Extracts from Barron? s Travels in China. 



immense distance of fifteen hundred miles, over which it is 

 extended, over mountains of two or three thousand feet, in 

 .'!;id across deep vallies and rivers. But the thick mass of 

 the -walls has been calculated, and this is found to be so 

 great that all the materials of the houses of England and 

 Scotland are supposed to amount to less than the bulk of 

 the wall of China. The projecting massy towers of stone 

 and brick are not included in this calculation. These 

 alone are supposed to be equal to all the masonry and 

 brick-work of London. To give another idea of the mass 

 of matter in this stupendous fabric, it may be observed, that 

 it is more than sufficient to surround the circumference of 

 the earth, on two of its great circles, v/ith two walls, each 

 six feet high and two feet thick. 



We shall now turn to a work of greater general uti- 

 lity, and scarce of less magnificence and grandeur. This is 

 what has usually been called the Imperial or Grand 

 Canal, an inland navigation of such extent and magnitude, 

 that no other can compare therewith. The antiquity of its 

 formation is said to be very great, it has however received 

 many important repairs, and three of the largest rivers in 

 the Empire carry off the superfluous water to the sea. 

 The difficulties of such large embankments as must have 

 been necessary for such a work, as well as the excavations, 

 fill the mind with the greatest astonishment at the amazing 

 perserverance and industry of the great body of the people 

 of China. 



The only parallel perhaps, which can be drawn is 

 from the gigantic pyramids of Egypt, or in the walls of 

 the ancient cities of Thebes or Babylon. 





