530 
of pens made of quills, but camel’s-hair ~ 
brushes tied to the end of a piece of slen- 
der cane, which they hold in their hands 
in a very curious manner, quite different 
from our method of holding the pen. 
The Chinese paperis very thin, pliable, 
smooth, and delicate, and ina hot country 
is preferable to European paper, which 
in India particularly, is very rarely fit to 
write upon. It scems that the great eva- 
poration of moisture from the surface of 
the earth in these countries, occasioned 
by the intense’ heat of the sun, impreg- 
nates the bibulous paper of Europe with 
water, and is the cause of the ink sink- 
ing on it. Whereas the Chinese paper 
having a fine glossy surface, the pores of 
which are consequently blocked up, the 
moisture is not imbibed; and hence its 
superiority over the European, and that 
kind of the latter, called vellum, or 
glazed over the rough or porous. The 
above-mentioned evaporation is likewise 
the cause of all kinds of metals rusting 
so much more in hot climates than incold. 
It is said that tradesmen are obliged 
to confitie themselves to particular streets 
according to their occupations; but with 
very few exceptions this is not the case, 
at least in the suburbs, for in almost every 
street you may see a variety of ditferent 
kinds of shops and manufactures inter- 
mixed. Cabinet-makers, indeed, seem 
to be an exception, as they generally oc- 
cupy streets by themselves; and some 
other streets are entirely filled with pain- 
ters and picture-shops. 
The ivory manufactures always engage 
a stranger’s attention, when at Canton ; 
and in these the Chinese are allowed to 
excel all other nations. Their fans in 
particular are exquisitely formed of 
Ivory, tortoise-shell, filagree and sandal 
wood; besides a kind called japanned 
fans. Of these the filagree are esteemed 
the most, at least they are the dearest, 
being twenty dollars each. Next the 
tortoise-shell, fifteen dollars; ivory, from 
6ix to fourteen dollars each; and sandal 
wood, one dollar each. 
These are what are called first chop 
fans; others of inferior workmanship may 
be got much cheaper. It is astonishing 
with what dexterity they put on cyphers 
and coats of arms to any article; they 
are the most exact copyers in the world, 
and are always provided with books of 
heraldry, whereby they are enabled to 
delineate any figure in the most correct 
manner. 
Their porcelain or China ware, it is 
well known, has not the attractions it 
wsed to possess; indeed the Chinese 
Journal of a Voyage in the Indian Séas. 
[July 1, 
themselves, in a tacit kind of manner, 
allow our Wedgewood, &c. to be equal 
if not superior to their own long-boasted 
manufacture; ef course, to curiosity, 
more than avy thing else, they are nov 
indebted for what they annually export 
to England. 
Painting is a very favourite art im this 
city, especially in oil colours, both on 
canvas and glass. It is curious to see 
them painting on the back of the latter 
substance, where things are so reversed, 
that one would suppose it an awkward or 
dificult thing to accomplish, yet they ma- 
nage it with as much facility as if paint-. 
ing on canvas. 
It is singular that not one of their own 
landscapes is painted at all according to 
the rules of perspective, of which they 
do not appear to have the slightest idea; 
yet they copy all kinds of European draw- 
ings with infinite exactness. 
They are celebrated for their happi- 
ness in taking the most striking hke- 
nesses, drawing every feature with great 
correctness. Notwithstanding which, 
they seldom give satisfaction; and this is. 
probably owing to their sittmg down on 
these occasions, to delineate the features, 
and not to flatter the vanity of their cus- 
tomers, like some of our fine miniature 
painters! 
There are therefore many laughable 
scenes between the Chinese and Euro- 
peans on these subjects, when one of the 
1 
\ 
latter begins to find fault with a likeness, 
the China-man generally answers him by 
saying, “ no hab got handsome face, how 
can hab, handsome picture, massa.”—~ 
(To be continued. ) 
eer 
To the Editor of the Monthly 
SIR, 
OMMON Sense has, in Number 
156, written so properly en a sub- 
ject with which, from my situation, I 
must be well acquainted, thatcommon 
justice to the public induces_me to trou- 
ble you with the following additional ob- 
servations on the subject ef his letter:-— 
Many years ago several persons were 
burnt, in consequence of being unable to 
get out of a house on fire in Bishopsgate- 
street, being afraid to leap from the win- 
dows. iturned- my thoughts to the mat- 
ter, and had directly (for the use of my 
family), in case of a fire, an apparatus 
made, by which the most timid, infirm, 
or sickly person could be let down safely, 
and with perfect decency (though merely 
in their night clothes) from any chamker 
to the street, &c. 
I had a strong board, of light deal, of 
two 
Magazine, 
