another produces his powder, makes some experiments that result in nothing, and comes off with admiration and applause; a third comes out with the important discovery of some new process in the skeleton of a mole, and is set down as the accurate and sensible; while one still more fortunate than the rest, by pickling, potting, and preserving monsters, rises into unbounded reputation.

The labours of such men, instead of being calculated to amuse the public, are laid out only in diverting each other. The world becomes very little the better or the wiser, for knowing what is the peculiar food of an insect that is itself the food of another, which in its turn is eaten by a third; but there are men who have studied themselves into an habit of investigating and admiring such minutiæ. To these such subjects are pleasing, as there are some who contentedly spend whole days in endeavouring to solve enigmas, or disentangle the puzzling sticks of children.

But of all the learned, those who pretend to investigate remote antiquity, have least to plead in their own defence, when they ca ry this passion to a faulty excess. They are generally found to supply by conjecture the want of record, and then by perseverance are wrought up into a confidence of the truth of opinions, which even to themselves at first appeared founded only in imagination.

The Europeans have heard much of the kingdom of China: its politeness, arts, commerce, laws, and morals are however but very imperfectly known among them. They have even now in their Indian warehouse numberless utensils, plants, minerals, and machines, of the use of which they are entirely ignorant: nor can any among them even make a probable guess for what they might have been designed. Yet though this people be so ignorant of

VOL. III.

Да

the

LETTER LXXXVIII.

FROM THE SAME.

I AM amused, my dear Fum, wg, and preserving IN

of some of the learned here. One
a whole folio on the dissection
Another shall swell his works wit
the plumage on the wing of a

CITIZEN OF

produces his powder result in nothing d applause; a tr

covery of some ne

*, and is set down as e

ne still more fortunate th

atation.

public, are laid t
seh men, instead of bz: *-

The world becomes

shall see a little world on a P, for knowing w

a book to describe what his res
clearly in two minutes, onl
with eyes and a microscope.
I have frequently compa
of such men to their own
vision is too contracted to
but minute objects; they
now the proboscis, now t
of-a flea. Now the

et that is itself the ind

is eaten bra t

*died themselves

admiring such m

easing, as there

de days in en

Samtangle the

upon a worm; now it
it will live without er
outward, and now it
proceed, laborious
ment, without one
lone knowledgem ‹
till at last their id
things, contract
ject, and a singl
capacity.

Yet believe.
men are to th
esteem for ea
appointed fo
his cockle-s

iere

Egypike manLans used to 49, the Chinese

sion; the Egyp
e the Chinese; but
past a doubt is, that
d those of Egypt were
The Emperor Kiis cer-
ng Atoes; for, if we only
into toes, we shall have the
th equal ease Menes may be
e with the Emperor Yu; there-
re a colony from Egypt.

i the learned is entirely different

from

CITIZEN OF THE WORLD.

ave the Chinese to be a -the deluge. First, -een the name

r produces his powder, makes some exper
hat result in nothing, and comes off with ad
and applause; a third comes out with the
discovery of some new process in the ske
le, and is set down as the accurate and
one still more fortunate than the rest.
ing, and preserving monsters, rises
putation.

ch men, instead of being cal
public, are laid out only in
The world becomes very
ser, for knowing what is
et that is itself the food
is eaten by a third;
died themselves into
miring such mi-
leasing, as there

le days in entangle the

d to in

ad in

on to

chy, and

fine, unembarhis wicked chilthem, and took a es for his own amuseJohi are the same.

for they all pass among t scholars, assert, that the rom the colony of Sesostris, are descended from Magog, and therefore neither Sesostris, are the same.

riend, that indolence assumes the and while it tosses the cup and bail folly, desires the world to look on, e stupid pastime philosophy and learn

Adieu.

the present real state of China, the philosophers I am describing have entered into long, learned, laborious disputes about what China was two thousand years ago. China and European happiness are but little connected even at this day; but European happiness and China two thousand years ago have certainly no connection at all. However, the learned have written on and pursued the subject through all the labyrinths of antiquity; though the early dews and the tainted gale be passed away, though no footsteps remain to direct the doubtful chace, yet still they run forward, open upon the uncertain scent, and though in fact they follow nothing, are earnest in the pursuit. In this chace however they all take different ways. One, for example, confidently assures us, that China was peopled by a colony from Egypt. Sesostris, he observes, led his army as far as the Ganges; therefore, if he went so far, he might still have gone as far as China, which is but about a thousand miles from thence, therefore he did go to China; therefore China was not peopled before he went there; therefore it was peopled by him. Besides, the Egyptians have pyramids: the Chinese have in like manner their porcelaine tower; the Egyptians used to light up candles upon every rejoicing, the Chinese have lanthorns upon the same occasion; the Egyptians had their great river, so have the Chinese; but what serves to put the matter past a doubt is, that the antient Kings of China and those of Egypt were called by the same names. The Emperor Ki is certainly the same with King Atoes; for, if we only change K into A, and i into toes, we shall have the name Atoes; and with equal ease Menes may be proved to be the same with the Emperor Yu; therefore the Chinese are a colony from Egypt.

But another of the learned is entirely different

from

from the last; and he will have the Chinese to be a colony planted by Noah just after the deluge. First, from the vast similitude there is between the name of Fohi, the founder of the Chinese monarchy, and that of Noah, the preserver of the human race: Noah, Fohi, very like each other truly; they have each but four letters, and only two of the four happen to differ. But to strengthen the argument, Fohi, as the Chinese chronicle asserts, had no father. Noah, it is true, had a father, as the European Bible tells us; but then, as this father was probably drowned in the flood, it is just the same as if he had no father at all; therefore Noah and Fohi are the Just after the flood the earth was covered with mud; if it was covered with mud, it must have been incrustated mud; if it was incrustated, it was cloathed with verdure; this was a fine, unembarrassed road for Noah to fly from his wicked children; he therefore did fly from them, and took a journey of two thousand miles for his own amusement; therefore Noah and Fohi are the same.

same.

Another sect of literati, for they all pass among the vulgar for very great scholars, assert, that the Chinese came neither from the colony of Sesostris, nor from Noah, but are descended from Magog, Meshec and Tubal, and therefore neither Sesostris, nor Noah, nor Fohi are the same.

It is thus, my friend, that indolence assumes the airs of wisdom, and while it tosses the cup and bail with infantine folly, desires the world to look on, and calls the stupid pastime philosophy and learning.

Adieu.