ACCOUNT 
candidates for fuch degrees are thofe 
who have already fucceeded in the 
provincial cities ; and the candidates 
for degrees in the latter are thofe 
who have fucceeded in the inferior 
towns. Theexaminations are eve- 
rywhere carried on with great fo- 
Jemnity and apparent fairnefs. A 
fuccefsful competitor is always re- 
warded by offices of dignity propor- 
tional to that of the clafs in which 
his fuccefs has been attained. Mi- 
litary rank is likewife given to thofe 
who are found, on competition, to 
excel in the military art and in war- 
like exercifes, The fupreme coun- 
cils of ftate are always held in the 
capital: which, according to the 
deft information given to the em- 
bafly, contains about three millions 
of inhabitants. The low houfes of 
Pekin feem fcarcely fufficient for 
fo vafta population; but in thofe 
houfes there are. no fuperfluous 
apartments. A Chinefe dwelling 
is generally furrounded by a wall. 
fix or feven feet high; and within 
this inclofure a whole family of 
three generations, with their re{pec- 
tive wives and children, will fre- 
quently be found. One fmall room 
is made to ferve for the individuals 
of each branch of the family, fleep- 
ing in different beds, divided only 
by mats hanging from the ceiling, 
Gne common room is ufed for eat- 
ing.—With the poor, marriage is a 
mieafure of prudence, becaufe the 
children are bound to maintain their 
parents; and, to corroborate filial 
obedience, the laws of the empire 
Jeave a man’s offspring entirely 
within his power. } 
The embafly left Pekin on the 
2d of September, 1793, Lord Ma- 
cartney ‘travelling in an Englifh 
poft-chaife, which was probably the 
frit that cyer rolled on the road to 
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473 
, and which was drawn by 
four Tartar hotfes, condutted by 
two perfons of his Excellency’s 
guard, who had formerly been ac- 
cuftomed to’that occupation. He 
took occafionally fome of the man- 
darins into his carriage, who were 
at firft fomewhat ftartled, fearing 
left it fhould overturn; but, being 
affured of its perfect fafety, they 
became inexpreflibly delighted with 
its eafinefs, lightnefs, and rapidity. 
About twenty miles from the capi- 
tal, the country towards Tartary be- 
gan to rife. A few miles farther 
on, the travellers ftopped for the 
day at one of the Emperor’s palaces, 
furrounded with a park and plea- 
fure-grounds. Beyond it, fome of 
the rifing hills were-planted, and 
fome lett naked. The different 
objects feemed in their natural ftate, 
and as if affembled here only by a 
fortunate chance :. for a Chinefe 
gardener is the faithful-painter of 
nature. In the progrefs of the third 
day’s journey, the population feem- 
ed confiderably to diminifh; and 
on the morning of the fourth, a pro- 
minent line was defcried, which, on 
a nearer furvey, affumed its real 
form of a wall wiih’ battlements, 
This was the famous wall of China, 
which is not fo remarkable for its 
antiquity, remounting to three cen- 
turies beyond the Chriftian era, nor 
for its extent of 1500 miles, as for 
the wonderful appearance of the 
mountains over which it is carried, 
and which are apparently inaccefli- 
ble. 
As the travellers advanced into 
Tartary, the roads became more 
rugged, the mountains lefs richly 
clothed, and the trees (befides dif- 
ferent forts of pines of no great fize) 
were chiefly ftunted oaks, afpin, 
elm, hazel, and walnut-trees dimi- 
nifhed 
