Dutch ILmbaJfy to China* $j 



order are the fervants of their hufbands ; and thofe of the 

 lower clafs of the people are forced to take a (hare in the 

 fevere labour of the men, who treat them as we treat thofc 

 animals which afiift us. 



The emperor is revered as a god. The power of the 

 fovereign and of a high-prieft are both united in his perfon. 

 The. fame homage is paid to the edi&s which he iffues, the 

 difpatches which he figns, and the prefents which come 

 from him, as are paid to himfelf. That is to fay, the people 

 proftrate themfelvcs before a piece of paper, or filk, as they 

 do when they are in his prefence. The embaffadors were 

 feveral times obliged to make ridiculous falutations before 

 the remains of bad provifions, or paftry, which the emperor 

 had fent them from his table as a mark of particular con- 

 fideration and favour. 



The court of Pekin prefents nothing flriking. The moft 

 remarkable object is the wall by which it is furrounded. All 

 the apartments are narrow and mean, and confufion prevails 

 in all the ceremonies, which are conducted without any 

 order whatever. 



The entertainments to which the embaffadors were invited, 

 confided of a few breakfafts where the emperor was prefent. 

 Some boiled meat, confections, paftry, a beverage called 

 Jamfon, and another called bean-milk, ferved up on tables 

 around which the guefts fquatted down upon cushions, 

 formed the chief articles at thefe morning collations. 



It appears that the people of China make very bad cheer. 

 The want of the pleafures of the table is not fupplied by 

 others. The Chinefe fpeclacles confift only of a few feats 

 of tumbling, and extemporary farces. And thefe fpe&acles 

 even are not public. They are exhibited only in the interior 

 part of the palace, and in the houfes of fome of the chief 

 mandarins. 



In this country there is no focial communication among 

 the inhabitants, who live infulated and confined to their 

 own homes. 



G 4 Though 



