CHINA 17510 243 



when a journeyman comes from his work, 

 he goes about felling trifles, or flolen goods. 

 They have in common with many other na- 

 tions, the art of cheating in accounts, in mea- 

 fure, Weight, and quality of goods ; and like- 

 wife know how to raife the price of their 

 goods at certain junctures. . At the arrival of 

 the mips from Embden> the exchange never fails 

 ,to alter. 



They are always ready to fell or to ex- 

 change ; but they feldom pay away any filver, 

 except for provocatives, of which there is 

 a great fale. It is very peculiar, and one 

 would hardly believe, that they mould fet fo 

 great a value on antique paintings, and Por- 

 cellane* I once afked a merchant the price of 

 a common tea^potj which would hardly have 

 coft three dollars of copper money in Sweden^ 

 but he demanded ten pieces of eight, and 

 mewed me a ftamp at the bottom of it, accord- 

 ing to which, he faid, it was made in the times 

 of fome emperor, who lived four thoufand 

 years ago ; as if fuch poor frail vefTels had at 

 that time been made ufe of to afti(t chrono- 

 logy. The occafion of this high price is, pro- 

 bably, becaufe the government efteems anti- 

 quities. 



E 3, Here 



