COR 



210 



CO' 



IV 



Corea. learning of the Chinese, and fond of music and dancing. 

 "■"V"*' They are also brave, and the northern provinces espe- 

 cially produce a stout and active race of men, who make 

 excellent soldiers, using cross-bows and very long sa- 

 bres. Their houses are generally mean, and consist on- 

 ly of one story; those in the country being constructed 

 of earth, while those in the cities and towns are built of 

 brick, but all are thatched with straw. Their cities are 

 walled after the Chinese manner, having battlements, 

 square towers, and arched gateways. Their dress, wri- 

 ting, religious ceremonies, and most of their laws and 

 customs are borrowed from the Chinese ; but their spo- 

 ken language is entirely different. Their women are 

 subjected to fewer restraints than in China, and the 

 marriages of then- young persons are not, as in that 

 country, entirely directed by the will of parents. They 

 do not inter their dead till tlnee years after their de- 

 cease, on winch occasion they place round the tomb or 

 grave the clothes, chariot, and horses of the deceased, 

 and every thing else of which he was particularly fond 

 during his life ; all of which are left to be carried away 

 by the assistants at the funeral. They mourn tlrree 

 years for a father or mother, and three months for a 

 brother. 



The original natives of Corea were probably of Tartar 

 descent, and are said to have anciently consisted of vari- 

 ous tribes, all of which coalesced in the sequel into one 

 kingdom. The history of Corea, as given from Chinese 

 authorities by Du Halde, is altogether unworthy of at- 

 tention. This kingdom is stated to have been subject to 

 China, no less than 23.^7 years before the Incarnation, 

 and to have become a separate monarchy under a Chinese 

 prince, named Ki-tse, to whom the laws of Corea are 

 attributed, 1 1 22 years before Christ. He is said to have 

 been succeeded by a regular line of independent sove- 

 reigns until 26 1- years before Christ, when the country 

 was again reduced to become tributary to China, and 

 since then it has always followed the fortunes of that 

 empire. About the end of the l6th century, the Ja- 

 panese invaded Corea, and nearly reduced it to subjec- 

 tion ; but were again expelled by the Coreans, assisted 

 by the Mantchew conquerors ot China, their over lords. 

 At this time the Mantchews endeavoured to compel the 

 Coreans to shave their heads after their manner, and to 

 adopt the Tartar dress ; but this attempted innovation 

 irritated the Coreans, and occasioned a general revolt, 

 which was at length appeased by the prudence of the 

 Chinese government ; and the country has ever since 

 enjoyed peace and tranquillity. 



The king of Corea is absolute master of all the wealth 

 of his subjects, to all of whom he is universal heir, and 

 the land is distributed among the people in proportion 

 to the size of their respective families, paying tribute 

 in the productions of the soil.. Every seventh year, all 

 the males of the several provinces, who are fit to carry 

 arms, are obliged to attend at the capital in succession, 

 doing military duty for two months ,• so that during 

 this seventh year, 'the whole male population of the 

 country is in motion and under arms. 



On the death of a king of Corea, the emperor of Chi- 

 na sends two commissioners of high rank to invest the 

 lineal successor in the dignity of Que-vang, or depen- 

 dent tributary king, who receives the investiture on his 

 knees. On this occasion, the commissioners receive 

 certain regulated presents, together with about 8000 

 taels in money. After this, the new king sends an am- 

 bassador to do homage to the emperor of China, by 

 knocking Ks forehead on the ground in the imperial 



Corfu. 



presence ; and by this person the regulated tribute is Coregia 

 conveyed to the treasury ; which last ceremony is an- 

 nually repeated. Even the consort of the king of Co- , 

 rea must not assume the title of queen, till formally per- 

 mitted by the emperor of China. All the ceremonies 

 and tributes connected with this dependence are so ex- 

 actly regulated, that no disputes ever arise, and Corea 

 is said to enjoy a perpetual exemption from external 

 and domestic war. See Du Halde and Grosier, Descrip- 

 tions of China ; and the Voyage of Pe rouse, (w. K.) 

 COREGIO. See Corregio. 



COREOPSIS, a genus of plants of the class Synge- 

 nesia, and order Polygamia Frustranea. See Botany, 

 p. 307. 



CORFU, an island greatly celebrated in ancient and 

 modern history, lies at the mouth of the Adriatic, hi 

 37° 48' north latitude ; and is separated from the main- 

 land of Albania by a strait only two leagues in width, 

 called the Corfu channel, running from north-east to 

 south-west, and obstructed by numerous shoals. 



This is a very fine and salubrious island, nearly of a 

 triangular figure, and about 120 miles in circuit. Its 

 greatest length, from Cape Bianco on the south-east, to 

 Cape Sidero on the north-west, is 60 miles, and the 

 greatest breadth, from Cape Palacrum on the east to 

 Cape Barbaro on the west is about 30 miles. 



The climate is mild, but exceedingly liable to sudden 

 transitions from heat to cold, which renders it necessary 

 for the inhabitants constantly to defend themselves by 

 such a quantity of clothing as produces a slight and un- 

 interrupted perspiration. These changes arise from the 

 predominant winds, which either passing over the snowy 

 mountains of Epirus on the east, chill the atmosphere, 

 or blowing hot and sultry from the south, arrive char- 

 ged with fogs. In common with the surrounding coun- 

 tries, Corfu is subject to earthquakes, which are sel- 

 dom so violent as to occasion much damage. The 

 shocks are said to be always from north-west to south- 

 east ; and at different times, buildings have been thrown 

 down. The surface of the island is hilly, with a few 

 patches or plains of level ground interspersed ; and the 

 waters which traverse it, are in general inconsiderable 

 streams. 



Of late, a small seam of coal has been found in the 

 island, a discovery of the greatest importance, as most 

 of the fuel was brought from the neighbouring conti- 

 nent. Sulphur, of which no other use is made than to 

 kindle fires, occurs in a hill, and near to it is a copious 

 mineral spring, in the middle of a plain, which is resort- 

 ed to by the inhabitants in the vicinity. Its efficacy 

 proves most sensible, when immediately taken as it 

 flows. There is a quarry of grey marble in the north 

 part of the island, two leagues inland, which, after be- 

 ing long abandoned, was at length worked by an indi- 

 vidual, who exported some to Naples. However, this 

 trade was scarcely begun, when the Venetian govern- 

 ment took possession of it, and it has been since turned 

 to no account. 



Corfu is scantily provided with wood, and what is re- 

 quired for mechanical purposes, is brought from Alba- 

 nia or Venice. Olives, vines, and a few fruit trees, cul- 

 tivated around the houses, and some oaks and elms, 

 rarely scattered, constitute the whole. From the want 

 of shelter, there is a proportional scarcity of game: birds 

 of passage do not resort to it in equal numbers as to 

 some of the other islands, and when they do come, it is 

 chiefly to shun the cold of Epirus. Wild swans, coots, 

 and other aquatic fowls are abundant, owing to the 



