Part 8

"Granted, with the limitations;" said the surgeon. "When a father brings up his child with a proper affection, affection from the offspring ought to be expected; but in no case has the parent a right to implicit obedience, unless he has so acted, and the law he wishes to make absolute is such as will not affect the welfare of the child. In many instances the son possesses more intelligence than the father; and yet, if parental subjugation were allowed, the wise must be held in subjection by the opinion of the ignorant."

"I should imagine such a form of government likely to be very ancient;" observed Oriel.

"It is unquestionably of great antiquity, and derived from the patriarchal ages, when the oldest member of the family held supreme authority over the rest;" responded Fortyfolios.

"About as much as the ocean has originated from the drops of rain that fell from the sky, don't you see;" added the doctor.

"I maintain that the progenitors of the Chinese were a nomadic race;" said the professor rather sharply.

"Granted; and what then?" inquired the surgeon, in his usual good-humoured manner.

"That they were a collection of single families," continued Fortyfolios.

"So are all nations at the present time, don't you see;" remarked the doctor.

"Not in the manner which existed at the age to which I allude;" rejoined his antagonist. "Every man dwelt in his own tent, surrounded by his children and his children's children, and wandered with his herds and flocks, to wherever he could find them sufficient pasturage. He governed as a monarch with power of life and death, and the rules he found necessary to preserve his government he transmitted to his successor; till, the family increasing, it was found necessary that they should separate into distinct divisions, each having its own father or ruler, and, residing for mutual protection near each other, they constituted tribes. The rules, which the experience of the first father had found necessary for maintaining his authority, had been conveyed with modifications and additions through his successors, till they became possessed by the elders of the tribe, in whom all wisdom and government resided; until the increase of their numbers, and the want of sufficient accommodation, induced them to invade the more desirable territory of other tribes; and then it was that he who distinguished himself most in this warfare obtained supremacy over the rest, and having conquered other tribes, and rendered himself by his superior bravery the object of fear and admiration, he became king of all the people who acknowledged his rule, and governed them by the laws that had existed previously in his own particular family or tribe."

"A very plausible hypothesis, but nothing more, don't you see;" replied the doctor. "Doubtless all societies originated in one family, the supreme head of which did what he thought fit; but I doubt much whether he exercised such an authority as could sacrifice a life for an offence real or imaginary; or created any code of laws for the government of his relations. He did only what he thought necessary for the time; and whether that constituted a precedent or not, it is not easy to determine. The punishment which would be necessary at one time, might not be thought necessary at another, don't you see. Where the judge is absolute, and has no constitution to guide him, it is the mood in which he may be when called upon to judge, that makes the sentence severe or mild; and every judge, being independent of any higher authority, and liable to act from prejudice or partiality, would create nothing but inconsistent decisions, which could never be tolerated as a code of laws. It is opinion that creates law. The heterogeneous mass of absurdities that the few promulgate to hold the many in subjection would not be tolerated except in a state of perfect slavery. Where there is any intelligence among the people, and intelligence must make its appearance sooner or later, every law that is found existing passes the ordeal of public opinion, and if it be unwise or unjust, it will not be regarded or its abrogation will be enforced. The multitude have a better notion of the difference between right and wrong, than is generally supposed; and nothing is so productive of a clearness of distinction in these things among the people than a proper simplicity and applicability of the laws by which they are governed. It is intelligence that produces opinion, don't you see--and opinion that creates law--and law cannot long exist in opposition to opinion."

While the disputants were intently engaged in their argument, Oriel Porphyry and Zabra had walked to another part of the deck, where the captain and his lieutenant were giving orders about the management of the vessel.

"Fine old country, this, captain;" said the young merchant.

"Yes, sir," replied Hearty: "fine old country, certainly. They do say it's as old as Methusalem; but I never was in sight o' that coast, therefore can't say what difference there may be between 'em."

"You have been in this part of the world before, I should suppose?" inquired Oriel.

