Tungufes, who inhabit Chinese Tartary on the Eaft, our author fays of them, that " By the account of the Jefuits, they have no temples, nor idols, but worship a Supreme Being, whom they ftyle Emperor of Heaven. But probably," adds he, "their real creed is Schamanifm, or a kind of rational Polytheifm, not unknown to the Jews, who admitted, as appears from Daniel, great angels or spirits, as protectors of empires." (P. 122.) (P. 122.) We are far from imagining that, by this obfervation, Mr. P. intended to communicate to the minds of his readers, an impreffion unfavourable to revelation; of which, indeed, in other parts of his work, he repeatedly fpeaks with due respect. The language, however, which he here employs is particularly exceptionable. The expreffion, it is true, when closely attended to, will be eafily feen to be much lefs intimately allied to profaneness, than it is to nonfenfe; but as the majority of readers, we fear, are little diftinguished by clofenefs of attention, we cannot help withing that the author's meaning had been clothed in a lefs questionable drefs. We know not what rational Polytheism is, but rather confider it, to use Mr. P.'s own phrase, as a contradiction in terms; and we are perfuaded that, on mature reflection, Mr. P. himfelf will be of our opinion. But the principal objection to the paffage is its feeming to afcribe Polytheifm to the Jews, of whofe religious creed it is known to all that the unity of God was the fundamental doctrine. The Jews, without doubt, admitted great spirits as protectors of empires; and Chriftians are authorifed, by an apoftle, to look upon angels as "miniftering fpirits," employed in the fervice of private men: but neither of thefe opinions, furely, is irrational or connected with that of a plurality of Gods. Of our author's phrafeology, in this place, we thought right to say thus much, by way of caution to our readers; though, after all, its chief demerit is really its inaccuracy: for it does not exhibit the fentiment which he intended to convey. What he meant to fay is obviously this: That the Mandfhurs probably believe, as the Jews believed, the existence of created fubordinate fpirits, invefted, by the Deity, with authority and power to act, as his commiffioners, in the affairs of men. The unlucky introduction of the word Polytheifm throws an air of impiety over the fentence, which, however, appears to be really chargeable with inconfiftency only.

Of the immenfe empire of China fo much has been written, and the late account of it by Sir George Staunton is fo generally known, that notwithstanding its fuperior importance, we intended to have paffed our author's defcription of it with a fimple affurance that he has carefully collected whatever can tend to illuftrate both its ancient, and its prefent ftate. But the following obfervations with regard to the period at which the great wall is fuppofed to have been built, display such found judgment, and are fo momentary in a variety of views, that we have determined to admit them.

"Sir George Staunton confiders the era of this great barrier as absolutely afcertained, and he afferts that it has exifted for 2000 years. In this affeveration he seems to have followed Du Halde, who informs us that this

prodigious

prodigious work was conftructed 215 years before the birth of Chrift, by the orders of the first emperor of the family of Tin, to protect three large provinces from the irruptions of the Tatars.' (Tome ii. p. 54.) But in the history of China, contained in his firit volume, (p. 340) he afcribes this erection to the fecond emperor of the dynafty of Thin, namely, Chi Hoang Ti; and the date immediately preceding the narrative of this conftruction is the year 137 before the birth of Chilt. Hence fufpicions may well arife, not only concerning the epoch of this work, but even with regard to the purity and precifion of the Chinese annals in general. Mr. Bell,-who refided for fome time in China, and whole travels are deservedly esteemed for the accuracy of their intelligence affures us that this wall was built about 600 years ago, (that is about the year 1160,) by one of the emperors, to prevent the frequent incurfions of the Monguls, whole numerous cavalry used to ravage the provinces, and escape before an army could be allembled to oppose them. Renaudot obferves, that no oriental geographer, above 300 years in antiquity, mentions this wall; and it is furprifing that it should have efcaped Marco Polo, who, fuppofing that he had entered China by a different route, can hardly be conceived, during his long refidence in the north of China, and in the country of the Monguls, to have remained ignorant of fo ftupendous a work. Amidst thefe difficulties, perhaps it. may be conjectured that fimilar modes of defence had been adopted in different ages; and that the ancient rude barrier, having fallen into decay, was re placed, perhaps after the invasion of Zingis, by the prefent erection, which even from the ftate of its prefervation can fcarcely afpire to much antiquity." (Pp. 87, 88.)

