340 THEIR RELATIVE REQUIREMENTS. 



« 



tea, and the few agriculturists who have come 

 under ray observation at Canton and Macao. His 

 dress consists of various cotton garments, light for 

 summer and quilted for winter ; and he wears on 

 his head a strong and well-made bamboo or straw 

 hat, broad enough to protect him both from sun 

 and rain. Nor is he without his great coat, which, 

 though not made of costly materials, being of flags, 

 is nevertheless very effective in protecting him 

 from rain. 



It must by no means, however, be inferred, that 

 the condition of the Hindoo is one of privation ; 

 on the contrary, slender as are his means, they are 

 adequate to his wants : nor ought he to be disad- 

 vantageously contrasted with the labourer of China 

 as regards the ease and comforts of life. It is 

 evident that the wants of the two people are neces- 

 sarily and widely different ; that the climate of 

 China calls for more warmth, a greater variety of 

 clothing, and more animal food. These greater 

 requirements of the Chinese labourer have stimu- 

 lated his industry ; and being favoured by the in- 

 stitutions of his country, he has been enabled to 

 secure to himself a greater amount of the comforts 

 and conveniences of life than the Hindoo, if not 

 more than some Europeans. He is raised in the 

 scale of humanity ; he feels his independence ; he 

 must be proportionately remunerated ; and he is too 

 active in mind and body to sink into indolence or 

 apathy ; preferring, as a last resource, expatriation 

 to abject poverty. 



