portrait of a woman, of indifferent workmanship, Was
seen hanging in one of the rooms. A well executed
Statue in marble, of a naked boy resting upon bis knees
and hands, was discovered in a bed-chamber; and the
figures in stone of a few animals stood in a'flower garden;
beside monstrous and disgusting lions and tigers',
in porcelaine, before several of the buildings. The decorations
which most abounded, and seemed to be moSt
admired by the conductors of the party, were those artificial
figures of men and animals, imported from Europe,
which, by means of internal springs and wheels, produce
movements apparently spontaneous. When these machines
appeared first in China, they were considered as
almost supernatural, and fetched enormous prices.^
In continuing their ride, the party found that tlie
grounds included the utmost inequality of surface; some
bearing the hardy oaks of northern hills, and others the
tender plants of southern vallies. Where a wide plain
happened to occur, massy rpcks were heaped together to
diversify the scene; and the whole seemed calculated to
exhibit the pleasing variety and striking contrast of the
ruggedness of wild, and the softness of cultivated, nature.
The gardens Were enli vened by the movements, as well
as sounds, of different kinds of herbivorous animals, both
quadrupeds and birds; but no menagerie of wild beasts
was perceived. Some monstrous varieties of gold and
silver fishel ^ i^ P seen playing in ponds of pellucid
Water; rqaoh a »bottom studded With pebbles oof agatei,
jasper; and other precious stories./
T h ro u g h e st these grounds, they metfoo gravel w alks;
no trees planted in belts, norcolhrfctfed in clumps.'-Every
thing seemed to-be avoided Which betrayed a: regularity
o f design. Nothing was observed to be directed, unless
for very short distances* b y straight lines, „or to! turn at
right angles. Natural objects seemed- shattered'round b y
ateeideSit, in such. a manner usrtoi render their position
pleasing; While’many of th e .works ©f huihann ilabou r,
tho ;answ^ihgje^j?ypU#pqse of convenience; wfefe made
to-appear the prodncjeiof rustic hands, w ithout fche'a'ssiste
a n e e b f a' took '
^ Some of fodtelegauci^standlbeatities-whisflk. are des*
crlbed as taking place in* Chinese..gardens, were- - not
perceived by the present visitors; but the gardens of
Yueii-min-yuen near Pekin, from whente-those desfciip*
tiotts are chiefly taken, are supposed to be iWofe • complete
than those of Zhe-hdl; and * itiwere presumptuous
to . assert; that what is omitted in tbedhe; has -been falser
ly attributed to the other. I
These strangers had no b lan e e of' Sebing an yip art,' if
su ch th ereb e ;at Zhe-hol, oftfae town iri minatuke, Whitt:
is Supposed to be enclosed within" the boundaries of the
garden destined for th e ladies of the palace, "where the
scenes o f common life, and the transactions’ andi »confusion
of the capital; are faithfully represented, iaCcord:
Visit to the
Emperor's
cofurt.