192 LAW AND POLITICS. 



ment of property, and of a power capable of pro- 

 tecting it. So strongly is this sentiment impressed 

 on the human heart, that nothing seems to be 

 thought so absolutely intolerable as the prevalence in 

 society of the right of the strongest, to escape from 

 which, there is scarcely any degree of tyranny and 

 oppression from a single person .and his satellites, to 

 which rational beings will not submit, rather than be 

 at the mercy of the first stronger man who may chuse 

 to possess himself of the fruits of their labour. The 

 inevitable consequence, therefore, of anarchy and 

 confusion of property is despotism. 



Misnomers. 



Cheated in names, military licentiousness being 

 called liberty. " Nomina rerum perdidimus, et li- 

 centia militaris libertas vocatur." (Cicero.) 



Institutions of the Chinese. 



The political institutions of the Chinese are re- 

 markable among those of Asiatic nations, or indeed 

 any other, for the uncommon share of tranquillity 

 they are found by long experience capable of main- 

 taining, and for the security they afford to life and 

 property. 



Chinese Ranks. 



The Chinese rank the cultivators of the mind in 

 the first class ; the cultivators of the land in the 

 second ; the operators on the earth's produce (arti- 

 zans, mechanics, &c.) in the third ; and, finally, the 

 transferrer of commodities (traffickers, traders and 

 merchants) in the fourth class. 



The priests of China are not allowed to hold any, 

 even the lowest place, in the magistracy ; the literati 

 are the privileged caste, and being possessed of 

 power, are as exclusive and domineering as any 

 hierarchy could be. 



