were asked a thousand ridiculous questions, as to their names, and their ages: they were ordered to write, to stand upright, to sit, to stoop, to compliment each other, to be drunk, to speak the Japanese language, to talk Dutch, to sing, to eat; in short, they were ordered to do all that could satisfy the curiosity of women.

Imagine, my dear Altangi, a set of grave men thus transformed into buffoons, and acting a part every whit as honourable as that of those instructed animals which are shown in the streets of Pekin to the mob on a holiday. Yet the ceremony did not end here, for every great lord of the court was to be visited in the same manner, and their ladies, who took the whim from their husbands, were all equally fond of seeing the strangers perform, even the children seemed highly diverted with the dancing Dutchmen.

Alas! cried I to myself, upon returning from such a spectacle, is this the nation which assumes such dignity at the court of Pekin? Is this that people that appear so proud at home, and in every country where they have the least authority? How does a love of gain transform the gravest of mankind into the most contemptible and ridiculous! I had rather continue poor all my life, than become rich at such a rate. Perish those riches which are acquired at the expence of my honour or my humanity! let me quit, said I, a country where there are none but such as treat all others like slaves, and more detestable still, in suffering such treatment. I have seen enough of this nation, to desire to see more of others. Let me leave a people suspicious to excess, whose morals are corrupted, and equally debased by superstition and vice; where the sciences are left uncultivated; where the great are slaves to the prince, and tyrants to the people; where the women are chaste only when debarred of the power of transgression; where the true disciples of Confucius are not less perse

cuted than those of christianity; in a word, a country where men are forbidden to think, and consequently labour under the most miserable slavery, that of mental servitude. Adieu.

LETTER CXIX.

From Lien Chi Altangi to Fum Hoam, first president of the Ceremonial Academy at Pekin, in China.

THE misfortunes of the great, my friend, are held up to engage our attention, are enlarged upon in tones of declamation, and the world is called upon to gaze at the noble sufferers; they have at once the comfort of admiration and pity.

Yet where is the magnanimity of bearing misfortunes, when the whole world is looking on? Men in such circumstances can act bravely even from motives of vanity. He only who, in the vale of osbcurity, can brave adversity, who, without friends to encourage, acquaintances to pity, or even without hope to alleviate his distresses, can behave with tranquillity and indifference, is truly great: whether peasant or courtier, he deserves admiration, and should be held up for our imitation and respect.

The miseries of the poor are, however, entirely disregarded, though some undergo more real hardships in one day, than the great in their whole lives. It is indeed inconceivable what difficulties the meanest English sailor or soldier endures without murmuring or regret. Every day to him is a day of misery, and yet he bears his hard fate without repining.

With what indignation do I hear the heroes of tragedy complain of misfortunes and hardships, whose greatest calamity is founded in arrogance and pride. Their severest distresses are pleasures, compared to what many of the adventuring poor every day sustain, without murmuring. These may eat, drink and sleep, have slaves to attend them, and are sure of subsistence for life, while many of their fellow creatures are obliged to wander, without a friend to comfort or to assist them, find enmity in every law, and are too poor to obtain even justice.

I have been led into these reflections, from accidentally meeting, some days ago, a poor fellow begging at one of the outlets of this town, with a wooden leg. I was curious to learn what had reduced him to his present situation; and after giving him what I thought proper, desired to know the history of his life and misfortunes, and the manner in which he was reduced to his present distress. The disabled soldier, for such he was, with an intrepidity truly British, leaning on his crutch, put himself into an attitude to comply with my request, and gave me his history as follows.

"As for misfortunes, Sir, I can't pretend to have gone through more than others. Except the loss "of my limb, and being obliged tò beg, I don't know

any reason, thank Heaven, that I have to complain : "there are some who have lost both legs and an eye; "but, thank Heaven, it is not quite so bad with

"me.

"My father was a labourer in the country, and "died when I was five years old; so I was put upon "the parish. As he had been a wandering sort of a << man, the parishioners were not able to tell to what (( parish I belonged, or where I was born: so they "sent me to another parish, and that parish sent me "to a third; till at last it was thought I belonged to

"me.

"no parish at all. At length, however, they fixed I had some disposition to be a scholar, and "had actually learned my letters; but the master of "the work-house put me to business, as soon as I "was able to handle the mallet.

"Here I lived an easy kind of a life for five years. "I only wrought ten hours in the day, and had my "meat and drink provided for my labour. It is true "I was not suffered to stir far from the house, for "fear I should run away: but what of that, I had the "liberty of the whole house, and the yard before the "door, and that was enough for me.

"I was next bound out to a farmer, where I was 66 up both early and late, but I eat and drank well, "and liked my business well enough, till he died. "Being then obliged to provide for myself, I was re"solved to go and seek my fortune. Thus I lived, "and went from town to town, working when I "could get employment, and starving when I could "get none, and might have lived so still; but hap"pening one day to go through a field belonging "to a magistrate, I spyed a hare crossing the path 66 just before me. I believe the devil put it into my "head to fling my stick at it: well, what will you "have on't? I killed the hare, and was bringing it 66 away in triumph, when the justice himself met "me: he called me a villain, and collaring me, de"sired I would give an account of myself. I be

gan immediately to give a full account of all that I "knew of my breed, seed, and generation: but "though I gave a very long account, the justice "said, I could give no account of myself; so I was "indicted, and found guilty of being poor, and sent "to Newgate, in order to be transported to the plan❝tations.

"People may say this and that of being in jail: "but for my part, I found Newgate as agreeable a

"more.

"place as ever I was in, in all my life. I had my "belly full to eat and drink, and did no work; but "alas, this kind of life was too good to last for ever! "I was taken out of prison, after five months, put on "board of a ship, and sent off with two hundred Our passage was but indifferent, for we "were all confined in the hold, and died very fast "for want of sweet air and provisions; but for my "part, I did not want meat, because I had a fever all "the way; Providence was kind, when provisions grew short, it took away my desire of eating. "When we came on shore, we were sold to the "planters. I was bound for seven years, and as I "was no scholar, for I had forgot my letters, I was "obliged to work among the negroes; and served " out my time, as in duty bound to do.

"When my time was expired, I worked my pas(c sage home, and glad I was to see Old England "again, because I loved my country. O liberty, "liberty, liberty! that is the property of every Eng❝lishman, and I will die in its defence: I was afraid, "however, that I should be indicted for a vagabond "once more, so did not much care to go into the "country, but kept about town, and did little jobs "when I could get them. I was very happy in this "manner for some time; till one evening, coming "home from work, two men knocked me down, and "then desired me to stand still. They belonged to "a press gang; I was carried before the justice, and "as I could give no account of myself (that was the "thing that always hobbled me) I had my choice "left, whether to go on board of a man of war, or "list for a soldier; I chose to be a soldier, and in "this part of a gentleman I served two campaigns, "was at the battles in Flanders, and received but one "wound through the breast, which is troublesome ❝to this day.