China never knew those horrible arena fights which were the passing pleasures, and will be the eternal shame, of ancient Rome. We never gave for the amusement of our refined folk the sight of bloody fights between men and wild animals, “the whilom joy of the young vestal virgin.” So it will be useless to look in China for any statue of a dying gladiator, or to search the ruins of the Colosseum. Nor has the bull-fight—last vestige of the tragic Circenses of long ago—ever been seen in China. We do, however, have animalfights, but it will be seen that there is nothing very terrible about them.
To begin with, we set crickets to fight against each other. Yes, crickets. The modest denizens of the grass are terrible fighters, good company as they also are. Their fights, though wanting inmise en scène, are none the less interesting, and the people crowd to witness them. The crickets, once collected for the purpose in the fields, are very carefully trained, each prisoner being lodged in a little bamboo cage. Its food consists of grains of rice, to which a few leaves of salad are added. After having been trained in this way for some days, the captive is set at liberty temporarily, that is to say, and in a very relative manner. The object of his release, as a matter of fact, is only to give him the opportunity of trying his strength against some veteran of the cricket-ring.
The two combatants are placed in a bowl, which is generally made of wood, so as to prevent them from slipping about toomuch. The trainer tickles their heads with a hair, to work them up to a sufficient degree of hatred and bad feeling. When this point has been reached, they dash violently against each other, and the first shock upsets one of the combatants, and decides the victory. The vanquished withdraws, ashamed and resigned. The victor, intoxicated with delight, claps his hands, and celebrates his triumph with piercing cries.
As soon as the fighting powers of the different insects have been tested by successive rehearsals, the more robust are picked out, and on these devolves the honour of appearing as champions in the public arena. Bets will be made on each of them with as much interest and passion as in Europe are made about horses. I hasten to add that these bets never exceed a few pence in value. The bettors are thus able to indulge themselves in their favourite pastime more frequently.
We have just witnessed a very bloodless tournament. There are others of a more serious nature, and in which the combatants get rather more hurt. I speak of our quail-fights. Please do not think that I am about to describe such sanguinary spectacles as are afforded, for instance, to the English in their cock-fight. The quails fight, but only with the weapons with which Nature has provided them. They have no artificial spurs, and none of those perfections which add to the natural ferocity of the kings of the poultry-yard. The birds are trained for a few days, until their owner thinks them sufficiently prepared for the fray. The hour of battle has sounded. The quails, placed face to face, are excited by their masters. At last they dash at each other, each trying to seize his adversary while protecting himself against the other’s blows. They chase each other, pursue, follow, run, jump, dodge, return, and escape again. At last they seize each other,feathers begin to fly, a body to body fight begins, until, at last, one of the combatants is obliged to own himself defeated, and hastens to escape, with drooping wings, from the beak of his cruel vanquisher.
There is little cruelty in all this—it is rather a struggle than a fight. The combatants rarely hurt each other much, and if there is victor and vanquished, it may at least be said, as was said in the French comedy, “We know how to kill each other, and neither will die.”
There are perhaps in China alone more philosophers than could be found in all the rest of the world put together. To give an idea of the ways of thinking of these thinkers, who take their pleasure where they can find it, I will let one of them speak:
“The song of birds and the cries of the swallows announce the advent of spring; the fine weather invites one to walk abroad. I should have liked to respond to this call from Nature; my daily occupations have prevented me. I met yesterday at theflower cottage a friend who blamed me for having failed to keep an appointment. I answered: ‘Ah, I am not free as you are to do what I choose. I live dependent on another, to whom I am subjected as a minor is to his guardian. Ah! if you could only know how many writing brushes and how much paper I use in the course of one year. In the face of this beautiful weather, where Nature is developing with renewed vigour, I can only envy the pleasures of others without being able to share in them myself. But in compensation I find pleasure in passing my days of leisure in the bosom of my family, surrounded by those I love.