"Many times," responded the old man: "I knows the place well. I've been afloat ever since I was a small craft as could hardly steer without capsizing; and there arn't many seas in the world as I haven't been over. John Chinaman and I are 'ticular acquaintances, because I've seen a good deal on him. He's rather smart in his own notions o' himself, but he makes a good reefer when aboard, and he'll carry like a steam engine when ashore. Often when I've landed at this port from one or other o' your father's ships, I've seen him bearing sich loads as 'ould make a horse's back bone unkimmen ticklish. We're enterin' the river now; and after sailing a few points west of north, we shall be nigh upon the first bar, from whence we must steer due west to Whampoa, where we shall cast anchor. You'll have then to go about ten miles to the Factories, to which you must proceed in boats."

"What strange looking ships these are;" remarked Zabra, pointing to several vessels they were passing.

"Ay, they are very queer shaped craft," said the captain. "But John Chinaman's no great shakes at ship-buildin', although he thinks he's wonderful. Look at that heavy lumbering junk. She looks like a great thick-headed old muff, as does'n't know his helm from his taffrail. The Albatross would take the conceit out o' her in no time. And look at these here outlandish looking barges--there's no sense in 'em."

"The country has rather an interesting character;" observed Oriel.

"It's all accordin' to taste," replied Hearty.

"These here islands o' sand ar'nt 'ticularly lovely to my thinking; and I can't abide the ugliness o' the craft."

"In what manner do these people now behave to foreigners?" inquired Zabra.

"Why it ar'nt quite so bad as what I've read on in ancient history;" said the captain. "They've had a sick'ner for coming that sort o' fun; but they coil up their noses pretty stiffish even now. They allow travellers to wander about and examine their notables, which they did'nt use to do; but I should recommend any fellow, who's more nor ordinary 'quisitive, to look out for squalls. I have heard say as people ha' been missed who was axing their way through the country; and not a spar or a bolt-rope on 'em ever heard on again."

"About five years ago I was in this here part o' the world," said Climberkin, joining in the conversation; "and I had a very narrow escape o' bein' done for in that fashion. I was bo'sun aboard the Whittington, a reg'lar tip top merchantman, as Master Porphyry had in the China trade at that time, and after a wearisome cruise I had been jollificating up the country with a few mates, when I came alongside as smart a piece o' China ware as ever I clapped my eyes on. Well, she did'nt understand none o' my lingo, and I could'nt circumnavigate any o' her'n; but we had signals flying at our eyes like winkin', and we pretty soon heaved to, and were yard arm and yard arm, and looked at each other till all was blue again. I discovered that she belonged to the crew o' a man-tea-maker's 'stablishment, and got her livin' pretty comfortable, by alays 'turnin' over a new leaf (though she never did nuffin wrong to sinnify); and so I thought as how if that was the way o' sailin', I might bring her to book wi' her own leave, without any botheration whatsomdever. Just as I was making way in the business, I received a 'munication from one o' my mates, who was up to their lingo, that some half a dozen o' the Chinamen with whom she 'sociated, were on a reg'lar take in about my consortin' wi' her, and had entered into a 'spiracy to nail down the hatches on my goings on. Me and my little frigate were in the habit o' cruisin' in a grove o' prime timber, by the side o' a rice field, and it was here-about's that the man-tea-makers thought o' dishing me as strong as could be; but I took care that they should meet wi' a mighty difference. After preparin' every thin' as was necessary, I got my mates to lie in ambush, and began a courtin' a way in a style as would make the jealousy rise out o' a dead nigger. I had'nt been long at this here fun, when up comes the whole lot on 'em screechin' like mad, and they bears down upon me threatenin' the most completest spiflification as you can imagine. Their eyes flared up most immensely. Their teeth seemed playing at knives to grind; and they whirled about monstrous bludgeons that would have made no bones o' me, had I suffered 'em to scrape my acquaintance. My cretur struck her flag and down she went; but before the teapots came to close quarters, I put my bo'sun's whistle into play; and pulled out a pair of 'do-for-you's,' as my mates coming up and showing the same signs o' welcome, surrounded the poor devils in such a way as they could'nt move no how."

