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and all Kinds of Fruits and Provifions neceffary to render Life agreeable. This Country is esteemed one of the finest and moft fruitful in the whole World; and was a great Surprize to the Europeans, in the unexpected Discovery of so fine a Nation, and fo polite a People, which were unknown to thefe Parts of the World till the Difcovery of the EaftIndies: It is exceeding populous, fuppofed to contain near 70,000,000 of People: Not only the ftately Cities, but even the Towns and Villages are crouded with Inhabitants; and the Roads, as well as Streets, are continually full of Paffengers. The chief Products of this Country are, Quickfilver, Silks, Porcelane Difhes, Ginger, China Ware, Cottons, Rhubarb, Sugar, Camphire, Mufk, Ginger, China Wood, Linen, Oil, Ebony, Sandal Wood, Canes, Tea, &c. Tea is a Plant peculiar to this Country: It ufually grows at the Foot of fome Mountain; the Root refembling that of a Peach-tree, and its Flower that of white wild Rofes. The Tree is of all Sizes, from two Feet to an hundred in Height. The three Sorts of Tea, commonly brought to Europe, are of the fame Plant; and only the Seafons of the Year when it is gather'd, and the Soil, make the Difference. Bohea is the very firft Bud, gather'd in the Beginning of March, and dried in the Shade; the Imperial or Bing Tea is the fecond Growth, in April, and the common Green Tea, or Singlo, in May and June, which are both dried, in little Pans, over the Fire. The Chinese have Mines of Gold and Silver; but thofe of Gold are never fuffer'd to be open'd. The Gold, which they have in fuch Plenty, is wafh'd down by Torrents from the Mountains in the rainy Seafons, and is faid to need no refining. They have alfo Mines of Tin, Iron, Copper. and fome Lead. Several of the Chinese Emperors have thought it worthy of their Royal Care, to promote and teach their Subjects Hufbandry, the Invention of the Plough; and feveral Inftruments, and Books of Husbandry, they afcribe to fome of their greatest Emperors. The longeft Day, in the moft Southern Part of China, is about 13 Hours; and, in the Northmoft Part, about 15 Hours; therefore this Country lies in the 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th Northern Climates.

GOVERNMENT.] The Hiftories of China begin within two or three hundred Years' after the Flood, and fhew a Succeffion of Monarchs down to this Time.

The Crown of China is faid to be hereditary by fome; but it is agreed by all, that the Emperor has a Power of altering the Succeffion, and declaring any one of his Subjects his Succeffor, tho' he has no

Form of Go

vernment,

Relation

Relation to the Royal Family; but then this must be paffed and ratified by the Great Council, which confifts of the Princes of the Blood, and Minifters of State; and there have been Inftances where the Emperor's, Refolution has been oppofed, and his Defign of fetting afide thofe who were look'd upon to be next Heirs defeated.

TRADE.] The Chinefe hardly ever heard of any other Part of the World but Afia, till the Europeans difcovered the Paffage thither by the Cape of Good Hope, tho' we are affur'd they had the Loadftone, and the Ufe of the Compafs, long before us; and the Reafon they never made long Voyages, is faid to be, that they looked upon the reft of Mankind as little better than Brutes, and believ'd that they themfelves poffeffed the greateft, as well as the best Part of the World. When the Europeans gave them to understand how very finall a Part of the World the Chinese enjoyed, in comparison of the whole inhabited Earth, and that there were many Kingdoms, which furpafs'd them in feveral Arts and Sciences, they flood amazed; and the Surprize, on the Part of the Europeans, was very great, in difcovering fo fine a Country, and fo polite a People. There. is a fine Communication from one large City to another, for the Conveniency of Trade: For through every Province of China there is one grand Canal, which ferves as a high Road; from this are cut feveral smaller, which are again branch'd out into Rivulets, that generally end at fome Town, or Village. Over the Canals are ftately Bridges, of three, five, or feven Arches; the middle Arch fo high, that Veffels may go through, without taking down their Mafts. Nothing can afford a more agreeable Profpect, than fo many fine Canals, adorn'd with noble Bridges, built chiefly with Marble; with a prodigious Number of Cities, Towns, and Villages, upon the Banks; and a Multitude of Veffels, failing different Ways upon them, through the most fruitful Vales. Europe, 'tis faid, has nothing to boat of comparable to this: But, to return from this agreeable Digreffion, to their Trade. Silks, and other rich Merchandizc, are tranfported upon thefe Canals, from Province to Province; and exported to India, Japan, the Philippines, Java, and other Ilands in the Indian Seas. Goods imported from China are Tea, Quickfilver, Vermilion, China Root, Rhubarb, Raw and Wrought Silks, Copper, Camphire, Sugarcandy, Fans, Pictures, Laquer'd Ware, Porcelane,, or China Ware, Soi, Borax, Lapis Lazuli, and feveral other Merchandizes. The chief Goods ufually brought from Europe to China are Bullion, Cloth, Cloth-Rafk, Perpetuang's, Camlets, and Lead. CHARACTER.]