“‘When seated by my fireside, I drink wine with my wife, and hold my children on my knees; I feel no other human ambition, and do not believe that the spirits in heaven are a whit happier than I am. Sometimes, as a change, we go and drink a cup of tea in the cottage, or look at the flowers in the garden. We are thus surrounded at home with joys which endure and do not change.
“‘As regards what you call pleasure, it is only the result of a combination of circumstances, and may any day change and completely disappear. Good dinners, excellent wines, horses, games—all those things are but instantaneous metamorphoses, where no solid basis ensuring their eternal duration exists. That resembles a beautiful orange which might contain nothing but a spongy and savourless tissue. After the fireworks have died out, night rules again, and the darkness appears only all the darker.
“‘Have you read the story of X——, who played the heavy swell, and threw money out of the window by handfuls. His friends besieged his house without interruption. His servants were prouder than the noblest lords. Night and day the only thought was what pleasure-party should be arranged for the following day. One might have imagined that his house was built over a gold mine, to see the life he led.
“‘But at the end of a certain number of years his resources began to fail. Hecould not, however, change his way of living.
“‘He first of all resorted to loans from his generous friends, and next went to the pawn-shop. When all their resources had been exhausted he ran away.
“‘Oh! my friend, the number of rich dishes eaten by that man with an air of complete satisfaction. Oh! my friend, the number of beautiful women who were proud to be styled his friends even for a day. His name was known everywhere, in the theatres, in society, and everywhere where fashionable people meet together. Oh! the many fashions that he invented merely in colours and hues of silk. And the jewels that he distributed right and left.
“‘All that was done with the money of other people, since his bills have not yet been paid. Is that pleasure? Come, you will admit that it is not.
“‘Instead of gleaming for a short while and being eternally disgraced thereafter, I prefer during my moments of leisure to light myincense-burner on my little table, and to sit at it chatting with our sages through my books. It is there that solid pleasures are to be found, far preferable to those which are only superficial. All that can be felt and seen has already been described, and costs nothing to read about. Songs, music, beautiful women, I see them and hear them in these admirable pages. Why, then, go running again through the grey dust to those places where your personality is effaced, and money alone reigns in uncontested mastery?’”
THE END.
Printed byBallantyne, Hanson & Co.Edinburgh and London
Mr. A. P. MARSDENPUBLISHER27 SOUTHAMPTON ST., COVENT GARDENLONDON, W.C.LIST OF BOOKSThe MEMORIAL LIBRARY EDITION of the WORKS of the lateSIR RICHARD BURTON(Tylston & Edwards, London.Demy 8vo, tastefully bound in black and gold.) Comprising:—I.A Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah.Containing all the original Coloured Illustrations, and Maps and Plans, and also the Woodcuts from the later Editions. With Photogravure Portrait of Lady Burton, as Frontispiece.In 2 Vols. Price 12s.net.“The brilliant narrative reads as vividly as ever.… We are glad to see his books revived in a form worthy of their intrinsic merit.”—Athenæum.“As a mere book of travel and adventure it is excellent, and it is besides shot through with humour.”—Manchester Guardian.“Few stories of adventure have the interest of Sir Richard Burton’s vigorous narrative, and fewer still have its literary and ethnographic value.… One of the most marvellous records of daring ever penned.… We heartily recommend the Memorial Edition of the Pilgrimage.”—Publishers’ Circular.II.A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahome.With Frontispiece. In 2 Vols. Price 12s.net.“Of all Burton’s books this account of his hazardous mission to Dahomey is one of the least known; it brings out, in a very marked manner, the writer’s unfailing tact and resource in dealing with savage peoples.”