T O N Q U I N. 83 



Prior, with his ufual humour, mentions this cuftom, but 

 transfers it to the Chinefe. 



In China none hold women fvveet, 

 Unlefs their fnags are black as jet : 

 King Chihu put nine queens to death, 

 Convift on ftatute iv'ry teeth. 



Thus ends my account oi India extra Gangem. The 7&;z- 

 qiiineje have fo much fimilitude with the Chinefe, that it is with 

 fome reluflance I place them as a feparate people. The uni- 

 formity of manners, the religion, and even the perfonal appear- 

 ance begin to fhew themfelves far more to the fouth. The Cbi- 

 7iefe had fpread themfelves to many of the kingdoms we have 

 paiTed over, and the likenefs is retained in proportion as they 

 kept diftindt, or mixed with the natives, fo as to occafion a devi- 

 ation from their native features and national cuftoms. We fall 

 in with the general arrangement of geographers, and leave the 

 artificial diftinftions which feparate them from that great em- 

 pire whence they originated. The antients thought otherwife, 

 and formed of thofe kingdoms a mighty government, diftin- 

 guifhed from their neighbors to the fouth and to the north by 

 the general name of 'Thina or Since^ 



M 2 