CHARACTER.] It is generally agreed, that a Majority of the Chinese are fquat, well-fet Men; have broad Faces, black Hair, little dark Eyes, fhort Nofes, and thin Beards. They were anciently reverenced throughout India, Tartary, and Perfia, as Oracles; and the greatest Objection, we are told, that the Japonese made to the Chriftian Religion, was, that fo wife a Nation as the Chinese had not receiv'd it. Avarice, and Ambition, it feems have a large Stroke in all Affairs in China, notwithstanding their boafted Politeness, and the equitable Rules they pretend to be govern'd by.

RELIGION.] The prevailing Religion in China, is Idolatry, or Paganism. There are three Sects of Idolaters at this Day, firft, the Followers of Li Laokum, who liv'd, as they fay, above five hundred Years before Chrift. He taught, that God was corporeal, and had many fubordinate Deities under his Government. The fecond Sect is that of the Learned, who are the Difciples of the fo much celebrated Gonfucius, who left many admirable Precepts of Morality, and instructed the People in Philofophy. He fpeaks of God as a moft pure and perfect Principle, the Fountain and Effence of all Beings; and, tho' we are told he prohibited Idolatry, he has Temples and Images erected to him, and is worshipped with the profoundest Adoration. There is a third Sect, much more numerous than either of the former, who worship the Idol Fo, whom they ftyle the only God of the World. This Idol was imported from India, about thirty-two Years after the Death of our Saviour.

CUSTOMS.] The Men wear no Hats, but a Cap, like a Bell, made of fine Mat, which does not come fo low as their Ears: They carry a Fan in their Hands, to screen them from the Heat of the Sun. They fhave their Heads, except one Lock behind, which the better Sort make up in a little Roll. They wear a Veft, which reaches to the Ground, and folds over their Breafts; the Sleeves are wide at the Shoulder, but narrow towards the Wrift. The Veft is tied with a Silk Safh, which hangs down to their Knees. Over this Veft they wear a loofe Coat, or Gown, fhorter than the reft, with fhort Sleeves. They have a kind of Silk Boots, quilted with Cotton an Inch thick, and Slippers befides. The Women drefs ufually in their Hair, which is a part of it made up in a Roll, and fasten'd with a Bodkin ; the reft is divided into two Locks, which fall gracefully upon the Neck. They wear, as Men do, a long Veft of Sattin; they have over this a loose Gown, with wide Sleeves, fo long, that they would reach the Ground

Drefs.

