Plate Ill. Figure 1, represents one of these towers, which are found on the banks of the 'l'a-ho, between Canton and Ikang-pon. It is approached by three steps, and consists of seven stories. The first story is pierced with four arched gates, and contains an octagonal chamber, in the middle of which is a staircase conducting to the second story. The stairs of the other stories arc placed in a similar manner. The cornices over the several stories are all alike, consisting of a fillet and large eavetto. enriched with representations of shellfish; an ornament as common in the edifices of China, as in those of the am•ents. The roofs are turned up at the crners, and, with the exception of the lowest, are ornamented y. ith leaves and bells. The pith! on the tip is surmounted with a globe, from which deseend chains, that are fixed to the angles of the highest story, and around them are nine iron hoops. I have not set down the stairs of the different stories in the drawing. to prevent confusion.'' The porcelain tower of Nan-king is octagonal in plan, forty feet in diameter, and consists of nine stories, diminishing iu size as the structure rises, and surmounted with a cupola and gilded ball. From this ball a rod of iron rises, and from its highest extremity eight chains descend. from which seventy twit bells are suspended. Each story is covered by a projecting roof of coloured tiles, and the total height of the building is variously estimated at three hundred and ferty-six, t wo him dred and fifty-eight, and two Inindred and thirty-six feet.
The inner part or body of the wall," says Air. Wright. " is brick, but the inside lining and the facing w ithtalt, of beautiftd white glazed porcelain slabs. fixed in the masoury by menus of deep keys, cut like a half' 'I' in the brick. The roof of each story consists of green and yellow porcelain tiles in alternate perpendicular rows ; and running up each angle, is a moulding of larger tiles glazed and coloured red and green alternately. From each story pro j•cts a balcony, enelosed by a light balustrade of green porcelain, upon which open four doorways, set to the cardinal points, their arches being elegantly turned with glazed tiles, cast in all imaginable fancies of design, and variation of odour, representing deities, dewlaps, and mon sters of all descriptions." Bells are suspended front dragons' months at the angles of every story, making with those attached to the chains of the cupola, a total number of one hundred and fifty-two.
" Several other Arms of buildings used in China.-1 have given descriptions of three kinds of thugs, that I saw in different temples at Canton. It remains for uw to of a fourth kind, which is found in gardens. These edifices are in general composed only of twelve columns, raised on a sock, which serve to support the roof The building that served me for a model, was placed in the middle of a small lake, in a garden in China; its singularity made me give it the preference. •
"The base that supports it is pretty high. A balustrade surrounds it. The bases of the twelve columns of this pavilion have a profile very similar to that of a Tuscan base of Palladio. The roof, which rests on these columns, is crowned with a lantern. The idea of this ornament is taken from those which surmount the towers. The tops of the shafts of the columns are pierced by beams that support the roof, having their extremities ornamented with little grotesque heads and bells. A frieze ornamented with an entrelas. goes all round, under the roof, in the spaces between the columns." Sir NVilliam describes another pavilion thus: "It is the same with that of a temple with one wing; but the elevation is different. It is composed of ten columns, which support a root' and a lantern, covered in the form of a cone, and terminated by a ball.
"The paykus, or triumphal arches, are very common in China. There are many in Canton; but none, that 1 have seen, have any beauty.
"Houses of the Chinese.—The distribution of their houses is perfectly uniform ; and it would be improper, and even dangerous, fin. an individual to depart from the general mode. Le Canine tells us of a mandarin, who haying built a house higher and more beautiful than those of his neighbours, was accused before the Emperor, and, fearing the consequence, he pulled down his house, without waiting for the sovereign's decision.
"The Chinese lay out more than half of the ground occupied for their houses in courts and narrow walks ; those of the merchants of Canton, which are close by the water, are narrow and very long ; hut there is no ditThrenee in the disposition of their interior. The level ground is crossed in its length, by a broad walk, passing through the middle, and stretching from the street to the river. On each side are the apartments, consisting of a saloon for receiving visits, a bed-chamber, and sometimes a study, or closet. Betb•e each set of apartments is a court, having, a fish-pond, or cistern, at its extremity, containing an a•tifirial rock in the middle, whereon grow bamboos and several other kinds of plants; all which form a miniature landscape, of picturesque appearative. Some of the fish ere so familiar, that they come to the surthee of the water, and allow themselves to be fed with the hand. The sides of the courts are ornamented sometimes w ith flower-pots, and sometimes with shrubs in flower, vines, or bamboos, forming green arbours. In the middle, upon a pedestal, a large porcelain vase is generally placed, tilled with those beautiful flowers, called They also frequently keep in these little courts, pheasants, bantam-hens, and other curious birds.