Chap. XV. 
MANNERS OF CHINESE LADIES. 
249 
white, and frequently having flowers of both on one plant 
at the same time — while at other times the flowers are 
striped with the two colours. This will also be as hardy 
as our common China rose. 
We are generally led to believe that ladies of rank in 
this country are never seen by visitors. It is quite true 
that Chinese custom, in this respect, differs entirely from 
ours ; and that the females here, like those of most half- 
civilised or barbarous nations, are kept in the back- 
ground, and are not considered as on an equality with 
tlieir husbands. For example, they do not sit at the 
same table ; when a "sing-song" or theatrical perform- 
ance is got up, they are put in a place out of view, 
where they can see all that is going on and yet remain 
unseen. But for all this they are not entirely secluded 
from society ; at least they used frequently to honour 
me with their presence, and crowd round me with the 
greatest curiosity. At first they used to be extremely shy, 
and only took sly peeps at me from behind doors and 
through windows ; by and by, however, their strong 
curiosity conquered their bashfulness, and then they 
used to stand and look on very composedly. They 
generally, however, kept at a little distance, and, when- 
ever a movement was made towards where they stood, 
they pretended to be vastly frightened, and ran away ; 
but they soon came back again. 
During the summer which had now passed by I had 
had frequent opportunities of inspecting the tombs of 
the Chinese both in the northern and southern districts. 
In the south the natives form no regular cemeteries or 
churchyards, as we do in Europe, but the tombs of the 
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