Every thing, it must indeed be acknowledged, which relates to this extraordinary empire is commonly reprefented on fo large a fcale as almost to overwhelm an European imagination. Mr. P. in his preliminary obfervations prefixed to Vol. I. ftates the whole prefent population of the globe as probably, in grofs numbers, amounting to SEVEN HUNDRED MILLIONS, of which 500 millions may be affigned to Afia,if China, as recently avered, comprize 330,000,000." Africa he fuppofes to contain 30 millions, America 20, and Europe, of confequence, about 150. It is likely, we think, that in this calculation, beth Africa and America are fomewhat under-rated; but that China is greatly over-rated we cannot bring ourselves to entertain a doubt. That it fwarms with people, indeed, all accounts agree. But notwithstanding the vast extent, and high cultivation of this celebrated empire, a population of 333,000,000, in the provinces too of China proper only, ftaggers all belief; and we cannot help attributing to the Mandarin, who furnished Sir George Staunton with the detail of it, a manifeft, deliberate, intention to deceive. Pauw, however, who supposed the population of China exaggerated when estimated at 82,000,000, has undoubtedly erred in the other extreme. Our author's remark on the fubject is fenfible. "How far this table," given by Staunton, "may deferve implicit credit, may be doubted by those who know the difficulty of fuch researches, even in the most enlightened countries of Europe" (P. 93.) To afcertain, indeed, with any thing like exactnefs, the number of inhabitants in any great kingdom, ap

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pears to be one of the moft difficult problems in political economy. With regard to the population of our own country, we know what erroneous ideas prevailed before the late enumeration by authority of parliament; and even of this enumeration itself the results are still imperfect and unfatisfactory. One curious inftance, accidentally obferved, of the ftrange inaccuracy with which we have long been accustomed to guess at the population even of our principal towns, may be given from Mr. P. himself. In his firft volume (p. 87.) he fpeaks of Leeds as containing about fixteen thousand fouls; while, in fome corrections and additions to the volume, he tells us that, in the official returns, it is rated at 53,162.

The part of Tartary fubject to China is of prodigious extent, being 3,100 geographical miles in length, by 1080 in breadth. Of this region, together with independent Tartary, both under the name of central Afia, Mr. Pinkerton has given a ufeful map, apparently conftructed by himself and Arrowfmith from Du Halde, D'Anville, Iflenief, &c. of whom, however, he complains as imperfect and inadequate authorities. He thus defcribes the climate and face of the country.

"Though the parallel of central Afia correfpond with that of France and part of Spain, yet the height and fnows of the mountainous ridges occafion a degree and continuance of cold, little to be expected from other circumftances. In climate and productions it is, however, far fuperior to Siberia. The appearance of this extenfive region is diverfified with all the grand features of nature, extenfive chains of mountains, large rivers and lakes. But the most fingular feature is that vaft elevated plain, fupported like a table, by the mountains of Tibet in the fouth, and Altaian chain in the north, from the mountains of Relur Tag in the weft, to thofe that bound the Kalkas in the eaft. This prodigious plain, the most elevated continuous region on the globe, is interfected by fome chains of mountains, and by the valt deferts of Cobi and Shamo, by others confidered as the fame, the former being the Mongul, the latter the Chinese name. Deftitute of plants and water, it is dangerous for horfes, but is fafely paffed with cainels. Little has been added to our knowledge of central Afia fince D'Anville drew up his maps, from the materials furnished by the jefuits in China, in which it would feem that this defert extends from about the 80th degree of east longitude from Greenwich to about the 110th, being 30° of longitude, which, in the latitude of 40°, may be 1380 geographical miles: but in this wide extent are oafes, or fertile fpots, and even regions of confiderable extent. On the other hand, the main defert fends forth feveral barren branches in various directions." (Pp. 126, 127.)

Mr P. laments the deficiency of our intelligence with regard to the interefting country of Tibet," which, with its numerous dependencies, may, in fact," he fays, "ft:ll be arranged among the undifcovered countries in the centre of Afia." The recent narrative of Captain Turner's embaffy furnishes the most authentic information; but, as it embraces a fma I part only, recourse must be had for the general geography to more antiquated authorities. From thefe different fources

Our

our industrious author has, however, compiled a very pleafing defcription, from which we shall extract his concife account of a fingularly curious fpecies of polygamy.

"It is a remarkable characteristic of the country, that polygamy here af fumes a different form from that of the other oriental regions: the women being indulged in a plurality of husbands, instead of the reverse. It is the privilege of the elder brother to felect a wife, who ftands in an equal relation to his other brothers, whatever may be the number. The fame custom is faid to have been clandeftinely practifed at Venice, from views of family pride united with poverty; but in Tibet it is reported to be founded in the great paucity of females, when compared with the number of males, though. a vast quantity [number] of the latter be buried in the monafteries." (p. 143.)

