The Chinese opium smoker. Twelve illustrations; facsimiles of native drawings / with a translation of the original Chinese text accompanying them, and appendices.

Date:
[1881?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Chinese opium smoker. Twelve illustrations; facsimiles of native drawings / with a translation of the original Chinese text accompanying them, and appendices. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/50
    PARENTAL EXPOSTULATIONS.” (( [The opium-smoker, who has been detected in his secret indulgences, is now seen kneeling before his father to ask forgiveness and promise amendment. His mother leans on her staff in an adjoining room, and his child runs away with the dreaded pipe. The hold of the habit, however, is already established. The motives of interest, duty, affection, good name—all prove too feeble to arrest the downward career of the smoker.] “ He gives no heed to the grey hairs of his parents, Nor to their earnest hope that their darling child should follow in their steps. He cares not for father leaning on his staff, or mother wetting her robe with tears. And still does not throw away his vice when confronted with the couch. If even he kneels on the pavement to receive in humility the parental instructions, In the end he is still unable to eradicate the lingering habit. When mouth only is reformed into right and heart continues wrong, it is desperate indeed. As soon as he has gone forth again he drifts on wind and tide to haunts of vice else¬ where.”