The Chinese Women

in uie eoucatiön ot témales the nrst object )f attention is, their virtue: the ceccnd, their anguage; the third, their (leporlment; and .he fourth, their appropriate eniployment. A modest demeanor, eo essential ia the educalion of a Chinese lady of the higher clnssj s heightened by their mode of dre6sing,which is frequently of rich and costly material, and in faehion extremely graceful. Among ladies of high birth it Ís comidered ndecorous to show even their hands, and in their general movements these ure invariable covered with their large sleeves. Theh fingers are long and taper, beyond our ideas of what id either becoming or beautifol. The geuerality of Chinese ladies cannot boast of great beauty. They make a free use of rouge, and this article is alwaye among the presehl8 to a bride on the occasion of her nuptiais. The distinguishing marks of personal attractions among the Chinese, in a gentleman, are, a large person inclining to corpulency; a full glossy face and large pendant ears; the latler indicating high breedinL and fortune. In fecales ii is nearly tlie reverse; delicate fornis are in them highly esteemed having slender "willow waiste." The eye. are termed "sil ver seas;" the eye brows are frequently removed, and in their stead a dulicalely curved pencil-line is drawn, resembling iheleafof the wïllow "Levshoo," which is considered beau ti ful, and used metaphorically for"Pleasnre." Héncethe saying - (deceived and stupified by willows andflowers: i. e., by dissolute pléasure. In the estimation of the Chinese, hovvever, a beautiful fèmale should possessthe following attractions :r- Cheeks red as the almond flower - rnouth likethe peacii's bloom - waist slenJér as the willow leaf- -eyes bright as autumnal rip'ples, and footsteps like the iíowers of the water l.ly." These are few of the metaphors used by the Chinese to aescnbe beauty; the fig-ure of autumnal ripples alludes tó the dancing reflection of the sun upon a ruífled lake: the itnpression of ihe 6mall feet of a Chinese lady in the path is supposed to resemble the flowera of their favorite lotus. In what circumstances ihe "golden lilies," the higher or personal attractioní, originated,is not known. It is said tbat il arose in ilie time of the fFoo-lae, or five dynasties, that the Lee how-choo ordered his concubine, Yauo, to bind her foot with silk and cause it to nppear smal!, and iu the sbape r' the nesv moon. The distortion is produced by turning ihe toes under the soles of the feet vlièn young, and coní:ning íhem in that positionby tight bandajes, till Iheir growlh is eiFectually checked. The bandbging is continucd for eeveral years, during which the poor cliild suffers the most excrutialing tortures. This ie, do doubr, an absurd, cruel, and wicked praclice; but those who dweil in glass housés should not throw stonee. It is not a whit worse, nay, we niaintain that it is less irraUonal and njurious than the praclice of tight lacing. In cumpressing the feet no vital part is attacked, no functions disordered; and on the score of tnste, iT the errors of nature are to be rectified, and her gracful hnes and pro portions 'inproved, we eee not why the process of amendment may not be as reaeonably applied to the feet as to tfie waist. Altnost every family in China, however poor, has one daugh'er with the ïnali feet,elee shc could not become a first wife. Head dresses of na lui n! and artificial flowers are alwaye wurn. No woman is eo poor as to neglect, or so aged as to g'we up, adorning herself in this manner. The culture of flowers for this purpose is a regular occupation throughout ihe country. The Chinese Iadies in dressing Uieir ha ii inake use of shavings out from resinous wood, wbich being dipped in warm wnter, the gum is dra wn out and diluted, and then by applyinir thera to the hair, the formation required is efferled. Wives are distinguished from unmarried females by the latter allowing tho hnir near ihe forehead to hang down towards the eyebrows, while the former hnve theirs bonnd together upon the crown of the hend. Ainnii" the accomplishments of the Chinese Iadies, music, pninting on silk, and embroidery, holii the chief places. The musical instruments are various in kind and material, and a supply of thein is held lo be an indispensable part of the furmture of a lady's boudoir. Paiining on silk is a very common recreation, ai:dmidery is nn alrxiHi universal