The empire of Japan is, in every refpect, an object of great curiofity; and the notices concerning it, collected by our author, will afford much gratification to the reader. All travellers agree that the population is furprifing, the capital, Jedo, being ftated as 63 British miles in circumference. "Kaempfer fays that the number of people daily travelling on the high ways is inconceivable, and the tokaido, the chief of the feven great roads, is fometimes more crowded than the most frequented ftreets of European capitals." (159) Mr. P. on the fuppofition that Japan is as populous as China, of which it equals about one tenth part in fize, eftimates its inhabitants at 30,000,000, But he justly obferves, that the population of the Japanefe empire, like that of other Afiatic states, cannot be treated with much precision. As the cleareft proof of our ignorance on this fubject may be quited, once for all, what our author has remarked in his accounts of Siam.

"Concerning the population of Siam there are no adequate documents. If the Birman empire contain, as is afferted, more than fourteen millions, it might perhaps be reafonable to conclude that the Siamefe dominions may be peopled by about eight millions. Yet Loubere affures us that, from actual enumeration, there were only found [found only] of men, women, and children, one million, nine hundred thoufand. So uncertain are the computations in oriental countries." (P. 214.) It is to be remembered that La Loubere was envoy extraordinary from Louis XIV. to the Siamese court.

The moft ftriking feature, undoubtedly, in all defcriptions of these remote eastern countries; a feature which frequently embarraffes and confounds; confifts in the gigantic and enormous proportions in which the different objects are drawn. Of this a more pertinent example, we think, cannot eafily be given than Thunberg's Report of the Japanese Emperor's Palace at Jedo. He defcribes it as furrounded with ftone walls, and ditches with draw-bridges; and forming a confiderable town, five leagues in circumference. Mr. P. however, with cautious difcernment, immediately fubjoins: "In this, and fimilar instances of oriental population and extent, though the best authorities be followed, yet the reader may, with the author, fufpend his belief." (P. 165.) To the vast extent of the emperor's palace corresponds in

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fome degree, the room which is denominated, "the faloon of the hundred mats," and which is faid to be 600 feet in length, by 300 in breadth; compared with thefe immenfe dimenfions, Weitminster Hall, which we have been accustomed to confider as. fuperb, but which is only 230 feet long, and 70 wide, finks into an infignificant dreffing clofet.

The ancient fame of Perfia confpires with the elegant variety of its modern literature, and with many other circumftances both of a phyfical and of a moral nature, ftrongly to recommend it to the attention of those whofe minds are turned to these attractive ftudies. On that portion of his work which is occupied in treating of this celebrated country, the author has bestowed great diligence and care. It seems, indeed, to have been written with a warm feeling of intereft in the fubject, and cannot fail, we think, to produce on the reader a very lively feeling of a fimilar kind. From every one of the chapters we could give many extracts of peculiar excellence; for the contents of them all are important, and the manner in which they are detailed is happy. But our limits confine us to one or two quotations, of which the first relates to the primitive inhabitants, from whom we have the honour of being defcended.

"The original population of the mountainous country of Perfia appears to have been indigenous, that is, no preceding nation can be traced: and, in the opinion of all the most learned and fkilful inquirers, from Scaliger and Lipfius down to Sir William Jones, this nation is the Scythic or Gothic, and the very fource and fountain of all the celebrated Scythian nations. While the fouthern Scythians of Iran gradually became a fettled and civilized people, the barbarous northern tribes spread around the Cafpian and Euxine Seas; and befides the powerful fettlements of the Geta and Massagetæ, the Gog and Magog of oriental authors, and others on the north and eaft of the great ridge of mountains called Imaus, or Belur Tag, they detached victorious colonies into the greater part of Europe, many centuries before the Chriftian æra." (p. 320.)

Our next quotation fhall confift of Mr. P.'s obfervations on the first historical epoch of the Perfians. We are induced to infert it on feveral accounts; but particularly because it will furnifh our readers with a very full and explicit procf that our author, though his language is fometimes incautious, is no fceptic in religion, and that, whatever may have been his former opinions, he now knows how to put a proper value on the facred authority of fcripture. This is evident from the manner in which he speaks of it; though we cannot but acknowledge that we fhould have been glad if his expreffions, even in the very paffage which we are about to copy, had been fome what more guarded. For he feems, at leaft, willing to carry the antiquity of the human race rather higher than Sripture chronology will warrant; and yet we are perfuaded, on mature confideration of the whole paffage, compared with others in the work, that this was really not his intention.

"The