1802.] 
is unqueftionably that immenfe mafs of 
eternal ice, which environs the poles of the 
earth, and which the boldeft navigators 
could never vet pafs. What Cook and 
Lemaire have demonftrably proved in our 
days, that there is no paflage acrois the 
northern ices, appears to have been known 
even ; in the time of Pytheas and the learn- 
ed Benediftines have unjuftly derided a 
man, who appeared to them to relate a 
fabulous tale, which is now known to be 
avery interefting and well-eltablithed 
faé&t. The works of the ancient authors, 
andefpecially of Heradotus and of Pliny the 
naturalift, contain a number of things ap- 
parently fabulous, and which yet perhaps 
will be demonftrated in the fequel as na- 
tural truths. 
MISTAKES in COMPLIMENTING, 
It is cuttomary in China, on being intro- 
duced to any one, to afk a fet of compli- 
mentary queltion® refpecting their family, 
&c. A miffondfy, attending to the efi- 
guette more than the perfon, one day put 
au eunuch out of countenance by afking 
him, how many children he had? On the 
other, hand, a Mandarin once afked a Ca- 
puchin friar, how many wives he had? 
—and as he ufed the fame word by which 
an ecclefiaftical cure is denoted, the father 
innocently anfwered; three ! 
A NICE DISTINCTION. 
Father Navarette, a miffionary, obferves, 
' that the Bonzes in China have found out 
the method of granting plenary indul- 
gences, and bulls for the dead, fome of 
which they fell as high as so ducats. On 
which he fagacioufly remarks, that the 
Devil ftill perfitts in his original defign of 
appearing as like God as he can. : 
An INSTANCE of REGARD {0 
VERACITY. fr 
The Chinefe annals relate, that a young 
prince once diverting himfelf in the gar- 
den with his pages in the prefence of his 
preceptor, faid to one of his pages in fport, 
‘©T make you king of fuch a place.”’— 
‘© What is your highnefs doing?” faid 
the preceptor haftily. <“*I was only in 
jet,” replied the prince.  *¢ Sir,” faid the 
preceptor, ‘¢the word of a prince fhould 
never be jeft: you have made the boy a 
king and he mult be fo—your word can- 
not be- recalled.””. The nomination was 
accordingly confirmed. 
COOL PERSEVERANCE. 
A: Chinefe Prime minifter prefented a 
Memorial to the Emperor on a fubject 
he did not like. The Emperor difregard- 
edit. The Minifter repeated it three days 
fucceilively. The Emperor at length ina 
From the Port-Folio of a Man a Letters. 
face. 
527 
rage tore it in pieces. ©The Minifter 
coolly gathered up the fragments, andy 
patting them together, prefented it @ 
fourth time. This~ proof of his patience 
and perfeverance had fuch an effc& on the 
Emperor, that he took, the matter into 
confideration and complied with the re- 
quett. 
CALM FORTITUDE. 
An Emperor of China propofed making 
a progrefs through part of his dominions. 
One of his counfellors oppofed it, as at that 
time improper. The Emperor in heat 
drew his fabre and cried, ‘* Pafs the or- 
der for my journey this inftant,.or T will 
ftrike off your head.’? The officer with- 
out the leaft emotion took off his Man- 
arin’s cap and robe, and, kneeling down 
with his neck extended, faid, ** Your Ma- 
jefty may (trike, for I cannot comply 
with what LE know to be contrary to the 
good: of the empire.” The Emperor 
checked himfelf and gave up his journey. 
A RECEIPT for FAMILY-PEACE, 
An Emperor of China, making a pro- 
grefs, difcovered a family in which the 
mafter with his wives, children, grand- 
chiliren, daughters-in-law, and fervants, 
all lived in perfeét peace and harmony. 
The Emperor admiring this, inquired of 
the old man what means he employed to 
preferve quiet among fuch a number 
of perfons, The man, taking out 2 pencil, 
wrote only thef2 three words :—Patience, 
patience, patience. . 
A TRAGICAL INCIDENT. 
At an Indian wedding in the Philippine 
Iflands, the bride retired from the com- 
pany in order to go down to the river and 
wath her feet. As fhe was thus employed, 
an alligator feized her. Her {fnrieks 
brought the people to the place, who faw 
her between the monfter’s teeth, and juft 
drawn under water. The bridegroom in- 
ftantly plunged after with his dagger in 
his hand and purfued the ravifher. Af- 
ter a defperate confli€t he made him deli- 
ver up his prey, and fwam to fhore ‘with 
the body of: his dead wife in his arms. 
SPANISH HIGH-SPIRIT. 
Don Sabiniano, a Spaniard, being a pri- 
foner in a dungeon at Lifbon, foon after 
the revolt of the Duke of Braganza, af- — 
terwards King John of Portugal, was 
told by the corregidor that the King was 
pafling by, and that it would be a proper 
occafion to petition for releafe; initead of 
which, he fhut his window in the King’s 
For this affront his window was 
bricked up, and all accefs of light de- 
barred. 
4X2 NATIONAL 
