90 



CHINA. 



have been through their neglecft of admonition on the fird 

 appearance of filial mifcondudl, that fuch a monfter could be 

 found. The emperor himfelf is judge, and the crime is expiated 

 by the fentence of the criminal being cut into ten thoufand 

 pieces. 

 Self-interest. The reigning vice of the Ch'mefe is felf-intereil, which gives 

 rife to the infinite variety of frauds of which they are juftly ac- 

 cufed. Lord Anfon'^ account of them is by no means exag- 

 gerated. Attempts have been made to clear them from the 

 afperfion, but all has proved a vain labor. They confider the art 

 of over-reaching as a mark of fuperior genius, and laugh at 

 their dupe for fuftering himfelf to be irapofed on. Du Halde tells 

 a pleafant ftory of an Englijlj captain who had bargained with a 

 Ch'mefe merchant for feveral bales of filk. On opening the firft, 

 he found it excellent; but all the reft were quite rotten. The 

 captain reproached the merchant in the moft fevere terms. The 

 Chmefe, with great coolnefs, anfwered, " Blame, Sir, your rogue 

 "-of an interpreter, for he afllired me, that you never would ex- 

 V*' amine the bales." 

 PaiDE. ■' Pride and felf-conceit are the other characfteriftic faults of 



this people. They affume an imaginary pre-eminence over all 

 the world, and conceive nothing can be right but what they do. 

 Their arts and their inventions have been brought to a certain 

 point, at which they muft ever flop, till they can prevale on 

 themfelves to lower their high opinion of fuperiority, and im- 

 prove upon the models brought from Europe. They can 

 copy, but they do it with reluilance, as they look upon them- 

 felves to be the firft of men. A good effecfl arifes out of this 



foible. 