"And what did you do with your rivals?" inquired Oriel, considerably amused by the lieutenant's narrative.

"Why, I'd al'ays heard it recommended to do as you'd be done by," replied Climberkin; "so we got the sticks from the Chinamen, and took the flavour out on 'em in a manner as left 'em nuffin to complain of. But we wern't satisfied with such an act o' justice. You must know that each o' these tea-dealers has a tail to his head, from two to three feet long, o' which he is as proud as is a peacock o' his tail, and shaves all the rest o' his cranium as smooth as glass. Knowin' this, we'd brought lots o' rosin and twine; and, while some o' our chaps made 'em lump it if they didn't like it most considerably, we spliced them all together from the small ends down'ards, for several inches, strong and tight as a patent cable; then, seeing a tree close at hand with the loveliest fork possible for our purpose, we hauled 'em up wi' ropes over the branch till half on 'em hung on one side and half on the tother, by nuffin in the world but their own precious tails. Didn't they raise a bit of a shindy! Such howlin', such squallin'--such kickin', such scratchin'--such a reg'lar rowdy-dow no set o' humans ever made afore. And there we left 'em, as the ancient poet says, wi' each partic'lar hair standin' on end, while we crowded all sail to our own ship."

"It was rather too bad of you, lieutenant," said the merchant's son, attempting unsuccessfully to look grave; "and I wonder you did not get yourself into trouble in consequence."

"Why it did raise a smartish bit o' a bobbery," replied Climberkin; "but we all kept so snug aboard, and sailed so soon arter, that not one on us were diskivered."

"We shall anchor immediately," said the captain, returning to the group he had left to speak to the pilot. "Is it your wish, sir, to go ashore?"

"I must be at Canton without delay," rejoined Oriel Porphyry.

"Man the galley, and get a boat's crew ready to proceed up the river," shouted Hearty to the second lieutenant.

"Ay, ay, sir," was the ready reply; and while the boat was lowered into the sea, and all her appurtenances provided, Zabra and his patron made their arrangements for landing on the Chinese territory.

CHAP. VII.

A CHINESE POET.

In an elegant room, the floor of which was covered with clean white matting, while the furniture, consisting principally of a divan or sofa, mirrors, pictures, couches, Japan tables, and large porcelain vases, was of a superior description, cross-legged on the divan, eating sweetmeats from a small silver saucer, richly chased, which he held in his hand, sat a young man, of less than the ordinary stature, with a countenance that seemed possessed of a perpetual melancholy. He was dressed with the most studied effect. He wore a robe of dark rich silk, and over it a vest of delicate blue satin, beautifully figured. Upon his head, which was shaved, with the exception of a long lock of hair that hung from the crown over the shoulder, was a small black cap of fine felt, with the brim turned up, and the crown, of a conical shape, covered with a fringe of scarlet silk, having a peculiar button in front. Below wide trowsers were seen stockings of silk, remarkably thin, having their feet cased in small slippers of embroidered satin; and round his waist was a girdle, drawn very tight, to which was appended a small gold case, a purse, and a pouch of silk. Opposite to him sat Oriel Porphyry and Zabra, in their usual dresses, also eating sweetmeats from similar saucers.

"What an ineffable felicity I enjoy in being able to speak your language," observed the young Chinese.

"I have no doubt you find it an advantage in your communication with foreigners," replied the merchant's son.

"An advantage!" exclaimed the other rapturously. "By the great Fo, 'tis the most superlative of enjoyments. I bless the gods that my mother was an Anglo-Indian, and that she conferred on me the exquisite gratifications arising from proficiency in the use of her language. My father passed a great portion of his life in India, and acquired a facility in its pronunciation which is rarely obtained by a Chinese; so that I was born with extraordinary advantages."

"You were fortunate, certainly," added Oriel.

