THE late period at which the nations of Europe became firft acquainted with the exiftence even of that vaft extent of country comprehended under the name of China, the difficulties of accefs to any part of it when known, the peculiar nature of the language which, as I have endeavoured to prove, has no relation with any other either ancient or modern, the extreme jealoufy of the government towards foreigners, and the contempt in which they were held by the loweft of the people, may ferve, among other caufes, to account for the very limited and imperfect knowledge we have hitherto obtained of the real hiftory of this extraordinary empire: for their records, it feems, are by no means deficient, for two centuries at lead before the Chriftian era, down to the prefent time, the tranfactions of each reign are amply detailed without any interruption. They have even preferved collections of copper coins, forming a regular feries of the different Emperors that have filled the throne of China for the laft two thoufand years. Such a collection, though not quite complete, Sir George Staunton brought with him to England.

Before this time, when China confifted of a number of petty ftates or principalities, the annals of the country are faid to abound with recitals of wars and battles and bloodfhed, like thofe of every other part of the world.