1832.] 
CHINA. 
368 
the terraqueous globe, afford no other object more sublimely- 
great than this immense sovereignty, the most numerous, and, it 
is probable, the most anciently civilized nation. " As a whole, the 
Chinese empire fronts on the Pacific Ocean, frorri the head of 
the Gulf of Tung-Quin to the mouth of Amur, five thousand 
miles; upon Asiatic Russia, from the Sea of Ochotsk to the 
Irtish river, three thousand miles; along the Altaian and Imaus 
Mountains, fifteen hundred miles ; and skirling the tvi^o Indies, 
two thousand five hundred miles; having an entire outline of 
more than twelve thousand miles. Within this perimeter is 
included the one thirteenth part of the land area of our planet ; 
every variety of soil, and almost every diversity of climate. It 
includes the most elevated of all mountains, the Himalaya ; the 
high, cold, and desolate plains of Thibet and Mongolia, and also 
the rich alluvial deltas of the Amur, Hoanho, and Kianku.*" An 
immense population of two hundred miUions— a wary, cunning, 
politic, keen, and observant race. 
Such is a hasty sketch of the " Celestial Empire." What a 
field is here presented for the labours of the devoted missionary ! 
— what a prospect for the merchant ! — a^d how much to occupy 
the attention of the wise statesman ! Of its commerce we shall 
speak in the next chapter, while we shall conclude the present 
with a few suggestions on a subject which has not received atten- / 
tion proportioned to its importance in this country ; but with the 
opening of the trade to China, cannot be too soon attended to by 
our government. By the way, however, we must observe, that 
though China was once far in advance of every other nation on 
the globe, as to civilization, literature, refinement, and the arts and 
sciences, she is now as far in the rear of the most unenlightened 
nations of Europe. Still, China has not retrograded, but only 
stood still, while other nations, who were far behind her, have 
caught her up and pushed far ahead of her. Her arts are still in 
the same state that they were when that country was visited by ■ 
Marco Polo, so many years ago ; her modern literature is still. a 
servile imitation of ancient models ; and science has not advanced 
a single step. 
A proper estimation, in this country, has never been placed 
* Derby's Geographical Lectures. 
