enotes a part or division of a poem, answering to what is otherwise called a book. The word is Italian, where it properly signifies long. Tasso, Ariosto, and several other Italians, have divided their longer or heroic poems into cantos. In imitation of them, Scarron Scarpon has also divided his *Gigantomachia*, and Boileau his *Lutrin*, into chants or songs. The like usage has been adopted by some English writers, as Butler, who divides his Hudibras, and Dr Garth his *Dissension* into cantos. A late translator of part of Virgil's *Æneid* has even subdivided a book of Virgil into several cantos.
**Canto**, in the Italian music, signifies a song; hence *canto simplex* is where all the notes or figures are equal, and called also *canto fermo*; *canto figurato*, that where the figures are unequal, and express different motions.
*Canto* also signifies the treble part of a song; hence *canto concertante*, the treble of the little chorus; *canto ripieno*, the treble of the grand chorus, or that which rings only now and then in particular places. *Canto* signifies the first treble, unless some other word be added to it, as *secondo*; in which case it denotes the second treble.
**Canton**, in geography, denotes a small district or country constituting a distinct government; such are the cantons of Switzerland.
**Canton**, Quang-tong, or Koanton, one of the southern provinces of China; bounded on the north-east by Fukien, on the north by Kiang-si, on the west by Quang-si and the kingdom of Tonking, and everywhere else by the sea. The country is diversified with hills and plains, and the soil in general so fertile that it produces two crops annually. Besides many of the fruits of Europe, and those common in other parts of the Indies, the province of Canton produces some peculiar to itself. Abundance of valuable aromatic woods are also to be met with in this province, as well as eagle-wood, ebony, &c.; and in the mineral kingdom the province furnishes gold, precious stones, tin, quicksilver, and copper. Silk and sugar are also cultivated here, and pearls are fished up on the coasts; so that every thing which can contribute to the pleasure or convenience of life is to be met with in Canton. "One begins (says F. Premare) to have an idea of China, on entering the river Canton. Both sides of it present large fields of rice which resemble green meadows, and extend beyond the reach of sight. They are intersected by an infinite number of small canals, in such a manner that the barks which pass and repass in them seem at a distance, while the water which carries them is concealed, to glide along the grats. Farther inland the country appears covered with trees and cultivated along the valleys; and the whole scene is interperfed with villages, rural seats, and such a variety of delightful prospects, that one is never tired of viewing them, and regrets to be obliged to pass them so quickly.
All the coasts of this province abound with fish, and furnish vast numbers of crabs, oysters, and tortoises of an immense size. The inhabitants keep a prodigious number of tame ducks, which they hatch in ovens or dunghills, though it does not appear that they borrowed this custom from the Egyptians. The docility of these creatures exceeds what we should be apt at first to imagine. The inhabitants load a number of small barks with them, and carry them in flocks to feed on the sea-shore, where they find shrimps and other animals proper for their nourishment. But though the ducks from the different barks are thus unavoidably mixed together in the day-time, they are easily collected by only beating on a basin, on which they immediately collect themselves into different flocks, and each returns to its proper bark.
In this province the Chinese have also a method of preserving not only the flesh of their ducks in such a manner that it loses nothing of its original flavour, but their eggs also. The latter operation is performed by covering the eggs with a coat of clay mixed with salt. When mixed in this manner, it seems that the salt has the property of penetrating through the pores of the shell, and thus impregnating the substance in the egg, which it could not do by simple solution of water.
Canton, though it suffered much in the Chinese wars, is at present one of the most flourishing provinces of the empire; and being at a great distance from court, its government is one of the most important. A great number of fortresses, many of which are cities provided with numerous garrisons, have been built along the coasts for the suppression of pirates and robbers; for which purpose also a certain number of troops are kept properly posted in different parts of the province. It is divided into ten districts, which contain as many cities of the first class, and 84 of the second and third. The air in general is warm but healthy, and the people are very industrious. They possess in an eminent degree the talent of imitation, so that if they are only shown any European work they can execute others like it with surprising exactness. The most remarkable cities in the province besides Canton the capital are, 1. Chao-tcheou-fou, chiefly noted for a monastery of the bonzes in its neighbourhood, to which the adjacent country belongs, and the origin of which is traced back for 8 or 900 years. It has under its jurisdiction five cities of the third class; near one of these grows a reed of which several instruments are made, which cannot be distinguished from real ebony. The air of Chao-tcheou-fou, however, is unhealthy; and great numbers of the inhabitants are carried off annually by contagious distempers, which prevail from the middle of October to the beginning of December. 2. Kao-tcheou-fou, situated in a delightful and plentiful country. In the neighbourhood is found a singular kind of stone much resembling marble, on which are natural representations of rivers, mountains, landscapes, and trees. These stones are cut into slabs, and made into tables, &c. Crabs are also caught on the coasts here, which very much resemble those of Europe; but, says M. Grolier, they have this singularity, that when taken out of the water, they become petrified without losing any thing of their natural figure. 3. Kiun-tcheou-fou, the capital of the island of Hai-nan. See Hai-nan.
