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    No. 421, April 17, 1858.] _ THE LEOE j. ...

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    IXSIDE CANTOX. rtiside Canton. By Dr. Yv...

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    The We/Vtj1eh, R L§ Obaunmtiona In Afete...

    "" \ nprise t » e popular philosophy on these topics , nnd it mny truly be said C \\ tin rothing are we more universally interested and of nothing more niversally ignorant than the weather . Whatever Arago has written has 1 t passed into the minds of those who discourse abroad , and remark upon the cold , "loom , damp , or splendour of the day . They leave unread all Futler ' s ' lore on isothermal lines , the centigrade scale , the minima and maxima of heat , anomalous currents , cirrus clouds , magnetic intensity , scud ? io " > antl cyc l ° - 'A'hey neglect Kiinitz , forget liumboldt , leave Drew ' upon the shelf , isolate Air . Glaisher within a limited circle of students , and venture to observe that there will probably be rain , or that the east wind dries up the face . Kow , it would be a great evil if , after the multiplication of treatises , people felt bound to converse in learned terms upon the weather , to quote Howard perpetually , or to keep Thomson in their pockets for consultation , to mark results daily at the homonymous hours , and never to lose a , point in tlie progression from haze to nimbus ; but it is desirable , since we must all talk of the weather , to know something about it and here is Mr . Leonard Jenyns , late Vicar of Swaffhain Bulbeck , in Camhridrreshire , who has kept a meteorological journal for nineteen years , and who

    Las reduced to clear simplicity tlie voluminousness of his special knowledge . Swa ffham Bulbeck is situated from seven to eight miles , east-north-east of Cambridge , upon the fenny borders of the county , and is about twenty feet above the level of the sea . At this place , during nineteen years , stood in an unchanged position one of Kutheribrd ' s self-registering thermometers ; but although JVJr . Jenyns ' s personal observations were local , his studies have been extensive , and he has supplied a most valuable contribution to the literature of meteorological science . ' 1 he highest Jtanperature registered was 89 degs . in 14 : 46 , the year of the highest » : ean—the lowest was G degs . in 1841 ; at Greenwich , during the same period , the highest was 9 * 2 degs ., the lowest 4 degs . In a chapter of general remarks which will interest every reader , JMr . Jenyns brings together the entire fruit of his investigations . In the firat place , he notices there is a difficulty in describing the weather in any set phrases without misleading . There may be drought with a high or alow without of rainand it

    temperature ; the sky is often clouded for days a drop , is never more brilliant than during the intervals of showers . There may be a dense mist upon the earth , drenching everything with wet , while a bright sun is shining overhead . But certain rules are to be laid down . All changes of weather , as a matter of course , depend upon the winds , their steadiness or irregularity , and the quarter whence they blow . All line seasons are accompanied ' by steady winds ; during changeable weather the wind is variable , with two or more currents , one above the other . 1 lie east wind generally brings dryness and brilliance , blowing perodically lor a certain number of days in the spring , and afterwards only returning at intervals . It is an excessive prevalence of this baleful wind that usually produces what is called a dry and line summer . From the south , the wind rarely blows in this country for any length of time together—it commonly brings wet , by the precipitation of warm vapour ? , or by mixing with cross currents . Upon the grand problem of weather prophecies , JVh \ Jenyns has a statement practically suggestive and useful : —

    Doubtless it would be a great matter if we could always reckon upon the weather of any particular ilay or week for which our schemes of pleasure or business were set with as much certainty as we reekon upon the changes of the heavenly boebes predicted by astronomer !? . * If the farmer , by consulting his almanac , could lix the exact time " for sowing his seed or cutting his hay , so that in one case he might ensure rain following shortly afterwards to l > rii : g the seed up , in the other secure a dry period for getting in his harvest , lie would lime a yreut uelvuntage over those who had no such authority to guide them in their operations . But are we ever liluly to arrive at this ? To judge , indeed , by the weather almanacs , which yearly make their appearance in no small number , one might suprose that the science had already made sufficient advances to warrant the predictions if those who set themselves up to be prophets in this matter . But it is hardly necessary to warn the public against placing the slightest conlidence m these publications , which have been so often exposed . In some instances these almanacs have acquired notoriety for a time by a few happy guesses about the weather , which have , come right by a mere coincidence ; but in the long run , if any one will take the trouble to compare them throughout vhh what really occurs , thi-ir predictions will U- found just as often wrong' « s right , showing that they arc grounded upon no trustworthy

