CHINESE REPOSITORY.
VOL. XI.-JANUARY, 1842.- No. 1.
ART. 1. Retrospection, or a review of public occurrences in China
during the last ten years, from January 1st, 1832, to Decem- ber 31st, 1841.
Retrospection, when properly conducted, can hardly fail of being both pleasing and profitable. Most people are fond of reviewing the scenes through which they have passed, or with which they have been in any way connected. They love, in fancy, to go back and dwell on the events that have given interest and character to former days and years.
Whether they have been pleasurable or the reverse, the mind, at times, almost instinctively returns to and lingers over the successive scenes that have already closed; and as it does this, in the hours of calm reflection, it observes their varied effects whether they be good or bad. Though all the acts performed, like their re- gistry on high, must for ever remain unchanged, so far as they relate to the past, yet it may be otherwise regarding their future bearing. Having had full opportunity to observe their consequences, we are prepared to repeat, reverse, or modify them, so far as they may be under our control. Errors may be corrected; and from the past, useful lessons derived for the guidance of future conduct. To aid in such a retrospect, we will bring together in this article, and in chro. nological order, notices of the principal events that have occurred within the range of our observation, during the last ten years.
January 1st, 1832. The gentlemen of the foreign community in Canton were entertained on new-year's day, at the British factory, by Mr. Marjoribanks in a style that could hardly be surpassed. The number of guests was about one hundred. The following notice of the entertainment is from the Canton Register of that year.
YUL XL NO, I
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