NATIONAL CUSTOMS.
ILizum relates somewhere how two Lamers and two chimney- sweeps, meeting each other in the streets, burst out with uncon- trollable laughter; each overcome by the grotesqueness of the other
object. The reciprocal and contemptuous amusement of these two parties in the state of darkness only typifies the condition of two countries suddenly made acquainted with each other's customs: the most usual thing in the one country becomes outré and ludi- crous in the other. We, who have a plan of conducting our love- letters, it is said, on the principle of the commercial letter, are as- tonished at the Chinese plan of conducting such letters on the principle of the embossed card for advertisements in shops. The comparison is not perfectly easy to make, for this reason—that, excepting the very ludicrous compositions which occasionally make their way into the courts of law, English people have no general idea of the nature of English love-letters ; as it is the custom of the country to keep that species of literature entirely confined to the use of four eyes, so that a general style becomes impos- sible. In China, however, the polite letter-writer, whose influ- ence is extensive, has this department also under his wing, or "under the wing of the flying dragon," to use their own proper expression.
Indeed, there is some resemblance between a Chinese love-letter according to this description, and a species of love-letter amongst ourselves ; only that the Chinese apply our peculiar form to the more ceremonious correspondence interchanged between the pa- rents. The form appears to resemble a good deal our most orna- mented style of "valentines." When a match is concluded between two meritorious young persons, their parents exchange these valen- tines. Politeness appears to require in that land, which is re- markable for its common sense, a form which strikes us as very singular; the writer seems to be bound to say, rather early in his epistle, "I duly reverence your lofty door," or "I reverence your lofty gate." The distinction between England and China, here, LI rather in the statement than in the fact ; for there is no doubt that many of our parents engaged in matchmaking are much im- pressed by veneration either for the street-door of the wealthy parent in a good quarter or for the gate of the country residence. We do not state it, that is all.
We, like the Chinese, pique ourselves upon our modesty ; but it is not usual for an English parent to speak of his child, especially when he is the parent of the fair bride, as "my despicable daugh- ter "; nor does the father of the bridegroom call himself "the mean one." We conduct our marriage business according to the rules of propriety; but the Chinese, it appears, have arranged these rules of propriety into the number six—" the six rules of propriety "; which must be much more convenient than our inde- finite number, so difficult to be understood by neophytes. How easy it would be to behave properly in polite society, if there were only "six rules of propriety" to be remembered !
The Chinese promises that he will "reverently announce the business to his ancestors "; and here there is a distinction without a difference : we do not inform our ancestors—do not include them in the circle to whom we send silver-knotted cards ; but we consult their feelings and precedents. If we do not reverence our street-door in. terms, we rely much upon the hatchment.
There is a naïveté about these Chinese love-letters, which, as gentlemen connected with the press say, is "truly refreshing." In the midst of the business one parent hopes that "the union will last a hundred years, and realize the delight experienced by the union of the two countries, Chin and Chin,"—the punning rogue ! The other suddenly launches forth into a statement, that "the peach-flowers just now look beautiful, the red plum also looks ga3r-"
Much, however, in the right estimation of these customs and ceremonies must depend upon our translation of terms for which we have no equivalents, and perhaps of metaphors or other rhetori- cal figures. Our own customs, quite intelligible to us, must per- plex the foreigner sadly as they are sometimes told.
For example—at Clerkenwell a person accuses a woman of steal- ing goods "under circumstances of gross ingratitude "; and the prosecutor gravely proposes that the woman should be punished as "a base impostor, who ought to be made an example of for the protection of others." Couple this with the statement of Voltaire that Admiral Byng was hanged "pour encourager lea autres," and the Chinese investigator of English customs would have a decided idea that we use punishment as a premium, and consider impostors persons to be protected ; especially if he has read Free-trade rhetoric about the imposture of" protection."
But another paper relates a still more singular ceremony. Our own readers are aware that small dealers keep stalls in certain streets of London, and that the Police just now are engaged in try-
ing to clear the pavements. There is a feeling of compunction for these poor persons ; and some tradesmen of Tottenham Court
Road, not desiring this sudden ousting of their rivals, have inter-
ceded with Sir Richard Mayne. He received the deputation courteously, but said he could only act as a coadjutor to "the
Paving Commissioners." "For his own part, he was in favour of
a gradual or natural abatement of the obstruction by death". which the Oriental reader will understand to mean by the bow- string; and he will then read—" This statement was received with satisfaction" ; whence he will have an Oriental view of Eng- lish humanity. But the last statement, as exemplifying the satis- faction of the deputation, will still more amaze him, if he has any practical knowledge of the coarse linen cloth from which one me- taphor is derived. "It was agreed to canvass the shopkeepers on the subject, in the hope "--{" What strange people those English are!" the Chinese philosopher will cry}—" y}--" in the hope of making an impression on the Paving Board.'
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