the asperities of the way. But a glance at the radiance above, or a smile from the good Genii who accompanied them, would always restore their wonted cheerfulness.

As they approached the summit, the road became more smooth and pleasant; the rude unsightly rock was exchanged for groves and fields of verdure. The air was purer, and more transparent. The landscape around was Nature in her sweetest robe: arrayed not in the unripened beauties of spring, or the gorgeous magnificence of summer, it breathed the tempered lustre, the full maturity, the mild undazzling serenity of autumn. The thrush, the robin, and the turtle-dove, were heard from the recesses of the grove; and the sky-lark sent down his melody from on high. Violets, jessamines, and honey-suckles, were scattered along the green, and wasted their sweets abroad. The radiance from the summit diffused a genial warmth around, and the travellers seemed already to enjoy the fruition of their labours,—But as if conscious that greater felicity was in view, they still pressed forward till I could scarcely distinguish them through the splendour that enveloped the top of the mountain.—As I was attentively gazing on their progress, methought I could discover a magnificent temple amidst the blaze of glory. The dome, the walls, and the pillars, shone like diamond through the mountain crystal. In the midst of the hall I could faintly trace an altar smoking with incense. The porticos and the area of the temple were crowded with beings of celestial beauty. Their robes were purer than the driven snow, and their locks were interwoven with gold and amaranth. Some were watching the rolling incense from the altar, and some were hymning the praises of their heavenly guide, or chanting the deeds of heroes. Others welcomed the travellers as they arrived, and led them rejoicing to the midst of the temple.

My sight, dazzled and overpowered, could behold them no longer.—The shout of welcome, the song of triumph, and the holy anthem, mellowed and softened by the distance, died sweetly away on my ear. "Happy regions!" exclaimed I, "this is indeed the abode of felicity. A thousand deaths, ten thousand years of anxiety and pain, would cheaply buy an admission to your delights." The violence of my emotion broke my slumbers; and I awoke, like Mirza, to behold, not indeed the camels of the long valley of Bagdat, but the awakening life and activity of the country,—the sober herd marching forth to their frugal pasture, the rattling swain, and the busy sounds of labour from the opposite hamlet.

HUSBANDMEN,
AND THE HONOUR PAID TO AGRICULTURE IN CHINA.

From Navarette, Le Comte, Du Halde, &c.

The Husbandmen in China, as to rank, are preferred to Merchants and Mechanics. They are endowed with large privileges, their profession being considered as the most necessary one in a state. Navarette observes, that the Chinese say, that the Emperor ought to take them under his particular care, and to allow them as large privileges as may be; because all the empire subsists by their labour and industry. Nay, it could not subsist without the strongest inclination and application of the country-people that way! China being so vastly populous, that if every inch of arable land was sowed, as in fact it generally is, yet the produce would be scarce sufficient to support the multitudes of inhabitants; and the empire is too extensive to have its wants that way supplied from foreign parts, even if it kept up a correspondence with them. For these reasons it has always been one of the chiefest cares of the government to promote Agriculture, by honouring husbandmen and their profession. With this view a festival is instituted in honour of agriculture; and the Emperor himself, once a year, turns ploughman, in imitation, as it is said, of the early monarchs, whose history seems to be calculated for the same end.

The common opinion, according to the Missioners, is, that husbandry was first taught by Shin-nong, who is at this day reverenced as the inventor of so useful an art; which has still gained farther credit from what is related in the books of their ancient philosophers. The Emperor Yau, who began to reign four hundred and eighty years after the monarch, it seems, set aside his own children in favour of a young husbandman, whom he chose for his successor. This choice of an emperor out of the country, has inspired the Chinese with a great esteem for agriculture. Yu, who succeeded Shun, came to the throne after the same manner. It is said, he found out the way, by means of canals, to drain off the water into the sea, which at the beginning of the empire overflowed several low countries, and afterwards made use of them to render the soil fruitful. It is added that he wrote several books concerning the manner of cultivating land, and watering it, which induced Shun to appoint him his successor, and has contributed much to raise the credit of agriculture, as they see it has been thought worthy the care and application of a great Prince.

Several other emperors have expressed their zeal for this art. Kang Vang, third monarch of the Chew family, caused land-marks to be fixed, to prevent disputes among the husbandmen. King-Ving, the twenty-fourth of the same race, in whose reign Confusius was born, five hundred and thirty-one years before Christ, renewed the laws that had been made for promoting agriculture. In a word, the Emperor Ven-ti, who reigned three hundred and fifty-two years after, raised its esteem to a great pitch: for this Prince perceiving, that his country was ruined by the wars, to engage his subjects to cultivate the land, set them an example himself, by ploughing the fields belonging to his palace: which obliged all the ministers and gentlemen of his court to do the same.

It is thought, that this was the original of a great festival that is solemnized every year in all the great cities of China, when the sun enters the fifteenth degree of aquarius; which the Chinese look upon as the beginning of the spring. On this day the Governor comes out of his palace, carried in his chair, preceded by banners, lighted torches, and divers instruments; he is attended with several litters, painted, and adorned with a variety of silk tapestry; exhibiting various figures, and the portraits of illustrious persons who had practised husbandry, with histories relating to the same subject! He is crowned with flowers; and marches in this equipage towards the eastern gate of the city, as it were to meet the spring.

Among the figures, there is a cow of earthenware, so monstrously large that forty men can hardly carry it.—Behind the cow, whose horns are gilt, is a young child with one foot naked and the other shod: him they call the genius of labour and diligence; who strikes the earthen cow incessantly with a rod, as though it were to make it advance. All the husbandmen follow with their instruments; after whom proceed companies of Masquers and Comedians, acting plays. In this manner they march to the Governor's palace, where they strip the cow of her ornaments; and drawing out of her belly a prodigious number of small cows made of clay, and distribute them among the multitude, as well as the fragments of the cow, which they break into pieces.—Afterwards the Governor makes a short discourse, recommending the care of husbandry as one of the things most conducive to the good of a state.

The attention of the Emperors and Mandarins to the cultivation of the land is so great, that when deputies arrive at court from the Vice-Roys, the Chinese monarch never forgets to demand in what condition the fields appeared to them; and the falling of a seasonable shower furnishes a proper occasion for visiting a Mandarin, to compliment him thereupon.—Every year, in spring, which falls in February, the