C H I N A. I75i. 225 



names of difeafes are as incomprehenfible to 

 us, as ours to them. When they grow fick, 

 they go into the ladies apartments, which no 

 ftranger is allowed to enter. Secondly, their 

 officinal plants themfelves were unknown ; and 

 that the more, as none of them are to be met 

 with in the apothecaries mops with the parts 

 of fru&ification : and I could not, even for 

 money, get one to fhew me the place where 

 they grew. It is probable they get them at a 

 confiderable diftance ; fince, notwithftanding 

 my walks about the town, I never found a 

 fingle one in the places I was allowed to 

 go to, fuch as gardens, environs of villages, 

 hills, ditches, and rice fields. Thirdly, As 

 foon as a Chinefe obferves you want to be ac- 

 quainted with thefe particulars, he is either 

 filent, or gives you a falfe account; as I have 

 often obferved from the different relations of 

 feveral perfons ; which at lad made me very 

 loth to make any more enquiries. I finally 

 confidered, that the Chinefe officinal plants 

 would not thrive in our climate ; that if any 

 were of ufe in fome difeafes, we ihould be 

 forced to get them from China, and fo increafe 

 the revenues of its inhabitants unneceiTarilyj 

 when we are already provided with a fufficient 

 number of medicines. We have many plants 

 Vol. I. q^ in 



