﻿XIII. 



ON THE 



SECOND CLASSICAL BOOK 



OF THE 



CHINESE. 

 BY THE PRESIDENT. 



THE vicinity of China to our Indian territories, 

 from the capital of which there are not more 

 than six hundred miles to the province of Tunan, must 

 necessarily draw our attention to that most ancient 

 and wonderful empire, even if we had no commercial 

 intercourse with its more distant and maritime pro- 

 vinces; and the benefits that might be derived from 

 a more intimate connection with a nation long famed 

 for their useful arts and for the valuable productions 

 of their country, are too apparent to require any 

 proof or illustration. My own inclinations and the 

 course of my studies lead me rather to consider at 

 present their laws, politics, and morals, with which 

 their general literature is closely blended, than their 

 manufactures and trade : nor-will I spare either pains 

 or expense to procure translations of their most ap- 

 proved law-tracts, that I may return to Europe with 

 distinct ideas, drawn from the fountain-head, of the 

 wisest Asiatic legislation. It will probably be a long 

 time before accurate returns can be made to my in- 

 quiries concerning the Chinefe Laws; and, in the 

 interval, the Society will not, pethaps, be displeased 

 to know that a translation of a most venerable and 

 excellent work may be expected from Canton through 

 the kind assistance of an inestimable correspondent. 



According to a Chinese writer, named Li Tang 

 "Ping, '* the ancient characters used in his country 

 * were the outlines of visible objects, earthly and 



O 2 