    Some , indeed , pretend to base their foreknow lodge of the weather upon the foreknown changes of tbe heavenly bodies above alluded to . llicy chum to be listened to on the ground that , the vealher being under the inuuonoc ol the moon / . ml plane a , and altering from time to time as these bodies alter them- portions in reject of the earth and Jach other , we mny safe-ly draw « . ur inferences .. Lout the lormer ron . knowing tho exact places of the latter on any particular day or month we may lun e in view / Hut greater names than any which this class ol meteorologist * can boaM Qfhavo utterly discuuragod ( . 11 such theories . Arago , for one , inj reference to the common notion of the weather being atlocted by the moon or comets , has expressed his belief that , if the latter have any hiHm-ii .-o at all , that influence is so Hinall as « bo almost inappreciable , and tlu . t couK-qiu . utly " the predictions ol tho weather can never be a branch of astronomy pn > perly i * o called . '

    Mr . Jenyns denies thut any law has been established with reference to tho moon ' s influence upon the weather , and discredits the popular not . oils on this fcubject . Ho ie equally ( sceptical with respect Jo tho cycle- theory , supposing a . succession of changes in iv given order dividing regular intervals of time : — 13 ut sotting aside cycles , no less than tho eiipj . o « cri influence of the moon , tho truth is , that the more the science of meteorology advances , tho less hope there hcoiiih to bo of our ever being able to forctel the weather with any certainty . , . lLia . ev . uiuiMpo ^ Akl . iU . y . l ' luUict > vll " L tlie wcutlm" Wl 11 l ) 0 a ( lcr tlie llll > : so

    of a low hours : — ' , " ^ ' , , 17 * 77 " In order to nrudlct with certainty hit will rain or clour up , a knowledge of tliu temperature of iho upper region i « roquWu ., and , m this ia wauling , there must ftlwuys bo a great dogioo of uncertainty in our prognosticntions . Our summon are tit times rendered colder by tho presence of ico-berp in tho Atlantic , and our winters milder by the more nwplu effluence ol tlie warm Gulf-stronni , which , in 18 * 21 , instead of turmmating , as it uMiuHy docn , About tho meridian of tho Azores , extended to the const of Kuropc In 1768 , u peculiar linzo , or smoky fog , hung over fcnglund for weeks together ,

    and materially influenced the temperature "by intercepting the sun ' s rays . Mr . Jenyns adds : — One thing is certain , that to whatever extent it may or may not be possible to foretel the weather , those alone , in general , can form a right judgment who are possessed of good meteorological instruments . It is necessary to insist on this , because we often hear reference made to fishermen , mariners , gardeners , and that class of persons , as knowing a great deal more about the weather than other people . These persons arc much abroad in the open air , ami are naturally much interested in knowing what the weather is likely to be . But they are often greatly under the influence of superstitious ideas , or guid ed by sayings banded down to them by their fathers , to which they attach more importance than to anything else . " When this is not the case , and their knowledge is really the result of their own observations , they have still nothing but tbe direction of the wind and the appearances of the sky to guide them in their opinions . This volume is one of orig inal and popular as well as scientific interest . It places Mr . Jenyns among those who have really aided in elucidating a difiicult subject of universal importance .

    No. 421, April 17, 1858.] _ The Leoe J. ...

    No . 421 , April 17 , 1858 . ] _ THE LEOE j . 379

    Ixside Cantox. Rtiside Canton. By Dr. Yv...

    IXSIDE CANTOX . rtiside Canton . By Dr . Yvan . Vizetelly . A Frekcii ambassador , during his diplomatic intercourse with Ki-in , Viceroy of the province of Canton , having contracted what Dr . Yvan terms ' an intimate friendship' with that high functionary , was invited to sojourn within the walls of the city at the palace of the Mandarin Pau-sech ' en . The author , who was physician to M . de Lagrenc , went beforehand with an interpreter to prepare for his Excellency ' s reception , taking passage in a fai-tiii" - or ' fast boat . ' The Chinese seem born with a taste for both n-luttony and gambling . They never lose a chance of inaugurating a feast .

