Tue aff ty of the father of the sovereign of China has been proved to a demonstration by the events of the Inst few months. "Muy we not augur tint the sovereign himself will in this respect resemble his august parent Affubility was certainly w tenture in the character of his great-great-grand~ father as is shown by the notice he bestowed on the clever boy, afterwards Sir George Staunton, who was in Lord Macartuey's suite when he went to Tehol.. On that occasion the artist of the embassy drew the portrait of the octogenarian Emperor with a gracious look, as he came borne by sixteen chair bearers to meet the travellers. Wher, also, French miami were called the palace to paint his portrait and knees to make the cnstomary prostrations, it was his habit to check them and require not to kneel. There are no ch in the Emperor's apartments but there are seats called and distinguished visitors were often asked to sit gu the Emperor's own kang nent him. The kang is two feet high. It is covered below with felt and above with yellow silk ornamented with red designs, The. favours that were showered Inst cen. tary on his foreign visitors by the Euiporor then reigning, were granted to them when appearing before hint as hia enbjects with the usual prostrations, he sight of their deep wbeisnuces mag have rendered hit more gracious, Still more the fact that they were painting his portrait and conversing with him in the mean time on France, on Russia, on Iupan, on art, mathematics, and on languages, would incline this fine old monarch to treat the foreigners well thole interviews, Were not the Emperor such a solitary man in all his grandeur, he might even have asked them to share a meal with bim. But when he brenkfusted, dined and supped at eight o'clock, half-paut two, and six he wasalwaysslone, Being a busy wan ho spent only n quarter of an hour over a meal, The Chinese Court might something from Europe on such A dinner party and lively cone versation would be more agreenbie and hotier for his Majesty's health, but such n change would be too rerolary to be proposed at present, Thesnmeroomsthathavebeen occupied by the Emperov's aucestora for eight reigns eleven years boon there side sent monarch, Here the eight Emperors have studied the affairs ut State, lived, written and read. Horethey surrounded themselves with beautiful objects of art, and saw themselves obeyed by a faithful crowd of obsequious eunuchs, Out of threes who went into these apartments as minor the present sovereign was the youngest, He wns only three and a half years old when 1 Junuary, 1875, his uncle the Ninth wont to the i of hia infancy wud brought him to wear the diadem of and of Chien-long. The Council
light of memory could dawn, he was princes hnd decide Before the through the streets of the west ily borne on that bleak winter's night
rly three miles to these imperial to pass there a long ority, Always surrounded by re. miniscences ut the preceding eight Ewperors, the young sovereign has grown unto be fifteen, He will probably not have any recollection of the home of his earliest years or of the winter of his journey to be made emperor. All be knows will Lave been learned within the palace court where on the north is the high range of the imperial apartments, which look out on two low ranges on the erst and west, where the eunuchs reside wha are in personal attendance on the Ewperor, or on his daily journeys at five in the morning to the conn chamber, or on his way to the Eastern Tombs, or to offer sacrifices at temples, The attain of court usage is very wy on all who belong to the charmed official can go to Ticulsin
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.