filver. The article o f drefs worn by the common people is not
very expendve. The peafantry are invariably clad in cotton ;
and this article is the produce o f moft o f the provinces. The
complete drefs o f a peafant is about fifteen {hillings ; o f a common
tradefman three pounds; an officer o f government’s common
drefs ten pounds ; o f ceremony about thirty pounds; and
i f enriched with embroidery and gold and filver tiflue, between
two and three hundred pounds: a pair o f black fatin bpots
twenty {hillings ; and a cap or bonnet about the fame fum.
The price o f labour, however, and particularly in Pekin, bears
no fort o f proportion to the price o f provifions. A mechanic
in this city thinks himfelf well paid if he gets a ihillipg a-day.
A common weaver, joiner, or other tradefman earns a bare Í
fubfiftence for his family ; and the beft fervants may be hired
for an ounce o f filver a-month. Many are glad to give their
fervices in exchange for their fubfiftence, without any confi-
deration in hard money. Tobacco being an indifpenfable article
for all ranks o f every age and fex bears o f courfe a high
price in the capital. It is Angular enough, that this plant fhould .
have found its way into every part o f the world, among favage
as well as civilized nations, even into the deferís .of Africa,
where it was found in conftant ufe among the Boofhuanas, a
people, till very lately, totally unknown ; and it is equally Angular,
that an herb-of fo difagreeable a tafte ihould, by habit,
obtain an afcendency fo far over the appetite, as not eafiLy to
be relinquiihed.
T he climate o f the northern provinces is unfavourable to the
poor peafantry. The fumroers are fo warm that th e y go
nearly
nearly naked and the winters fo fevere that, what with their
poor and fcanty fare, their want o f fuel, clothing, and even
ihelter, thoufands are faid to perifh from cold and hunger. In
fuch a condition the ties o f nature fometimes yield to felf-pre-
fervation, and children are fold to fave both the parent and off-
fpring froth periihing for w an t; and infants become a prey to
hopelefs indigence. We have feen in the notes taken by the
gentleman in the Dutch embafly, how low the temperature is
at Pekin in the winter months; and they have no coals nearer
than the mountain's o f Tartary, which are all brought on the
backs o f dromedaries ; o f courfe, they are extravagantly dear.
In fadt, they are fcarcely ever burned pure, but are crumbled
to duft and mixed up with earth, in which ftate they give out
a very ftrong heat, but no flame, and are fuitable enough for
their fmall elofe ftoves„
Although it is a principle- o f the Chmefe government to admit
o f no diftindtions- among its fubjedte, except thofe thatlearn-
ing and office c o n fe r a n d although the moft rigid fumptuary
laws have been impofed to check that tendency to fhew arrd
fplendor, which wealth, is apt to affume ; and to bring as much
as poffible on a level, at leaft in outward, appearance,' «all- conditions
o f men ; yet, with regard to diet, there is a wider difference
perhaps between the rich and the poor o f China, 'than in
any other country. That wealth which, if permitted, would
be expended in flattering the-vanity o f its poffeflbrs,. is now applied
in thepurchafe o f dainties to pamper the appetite. Their
famous Gin-ftng, a name fignifying the life o f man.' (the Panax
qu inqutf olium o f Linnteus) on account o f its fuppofed. invigorating