    Marriages , births , burials , are all so many excuses for a banquet . It is the same in regard to games of chance , to which they devote themselves with a frenzy almost incredible . The Chinaman plays with dice , cards , his fingers ; in his eyes all things are legitimate subjects for betting . Like the ancient Athenians , lie fights quails as Europeans do game cocks , and the doctor and his fellow traveller witnessed during their passage incessant duels between these diminutive but pugnacious little birds . ' Instead , however , of being equipped with ai'tificial steel spurs , as is the brutal custom with EnoTish cock-n " ^ liters , the Chinese quails were armed with steel beaks , by which means the duel frequently resulted in the death of both combatants . betook himself to the

    Withdrawing from this barbarous spectacle the doctor forecastle , where sonie sailors were cooking their meal , which partly consisted of fricaseed rats . The European reader is , however , invited to qualify his rather natural sensations of disgust at this heathenish sort of provent by tho assurance thatthese esculent rodent ia are brought from the rice-fields of Ichou-Kian <> -, far from the centre of population , far from the squalid drains of cities . Their " feast concluded , the Chinamen take down a couple of bamboo cages shaded with leave . * , two tiny palaces filled with green herbs , and sit down before them . Each cage is occupied by a single cricket , which their masters carefully take out and place at the bottom of a large porcelain bowl . Ihe insects endeavour at first to escape , but the polished sides of their arena form an insuperable obstacle . Tbe two backers are each provided with a lono- strawwhich one of them thrusts beneath the nose of his champion .

    , The latter , thinking the insult proceeds from his opponent , who all the while appears to be beating time with his antenna . ' , springs at his head , and tears oil' the horn on which he laid the guilt . Indignant at this unmerited a . roression , the insect that has lost its horn Hies at his adversary and lames h'Tin at the first blow . The disabled champion regards with stupor his forefoot deprived of the right torsus , and listening only to the voice of passion , seizes his assailant by the hair and drugs him thrice round the bowl . But it is not Achilles with the body of Hector ; for Hector , suddenly dtsen < ra < . in « - himself , falls with nil his weight upon his adversary , crushes him in hi " embrace , and devours a portion of his head . After thtu glutting his wrath , the victor takes up n position in the middle of the bowl and waits lor a new assailant , but no other knight has the hardihood to show his colours . lie then returns in triumph to his verdant palace , shaking hands

    proudly his solitary horn . A good deal of ' cash' appeared to change by the result of this unique species of gambling duello . Lainlhi" - at the city of Canton , the doctor and his interpreter take up their nboJe in quite a palatial residence called Tho-Ki-llan—that is , ' Remembrance of Virtue Factory , ' situate at the corner of ' bound-of-the-lide [ Street ' ' linn , ' by the way , which Englishmen universally write and pronounce liottt / , is applied to all houses of the mercnnlilo class . There the ambassador is introduced to ' Mudumo Li , ' this legitimate wife , ol 1 iiu-sc-Clioii , his hospitable , entertainer , and one of the , most patrician beauties ot the 1 'lowery Laud . This frail and ilelicale creature is compared to ^ a sprig of jessamine swayed by tho breeze ; her handsome , tenderly chiselled features wore mi expression in which smiles and sadness were blundod , us if her thoughts were rosy-whites as the hue which art had lent to bur chocks . Her eyes , like two black peurb , sent from behind tho shelter oi llioir silken of innocent womanlmali

    lashes son languid glances or sparkling rays y ce . Notwithstanding a little want of grace in its curve , her nosu would not havo disfigured a European countenance . JVlu . laiiio Li wiwi ladylike alter the ) manner of a charming girl ; her dignity was infantine m its grace . And as on ouo of tho great sofas of black wood she sat seesawing her legs bnckwnrds and forwards , showing her feet e . ieuseid m slippers broidored with gold , and her ankles hung witli bracelets , picking thu loaves oil an ( W « , liloyyer witfi her pretty little fingers , murmuring musically rather mi orunuu-uWiv Had she buen decorated like a picture ounce paper sho could nut havo boon more charming . A Chinese woman , to be seen as hero painted , must bo viewed in tho gilded prison which limn bus made for li or . Vou must watch her tottering along , screen in lian . l over those bnl mnt floors which reflect her features ; watch her soutod m her porcelain elm r , her little body swaying to and fro incessantly ; watch her outing with tho mother-of-pearl chopsticks which so well become her little uiigera and hoc

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 17, 1858, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_17041858/page/19/