markable Obfemtions of Chin^ recorded by the beft Writers of 
that Empire. E. g, Tlhut the Chinefe t fiad the Ufc of Let- 
ters longer by farr^thin aay other ptople 5 thxt the remote parts 
^/y^y?^ we re plan ted before tledifperfioi of Bibel -^thatChtil 
was the firft planted Gentry after the Flood ^ that thoft Plan- 
tations were undertaken and ft tied before the remove fp Shinaar 
(the plaine where Babel wis a building 5 ) that the Chiaefe hive 
diffusM themfelves icCorea^ lapan^lava^ Ceylorti Siam^ Cambori^ 
and M^dAgafcar^ ifnot Mexico y itftlf; thdt the China-wall 
hath lifted near 2000 years, and y«t is not injured by time that 
the T^r^^r; are become C^/W/i?, not thcfe Tartars, tothepre- 
fervation of the Mother-tongue of China 5 that the Chinefe have 
fubfiftid 40C0 years without any commixture with other Nati* 
ons -, Commerce and Conqueft have bad no influences to 
change the Laws, Cuiloms^ or Language of that people-, that 
;;the Hifloricail Computation of the Chinefe begins from 2207. 
years before Chrift, which fails out with the 40th year before 
the Confufion of Tongues 5 that no Nation in the world is com- 
^parablc to them for certainty in Chronology, (j'c^ 
And as to their Ingenuities and Arts , h3 notes ^7hAt the 
Loadftoneand Compafs hath been inufe among them above 
1100 years, and Paper-and Ink-making , above 18©, years, 
both before Chrift 5 that they prepare Ink of the fmoak ofo>l;'5 
]that they have been long acquainted with the Invention ot Gun- 
powder, and Fire«?prks 5 as alfo withthe Manutadureofma- 
kiag and dying of Sifk , invented by one of their EmprefTes 5 
that their Potters myftery and the manner of making Porcelain 
veflfels excels all other pradifes of that kind jani that they them- 
felves dp fomuchefteemit, as that they will not be ferved in 
Plate that the Earth for making Fomlatne is to be had in the 
fole province of Nanking , but that there they cannot make any 
WefTclsof it 3(whetheritbe from the quality of the water or 
w^ood 5 or temper of the fire , is not known 5 )but muft tranf- 
port ic to Smlefimo in the Province oiKiangft-jthtt that Earth is 
very leane, fine^ and fhining like Sand, which they tem- 
per in water 10 reduce into the fafliion of little fquare lumps 5 
that they prepare and fafliion it almofl after the fame manner as 
itht Jtaliam do make their JF'^^/?;&^-di(hcs5 or as the Hi^Uanders ^ 