"Fortunate! By the immaculate tail of Confucius, I was favoured beyond all experience," cried his host.

There being nothing more to say on that subject, at least so the young merchant thought, he inquired--"Your father, I suppose, will be here shortly?"

"He is paying his devotions at the neighbouring temple. Long Chi enjoys a religious reputation, and he loves the society of holy men. But I was telling you of the indescribable happiness I possess in having acquired a proficiency in my mother tongue," added Long Chi the younger. "I am blest with a poetic genius."

"Indeed!" exclaimed Zabra, with some surprise.

"Wonderful as it may appear, the fact is what I have stated," replied the young poet, putting down the silver saucer on a small japanned table before him, and opening the pouch at his side, from which he took a bundle of papers. "I may say that my compositions have attracted an extraordinary degree of attention in the world of letters. They are considered phenomena in literature, I assure you. Do not imagine I wish to overrate their value. I should not think of such a thing for the thousandth part of a moment; and to prove this to you, allow me to enrapture you with some of my effusions."

"Certainly," said Oriel, expecting at least to be amused.

"The effort of a profound sublimity I am about to breathe into your enlightened ears, you will have the intellectual discrimination to observe, is a perfect specimen of the true Anglian pastoral," remarked Long Chi. "It has been created by that etherial sense of delicious enjoyment which your ancient poets called love. She for whose immaculate glorification it was called into existence, is a combination of miraculous excellencies--an incarnation of inconceivable perfections; and therefore your superior sagacities must not deem it at all more than ordinary extraordinary, if the merits of this indestructible conception fill you with a ravishing amazement."

"From what you have said I should expect something particularly clever," observed Zabra, evidently considerably amused by the poet's phraseology.

"Clever!" exclaimed the young Chinese, with emphatic fervour. "By the great Fo you will find it supernaturally perfect." Then arranging a rumple in his vest, and taking a glance of satisfaction at the reflection of his person in a large mirror beside him, with a slow and careful enunciation of each word, and a peculiar wave of the hand to mark the measure, the melancholy poet read the following verses:--

"Have you seen my Fee Fo Fum, Tell me did she this way come? She it is of whom I speak Hath a pink on either cheek; In the middle of her face Is a flower of nameless grace, Which the name of nose hath known, And blooms the brightest when 'tis blown. And her eyes are garden plots Filled with young forget-me-nots, That by lovers' eyes are found Flow'ring all the seasons round. Shepherds did she this way come? Have you seen my Fee Fo Fum?

"If below her nose you look, There's a little rosy nook; Two twin buds half open ask, Smiling, for some fondling task, While within, in each row, The lilies of the valley grow. Just beneath them both begins The blossom of the best of chins; Fair and round, and smooth as silk, And like a peach fresh bathed in milk. Shepherds, did she this way come? Have you seen my Fee Fo Fum?

"Breast of mutton, breast of veal, All your merits now conceal; What can ye afford to taste Half so pleasant, half so chaste, As the dainty bits that lie Hid from epicurean eye? What to them compared are ye, Calipash and calipee? Go! the sweeter flesh I've known Wants no sauce to coax it down. Shepherds, did she this way come? Have you seen my Fee Fo Fum?

"She of whom I'm in pursuit Hath to these a foot 'to boot;' Such a foot! 'tis like a rose, Budding out with five small toes. Calf's foot, likened as a treat, To a jelly it would beat: She hath two--but my regard Makes each foot excel a yard-- Go any lengths it might reveal, Save when she turns upon her heel. Shepherds, did she this way come? Have you seen my Fee Fo Fum?"

"It certainly is a superlative composition," remarked Zabra, attempting to conceal a laugh.

"I can safely say I never heard any thing like it," added Oriel in a similar tone.

"I entertained an incipient conviction that you would find it marvellously admirable," replied the poet, elevating his head, and stroking his mustachios. "'Tis ineffably divine, is it not?"

"Beautiful!" exclaimed both, looking at each other with a smile of peculiar meaning.

