H2 C H I N A. 



Forjlcr,, for the detail of his travels. He gives a mofl fplendid 

 account of the court of his mafter, and fliews the ftate of the 

 polite arts in CJjina in thofe early days; mentions the ufe of 

 the filk-worm, the knowlege of the maki ig of paper from 

 the Morns Papyrifera; the dillillation of brandy from the milk 

 of mares, and numbers of other curious ciicum (lances beyond 

 the limits of my plan. Marco was alfo attentive to the natural 

 hillory of the country ; mentions coals, which he calls black 

 combuftible ftones ; defcribes Tome forts of falcons and cranes ; 

 the j^rgus pheafanr, or pheafants with tails thirty inches long, 

 and in jiarticular Ipeaks about the number of partridges and 

 quails. He takes notice of the Mujk animal, Hijh ^{acl i. 

 N° 65. The I'bibct cows with long lilky t;als, N° 8. The 

 Argall^ N° 13, or wild flieep with enormous horns; and feveral 

 other matters, both natural and oeconomical, which have fmce 

 been confirmed by more modern travellers. 

 Sir John I SHALL now fpeak of the Celebrated Sir 'John Mandeville. 



Sir John was born at St. Albans^ and became the greateft traveller 

 of his or any other age, having been out thirty-four years, and 

 in the characfber of pilgrim, knight-errant, and man of obferva- 

 tion, vihted the greatett part oi Africa and Afia then known. It is 

 probable that he penetrated as far as China. He left an account 

 of his travels, which were fliamefully falfified by the monks, 

 who deftroyed much of their credit, by mingling with them 

 legendary tales, and llories out of Fliiiy ; but ftiil truth appears 

 fo frequently, that the authenticity of the ground work is by no 

 means iiupaired. He was called Johannes de Mandevik rliter 

 • dictus ad Barbatn, from his forked beard ; he found a grave at 



Liege^ 