—Daily Graphic.“Carefully edited and excellently got up.”—Glasgow Herald.“The style is more colloquial than that of the ‘Pilgrimage to Mecca,’ but it is none the less readable and attractive. The effect produced by the book is that of a clever man talking over his adventures after dinner, or in a club smoking-room.”—Manchester Guardian.III.Vikram and the Vampire.Tales of Hindu Devilry.Memorial Edition. Complete. With 33 Illustrations byErnest Griset.In 1 Vol. Price 6s.net.There is also a Large Paper Edition of this book, printed on Arnold’s unbleached hand-made paper, in royal 8vo, limited to 200 copies, which, in addition, contains a new Photogravure Frontispiece byAlbert Letchford, and in which the sixteen full-page plates are printed on special China paper, and mounted. Price 25s.net.“Strange, humorous, and fascinating stories.”—Echo.“A book which is fascinating in the extreme, and if there yet remains any lover of the fantastic and picturesque in literature who has not read these enchanting tales, let us hasten to assure him that he has a most delightful experience in store.”—St. James’s Budget.“As a ‘creepy’ story-book and picture-book, this ‘Vikram’ is not easy to beat.”—National Observer.“Rather strong meat.”—Globe.IV.First Footsteps in East Africa.Memorial Edition. Complete. With 2 Maps and 4 Coloured Illustrations.In 2 Vols. Price 12s.net.Boscobel; or, The Adventures of Charles II. after the Battle of Worcester.ByThomas Blount. Edited with a Bibliography byCharles G. Thomas. (Tylston & Edwards, London.)Printed by T. & A. Constable, with a specially engraved Frontispiece, by C. W. Sherborn, of the Coat of Arms granted by King Charles II. to Colonel Carlos.500 copies. Crown 8vo. Price 5s.net.“Finely printed and well edited.”—Times.“A beautiful imprint of an attractive book.… Edited by Charles G. Thomas, who prefaces an introduction and bibliography—both of great interest.”—Saturday Review.“It is just the book for a gift—good to look on and worth having for itself.”—Manchester Guardian.“Mr. Thomas has done good service to the cause of historical accuracy.”—Spectator.We Three and Troddles.ByR. Andom.(Tylston & Edwards, London.)With 83 Illustrations in Silhouette byAlec Carruthers Gould.Crown 8vo. Price 3s.6d.“Boisterous humour—broad, healthy, and never forced.”—Scotsman.“An amusing holiday book, full of good nature and broad humour.… The illustrations admirably reflect the drollery of the book.”—Manchester Courier.“Difficult to read a couple of pages of it without a good laugh.”—Glasgow Herald.“The work appeals irresistibly to schoolboys.… The raciness of the narrative is far above the average.”—Literary World.“Will be the cause of many thousands laughing and growing fat.… It is a book which deserves to be ‘popular.’”—Pall Mall Budget.Reminiscences of Australian Early Life.By “A Pioneer” (John Phillips), describing Life and Adventures in the Colony fifty years ago, and containing numerous Illustrations byHume Nesbit.Crown 8vo, cloth, with silver letterings. Price 5s.“We can heartily recommend this interesting and amusing book.”—Athenæum.“He has good things to tell you at first-hand of bush-camps and stock-farms, of the early ‘squattocracy’ and of bushrangers.”—Pall Mall Gazette.“It abounds with anecdote, and there is not a dull page from beginning to end.”—Morning Post.Anne Boleyn.An Historical Drama in Five Acts.ByD. T. Callahan, M.D.Small crown 8vo. Price 3s.6d.“A very spirited piece of work.”—Public Opinion.“A truly dramatic subject of noteworthy limpidity and strength.”—Manchester Guardian.“Skilfully wrought out.”—Scotsman.“The author shows high poetic and dramatic ability.”—Glasgow Herald.The Golden Lake.A Story of Adventure.ByW. Carlton Dawe, Author of “The Emu’s Head.”Illustrated byHume Nesbit.Crown 8vo, cloth. Price 3s.6d.“A clever and entertaining narrative.”—Scotsman.“Told with a swing and go which makes it very entertaining reading.”—Sunday Times.“This is a story of a search for treasure in Australia … a tale the interest of which never flags from beginning to end. The illustrations are an important feature. Altogether this entertaining narrative is a welcome addition,” &c.