and retain it permanently ; the 
faces are colored to nature, mounted with hair, &c., and each presents 
a speaking countenance in a style of art perfectly novel in this coun- 
try or Europe. These figures are neatly arranged in groups, arrayed 
in their appropriate costumes, some of them extremely rich, while 
others exhibit the working and every-day’ dress of the lower orders. 
The effect of this department is to exhibit to the spectator the in- 
habitants of China-as they really exist.. Great care was taken in pro- 
curing the likenesses, and about three years of the time of the propri- 
etor were oecupied in bringing them to perfection; his head carpen- 
ter, and other workmen about the factories, were pointed out to us, 
and many co conspicuous characters of China street, &c. will 3 itl 
nized at once by those ‘who have been: to Canton. Bearers of a se- 
dan chair, itself a perfect specimen in all its parts of ornament and 
utility, are in the act of carrying a a native gentleman, accompanied by 
his pipe-bearer and footman. 
Porcelain and earthen ware manufacture—In this department, 
endeavors have been successfully made to procure the best specimens 
of all the most expensive manufactures of the country, embracing sev- 
eral very ancient and highly esteemed articles. There are also those 
articles in common use for domestic purposes, to ornament grounds, 
fish-ponds, or used as flower stands, seats, &c. A very interesting 
fact will be developed by this section, showing that the art of porce- 
lain manufacture has been on the retrograde for the last century or 
two; it will also serve to show, ies many of the most ornamental 
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