efcape their rapacious grafp. In a word, although the laws
are not fo perfect as to procure for the fubjeCt general good,
yet neither are they fo defective as to reduce him to that ftate
o f general mifery, which could only be terminated in a revolution.
T he executive adminiftration is fo faulty, that the man
in office generally has it in his power to govern the laws,
which makes the meafure o f good or evil depend greatly on his
moral character.
Such are indeed the difpofition and the habits o f the people,
that fo long as the multitude can procure their bowl o f rice
and a few favory fauces, that coft only a mere trifle, there will
be lefs danger o f a revo lt; and the government is fo well convinced
o f this, that one o f its firft concerns is to lay up, in the
public magazines ereCted in every part o f th e , empire, a pro-
vifion o f grain, to ferve as a fupply for the poor in times o f
famine or fcarcity. In this age o f revolutions, a change, however,
feems to be taking place in the minds o f the people, which
I fhall prefently notice.
T he fyftem o f univerfal and implicit obedience towards
fuperiors pervades every branch o f the public fervice. The
officers o f the feveral departments o f government, from the firft
to the ninth degree, aCting upon the fame broad bafis o f
paternal authority, are inverted with the power o f inflicting the
fummary punifhment o f the bamboo, on all occafions where
they may judge it proper, which, under the denomination o f
a fatherly correction, they adminifter without any previous
trial, or form o f inquiry. The flighteft offence is punifhable
in this manner, at the will or the caprice o f the loweft magiftrate.
giftrate. Such a fummary proceeding o f the powerful againft
the weak naturally creates in the latter a dread and diftruft o f
the former; and the common people, accordingly, regard the
approach o f a man in office, juft as fchoolboys obierve the
motions o f a fevere mafter; but the fatherly kindnefs o f the
Emperor is recognifed even in punifhment; the culprit may
claim the exemption o f every fifth blow, as the Emperor’s coup-
de-grace; but in all probability he gains little by luch remiffion,
as the deficiency in number may eafily be made up in weight.
This practical method o f evincing a fatherly affeCtion is not
confined to the multitude alone, but is extended to every rank
and defcription o f perfons, ceafing only at the foot o f the
throne. Each officer o f ftate, from the ninth degree upwards
to the fourth, can, at any time, adminifter a gentle correction
to his inferior; and the Emperor orders the bamboo to his
minifters, and to the other four clafles, whenever he may think
it neceflary for the good o f their morals. It is well known
that the late Kien Long caufed two o f his fons to be bambooed
long after they had arrived at the age o f maturity, one o f which,
I believe, is the prefent reigning Emperor.
In travelling through the country, a day feldom efcaped
without our witnefling the application o f the Pan-tse, or bamboo,
and generally in fuch a manner that it might be called by
any other name except a gentle correction. A Ghinefe fuffering
under this punifhment cries out in the moft piteous manner ;'
a Tartar bears it in filence. A Chinefe, after receiving a certain
number o f ftrokes, falls down on his knees, as a matter
3 o f