Last evening Mr. N.-B. Dennys de: livered an interesting lecture on the subject of the Folk Lore of China, Asmong those present were H. E. the Governor, Miss Kennedy, the Acting Chief- Justice, the Rev. Dr. Legge, the Rev. Dr. Eitel, The Lecturer commenced ly some general remarks comparing the nature of superstition in China with what is found at Home, and showing that in China the suporstitions have a much greater hold upon. the lustrations of a variety of popular beliefs ple, and he then went on to ive in the Celestial empire, some of which ditions at Home. fu China, as alaawhere, bear a curious analogy to well known super-
birth, marriage, and death are the subjects of numerous traditions. Omens, lucky days, and lucky numbers are common among the Chinese. A curious illustration of the last is found in the importance attached in China to the number seven, This enters so largely into the popular sayings of the people, that one is tempted to suppose anything but an accidental or independent origin for its adoption, Thus they spank of the seven passions, the its; they wish a bride seven children; there are seven Inwful reasons for divorce. The "seven joys" is common teashop sign, There are the seven famous roons of the bamboo grove. Seven ands and eight fect is a common ex-sion for "too many cooks spoil the roth," and the Lecturer noted that a jury is commonly termed in Hongkong (when the pidgin word Ju-li is not used), the "seven strangers." Except to indicate a parallel, he needed hardly to specify the part which the same number plays in our own affairs. The Hebrew use of the number is familiar to all. The seven wise men, the hills, the seven senses, the seven churches," the seven angels, the seven planets, and some thirty other similar expressions are in frequent use [amongst us.
We transport rogues for 7 and IL years, and bind apprentices for 7, and we find' that, of old, Silenus the mathematician, and Hippocrates, both held the Chinese idea of the seventh day being critical in diseases. Some interesting illustrations were given of the Chinese superstitions regarding unusual appear-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.