"Beautiful!" echoed Long Chi, raising his voice and eyebrows. "By the invulnerable tail of Confucius, 'tis something for which a name cannot be found. But exquisitely perfect as it may be, here is a production that excels it in the very unapproachableness of its excellence."

While the two friends listened with admirable patience, the young Chinese unfolded another paper, and read with the same gravity these lines:--

"When first we met 'twas in the spring, When dicky birds begin to sing, When nature dishes up her greens To make removes for rural scenes; And teaches, with unaltered brows, When trees take leaf, to make their boughs; Then first I met thee passing by, Then first I had thee--in my eye.

"When next we met 'twas summer time, When trees, well loaded, seemed to prime; And other plants just taking root, Meaning no harm, began to shoot; When beans their hollow 'shells' would doff, And marrow fats were going off; Then first our hearts were growing warm, Then first I had thee--arm in arm.

"'Twas autumn when we met again, When sunshine parched the peas and plain; When plums are blooming on the wall, And into flour would gladly fall; When apples are to fritters torn, And earth's square feet feel many a corn: Then first did I forget my fears, Then first I had thee--box my ears.

"I saw thee last when winter, nice In eating, loves to have his ice; When 'cold without' comes near and far, And all his sweetmeats frosted are, To ballot when the white balls roll Unask'd for, hastening to the poll: Then first I 'broke the ice,' and then Was I the happiest of men."

"That exceeds the last certainly," said Oriel Porphyry, amused with the perfect gravity with which the poet read his verses.

"It appears to me quite a new style of poetry," remarked Zabra, with as much seriousness as he could assume.

"Unquestionably! it is novel in the novelest degree," replied Long Chi, smiling with all the graciousness of gratified vanity. "I may with the most complete justice lay claim to be the origin in which originated its originality. I have studied sublimity. By the great Fo, I may say that; and I have found the sublime in every individual natural thing that is in nature; but in cookery and confectionary it predominates, as must be evident to the inquisitive investigation of any man of taste. It is the opinion of the most discriminative judges, that no writer of serious poetry can compete with me."

"In that opinion every one must coincide," observed Zabra.

"There can be no question on the subject," added Oriel.

"Who shall say you are barbarians, when you exhibit such a superabundant knowledge of the beautiful?" exclaimed the Chinese, with all the energy he could assume. "I am immeasurably enraptured to notice such an admirable judgment; and, as an additional proof of the satisfaction I receive from your friendly attention, I will still, to a much more infinite extent, delight your auditory nerves with one of the most serious of my efforts in serious poetry. Mark the true sublime; mark it well, and see how splendidly it agrees with the magnificent subject. It is an ode to a sugarplum."

The poet unfolded another paper; and the young merchant shrugged up his shoulders, as he heard its contents read with the same tone and manner as its predecessors.

"How shall I grasp a subject so immense? No power of human sense, Not all the vast Ideas within the Present and the Past-- Not algebra's most unknown quantity could give the sum Of greatness in a sugar plum!

"What with its sweetness can compete? How much it beats the beet! Shall manna dare, Wanting in manners, with it to compare? And honey's linked sweetness, long drawn out, is all a hum, 'Tis nothing to a sugar plum!

"Who can deny the sense of truth It gives the tongue of youth? It hath the praise Of being always candied in its ways, And stops the carping critic's mouth till he becometh dumb, Delighted with a sugar plum!

"Comfit, come fit my mouth, and I In thy sweet praise will try My hand at feet, With anxious aim to make the metre meet, Till Arabic, or any other diff'rent sort of gum, Shall water for a sugar plum.

"Muse, if thy musings can prevail, I'll at it tooth and nail; I have no nerves Of taste for syrups, jellies, or preserves; Oh, let them go to pot, say I, as so much worthless scum, They cannot make a sugar plum.

"Bull's eyes may stick within the shop, And so may lollapop, Elecampane Unsucked within its bottles may remain; And barley sugar, brandy balls, or even balls of rum, I'd spurn to get a sugar plum.