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” 4799-] 
it with that perfection of which it is capa- 
ble. It would be too tedious and dificult 
to detail.all its rules; but they may be 
found in a book printed in China, which 
has been, brought to Europe by the late 
Dutch Embafly tothat nation. This game 
requires more filence and attention than that 
of chefs, and is the favourite amufement 
of the learned and men of the higher orders. 
The fecond game is called Tche-ov-khie. 
It is the real game of chefs, introduced 
among the Chinefe about four centuries 
fince by one of their Generals, and is fo 
common among them that it is played at 
by the loweft of the people. They do not 
ufe figures of the fame form as thofe made 
ufe of in Europe, but round pawns fuch as 
Europeans play at draughts with, upon 
each of which the name of the piece. is 
engraved; neither do they play upon a 
draught-board of two colours, but upon 
fimple paper with lines drawn acrofs it in 
fuch a manner that they place the pieces 
upon the angles where the lines crofs each 
other. Thofe who are acquainted with 
both thefe ways of playing prefer that of 
the Chinefe to the European manner. The 
great conformity between the two ways of 
playing is truly aftonifhing, becaufe the 
Chinefe General could not be acquainted 
with the European manner. 
The third game is called Ta quat-phay. 
/it exaétly refembles our game of Domino, 
and is played in the fame manner. ‘Their 
zame at cards follows next, it confilts of 
thirty cards of three kinds.. If there be 
but two players, one pack is fufficient; 
and when there are four or more, they put 
two or a greater number of packs toge- 
ther. This game is very eafy to be learned, 
and is the amufement of women and the 
commoniclafs of the people. There are 
feveral other inferior. games among. the 
Chinefe, but we fhall leave them to {peak 
of their public theatres. 
_ The people in general are very fond of 
thefe public amufements, which are carried 
on in all feafons and even for whole days 
together. The inhabitants of each vici- 
nity enter into. a common fub{cription for 
the payment of the expences of the enter- 
tainments. In general the pieces per- 
formed are very tedious, and accompanied 
with mufic extremely piercing and noily, 
being more agreeable to the {pectators 
than finer harmony and fofter tones. But 
there are many companies of players who 
act in the houfes of individuals in a more 
agreeable and fuperior manner. And 
when the Chinefe merchants make-a party 
of pleafure for Europeans, thefe com- 
panies perform before them very agree- 
able pieces of the fentimental kind, 
Chinefe Games—Strifures on Burke by Dr. Drennan. 
= a 
ne of thefe plays, called Chon-fonw hat, 
had given fo much pleafure to a gentle- 
man of the Dutch embafly twenty years 
before that he was induced to folicit its 
reprefentation again, which requeft was 
granted arter much difficulty ; for there 
were but few players to be found who 
could recollect this ancient piece. Te 
was aéted in a fuperior ftyle, and im- 
parted as much pleafure as it had done 
before; and it was the opinion of the Eu- 
ropean part of the audience, that if it 
were tranflated into their language by an 
elegant pen it would give pleafure to 
every mind fufceptible of fine fenfations. 
The writers of the relation of the Embafly’ 
has given a particular aecount of each of 
the five acts of this play. Though acted 
in a language he did not underftand, the 
Chinefe actors performed their parts with 
fo much natural energy that it was eafy to 
comprehend the whole plot, which was very 
interefting, and excited much emotion. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SER,'' : Rs 
THANK. you for your notice of my 
/. pamphlets in your Supplementary 
Number, though J feel being called a dift 
ciple of Burke but an ambiguous com- 
pliment. I have ever difliked a certain 
egerdemain, eafily difcoyered in both the 
life and literature of that bufy partizan, 
without either temper or talents to direét 
any .party.. In the courfe of Edmund 
Burke’s Life I fee great attention to felf- 
intereft, with much fictitious fenfivility, 
accompanied with a careleflhefs of private 
expenditure next to prodigality, a want of 
ceconomy which at length embarrafled his 
principles as well as his pocket, and then 
drove the dependent on 4ariftocratical af-_ 
fiftance to watch the wifhes of the mon- 
arch rather than the weal of the mon- 
archy, and to put on a Gallophobia which 
he willingly worked up in his harangues 
toa height bordering on infanity, well 
knowing, at the time, where he was gra- 
cioully heard, well knowing where he 
would meet with a fure though late re- 
ward. His debts are now paid both great 
and {mall; but Jet no man boat of con- 
ftancy in his public principles who does 
not live withia his private income, what- 
ever it may be. In the /iyle of Edmund 
Burke’s writing, I fee every thing except 
theenthufiafm of the heart, It wants that 
promethean heat which the impaftioned 
conviction of truth always gives and com- 
municates. ‘The jos, wngenii, la fleur de 
Lefprit, wants that aroma which 1s more 
delightful than beauty, and mare ccpti- 
Vating than a fancy that flutters ever on 
the 
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