—European Mail.The Fascinating Miss Lamarche.ByC. C. Fernival. A Sporting Novel by a New Author.Railway Edition. Price 2s.“We cordially recommend this history of Miss Lizzie Lamarche.”—Saturday Review.“An exceptionally interesting and clever story. It is quite out of the beaten track, and cannot fail to interest every one with even a tinge of sporting in his or her composition.”—Sporting Times.“The book is cleverly put together, and the situations are exciting.”—Literary World.“There is plenty of swing and go in the story, and the real novel reader is easily carried from the first page to the last.”—The Morning.“We understand ‘The Fascinating Miss Lamarche’ is Mr. C. C. Fernival’s first novel. If this be the case, we hope that he will follow it up by others, for a better description of the life of our jeunesse dorée, and the numerous vultures that seek to devour their substance, it would be hard to find.”—British Journal of Commerce.The Tartan Library.ONE SHILLING EACH, NET.Crown 8vo.This Series consists of well-written, interesting Novels, of a tone not always attained in the Shilling Book. The Covers are lithographed in colours, representing the various Tartans of the Scottish Clans.I.Darell Blake.A Study.By LadyColin Campbell.“Lady Colin Campbell’s ‘study’ is remarkably clever and something more.”—The World.“Intensely interesting.”—Saturday Review.“Above the average of the everyday novel,”—Athenæum.II.The Dramatist; or, In Crime’s Disguise.ByF. C. Milford.“Well told.”—Saturday Review.“Powerful and well told.”—Sunday Times.“Many less attractive novels than this have gained immense popularity … fascinatingly worked out.”—Northern Whig.JUST OUT.III.A Beautiful Victim; or, The Copper Crash.ByFrank Danby.A Novel founded on fact, the plot following a well-known clever forgery case, and assisted by the introduction of hypnotism.A. P. MARSDEN,Publisher,27 Southampton Street, Covent Garden, London, W.C.
Mr. A. P. MARSDEN
PUBLISHER
27 SOUTHAMPTON ST., COVENT GARDENLONDON, W.C.
LIST OF BOOKS
The MEMORIAL LIBRARY EDITION of the WORKS of the late
SIR RICHARD BURTON
(Tylston & Edwards, London.Demy 8vo, tastefully bound in black and gold.) Comprising:—
I.A Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah.Containing all the original Coloured Illustrations, and Maps and Plans, and also the Woodcuts from the later Editions. With Photogravure Portrait of Lady Burton, as Frontispiece.In 2 Vols. Price 12s.net.
I.
A Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah.
Containing all the original Coloured Illustrations, and Maps and Plans, and also the Woodcuts from the later Editions. With Photogravure Portrait of Lady Burton, as Frontispiece.
In 2 Vols. Price 12s.net.
“The brilliant narrative reads as vividly as ever.… We are glad to see his books revived in a form worthy of their intrinsic merit.”—Athenæum.
“As a mere book of travel and adventure it is excellent, and it is besides shot through with humour.”—Manchester Guardian.
“Few stories of adventure have the interest of Sir Richard Burton’s vigorous narrative, and fewer still have its literary and ethnographic value.… One of the most marvellous records of daring ever penned.… We heartily recommend the Memorial Edition of the Pilgrimage.”—Publishers’ Circular.
II.A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahome.With Frontispiece. In 2 Vols. Price 12s.net.
II.
A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahome.
With Frontispiece. In 2 Vols. Price 12s.net.
“Of all Burton’s books this account of his hazardous mission to Dahomey is one of the least known; it brings out, in a very marked manner, the writer’s unfailing tact and resource in dealing with savage peoples.”—Daily Graphic.
“Carefully edited and excellently got up.”—Glasgow Herald.
“The style is more colloquial than that of the ‘Pilgrimage to Mecca,’ but it is none the less readable and attractive. The effect produced by the book is that of a clever man talking over his adventures after dinner, or in a club smoking-room.”—Manchester Guardian.
