398 Miscellanies. 



tion. The bookcases are made in excellent taste, of a dark wood 

 susceptible of a beautiful polish, and in some respects they may be 

 considered an improvement on our own. The chairs of difierent 

 forms, large and capacious, made of wood resembling mahogany, 

 with their appropriate cushions and footstools, are in a taste of re- 

 finement and comfort, which would have been creditable to some of 

 our forefathers of New England, into whose parlors they might have 

 been introduced without differing much from the fashion of fifty years 

 since. The stools without backs exhibit their adaptation to a south- 

 ern climate, in being partly composed of China ware, marble, and 

 wood. 



There are also tables, such as ornament the rooms of the wealthy, 

 gilt, and richly carved and painted ; stands, inlaid with marble or pre- 

 cious wood, such as are placed between every two chairs to hold the 

 tea apparatus, or those various little ornaments or flower pats, of 

 which the Chinese it will be seen, are so remarkably fond. There is 

 also a common table, such as is in universal use, and has been for cen- 

 turies, which will be recognized by our present generation as a fac- 

 simile of the favorite eight legged table of our great grandfathers, 

 now thrust by modern fashion into the kitchen or garret. It folds up 

 as those do, and the legs are turned in rings ; this, like a thousand 

 things in the saloon, proves that our common usages have been de- 

 rived from China, where we are accustomed to believe they are cen- 

 turies behind us. The vases and seats of porcelain are particularly 

 rich and unique. 



Natural history. — The brevity we have been obliged to use in the 

 foregoing enumeration, has prevented the mention of much that would 

 have interested the readers of this Journal, and we have to regret 

 that the department of natural history must be also merely touched 

 upon. It evinces the comprehensiveness of Mr. Dunn's plan to find, 

 that even in this particular, nothing has been omitted which time, 

 trouble, and expense could accomplish, and as one evidence among 

 many, of the laborious nature of the occupation of bringing these 

 things together, we may mention the care bestowed upon the numer- 

 ous objects of science here concentrated. 



A young gentleman of Philadelphia, well known there as an enthu- 

 siastic naturalist, Mr. William W. Wood, son of Mr. William Wood, 

 made his way to Canton in search of objects of interest, in the rea- 

 sonable expectation of bettering his condition. Mr. Dunn at once 

 sought his aid to perfect his collection, and employed his valuable 

 time for a very considerable period. He had a carte blanche to pro- 

 cure objects in natural history, yet some art and no little subterfuge 



