One day one of the High-Caste took me under his Illustrious protection, and conveyed me to his grand House, built of hewn stone in the ancient Roman method. It stood among fine trees, a long and glistening _façade_ [phr-not] of white and ornamental marble. He presented me to his illustrious wife, who graciously saved me from the too great embarrassment of her presence; for, as I shall hereafter explain, the custom of the Barbarians in this respect shocks all our notions. Hanging upon the gilded walls were the costly works of painters--among them naked women, coloured and tinted, in most voluptuous forms, smiling down upon us--upon sculptured pedestals, stood white statues, in rich marbles, of exquisite maidens, nude, and attractive in every graceful attitude and personal charm! All this was surprising, if not pleasing--but when this Lord [Tchou] took me into the gardens and Park, there, indeed, all was calm--the agitation of my spirit subsided! Walking with him, he took me by the arm, and said, "Ah, my dear _Chin-le_, how little we know of each other; you do not understand _how_ many things can be with us, nor can we understand many of your customs; but _here_ we are not unlike--in _this_ art we meet on common ground." I expressed my grateful sense of his goodness, assented to his happy reference, and then ventured to observe, "Your illustrious treats me like a relation--a brother." "In what respect--I do not know." "Ah, you presented me to the exalted, the _lady_ [da-mtsi]--with us that is to say, _this is a son, or a brother_." He smiled. "Well, perhaps you are right. I rather think you are, in respect of women, though her Ladyship would not assent." I delicately hinted my embarrassment. "The pictures, the ----." He laughed good-humouredly, and replied, "Doubtless to eyes unused, such things look dazzling, and so on, but it is really only a matter of habit." But then, I suggested, "Is not Art misdirected when so employed." "Well, possibly; but an elegant thing, a beautiful thing--why not give an expression to that beauty which is the most interesting, the most charming?" "Does not _that_ imply a purity above experience and above nature?" "I see; you lead into an ethical maze--look there?" I followed his hand, and the noble Park extended on all sides; yet, I said to myself, in our Flowery Kingdom, if a point be _doubtful_ in morals we lean against the doubt. But is there any doubt as to these _nudities_? However, turning with admiration to the well-trained flowers, the spreading lawns of soft verdure, the beautiful vases of brilliant shrubs, the fine trees, with here and there a modest statue, or a marble fountain, I exclaimed, "How perfectly satisfactory and pleasing are these effects of an elevated Art, where nothing is suggested but what calms, cheers, refines, and makes generous!"