#7 
Miscellanies. | B95' 
and beautiful specimens are rarely, if ever, exported. Formerly the 
emperors patronized the porcelain manufacture by very high premi- 
ums and extensive orders; the art has now dwindled to supplying 
commercial and domestic wants. There are here many hundred jars, 
vases, pipe-stands, and various services used by the Chinese, differing 
materially from those exported. The specimens of- ware cracked on 
the surface by age, are interesting and costly. There must be several 
thousand pieces of fine China, including the thin egg-shell cup with 
its lettered inscriptions, octagon a three or four feet in 
height, inscribed landmarks, tile work, screens, &c. &c., in very nu- 
merous patterns; affording us “ neha new ideas on the subject 
of their manufactures, and probably new patterns for our artists. 
Agricultural and other instruments.—We notice among the agri- 
cultural instruments the very crude plough, that is drawn by the buf- 
falo with his simple yoke and rope traces; the harrow, differing very 
materially from that of our country, is one of the accompaniments. 
There are forks, rakes, hoes, axes, shovels, spades of wood faced with 
iron for the sake of economy, &c.; a complete set of carpenter’s and 
joiner’s, or cabinet maker’s tools ; of the superiority of these over our 
own, we cannot say much. There is a native shoemaker’s shop com- 
plete ;, a blacksmith’s anvil, his curious bellows, &c., comprising the 
complete accoutrements of the travelling smith: the entire shop of 
the ambulatory barber, his clumsy, short razor, cases, &c..&c. e 
musica] instruments of the Chinese, also ‘figure i in full among the curi- 
osities. Castings of iron of very great beauty, consisting of pots, 
kettles, and other cooking utensils of universal use, and which, unlike 
our own of the same metal, may be mended at pleasure as ness as 
our own tin vessels, 
Here is a study of Chinese eaaibactares perfectly novel to an 
American, who will be surprised to find that the most simple opera- 
tion which he has been taught to believe can be performed only by 
a certain form, is equally well executed by another 
si a totally different figure ; the flat-iron, for instance, is more like 
our chafing-dish than what we employ for smoothing linen. We are 
amused to see the New England patent mouse-trap, that has. been 
used in China for ages. There are gongs, bells, metallic mirrors, 
and articles under this head. which nothing short of a most copious 
descriptive catalogue would embrace. 
Models of boats.—The ‘models of boats form a striking feature of 
the scene; first, we have the gorgeous flower boat with its numerous 
tions, various furnished apartments of comfort and luxury, and 
painted and adorned in the peculiar style of the Asiatics. 
