• GLITZLAFF'S VOYAGES ALONG THE COAST OF CHINA.

'Tuts volume affords a striking contrast to Mr. INGsrs's Channel Islands. Instead of lounging in a pleasure-place, the author has travelled and sojourned in faramtf and semi-barbarous

regions, the manners and customs of whose people are stranger and of a far remoter antiquity than the proudest feudalism can boast of. His "lodging was on the cold ground" very often; he trod not the deck of a well-appointed steamer, but, during part of his peregrinations, was cooped up in a Chinese junk, which in point of comforts and conveniences might rival Noah's ark. Yet his peregrinations, was cooped up in a Chinese junk, which in point of comforts and conveniences might rival Noah's ark. Yet the general reader will doubtless prefer the finished commodity of

Mr. INGLIS to the raw materials which Mr. GUTZLAFF has collected. The work of the former is the performance of a

highly-trained litterateur, whose trade is to observe, and to

dress up his observations. The Voyages along the Coast of China carry us back to olden times ; they remind us of the

narratives of the early travellers. There is a somewhat similar singleness of purpose and spirit of adventure, though devoted to less worldly objects and prompted by far higher purposes ; there is the same quiet submission to hardships, as mere matters of course; and something of the same baldness of style and defec- tireness of arrangement.

CHARLES GUTZLAFF is by birth a Prussian, and is employed (we believe) by the London Missionary Society to convert the

heathen. lie appears to combine the wisdom of the serpent with the simplicity of the dove. Ile is evidently earnest in his great task ; for which lie is well fitted, by his knowledge of medicine, an aptitude for acquiring languages, a constitution capable of sus- taining great fatigue, and a patience under privations which we suspect few Englishmen would display. Stationed at Siam for three years, he preached and prescribed to all classes of society, from the king on his throne to the slave in his hovel; meeting the greatest success amongst the poor and needy,—for though the nobility obeyed his physical directions and swallowed his prescrip- tions, they were disputatious upon points of doctrine. Having ac- quired the Chinese language, he turned his attention towards the spiritual wants—numerous enough—of the Chinese sailors and traders who frequented Siam. The death of his wife, his own ill health, and the offer of a passage, induced him to embark for China in a junk, notwithstanding the remonstrances of his Siamese friends, who predicted his murder. In this miserable conveyance, he proceeded on his first passage, down the Gulf of Siam, past the coast of Cochin-China, and along that of China, till he reached Kinchow ; landing wherever the crew remained to trade, in order to preach, prescribe, and distribute little books, and making the junk resound with his denunciations when on board. His second voyage was performed in the Lord Amherst,—a vessel fitted out, if we remember rightly, by the Company's Factory at Canton, to open up a commercial intercourse, if possible, with the " unau- thorized " ports of China, and to acquire information as to the best modes of conducting it. This vessel proceeded, in part, along the samecoast which he passed in the junk, but went no further than

Shaughee (lat. 31' 23', long. 121' 20'.) They then stretched across to Corea; and touched at the Loo-Clioo Islands on their re-

turn. His last voyage was made in the Sylph. The space passed over was much the same as before; but the vessel attained a more Northern latitude, reaching Leaou-Tung in Mantchou Tartary. For what purpose the ship was despatched, does not appear; and this narrative is the most meagre of the three.

The grand object of Mr. GUTZLAFF throughout was apostolic, and a great part of his book is occupied with accounts of his suc- cess. His discourses were listened to with attention : his exhor- tations against bad morals sometimes produce a temporary effect on individuals : his tracts (in Chinese) were taken and read with avidity when it was found they were not to be paid for. The good pastor himself deems he has sown seed that, if' not choked by tares, will fructify; and considers there is much promise for mis- sionary. .exertions in China; though it may be suspected that the politeness of the people, and their anxiety to hear some new thing if it could be had gratis, contributed to the sensation he excited— not to mention his character as physician.

The narratives, however, contain a good deal more than the ac- counts of his own exploits. He describes, though not very graphi- cally, the appearance of the country, the manners of the inhabi- tants, and their modes of living ; and we gather a tolerably dis- tinct notion of life in a junk. There is also some miscellaneous

information respecting Siam, which if not altogether new, is fresh ;

with a full account of the love or rather passion of the Chinese people for foreign trade, of the difficulties which the Government

throw in the way, and of the diplomacy by which the Mandarins conceal their weakness and their fear. On these points, Mr. GUTZ- L ATI is confirmatory of other accounts, which would represent the Company and the Celestial Court as singing the same song upon the inaptitude and aversion of the Chinese to commerce. Wher- ever he landed, lie found the people industrious; embarking in (to them) the most dangerous voyages, emigrating to distant coun- tries, and undertaking any employment or any trade which pro- mised a scanty gain. In most places, the natives were polite and friendly in the extreme; always curious, and desirous of trading when they had any thing to trade with; and at the larger empo- riums, the Lord Amherst's arrival was hailed with demonstrations of joy. Very little commercial advantage indeed resulted; but the captain and supercargo were fettered by their instructions and a kind of demi-official character. There appears nothing to prevent in- dividuals from carrying on a profitable commerce, by following the advice which the people pressed upon Captain REES and Mr. Lism- sass, and taking advantage of their experience. Sail into the harbour, without asking permission or regarding threats ; and anchor in the middle of the junks : do not request, but demand supplies, and freedom to dispose of the cargo. If this be done resolutely, and it be intimated that business shall be despatched quickly, the Mandarins will connive at or tolerate the doings, hurry off the ship, and then report that they have driven "the barbarians" away. But if hesitation be shown in the beginning, they will attribute it to doubt or fear, and will aim at tiring out the patience by diplo- matic delays, until they have committed themselves too far with the Court or the superior Mandarins inland, or until the arrival of the vessel is widely blown; in either of which cases, they will not dare to allow the people to communicate with the strangers, at all events for the purposes of exchange. This plan, however, is rather smuggling than commerce. If two great nations are to benefit by the interchange of each other's productions, it must be done on a more extensive scale than illicit dealing ; and the prac- tical conclusion from Mr. GUTZLAFF'S volume is, that we must either coerce the Chinese authorities (no very difficult matter), or establish a few settlements at convenient places on the unclaimed islands so numerous along the coast;* leaving to the Chinese the task of evading their customhouse-officers, in which they seem to be adepts.

• A paler on this rubjeet will be found in the Spectator. Vol. V. No. 199 (3d Mash 1532); and the plan is fully evolved in England and America.