ferve, among other caufes, to account for the very limited and
imperfect knowledge we have hitherto obtained -of the real hif-
tory o f this extraordinary empire: for their records, it feems,
are by no means deficient. For two centuries at leaft before
the Chriftian era, down tQ thegurefept ,time, the tranfa£tions o f
each reign are amply detailed without any interruption. They
have even preferveft cojleftjons o f copper coin?, forming a re.-
gular ffiries o f the different Emperors that have I p S p r e throne
o f China for the laft two tho'ufand' years. §ucK | a" colleaion,
though not quite complete, Sir George Staunton brought with
him. to England. - •••■ / ;
Before this fime, when China cpnfifted o f a. number o f petty
dates,or. p.rmeip&liti.eg, the, annals-.of the country are Iw L to
afeonnd vti.th. recitals- of, vears-,a®d-. hatdea.and.Woodflredv like
thftfe o f every. ol!k-h:- p.int o f the world, fiat, in proportion as
the- number- o f t-hefe dift-inS ■ k-ingdtmir dim inTihed,. t-itt at length
they- were all'melted and- amalgamated, into one great empire,
the deftrudtiop. o f the human racy b.y human means abated, and
the government, fincethat time, has been lefs interrupted by"foreign
war, or domeftic commotion, than any other that hiftory
has,made known, But, whetherj this.- dgfttabk; date, o f public
tranquillity may haw-been,brought. aho«th,y4he.peculiar nature,
o f the,government beinga'dapted;to the genius and fab i& o f. th e>
people,- whiqh. in, the opinion o f Ariftjotle, is tfie-,. heft, o f aft,
poftibl.e, goverinmepts,. o b rather, b y eonftraining: andfubduing.
the- gppius.apd haJ&tSipf the-people-tQ; the-,yiewst. and maxima of.
the goyernmest, is ,a.q:tteftion th^-.may, admifr-of. ft>me. difpute.
A t. the- pjrefent dayy hewever, it J s , fsfSfiientiy. evident, tftati
the
T ì i A r E T s a » c a i r n a . 359
the heavy hfahd o f power has completely overcome and moulded
tro ita own íhape The phyfical A a fa fte t -bf thè people, and that
their moral fentiments tind àdtións are fwayed by the opinions,
and alrhoft under the entiredominion, o f the government.
Thefe opinions, to which it Owes fo much o f its liability, are
grounded on a principle Of authority which, according, to
maxims induflrioufly inculcated and now completely eftabliíhed
in the minds o f the people, is Confidered as the natutal and unalienable
right o f the parent over his children ; an authority
that is not fuppofed to 'cerafe at any given period o f life or years,
but to extend, and to be maintained with undiminilhed and un-
controuled fway, until the death o f one o f the parties dilfolves
the obligation. The Emperor being confidered as the Common
father o f his people is accordingly invefled with thè exèrcife ò f
the fame authority Over them, as the father o f a family exerts
on thofe o f his particular houfehdld. In this fenfe he takes the
title o f the Great Father-, and by his being thus placed above
any earthly controul, he is fuppofed to be alfo above earthly
defcent, and therefore, as a natural Confequence, he fometimeS
ftyles himfelf th zfüte ruler o f the -world and the Son o f Heavtn.
But that no inconfiftency might appear in the grand fabric o f
filial obedience the Emperor, with folemn ceremony at the comi
mencement o f every new year, makes his prollrations before
the Emprefs Dowager, and on the fame day lie demands a té-
petition o f the fame homage from all his great officers o f ftatfe.
Conformable to this fyfteffi, founded entirely oft páfefital an*
thority, the governor o f a province is confidered as the father
o f that province ; o f a city, the father o f that city ; afld the head