covered with the white and pink flowers of plum and peach trees, among waving bamboos and small firs, over wheat, beans and clover.
With its character for learning, Dzing, too, as a consequence, perhaps, (after the classic witticism "Port wine and Greek") is said to harbour many opium smokers. Outside the abodes of such, however, but little of the effect of the practice is seen; and though all may be true that is told by missionary travellers of the result of their observations, it is a singular fact that plain men of the world in China have to strain both their optic and their olfactory nerves to discover that opium is at all made use of. This fact, however, is no answer to the many excellent and sage observations of those who entertain a penchant for condemning the use of luxuries to which they, themselves, have no inclanation.
Dzing, like most of the other district cities has much cultivated ground within its walls, and, excepting that such places afford a shelter to officers of Government, and aid in perpetuating the tyranny of the rulers, the benefit acccorded to the people by the existence of walled cities is problematical. There was a time, perhaps, when the richest men of the provinces were quartered within them;and there are indications of such a time in many of the houses now used for the commonest purposes. Taverns (Vanteens) in the suburbs—failing monasteries, the only quarters for the foreign traveller—are often found to be well arranged houses, with open courts in the centres, and avenues and partitioned rooms—built, evidently, for people who had some sense of taste and decency;but now, Oh, how filthy and begrimmed with dust! That a quiet, easily contented people are borne by their government to the ground
