. A voyage to Cochinchina, in the years 1792 and 1793. To which is annexed an account of a journey made in the years 1801 and 1802, to the residence of the chief of the Booshuana nation. d as well as the ear. At each repetitionof the chorus the three Cochinchinese graces displayed theirfine slender shapes in the mazy dance, in which, however,the feet were the least concerned. By different gestures ofthe head, body, and arms, they assumed a variety of figures ;and all their motions were exactly adapted to the measure ofthe music. The burden of the chorus was not unpleasing,and was long recollec
. A voyage to Cochinchina, in the years 1792 and 1793. To which is annexed an account of a journey made in the years 1801 and 1802, to the residence of the chief of the Booshuana nation. d as well as the ear. At each repetitionof the chorus the three Cochinchinese graces displayed theirfine slender shapes in the mazy dance, in which, however,the feet were the least concerned. By different gestures ofthe head, body, and arms, they assumed a variety of figures ;and all their motions were exactly adapted to the measure ofthe music. The burden of the chorus was not unpleasing,and was long recollected on the quarter-deck of the Lion,till the novelty which succeeded in China effaced it from thememory. In the latter country, however, we saw no dancingneither by men nor women, which makes it probable thatthis part of the Cochinchinese entertainment must be anamusement of their own invention, or introduced from thewestern part of India. A tolerably good notion may be col-lected of the theatre and the operatic part of the representa-tion fjora the annexed engraving. No entrance money is ever expected in the theatres ofChina or Cochinchina. The actors aie either hired to play at. COCHINCHINA. 297 private entertainments, at a fixed sum for the day; or theyexhibit before the public in a temporary shed, entirely ex-posed in front. On such occasions, instead of cheering theperformers with empty plaudits, the audience throw amongthem pieces of copper monej^: for this purpose, the Man-darins brought us some hundred pieces strung on cords, of thesame kind as those Avhich are current in China. By theCochinchinese the regular drama is called Troien, or a rela-tion of histories. To the operatic interlude of recitative, airand dancing they give the name olSoiig-sang ; and a grand<}horus accompanied with the gong, the kettle drum, casta-nets, tmmpets and other noisy instruments, is called the Ring-ra7ig. The Ambassador had ordered his band to attend onshore, where they played a few hgh
Size: 1329px × 1880px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1800, booksubjectvoyagesandtravels
