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P44 E. Ysb rants 
ed thus; A certain Emperor ordered a Number of 
Veflels to be made of a Size fuperior to any in Ufe 
“ before his Time, and many Trials were made to no 
“ Purpofe ; Tor notwithftanding they increafed the 
Thicknefs of the Plates to feveral Inches, yet when 
“ the full Heat was given, they melted and funk down 
“ into a fhapelefs Mafs. At this the Chimfe Workman 
was at Length fo much provoked, that growing fran- 
“ tick with Defpair, he threw himfelf into the Furnace, 
and was there confumed to Afhes in a Moment ; 
“ and what was furprizing, the Attempt that was next 
“ made fjccecded happily ; and the Chinefe^ EmperOr 
“ had, according to his Wifh, fuch Porcelain as never 
adorned the Tables of his Predeceflbrs. To reward 
the Courage of fo great a Hero, of which by the 
“ Way there are but few in this Country, and to per- 
petuate the Memory of fo extraordinary an Aftion, 
“ it was agreed, that he fhould be honoured as the tute- 
« lary God of Ware, and his Idol'is to this Day 
“ worfliipped by all the Fraternity of Porcelain-makers^ 
“ under the Name of Pou fa, to which they offer Pray- 
“ ers, cut Paper, and Incenfe, as to the other Idols. 
We fhall however be much miftaken, if we con- 
« fider Pou fa as the only Martyr of this I'rade, for in 
Fad there have been many thoufands, or rather Mil- 
“ lions ; for the Fatigues which they endure in every 
“ Branch of the Manufadure, but more efpecially fuch 
“ as attend the Furnace, is fo great, that a quick Suc- 
“ ceflion in their Labours is occafioned thereby. The 
“ Hills which furround the famous Town of Kim te 
“ tehim, are crouded with the Graves of thefe poor 
“ Labou;-ers*, but though fuch Numbers are buried there, 
‘‘ yet there are far greater Numbers that die fo poor as 
“ not to leave wherewith to bury them at all. For 
“ the Reception of thefe unhappy Wretches, there are 
SECTION III. 
The Author’s Reception at the Court of China^ the great Civilities 
paid him there ; the wonderful State and Magnificence of the Impe- 
rial Palace ; the Ceremonies of a Publick Audience ; the Perfon and 
Manners of the Emperor deferibed. An Account of the Curiofities 
of the City of V eking 5 the grand Eftablilhment of the Jefuits there ; 
Civilities paid by them to the Ruffian Minifter ; remarkable Things 
obferved by him during the Time of his Stay in the Imperial Refi- 
dence j the pompous Ceremonies of his Audience of Leave ; his 
Return from China by Land ; the Accidents attending his Journey j 
the many and great Hardftiips he fuftained therein, notwithftanding 
his Intereft in both Empires, and his fafe Arrival, after fo many 
Hazards, and enduring fo great FatTgues, at Mofeow. 
From the Original journal of his Excellency Everard Ysb rants Ides, Plenipo- 
tentiary from their Czariili Majefiies John and Peter, to the Emperor of China. 
I. He Authors Entrance into the Imperial City ^Peking, with an Account of his Reception and Enters 
tainment there, a?2d the many Civilities paid him till the Emperor was ready to give him Audience. 2, 
He receives his frji Audience, is there fumptuoujly entertained, and eats in the Prejence of the Emperor of 
China, November 16, 1693. 3. He Civilities ujed by his Imperial Mafejiy at his Departure. A 
Defeription of his Apartment, Retinue, Perfon, and the Behaviour of thoje about him, 4* vifts the 
City Peking, and is (Jdown every Hing remarkable therein by the Emperor s exprefs Order. 5. An Ac~ 
count of the annual Feftival which lafs for three Weeks, as alfo of the Author s Audience of Leave, front 
which he returns to his own Apartment in a Carriage drawn by an Elephant. 6. He is invited, by the 
Emperor s Permiffon, to vift the fefuits, who entertain him in a moji fplendid Manner . He vifts the 
Emperors Stables, and fees there Abundance of Curiofities. 7. I he Author leaves on the ic^thof 
February, 1694. An Account of bis fourney through the Chinefe Hrntories, and the Accidents that 
^ attended 
I D E s’j ^Travels Book III. 
“ vaft Pits dug at the Bottom of the Hills, onto wkich 
“ their Bodies are hurled without either Ceremony or 
“ Covering, except it be quick Lime, of which half 
“ its own Weight is bellowed on every Corpfe. By 
“ this Means the Flefti is quickly confumed ; and once 
“ a Year, the Bonzes, from a Principle of Charity, as 
“ they pretend, come and colled the Bones which are 
“ burnt, and the Pit being purified b} vaft Fires, be- 
“ comes again a Repofitory for thefe Relicks of Mor- 
“ tality. ' 
“ Thus we have purfued the Hiftory of this Manu- 
fadure, and the Manufadurers thereof, as far as we 
“ can well go ; we have feen how long it has been in 
“ Ufe, what Miftakes have been made upon it, hbw 
“ remote thefe Miftakes are from the Matters of Fad 
“ they were invented to explain, what real Excellencies 
“ belonged to this Trade, what a prodigious Inftance 
“ of Induftry the State of it exhibits in China, Uoea 
“ how many various Quarters Wealth is derived, from 
“ the Sale of this admirable Ware ; while yet the fineft 
“ and the bell remains behind, which fliows the 
« Wealth of this Country to be by far fuperior to 
“ that of all other Countries with which it engages in 
“ Commerce. Thefe and many incidental Gircum- 
“ ftances may ferve to exercife the Thoughts, and ex- 
“ cite the Curiofity of the Reader to a clofer Enquiry 
“ into all the Branches of this comprehenfive Subjed, 
“ the Heads of which, if we have fo touched as to me- 
“ rit Attention and Pardon, it is all that we exped ; 
“ for as to Approbation and Applaufe, they are the fu- 
“ preme Rewards of Learning, and ought to be be- 
“ flowed upon Works of greater Labour, and greater 
“ Extent, and which muft be confequently the Produd 
“ of a fuperior Genius. 
I 
