" It is by no means my intention, in publishing a book on Chinese a chiteeture. to bring in vogue a taste su inferior to th • mid so little suited to our climate. But the architecture of one of the most extraordinary people of the universe offeN an interesting phenomena to a lover of the line arts ; and at architect night to be aequainted with so singular a manlier of building. The knowledge of it is, at curious ; it may even be useful on particular occa sions. An architect is sometimes asked for Chinese compo sitions ; and. in certain eases, they may he judicious. For though, in general, the architecture of China is not suitable to Ettro,,e, yet, in parks and gardens, where the extent mds a great variety, or in large palaces that contain nun •gnus enfilades of apartments, I do not think that it be improper to decor:at; s,inte tif t he most inconsiderable pieces in the Chinese taste. Variety never tidls to please, in city, w hen there is nothing disagreeable or shocking in it, erten holds the place of beauty. At the time that the Greek architecture prevailed the most among- the Romans, history infe•nI4 us that Adrian, who was himself an archi tect. erected, at his country seat at Tivoli, several buildings in the sty le a the E tviltians and some other nations.
"The grandeur o - th • richness of the materials is not the distinguishing chardeteristie of the Chinese edifices. But there is a singularity in manner, a justness in their proportion. a simplicity, sometimes even a beauty, in their torte, that deserves our attention. I look upon them as gew gaws in architecaire ; and if singularity, prettiness, or neat ness in the work, give a place to trifles in the cabinets of the curious, we may likewise introduce Chinese buildings among compusititais of a better kind." Sir William has :delve noticed the pyramidal form of Chinese structures, and indeed the similarity of the ar•hitee tire of this extraordinary people with that of all the early nations in this respect, is worthy of notice ; yet the resem blance of their buildings to tents is even more remarkable, so striking indeed is it, that some t ravellers have compared their cities to vast encampments. The Chinese, like all the Tartar tribes. were a nomadic race ; and doubtless in their wander ings were accustomed to employ tents. coverings portable and readily erected, to defend them from the heat and inelemet ties of the weather, and \\lien they settled pet•manently, pre served the same 1111.111 in the construction of their dwellings. The construction of their buildings is indeed remarkable, and tends to confirm the ibregeing statement ; for, as Mr. Gwilt remarks, though the carpentry of which they are raised has for ages been subjected to the same forms, when we con sider the natural march of human invention, especially in eases of necessity, we cannot believe that, in a country where the primitive construction was of timber, the coverings of dwellings would have been at once so simple and so light. Their
framing seems as though prepared merely for a canvas covering. Again, we have, if more were wanting, another proof, in the posts employed for the support of their roofs. On them we find nothing resting analogous to the architecture for receiv ing and supporting the upper timbers of the carpentry ; on the contrary, the roof projects Over and beyond the posts or columns. whose upper extremities are hidden by the eaves, thus superseding the use of a capital. A canvas covering requires but a slender support, hence lightness is a leading feature in the edifices of China ; whilst other materials than those which formed tents have been substituted for them, the forms of the original type have been preserved, making this lightness the more singular, inasmuch as the slightest anall)gy between those of the original and the copy is imperceptible. This change or material prevents in the copy the appearance of solidity, and seems a defect in the sty le, unless we refer to the type." Another peenliarity which strikes the European upon first beholding a Chinese city, is the gaiety of their buildings, arising from the. prevalent application of colony. Their reefs are composed of coloured and glazed tiles, their floors of variegated stone e• !nitride, and their porticos not only coloured with the brightest tints, but also profusely varnished, all uniting to produee an effeet altogether different from that presented by all other styles, Sir William then proceeds with the work as follows ; " The Temples of the Chinese.—.1 great number of tem ples are to be seen at Canton. The Europeans call them commonlv pagodas. Many of these temples are extremely mud only of one single apartment. Som.• others have a court, surrounded with galleries. at the end (If which is a ling, where the idols are 1)1;1(.01; and there are a few, which are composed of many courts, surrounded with galle ries. The bonzes. or priests, have veils there, and the idols different halls. These are properly cu events, and some of them have a great number of bonzes, who are attaehed to them by particular vows, and who live in them ill the exact observance of certain rules.
"The most considerable of these pagodas is that of IIonang, in the sontheth stbutrg, Plate I., Figure 1. It ocetipies a great extent oygrcutul; and accordingly it contains. besides the tem ples of the idols, apartments tier two hundred bonzes, hospi tals for many animals. a large kitehen-earden. and a burying grumnd. The priests and animals are buried promiscuously, and equally honoured by 1114/1111111ent: and epitaphs.