had bn n carefully built lip with hridta at (lie depth 

 or four five feet. The lid was firmly luted, hut on 

 being handled, 1he vessel crumbled nearly to pietaft. 

 Within il was found tlie tiirinv of* a foul constructed 

 of thin silver wire, which also i< 11 to pieces 00 being 

 haiirih <l. nut the bill and feet were perfect, being 

 made of an alloyed metal, chiefly gold. 



That very intelligent traveller, and almost universal 

 linguist, Mr. Gitlzhifl', observes of the ( 'hi nest:, that 

 k * tin > are a very irreligious but mosl Hiperslitious 

 people;** — OT t aa a phrenologist would «&$ — they are de- 

 li jeih in the organ of veneration ; unless superstition, 

 trilich i fear, has not a chamber in the same Of gin. 



The Chhiese do certainly treat religious matters 

 as pastimes; and it is best that they should do so with 

 such objects of adoration as their pantheon presents 

 to their eyes and understandings. A Chinese, on a 

 festival day, may be seen with a smiling face salam- 

 ing to one of the images or paintings of a diviuii y. 

 lie will break off from these devotions should any tfcflig 

 amusing occur; ahU where thousands are roller n d 

 and sport* of all kind* are being exhibited, this easily 

 happen*. 



Although Booddhism be the state religion of 

 China, am! there are a few tutelar and other deittej 

 orsnipped there, still it should seem that tots bulk 

 of the people is composed of 1 1 1 1 1 * better man de~ 

 moiioingists, and spirit-worshippers j and that they 

 au ■ toveterafeh attached to judicial astrology, to divi- 

 i; itkm. gwnnaimy, necromancy; to the making of offer- 

 ings to the sjnrits of earth, air and water ; to amulets, 

 eneha^itu«bts, tm absurd propitiations. 



AuvioMsueh a Whrrtn^i of effort, how can ii be 

 expected that the obscured mental rfeionofa < hi- 

 uese should appreciate the sacredness of truth ! 

 We now come to the Siamese. It has been Iiefort 



