Mr. BURFORD'S new panorama of Macao is attracting all the
town to Leicester Square ; and the "little 0" it encloses is sometimes incon- veniently crowded with visiters as the day advances ; the public being almost as curious to behold the scene of the squabbles between Com- missioner LIN and the Barbarian ELLtoT, as to see the site of the last murder. A brief mention of the private view of this attractive picture was made the week before last, but only in our second edition : we have since paid another visit to it, and took time to appreciate the skilful and effective painting. Macao is a very picturesque spot, for so small an island, or peninsulet rather ; the two hills, one crowned with a fort the other with a church, at each extremity of the crescent formed by the shore, are verdurous ; and the row of low white houses along the strand with green sun-blinds, and a church or two seen above their roofs, has a very pretty and snug look. Being a Portuguese settlement, and the abode of "foreign barbarians," Macao has nothing purely Chinese about it except the junks in the harbour, and an uncouth oblong box or two afloat, which the matting sails proclaim to be boats. But this place is only a knob on "the world's tea-pot ;" though it is one by which we may lift off the lid, and look in to see what is brewing there--and the hot -water's poured in by this time, no doubt. The Hyacinth and Volage frigates in the offing, the Portuguese merchantmen nearer in- shore than any other foreign traders are allowed to come, Lind the English cutters receiving on board passengers and luggage to be con- veyed to the ships, make a lively scene. The ludicrous appearance of the clumsy Chinese junks, with matting sails attached to bamboo yards, huge painted lanterns on their poop, and round shields painted with faces like the sign of the Sun to protect the rowers—contrasted with the tight and tall forms of the English vessels, in gallant trim—shows what fearful odds are on the side of the invaders : it looks like batter- ing toys to assail such gingerbread craft.
The picture, we are told, was painted in haste ; and it has not the finish of the view of Benares in the large circle; but what is wanting hi ela- boration is made up in spirit and power. The tide rushing in is admirably represented; and the waves under the bow of the cutter be- tween it and the shore are fluid and in motion. The warm tone of the landscape is very agreeable, and by contrast gives freshness to the sea atmosphere.
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