Ten Thousand Chinese Things: A Descriptive Catalogue Chinese Collection with Condensed Accounts of the Genius, Government, History, Literature, Agriculture, Arts, Trade, Manners, Customs, and Social Life of the People of the Celestial Empire

Excerpt from Ten Thousand Chinese Things: A Descriptive Catalogue Chinese Collection With Condensed Accounts of the Genius, Government, History, Literature, Agriculture, Arts, Trade, Manners, Customs, and Social Life of the People of the Celestial Empire

Gularity, that are combined in this vast magazine of curiosities and wonders. A single article will illustrate whole pages Of written de scription. The visitor appears to have the living Chinese in the images before him, and with a little imagination, to be moving and living among them. An hour passed with such curiosities, will afford even to the youthful and careless of enquiry, a more definite and permanent idea of these Tartar governed millions, than volumes of ordinary details. The eye and the mind are both enlightened at one and the same moment; and thus, as it frequently happens, an individual to whom it would be im possible to convey a notion of a certain machine or piece Of fancy work, by awritten description, has a full and perfect impression Of the entire object at a single glance. As a means of education, this enterprize is invaluable. It teaches by things rather than words. The images are visible and tangible, and, therefore, cannot be easily misunderstood. What immense labor for example, and what intricate details would be necessary to give an individual who had never seen such an invention, a correct idea of a ship in full sail. Yet, present the object to the eye, and alook would at once suffice to elicit admiration, and impart a more complete general knowledge, than page upon page of the most minute and elaborate com position. So with this collection. Here, we have not one Object, but thousands; not a single discovery, but an empire with all its variety of light and shade, its experience, its mind, and the results Of both, for four thousand years. Writers of the highest character have been con sulted, in preparing this volume. It is designed as a sort of mute guide and as the Observer passes from scene to scene, the interest may be varied from the eye to the mind, by turning from the Object before him, to the history or description of that object. A studious effort has been made to narrate nothing but facts, and thus to impart correct information. All fiction and romance have been carefully avoided; and what is stated, has in no instance been committed to these pages, unless on competent authority. At. Philadelphia, the collection was visited by hundreds of thousands, and in every instance, it is believed, with entire satisfaction.

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