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the simple reason that the practice
of opium smoking is
an Asiatic
and not a European custom;
and Europeans do not naturally
go abroad and adopt the customs
and manners
of
the Asiatics with
whom they
are brought into contact,
14. Speaking generally,
the Chinese do not take to the opium pipe in the first instance to
allay physical pain. They regard it as a luxury suitable for introduction on special occasions. A merchant has some business to transact and visits the hong,
business house of a friend. Details are discussed and while
this is going
on the opium pipe
is introduced and used by any
of
the
party who
may accept the invitation to smoke. In point
of fact the practice may
be
compared to that which prevails
among
our
countrymen
where
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