hich I am speaking, quite uncommon in a country town. The
tea, whether black or green, was very shining and inviting, and the
bowls, of which there were three, standing on as many chests, were very
grand and foreign-looking. Two of these were white, with figures and
trees painted upon them in blue; the other, which was the middlemost, had
neither trees nor figures upon it, but, as I looked through the window,
appeared to have on its sides the very same kind of marks which I had
observed on the teapot at home; there were also marks on the tea-chests
somewhat similar, but much larger, and, apparently, not executed with so
much care. "Best teas direct from China," said a voice close to my side,
and looking round I saw a youngish man with a frizzled head, flat face,
and an immensely wide mouth, standing in his shirt-sleeves by the door.
"Direct from China," said he. "Perhaps you will do me the favour to walk
in and scent them?" "I do not want any tea," said I; "I was only
standing at the window examining those marks on the bowl and the chests.
I have observed similar ones on a teapot at home." "Pray walk in, sir,"
said the young fellow, extending his mouth till it reached nearly from
ear to ear--"pray walk in, and I shall be happy to give you any
information respecting the manners and customs of the Chinese in my
power." Thereupon I followed him into his shop, where he began to
harangue on the manners, customs, and peculiarities of the Chinese,
especially their manner of preparing tea, not forgetting to tell me that
the only genuine Chinese tea ever imported into England was to be found
in his shop. "With respect to those marks," said he, "on the bowl and
the chests, they are nothing more nor less than Chinese writing
expressing something, though what I can't exactly tell you. Allow me to
sell you this pound of tea," he added, showing me a paper parcel. "On
the envelope there is a printed account of the Chinese system of writing,
extracted from authors of the most established reputation. These things
I print, principally with the hope of in some degree removing the worse
than Gothic ignorance prevalent amongst the natives of these parts. I am
from London myself. With respect to all that relates to the Chinese real
Imperial tea, I assure you, sir, that--" Well, to make short of what you
doubtless consider a very tiresome story, I purchased the tea and carried
it home. The tea proved imperially bad, but the paper