2

Ground, if they were not held up. But what is most remarkable is, their little Feet, in which their principal Beauty is thought to lie: As foon as a Girl is born, her Feet are bound up so hard, that they cannot grow; which makes them walk a little awkwardly, the Foot of a grown Woman being no bigger than a Child's of three Years old. The Chinese are far from fuperftitious in their Diet; they do not only eat all Kinds of Flesh, Fish, and Fowl, as the Europeans do; but Horse-flesh is in great Efteem Diet. amongst them; nor are Dogs, Cats, Snakes,

Frogs, or fcarce any fort of Vermin refus'd: But Rice, Roots, Pulfe, and Garden-ftuff, are the Common Food. They use neither Cloth, Napkins, Knives, Spoons, or Forks; but two little round Sticks of Ebony, or other Wood, with which they take up their Meat very dexterously. They use high Chairs, and Tables, contrary to all the People of the Eaft befides, who fit cross-legg'd upon the Floor. Every Perfon, almoft, at an Entertainment, has a little laquer'd Table to himself, on which is fet his Treat and Rice, in little China Dishes, or Saucers; and fometimes Plate is ufed. Tea is their principal Liquor; Wine they have none, tho' the Country abounds in fine Grapes; neither do they brew Beer of Barley, but have ftrong Liquors, which they make of Rice, or Wheat. People generally eat their Meat cold, Ceremony at tho' they drink their Liquors hot. At an Entertainment, whenever a Mouthful of Meat is taken up, or a Cup of Liquor drank, it occafions a hundred Grimaces: The Mafter of the Feaft gives the Sign, when they fit down, by taking up the two Sticks, and making a Flourish with them; after which, they ftrike them into the Difh. They are to take as much Care as poffible, that their Mouths all move together, that one may not have done before another; for either to be beforehand, or make the reft wait, is reckon'd a great Piece of Rudenefs, and throws all into Confufion. When this is done, they flourish their little Sticks again; and, having taken two or three Mouthfuls of a Difh, the Mafter of the Houfe gives a Sign to lay down their Arms, which they do in the fame Order they found them. Then comes the Liquor, which is drank off with great Cere

mcny,

an Entertain

ment,

A

Of

Of GREAT TARTARY. CLIMATE.] THE Air of this Country is very different, as we may expect, in fo vaft a Tract of Land. The Products of this Country are chiefly Skins of Foxes, Sables, Hyenas, Ermins, Lynxes, and other Furs; Musks, Rhubarb, Flax, and fome Cinnamon;

GOVERNMENT.] For the Government of Muscovite Tartary, and Chinese Tartary, fee the refpective Heads.

RELIGION.] The Sameieds fay, that they believe that there is a God, and that they are convinc'd nothing is greater and more powerful than God, and that all Things depend on him; that we had one common Father, and that good Men will go to Paradife. But, notwithstanding this, they worship the Sun, Moon, and Planets, together with several Kinds of Beafts and Birds, from whom they hope to receive fome Benefits. Images they alfo worship, in human Shape;' but fo very ill carved and drefs'd, that it would be difficult to difcover what they reprefented. They have Pricfts among them, who pretend to the Magic Art, and to foretel future Events. As to the Religion of the Oftiacks, I do not find it differs much from that of the Samoieds.

CUSTOMS.] The Samoieds eat the Flefh of Horfes, Oxen, Deer, Sheep, and Fifh, indifferently; but prefer the Entrails of Animals to any other Part of them. Their Houses are built with Poles, and the Branches of Trees, and cover'd with Bark They are almoft in the Form of a Bee-hive, and have a Hole in the Top to let out the Smoke; for the whole House is but one Room, with a Hearth in the Middle, round which they fit or lie upon Rain-deer Skins, their only Furniture, except the Horfe-flesh, and other Carrion, which hangs round the Huts; for they feldom eat it while it is fweet, which makes their Habitation infupportable to any but themselves; and 'tis faid, the Fumes, that arife from their own unfavoury Hides, are almost as difagreeable as those which proceed from the Carrion their Diet. The Diverfions of the Samoieds and Oftiacks are chiefly hunting the Elks and Rain-deer. They will venture over high Rocks of Ice, lying in the Inland of Waigats, or Nova Zembla, in Pursuit of their Game: Thefe People are fhod with wooden Scates, with which they run over Mountains, with incredible Swiftnefs, upon the Snow; and, having a kind of Shovel in their Hands, faften'd to a Jong Staff, with this they throw Snow at the wild Rain

deer,