The expressions made use of in salutation, by different nations, may perhaps be considered as deriving their origin from features of national character. _Lau-ye_, _Old sir_, is a title of respect, with which the first officers of state may be addressed, because the maxims of government have inculcated the doctrine of obedience, respect, and protection to old age. The common salutation among the lower orders of people in some of the southern provinces is _Ya fan_, _Have you eaten your rice?_ the greatest happiness that the common class of people in China can hope to enjoy consisting in their having a sufficiency of rice. Thus also the Dutch, who are considered as great eaters, have a morning salutation which is common among all ranks, _Smaakelyk eeten!_ _May you eat a hearty dinner!_ Another universal salutation among this people is, _Hoe vaart uwe?_ _How do you sail?_ adopted no doubt in the early periods of the Republic, when they were all navigators and fishermen. The usual salutation at Cairo is, How do you sweat? a dry hot skin being a sure indication of a destructive ephemeral fever. I think some author has observed, in contrasting the haughty Spaniard with the frivolous Frenchman, that the proud steady gait and inflexible solemnity of the former were expressed in his mode of salutation, _Come esta?_ _How do you stand?_ whilst the _Comment vous portez vous?_ _How do you carry yourself?_ was equally expressive of the gay motion and incessant action of the latter. The Chinese are so ceremonious among themselves, and so punctilious with regard to etiquette, that the omission of the most minute point established by the court of ceremonies is considered as a criminal offence. Visiting by tickets, which with us is a fashion of modern refinement, has been a common practice in China some thousand years; but the rank of a Chinese visitor is immediately ascertained by the size, colour, and ornaments of his ticket, which also varies in all these points according to the rank of the person visited. The old Viceroy of _Pe-tche-lee's_ ticket to the Embassador contained as much crimson-coloured paper as would be sufficient to cover the walls of a moderate-sized room. CHAP. V. Manners and Amusements of the Court--Reception of Embassadors--Character and private Life of the Emperor--His Eunuchs and Women.