"These people ought all to perish of indigestion."

"No; they are moderate eaters, their dishes consist of small saucers,
each containing only a few mouthfuls of meat, and, as for Europeans,
the want of forks and spoons--"

"What! have they no forks?"

"Not at table--nor knives either; but, on the other hand, they are
exceedingly expert in the use of two slender sticks of ivory, which
they hold in the first three fingers of the right hand, and with which
they manage to convey solids, and even liquids, to their mouths."

"Ah! I see," said Jack; "the Europeans would be obliged, like Mrs.
Wolston, to call their carriage, in spite of the fifty-two saucers of
meat: it puts me in mind of the stork inviting the fox to dine with
her out of a long-necked jar."

"We are apt to judge the Chinese by the pictures seen of them on their
own porcelain, and copied upon our pottery," said Becker; "but this
conveys only a ludicrous idea of them. They are the most industrious,
but at the same time the vainest, most stupid, and most credulous
people in the world; they worship the moon, fire, fortune, and a
thousand other things; people go about amongst them selling wind,
which they dispose of in vials of various sizes."

"That is a trade that will not require an extraordinary amount of
capital."

"True; and besides, as they carry on their trade in the open air, they