regardlefs o f the paft and of that to come, was the bufmefs
o f life,
Carpe diem, quam minimum credula poilero.”
Swift the fleeting pleafure feize,
“ Nor truft to-morrow’ s doubtful light.’*
But as ills would come, and difeafe and death feemed to be the
common lot o f mankind, the beverage o f immortal life was a
glorious idea to hold out to mortal man. In fait, immortality
was one o f the attributes o f the Delai Lama, who is fuppofed
never to die ; the foul o f the reigning Lama paffing immediately
into the perfon o f his fucceffor. This do£trine, a branch o f
the Metempfycofis, was converted by Lao-Kung into the art o f
producing a renovation o f the faculties in the fame body, by
the means o f certain preparations taken from the three kingdoms
o f nature. The infatuated people flew with avidity to
the fountain o f life. Princes even fought after the draughts
that ihould render them immortal, but which, in fad , brought
on premature death. Numerous inftances are faid to be on
record, wherein the eunuchs have prevailed on the fovereign
to fwallow the immortal liquor which feldom failed to difpatch
him. Father Trigault, who was in Pekin when the Tartars
took pofleffion of it, fpeaking o f the propeniity o f the upper
claflfes for the beverage o f life, obferves, “ Even in this city,
“ there are few o f the magiftrates or eunuchs or others in
“ office free from this infanity; and as there are plenty who
“ wiffi to learn the fecret, there is no want o f profeflors.” This
feems to be the only fpecies o f alchemy to which the Jefuits
have faid the Chinefe are addicted. The preparation o f the
liquor
liquor o f life is their philofopher’s fione; and, in' all probability,
is compofed o f opium and other drugs which, by
encreafing the ftimulus, gives a momentary exhilaration to the
fpirits ; and-the fucceeding languor requiring another and another
draught till at length, the excitability being entirely ex-
haufted, the patient “ puts on immortality.”
How much foeyer we may: find ourfelves difpofed to cenfure
the abfurdity o f the Chinefe beverage o f life, we are not a great
way behind them in this refpeCt, or the Perkinfes, the Solomons,
the Veltws, and the Brodums, with an innumerable hoft o f quacks,
whofe indecent advertifements difgrace our daily prints, would
not derive their fubfiftence, much lefs rife to affluence, by the
credulity o f Engliffimen ; for many o f theie pefts o f fociety are
foreigners, too contemptible, in their own country to meet with
encouragement. What concluiion would a Chinefe be apt to
draw o f our national character, if he had only a fmattering o f
our language, juft fufficient to enable him to read thefe daily
effufions that are forced upon public notice*? And what mult
he think o f the reveries o f Condorcet, and o f his Engliih dif-
ciples, .whofe monftrous dodrines (under the abufed name o f
philofophy) would perfuade him that fleep was a difeafe ! That
** Sleep, that knits up the ravell’d ileave of*card,
“ T h e death o f each day’ s life, fore labour’ s bath, '
u Balm o f hurt minds, great nature’s fecond courfe,
“ C hief nouriiher in life’ s feaft” ------
* A n d which, together with their pernicious pradices and infamous pamphlets,
addrefled chiefly to youth o f both fexes, it may be added, have done more mifchief
than gf plague, peftilence, or famine.” , Am o n g the numerous focieties that have
been formed for the amendment o f public morals and the fuppreffion o f vice, it is
furprizing that no plan has been thought e f for the fufjprefllon o f impudent quacks.
3 ° was