III.Vikram and the Vampire.Tales of Hindu Devilry.Memorial Edition. Complete. With 33 Illustrations byErnest Griset.In 1 Vol. Price 6s.net.There is also a Large Paper Edition of this book, printed on Arnold’s unbleached hand-made paper, in royal 8vo, limited to 200 copies, which, in addition, contains a new Photogravure Frontispiece byAlbert Letchford, and in which the sixteen full-page plates are printed on special China paper, and mounted. Price 25s.net.
III.
Vikram and the Vampire.
Tales of Hindu Devilry.
Memorial Edition. Complete. With 33 Illustrations byErnest Griset.
In 1 Vol. Price 6s.net.
There is also a Large Paper Edition of this book, printed on Arnold’s unbleached hand-made paper, in royal 8vo, limited to 200 copies, which, in addition, contains a new Photogravure Frontispiece byAlbert Letchford, and in which the sixteen full-page plates are printed on special China paper, and mounted. Price 25s.net.
“Strange, humorous, and fascinating stories.”—Echo.
“A book which is fascinating in the extreme, and if there yet remains any lover of the fantastic and picturesque in literature who has not read these enchanting tales, let us hasten to assure him that he has a most delightful experience in store.”—St. James’s Budget.
“As a ‘creepy’ story-book and picture-book, this ‘Vikram’ is not easy to beat.”—National Observer.
“Rather strong meat.”—Globe.
IV.First Footsteps in East Africa.Memorial Edition. Complete. With 2 Maps and 4 Coloured Illustrations.In 2 Vols. Price 12s.net.
IV.
First Footsteps in East Africa.
Memorial Edition. Complete. With 2 Maps and 4 Coloured Illustrations.
In 2 Vols. Price 12s.net.
Boscobel; or, The Adventures of Charles II. after the Battle of Worcester.ByThomas Blount. Edited with a Bibliography byCharles G. Thomas. (Tylston & Edwards, London.)Printed by T. & A. Constable, with a specially engraved Frontispiece, by C. W. Sherborn, of the Coat of Arms granted by King Charles II. to Colonel Carlos.500 copies. Crown 8vo. Price 5s.net.
Boscobel; or, The Adventures of Charles II. after the Battle of Worcester.
ByThomas Blount. Edited with a Bibliography byCharles G. Thomas. (Tylston & Edwards, London.)
Printed by T. & A. Constable, with a specially engraved Frontispiece, by C. W. Sherborn, of the Coat of Arms granted by King Charles II. to Colonel Carlos.
500 copies. Crown 8vo. Price 5s.net.
“Finely printed and well edited.”—Times.
“A beautiful imprint of an attractive book.… Edited by Charles G. Thomas, who prefaces an introduction and bibliography—both of great interest.”—Saturday Review.
“It is just the book for a gift—good to look on and worth having for itself.”—Manchester Guardian.
“Mr. Thomas has done good service to the cause of historical accuracy.”—Spectator.
We Three and Troddles.ByR. Andom.(Tylston & Edwards, London.)With 83 Illustrations in Silhouette byAlec Carruthers Gould.Crown 8vo. Price 3s.6d.
We Three and Troddles.
ByR. Andom.(Tylston & Edwards, London.)
With 83 Illustrations in Silhouette byAlec Carruthers Gould.
Crown 8vo. Price 3s.6d.
“Boisterous humour—broad, healthy, and never forced.”—Scotsman.
“An amusing holiday book, full of good nature and broad humour.… The illustrations admirably reflect the drollery of the book.”—Manchester Courier.
“Difficult to read a couple of pages of it without a good laugh.”—Glasgow Herald.
“The work appeals irresistibly to schoolboys.… The raciness of the narrative is far above the average.”—Literary World.
“Will be the cause of many thousands laughing and growing fat.… It is a book which deserves to be ‘popular.’”—Pall Mall Budget.
Reminiscences of Australian Early Life.By “A Pioneer” (John Phillips), describing Life and Adventures in the Colony fifty years ago, and containing numerous Illustrations byHume Nesbit.Crown 8vo, cloth, with silver letterings. Price 5s.
