of the Chinese Empire. 353 
institutions and the climate: a truth the. more evident with re- 
spect to the Asiatic nations, whose moral character is derived 
among each of them from the physical qualities of the zone 
under which they are placed. This is the reason why the set- 
tlement of the Turks in Europe, and the translation of the seat 
of empire to Constantinople, are regarded as a violation of 
natural order, and as at variance with the principles and object 
of the Koran. iA 
Certain traits of character and usages common to all the peo- 
le of Asia seem to indicate that all have a common origin. In 
order to find any very striking difference between them, they 
must be compared in the two extremities of this great portion of 
the globe. Among all, their manners are as ancient as the 
societies themselves: as well as the governments, the latter have 
an aspect nearly similar, and present the faithful expression of 
the influence of climate. _Despotism is an incontestable effect 
of this irresistible influence; and Mahomet, confounding the 
precepts of religion with the rights of the throne, confiding the 
duration of the empire to the human passions, formed out of the 
confidants of his impostures the nucleus of an invincible army, 
and of all the believers he made blind idolaters. Mahometism 
has lost nething in Asia of its force and intolerance. 
But Asiatic despotism is variously modified, from the east to 
the south. In vain would you endeavour to render it sanguinary 
. in China, and paternal where the religion of Mahomet prevails*. 
At the two extremities it would overcome all obstacles, and re- 
turn to its priniitive state. Conquest or other circumstances 
may compress the spring, but they can never break it. It de- 
rives its strength from the agreement of human institutions with 
the moral character of men, their natural or factitious passions, 
and with the means of satisfying them. 
In support of this opinion, I shall cite some celebrated facts. 
If the first caliphs, tempering the spirit of conquest by the noble 
* [do not pretend to say that despotism is stripped of its essential 
eharacter in China. There, as in the other Asiatic states, it is divided into 
graduated tyraunies, each of which oppresses and is oppressed in its turn, 
But in China, more than any where else, the sovereign watches over the 
immediate depositaries of his authority or his confidence: there, more than 
any where else, he occupies himself with his people, watches over their 
subsistence, and protects them against the extortion of the governors, who 
in China are more apt to clude the law and to defy all vigilance, on _ac- 
count of the system of despotism weighing entirely upon them. It is 
true, therefore, as I have said a little further on, that the despotism of the 
Chinese emperors is active, paternal, and popular, as much as absolute 
power can be. Some emivent writers have given credit to very contrary 
doctrines with respect to China, The enthusiastic admiration of some, 
and the contempt of others, for the Chinese, has equally impeded the in- 
vestigation of truth. I have endeavoured to steer a middle course between 
these two extremes. 
Vol.43. No. 193. May 1814. Z , If 
