We have hitherto proceeded upon the authorities of Duhalde and Chambers. We shall now give sonic par ticulars from Louis le Comptc, given in his Nouveaux Memoires. His description of the imperial palace and pagodas, corresponds nearly with those already given. They are too general to afford any further satisfactory information. Respecting the city of Pekin, he states that the principal streets extend in a direct line one league between the gates, and that they arc 120 feet in width: that each shop-keeper puts out, on a pedestal before his house, a plank, 20 or 25 feet in height, painted, highly varnished, and having a list of the articles he sells : that these, on each side of the streets, at equal distances, have the appearance of scenes in a theatre. Respecting the city gates, he represents them as consisting of two large separate square buildings, connected by two very thick walls, so that the space enclosed may contain about 500 men in battle order. The first building, which has the appearance of a fortress, has no direct passage through it; it is entered at the side wall, by a gate proportional to the rest. When turning to the right, a second tower is met with, which commands the city, and has a gate way like the former ; hut it is so long, as to become dark towards the middle. In approaching Pekin, these im mense gateways have a striking effect. The arches are built with marble, and the rest with large bricks, laid in excellent mortar. The walls are so high, as to conceal the city. They are so thick, that centinels on horseback are placed upon them. At every bow-shot distance they are fortified with towers. The ditch is broad and deep, but dry.
Of triumphal arches, which arc very common in Chi na, he states, that they consist of three arches, the middle one being the highest. The four columns which support them are sometimes round, but more frequently square. They have no bases, nor any capitals ; but the shaft is fastened into the architrave. The frieze is very high in proportion to the rest ; it is decorated with inscrip tions, and beautiful figures; with knots wrought one loop within another, and with flowers and birds—all in very bold relief. Instead of cornices, they have before and behind, large flat marble stones, like pent-houses.
The foregoing accounts and description, though we have no reason to question their accuracy, are yet in so uniform a tone of admiration, as to render it evident, that the favourable features only are exhibited. In order, therefore, to chasten, and perhaps to render the picture more perfect, we shall present the reader with some de scriptions from an equally accurate and more recent vi sitor, Mr Barrow. Sailing up the river Pei-hoo towards Pekin, he observes, " there are few trees, except near ‘illages, which are of mean appearance ; the houses ge nerally consisting of mud-walls, one story high, and thatched with straw or rushes. here and there a soli tary cottage intervened. Nothing bore any resemblance to the residence of a gentleman, or that could be called a comfortable farm-house ; and although villages were numerous, no assemblage of hovels were perceived, that properly could be classed under the name of a town, ex cept that of Lee-koo, near the mouth of the river, and Ta-koo, a few miles higher, until we proceeded to the distance of about ninety miles, when we entered the sub urbs of the large city of Tien-sing, stretching, like Lon don on the Thames, for several miles along each side of the river Pei-hoo; but neither the buildings nor the ri ver would bear any comparison, even with those parts about Rcdriffe or Wapping. Every thing, in fact, that we had hitherto seen wore an air of poverty and mean ness." See p. 70, 71.
Again, " The great road to the capital lies across an open country, which appeared to be sandy and ill culti vated; and the few houses on each side were of mean ap pearance, being commonly built with mud or half burnt bricks, up to the very gates of Pekin. This city is sur rounded by a brick wall, rather less than thirty feet high, but extending round a circumference of nearly fourteen English miles. The buildings within are all so low, as to be completely hidden by the wall. They arc all con structed on the model of a tent, being supported by slight wooden pillars, and concealed by a dead brick wall to the street. Their roofs alone appear above this enclo
sure ; and, being arrange-4 in straight lines throughout the whole city, give it very much the appearance of a vast encampment. 'With the exception of four great streets, which lead to the gates, the rest of the city con sists of very narrow lanes, and every part entirely with out pavement, and filled with sand and dust. There are no aqueducts ; and the well water is, for the most part, intolerably nauseous. There are no drains. There arc very few buildings which rise above the level of ordinary dwellings, excepting the rice magazines, at the angles of the walls, and a conical temple or two." And again, "The very dwelling of the emperor, and the grand hall in which he gives audience, when divested of the gilding and gaudy colours with which they are daubed, are little superior, and much less solid, than the barns of a sub stantial English farmer. The principal hall of audience at Yuen-mi-yucn stood upon a platform of granite, raised about four feet above the level of the court. A row of large wooden columns, surrounding the building, sup ported the projecting roof; and a second row within the first, and corresponding with it. The interstices be tween the columns being filled with brick-work to the height of four feet, the space above this was a sort of lat tice work, covered over with large sheets of oiled paper, and capable of being entirely thrown open on public oc casions. The wooden columns had no capitals ; and the only architrave was the horizontal beam that supported the rafters of the roof:" (See p. 124.) Again, " The grounds of Yuen-mi-yuen comprehends a circumference of ten English miles, well laid out, but far short of the description by Sir W. Chambers. The buildings are all slight, detached and irregular, and the greater part of those, included within the precincts of the palace, arc mere hovels, or very mean cottages." With regard to the accommodation of the first officers, he states, " the stone or clay floors arc sometimes, indeed, covered with a carpet of English broad cloth, and the walls papered ; but they have no glass in the w indows ; no stoves, fire-places, or fire-grates in the rooms ; no sofa, bureaux, chandelier, looking-glasses, book-cases, prints, or paintings. They have neither curtains nor sheets to their beds. A bench of wood, or platform of brick-work, is raised in an alcove, on which are mats or stuffed mattresses, hard pillows or cushions, according to the season of the year. Instead of doors, they have usually screens made of fibres of bamboo. (See p. 194.) There is not in the whole empire a statue, a hewn pillar, or a column, that deserves to be mentioned." By the introduction to the account of Earl Macart ney's embassy, we are informed, " that in Nan-king, in the province of Kiang-nan, though the streets are nar rower than those of Pekin, vet they are well paved, and are bordered in some places with a variety of stones cu riously inlaid. The gates of the city and the temples have a beautiful appearance ; but the most striking edi fice is the famous porcelain tower, which is an octagon building, nine stories, or 200 feet high, and 40 in diame ter. A winding staircase leads to the top, from whence there is a noble prospect of the surrounding country. On each story is a room, adorned with paintings and other ornaments; but that which is the most beautiful part of this building is the cupola, which rises from the uppermost story, and is supported by a mast fixed in the floor of the eighth story, round which a large iron hoop winds in a spiral direction, giving to the whole the sem blance of a hollow cone rising in the air, having on the top a massive golden ball. From each angular projection a bell is suspended by chains or wires, which produces a tinkling sound by every vibration of the wind. This mag nificent structure takes its name from the variegated tiles with which it is covered. The Chinese pretend, that it bath stood 700 years, being erected by the Tartars to ce lebrate their conquest of this country; but others are of opinion, that it was built by the Emperor Yong-lo, and consequently that it is about 400 years old." Pages 9. and 10. of Introduction.