1 ་ cort to conduct us through his district, "and configned us dead or alive to one Suqua at Canton, a Chinese merchant "well known to the English there. In every one of our refting-places, victuals were brought to us by the villagers in 66 66 66 plenty, and with great cordiality. In "this manner we paffed from one district to another, without having occafion to lay out a fingle farthing, till we reached "Canton, which we did in nine days, travelling fometimes by land, and fome"times by water. Our cafe had been represented to the court at Pekin, from 66 whence orders came to distribute amongst us a fum of money; which was "done by the Chuntuck, Hoppo, and o 66 66 ther officers, civil and military, affem"bled in great state. After a short speech, હ expreffing regret for our calamity, with an eulogium on the humane and generous "difpofition of their mafter; to each of us was prefented the Emperor's bounty, "in a yellow bag on which was infcribed "the nature of the gift. The first fuper66 cargo received 450 tales in filver, the "fecond 350, myself 250, the mate 75, " and each common feaman 15; the whole amounting 66 amounting to about 2000 tales, or "L. 800. This is an example worthy imitation, even where Chriftianity is profeffed; tho' its tenets are often, on "like occafions, fcandaloufly perverted." So far my author: and I add, that this bounty was undoubtedly established by law; for it has not the appearance of an occafional or fingular act of benevolence. If fo, China is the only country in the world, where charity to strangers in diftress is a branch of public police. Another advantage of a great state I mention with peculiar pleasure, because all who afpire to be eminent in literature, are interested in it. A fmall kingdom, like Denmark, like Sweden, like Portugal, cannot naturally be productive of good writers ; because where there are few readers, there is no fufficient incitement to exert literary talents: a claffical work produced at prefent in the Celtic tongue, would fall little fhort of a miracle. France is eminent above all other nations for the encouragement it affords to good writers: it is a populous country: it is the chief feat of taste, arts, and fciences; and its language has become univerfal in Europe, being being the court-language every where: why then should not French writers carry the palm? But let not the British defpond; for doth not a glorious profpect lie before them? The demand for English books in America is confiderable; and is increafing daily. Population goes on vigorously the number of British already fettled upon the river Ohio approach to 10,000; and the delicious country from that river down to the mouth of the Miffiffippi, will be filled with people whofe native tongue is English. is English. So fine a climate and fo rich a foil will be productive of readers in plenty. Such a profpect ought to roufe our ambition; and our ambition will be highly laudable, if rejecting local diftinctions, we afpire to rival the French writers in real merit. But the foregoing advantages of a great ftate, however illuftrious, are fadly overbalanced by manifold disadvantages. The firft is, the corruption of its kings, which, in a different view, is mentioned in the fketch immediately preceding. A fecond is, that great monarchs, being highly elevated above their fubjects, are acquainted with none but their minifters. And mi nifters, nisters, who in a defpotic government are fubject to no controul but that of their master, commonly prefer their own intereft, without regard to his honour. Solyman Emperor of the Turks, tho' accomplished above any of his predeceffors, could not escape the artifices of his wife Roxalana, and of his Vifir Ruftan. They poi foned his ears with repeated calumnies against his eldest fon Muftapha, a young prince of great hopes. They were not in hazard of detection, because no perfon had access to the Emperor but by their means. And the concluding fcene, was an order from the Emperor to put his fon to death (a). If a great monarch lie thus open in his own palace to the artifices of his ministers, his authority, we may be certain, will be very flight over the governors of his diftant provinces. Their power is precarious; and they opprefs the people without intermiffion, in order to amafs wealth the complaints of the people are difregarded; for they never reach the throne. The Spanish governors of the Philippine islands, afford a deplorable in (a) See Dr Robertfon's hiftory of Charles V. where this incident is related with uncommon fpirit. ftance ftance of this obfervation. The heat of rages without con the climate promotes luxury; and luxury avarice, which prompts avarice, troul, the distance of the capital removing all fear of detection. Arbitrary taxes are imposed on the people, and exceffive duties on goods imported; which are rigorously exacted, because they are converted by the governor to his own ufe. An arbitrary estimate is made of what every field may produce; and the husbandman is severely punished if he fail to deliver the appointed quantity, whether his land has produced. it or not. Many thoufands have abandoned their native country; and the few miferable wretches who remain, have taken refuge among inacceffible mountains. Third, The corruption of a court fpreads through every member of the state. In an extenfive kingdom that has no rival, the subjects, having no occafion to exert themfelves in defence of their country, lose their manhood, and turn cowards. At the fame time, great inequality of rank and fortune engender luxury, selfishness, and fenfuality *. The fine The following paffage is from a late Ruffian writer. |