**Canton**, a large, populous, and wealthy city of China, capital of the province of that name, stands on the banks of the river Taa, or great river, which, near the city, is wide and spacious. The wall of the city is pretty high, and about six or seven miles in circumference, though not more than one-third of the ground is occupied by buildings, the other parts being appropriated to pleasure grounds or to fish ponds. The country is extremely pleasant, and towards the east hilly, so as to command a beautiful prospect of the city and suburbs, the compass of which, together, is about ten miles.
The buildings of Canton are in general low, consisting of one story and a ground floor, which is covered with earth or red tiles in order to keep it cool; but the houses of of the most respectable merchants and mandarins are comparatively lofty and well built. In different parts of the city and suburbs are joss houses or temples, in which are placed the images worshipped by the Chinese; before whom are placed, at particular seasons, a vast variety of sweetmeats, oranges, great plenty of food ready dressed, and also incense, which is kept perpetually burning.
The streets of Canton are long and narrow, paved with flint stones, adorned at intervals with triumphal arches, which have a pleasing effect, and much crowded with people. On both sides are shops as in London, appropriated to the sale of different commodities; and a kind of awning is extended from house to house, which prevents the sun's rays from incommending either inhabitants or passengers. At the end of every street is a barrier, which, with the gates of the city, are shut in the evening. In China Street, which is pretty long and considerably wider than the rest, reside merchants; whose trade, so far as respects China, lacquered ware, fans, &c., is wholly confined to Europeans. Most of them speak the foreign languages tolerably well, or at least sufficiently intelligible to transact business. Besides these merchants, there is a company of twelve or thirteen, called the Cohong; who have an exclusive right by appointment from authority to purchase the cargoes from the different ships, and also to supply them with teas, raw silks, &c., in return. The establishment of the Cohong, though injurious to private trade, is admirably well adapted for the security of the different companies with which they traffic; because each individual becomes a guarantee for the whole; so that if one fail, the others consider themselves as responsible.
In Canton there are no carriages; all burdens are carried by porters across their shoulders on bamboo poles; as are also the principal people in sedan chairs, and the ladies always. The streets of Canton may be traversed from morning till evening without seeing a woman, those excepted who are Tartars, and even these but very seldom.
On the wharf of the river, which is commodious and pleasant, stand the factories of the different European nations, viz., the Dutch, French, Swedes, Danes, English, &c. In these reside the supercargoes belonging to their respective companies, who are appointed to dispose of the cargoes brought to market; to supply the ships with others for Europe in return; and, during their absence, to contract with the merchants for such articles as may be judged necessary for the next fleet. Between the residents of the factories the most perfect cordiality subsists; in each a common and splendid table is kept at the company's expense, and visits are reciprocally exchanged; so that nothing is wanting to make residence at Canton agreeable to an European, but the pleasure naturally resulting from the society of women.
The side of the river next the city is covered with boats, which form a kind of town or streets, in which live the poorer sort of the Chinese, or rather the descendants of the Tartars. Some of the men come on shore in the morning to their respective employments, and in these sampans or boats which are not stationary, the women and also the men carry passengers from place to place in the same manner as is done by wherries on the Thames. On this river live many thousand souls who never were permitted to come on shore; whose only habitation is their boat; in which they eat, drink, sleep, carry on many occupations, keep ducks, &c., and occasionally a hog.
The manufactures of Canton are principally carried on in the suburbs; though it has been frequently supposed that they were confined to the city; and this, by some writers, has been given as a reason why Europeans are not permitted to enter within the gates. But this is a mistake; and perhaps the true reason for this very singular restraint is, that the houses in which they keep their women are chiefly within the city.
At Wampoa, a large commodious place for anchorage, and which is about 12 or 14 miles from Canton, the European vessels lie and unload their cargoes, which are transmitted by lighters to the factories; and by the same conveyance receive their respective freights. Between this place and the city are three floppos, or custom-houses, at which the boats passing and repassing are obliged to stop, and undergo with its passengers an examination, in order to prevent smuggling. The lighters just mentioned, and also the captain's pinnace, are, however, excepted; the former having proper officers on board for the purpose, and the latter being narrowly watched and examined at the landing.
The weather at Canton is, in summer, extremely hot; and in the months of December, January, and February, cold: the country is nevertheless pleasant and healthful, abounding with all the necessaries and delicacies of life, which may be procured on terms much cheaper than in Europe. The number of inhabitants has been estimated at one million; but later calculations have made the number considerably less. N. Lat. 23° 30' E. Long. 113° 20'.