CLIMATE GENERALLY SALUBRIOUS. 37 



empire. And though the climate of China doubt- 

 less is a strongly contrasted one, and excessive on 

 a comparison of the heat of summer with the cold 

 of winter, yet there is reason to think that, with 

 the exception of the extreme northern provinces, 

 the rise and fall of temperature is progressive and 

 gradual, and the daily variation remarkably little : 

 it probably seldom exceeds 8°, and on an average 

 is not more than 5°. Thus the climate of the 

 central provinces of the empire cannot be de- 

 signated otherwise than as a temperate climate. 

 Nor does it appear to me that even the Chinese of 

 Peking need any commiseration \ nor in truth does 

 the gifted Humboldt mean under the term excessive, 

 and when he employs * the words of Dante, to in- 

 clude them among the people condemned, 



" A sofferir tormenti caldi e geli." 



Indeed I am disposed to believe that upon a 

 more intimate acquaintance with the climate of 

 China, it will be found that no portion of the 

 earth's surface of equal magnitude is upon the 

 whole more favoured in point of climate ; more 

 congenial to animal and vegetable life, or more 

 salubrious to man. 



To vegetation pre-eminently is given a long 

 season of repose during the dormant state of the 

 sap ; brought about by a continued state of com- 

 parative dryness, low temperature, and occasional 



* Cosmos — (Sabine's translation, p. 319.). 



d 3 