Reminiscences of Australian Early Life.
By “A Pioneer” (John Phillips), describing Life and Adventures in the Colony fifty years ago, and containing numerous Illustrations byHume Nesbit.
Crown 8vo, cloth, with silver letterings. Price 5s.
“We can heartily recommend this interesting and amusing book.”—Athenæum.
“He has good things to tell you at first-hand of bush-camps and stock-farms, of the early ‘squattocracy’ and of bushrangers.”—Pall Mall Gazette.
“It abounds with anecdote, and there is not a dull page from beginning to end.”—Morning Post.
Anne Boleyn.An Historical Drama in Five Acts.ByD. T. Callahan, M.D.Small crown 8vo. Price 3s.6d.
Anne Boleyn.
An Historical Drama in Five Acts.
ByD. T. Callahan, M.D.
Small crown 8vo. Price 3s.6d.
“A very spirited piece of work.”—Public Opinion.
“A truly dramatic subject of noteworthy limpidity and strength.”—Manchester Guardian.
“Skilfully wrought out.”—Scotsman.
“The author shows high poetic and dramatic ability.”—Glasgow Herald.
The Golden Lake.A Story of Adventure.ByW. Carlton Dawe, Author of “The Emu’s Head.”Illustrated byHume Nesbit.Crown 8vo, cloth. Price 3s.6d.
The Golden Lake.
A Story of Adventure.
ByW. Carlton Dawe, Author of “The Emu’s Head.”
Illustrated byHume Nesbit.
Crown 8vo, cloth. Price 3s.6d.
“A clever and entertaining narrative.”—Scotsman.
“Told with a swing and go which makes it very entertaining reading.”—Sunday Times.
“This is a story of a search for treasure in Australia … a tale the interest of which never flags from beginning to end. The illustrations are an important feature. Altogether this entertaining narrative is a welcome addition,” &c.—European Mail.
The Fascinating Miss Lamarche.ByC. C. Fernival. A Sporting Novel by a New Author.Railway Edition. Price 2s.
The Fascinating Miss Lamarche.
ByC. C. Fernival. A Sporting Novel by a New Author.
Railway Edition. Price 2s.
“We cordially recommend this history of Miss Lizzie Lamarche.”—Saturday Review.
“An exceptionally interesting and clever story. It is quite out of the beaten track, and cannot fail to interest every one with even a tinge of sporting in his or her composition.”—Sporting Times.
“The book is cleverly put together, and the situations are exciting.”—Literary World.
“There is plenty of swing and go in the story, and the real novel reader is easily carried from the first page to the last.”—The Morning.
“We understand ‘The Fascinating Miss Lamarche’ is Mr. C. C. Fernival’s first novel. If this be the case, we hope that he will follow it up by others, for a better description of the life of our jeunesse dorée, and the numerous vultures that seek to devour their substance, it would be hard to find.”—British Journal of Commerce.
The Tartan Library.
ONE SHILLING EACH, NET.
Crown 8vo.
This Series consists of well-written, interesting Novels, of a tone not always attained in the Shilling Book. The Covers are lithographed in colours, representing the various Tartans of the Scottish Clans.
I.
Darell Blake.A Study.
By LadyColin Campbell.
“Lady Colin Campbell’s ‘study’ is remarkably clever and something more.”—The World.
“Intensely interesting.”—Saturday Review.
“Above the average of the everyday novel,”—Athenæum.
II.
The Dramatist; or, In Crime’s Disguise.
ByF. C. Milford.
“Well told.”—Saturday Review.
“Powerful and well told.”—Sunday Times.
“Many less attractive novels than this have gained immense popularity … fascinatingly worked out.”—Northern Whig.
JUST OUT.
III.
A Beautiful Victim; or, The Copper Crash.
ByFrank Danby.
A Novel founded on fact, the plot following a well-known clever forgery case, and assisted by the introduction of hypnotism.
A. P. MARSDEN,Publisher,27 Southampton Street, Covent Garden, London, W.C.