CHINA. 1751. 279 



Jive free and void of cares, to forget the pad, 

 and not to be in apprehenfions for the future. 

 They have fictitious fpirits, which are indepen- 

 dent of the Supreme Being, and among thefe 

 they comprehend fome of their ancient kings. 

 They look upon it as a folly to procure ano- 

 ther perfon's happinefs, and lofe their own reft 

 by it. They brag of a prefervative againft 

 death, left the remembrance of it fhould 

 caufe them trouble. They think to get their 

 willies fulfilled by the affiftance of the evil 

 fpirit. The emperor Fou-ti drank feveral 

 times of their pretended draught of immorta- 

 lity ; but he at laft found he was as mortal as 

 others, and pitied his own credulity. The 

 heads of this feci: are very learned, and live in 

 towns in fine houfes. Numbers of people 

 come to them out of the adjacent provinces, 

 and fetch remedies for their difeafes ; and by 

 the way get them to tell them the fate of the 

 remainder of their lives ; and the principal man 

 gives them a paper full of particular letters, 

 which they pay for very thankfully. This 

 feci: has decreafed or increafed according as, 

 the court has favoured or neglected it. 



The fecond and moft common feci, are the 



Fo } or Fo»e, The emperor Ming introduced it 



T 4 in 



