P O R T R A I T OF A SOLDIER,
in his f u l l Uniform.
T he em p ire o f C l . in i l a s , since lire conquest o f th e T a r ta rs , enjoyed u n in .
teiTupted tra n q u illity , i f we except p a rtia l in su rre c tio n s , See. and in co n sequence
o f th is lo n g in te rm is s io n o f service, the C h in e se a rra y arc become
en e rv ated , an d wa n t th e courage, as well as the d isc ip lin e , o f Eu ro p e an
troops ; for s tric t o rd e r is so little enforced, t l a t it is n o t u n com m o n to see
m a n y am o n g them fa n n in g themselves while stan d in g in th e ra n k s.
T h e candidates for p rom o tio n , in th e ir a rm y , are req u ired not o n ly to
give proofs o f th eir knowledge in m ilita ry tac tic s, b u t th e y m u st likewise
e x h ib it tria ls o f p e rso n a l stren g th an d a g ility , b y sh o o tin g a t the target,
exe rcising the m atch lo c k , sabre, ^ c .
T h e situ a tio n o f the so ld ie ry is even envied b y the lower classes, as they
re g u la rly receive th e ir p a y , th o u g h th e ir services are seldom re q u ired , but
occasionally to a ssist in q u e llin g tum u lts , o r d o in g d u ty a t the m ilita ry
p o sts ; thus, for the greater p a r t o f th e ir tim e , th ey follow th e ir several occup
a tio n s , h a v in g little else to do th a n keep th e ir a rms an d accoutrements
b rig h t an d in good o rd e r, re ad y for th e inspection o f the officers, should
th e y he su d d en ly called o u t to a review, o r a n y o th e r eme rgency.
T h i s dre ss o f th e troops is c lum sy , in co n v e n ie n t, an d m im ic a l to the
p erfo rm an c e o f m ilita ry exercises, y e t a battalion th u s equipped h a s , a t some
d istance , a splendid an d even wa rlike appe arance ; b u t on closer in sp e c tio n
these coats o f m a il are found to be n o th in g more th an q u ilte d n anke en,
en ric h ed w ith th in plates o f m etal, su rro u n d ed w ith studs, w h ich gives the
Imit-msemUe v e ry m u ch th e appearance o f a rm o u r.
F rom th e c row n o f the h e lm e t (w h ic h is the o n ly p a r t th a t is iro n ) issues
a spea r, inclosed w ith a tassel o f d y ed ho rse -h a ir. T lie characters on the
bre ast-plate, denote tlie co ip s to w h ich lie belongs ; and the box w h ic h is
w o rn in fro n t, serves to co n ta in heads o f arrows, bowstrin g s, See. See. T h e
low e r p a r t o f th e b ow is inclosed in a sheatl. o r case.
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