THE CHINESE COLLECTION, OR MUSEUM.
THE attention of persons passing along Knightsbridge has been lately attracted by a Chinese house, resplendent with gold and bright colours, its roof and veranda turned up at the corners, painted green, and sup- ported on columns of red with dragon-shaped brackets—a novel and striking object, and not inelegant. This fanciful structure, an accurate model of the exterior of a Chinese summer-residence, is the entrance- hall to an exhibition of extraordinary beauty and interest ; offering at one view an epitome of Chinese life and character, arts and manufac- tures, scenery and natural productions. Passing through a vestibule, the visiter enters a lofty saloon, 225 feet in length by 50 in width, filled with the products of Chinese ingenuity, admirably arranged so as to present a gorgeous coup d•ceil ; all the details of which it takes two as three hours to scan superficially. A superb screen of carved work, richly coloured and gilt, and adorned with paintings, covers one end of the room ; the other is occupied by a spacious apartment in the summer- residence of a wealthy Chinese, elegantly furnished with every luxury, and in which the owner is entertaining his guests with pipes and tea : the figures are the size of life, and habited in proper costumes, such as are actually worn ; and the pavilion has an oval opening serving the office of door and window, and showing the country beyond. This is only one of several glazed apartments of smaller dimensions along the sides of the
saloon, filled with similar figures, portraits of individuals attired in the dresses of their respective ranks and callings, and engaged in their habitual occupations. For instance, on the left as you enter, is a silk- mercer's house and shop, such as you would see in the streets of Can- ton ; the owner casting a reckoning on the "calculating-dish," a cus- tomer handling some silk, the clerk making an entry, and a lounger enjoying the pipe and tea that are placed for the use of droppers-in ; while a servant is arranging the tea-table for the master, who takes all his meals in his shop, and a blind beggar at the door is waiting for the charitable dole that he is sure of receiving when he has wearied out the patience of the almsgivers with beating together his bamboo sticks. Next door is a china-shop, with a display of wares that the mercer's does not boast, the silks in the latter being neatly packed up on the shelves. On your right hand, three colossal figures of gold, seated under the su- perb canopy of a joss-house or temple, and representing the " three pre- cious Buddhas," or Trinity of Buddha—the past, present, and future deities of the world—arrest the attention. Adjoining the temple, a Mandarin of the first-class, his head uncovered as a mark of superiority, and attended by his Secretary, is seated receiving a visit from two Mandarins of the lower class in state robes, who stand and wear their caps in token of respect. The next glass-case encloses several varieties: a gentleman in full mourning apparel—literally clothed in sackcloth—and showing the traces of sorrow and mortification in his face, attended by his servant bearing " the mourning lamp," stands between two priests of different sects, contending, as we may suppose, who shall best console the mourner : the spiritual powers are flanked by representatives of the temporal, in the shape of a Chinese soldier with his matchlock and a Tartar archer. A group of literati, enjoying a version of /Esop's Fables, affords an opportunity for introducing a pair of book-cases—the Chinese have every thing in pairs ; the lower compartment well-filled with books piled one on the other, their titles written on the edges, and the upper forming open cabinets. A party of ladies in full dress, with flowers in their hair, smoking, playing the guitar, and taking tea, which is handed by female domestics, exhibits the richly-embroidered dresses of the Chinese belles, and their crippled feet, or "golden water-lilies," as these little wedge-shaped lumps of deformity are termed by the Chinese gallants : what seems the reticule is a tobacco-pouch. A Chinese tragedian, and two boys to represent women, serve to display the gorgeous quaintness of the costumes of the ancien regime which are always worn by the actors—not for their splendour merely, but because they dare not meddle with events that occurred since the last Tartar conquest : though mere strollers, and a despised caste, being vagabonds in a literal sense, the players are much encouraged, and their costumes are of the most costly and sumptuous description, as this display of the theatrical wardrobe exemplifies. Next to the stage an itinerant barber, cobbler, and blacksmith, are pursuing their several avocations, in company with a couple of that numerous class the boat-women ; one of whom carries her child on her back, and holds the gourd that is fastened to the little creature to buoy it up should it chance to fall into the water, as often happens among the boat-lodged population. Last we come to the sedan-chair ; which, having only two bearers, instead of four or eight, (the Emperor's dignity requires the support of sixteen,) proves its occupant to be only a private gentleman ; but the porcelain flower-vase, the mirror, and the servant carrying the lantern, show that comfort and elegance are both consulted : by the width of the sedan with its attendant, the visitor may estimate that of the streets of Canton, which just allow the pedestrian room to squeeze up to the wall and let the chair pass. Lanterns in infinite variety of decoration and size, from the balloon-shaped ones in common use to the " imperial state lantern," ten feet high, covered with carving, gilding, bead-work, and coloured silk-tassels, are suspended from the ceiling ; pictures to the number of three hundred and forty, including exquisitely-coloured miniatures on rice paper, paintings in water-colours and in oils, and some portraits and large landscapes with pictorial effects equal to Euro- pean art, are hung round the walls ; and as many as fifty glass-cases, enclosing an infinite variety of specimens of natural productions and works of art and manufacture, are ranged along the floor. Two chairs of state, with footstools richly carved and gilt and raised on a dais railed in and covered with imperial yellow, are conspicuous objects; above which hang a pair of magnificent lanterns, of matchless beauty and really elegant design. To give an idea of the multifarious con- tents of the cases, we may mention that they comprise some rare vases of porcelain ; a great variety of articles of furniture, dress, and bijouterie ; sumptuous saddle-housings, and warlike equipments; heaps of caps and shoes, fans and pipes, pouches and boxes ; books and musical instruments ; workmen's tools and implements of all sorts ; models of houses, bridges, pagodas, junks, and other craft ; irrigating and other machinery ; stuffed birds of superb plumage, painted butter- flies, shells, and a large collection of fish preserved in spirits. Gilt idols, rich draperies, a variety of Chinese inscriptions in all sorts of colours, and ornamented trellis-work, add to the splendour of the saloon. This
unique collection of Chinese curiosities was made by an American gen- tleman, NATHAN Huag, Esq., of Philadelphia, during a long residence
in China ; and in forming it he was facilitated by Howora and other Hong merchants, and a priest at Ronan, who entered into his views very zealously. At any time, such a musuem as this, giving an insight into the habits and arts of life of a people of whom we know so little, would be interesting; but at the present juncture it is most especially so. A few hours spent in studying the contents of this collection, with the aid of the descriptive catalogue, which is full of information, much of it original, will possess the visiter with an idea of the Chinese almost as complete and vivid as could be formed by a voyage to China. The object of Mr. Dam; in making this exhibition is not profit ; he only
seeks to cover the current expenses we have therefore no hesitation in urging upon him the expediency of lowering the price of the exhi- bition to a shilling, for the benefit of the thousands whom the payment of half-a-crown would prevent from visiting it. Even as a speculation, the " shilling " fee answers better.
Previous page
