74 Chace. But of all this Sort of Things, the Chinese are moft fond of a kind of Fish, the greater Part of which are of a Colour as brilliant as Gold; others, of a Silver Colour; and others of different Shades of red, green, blue, purple, and black; and fome, of all Sorts of Colours mixt together. There are feveral Refervoirs for these Fish, in all Parts of the Garden; but the most confiderable of them all is at this Lake. It takes up a very large Space; and is all furrounded with a Lattice-work of Brafs-wire, in which the Openings are fo very fine and fmall, as to prevent the Fifh from wandering into the main Waters.

To let you fee the Beauty of this charming Spot in its greatest Perfection, I fhould wish to have you transported hither when the Lake is all covered with Boats, either gilt, or varnished; as it is fometimes, for taking the Air; fometimes, for fifhing; and fometimes, for [d] Jufts, and Combats, and other Diverfions, upon the Water; but above all, on some fine Night, when the Fire-works are played off there; at which Time they have Illuminations in all

[d] I have feen of this Sort of Jufts upon the Water, in our Parts of the World; and particularly at Lions in France. The Champions ftand as firmly as they are able, on the Prows of two Boats, with a Shield in their left Hands, and a blunted Spear in their right. There is an equal Number of Rowers in each of the Boats, who drive them on with great Impetuofity. The two Combatants charge each other with their Spears; and often both, but almost always one of them is driven backward on the Shock; either down into his Boat, or (which often happens) into the Water; which latter makes one of the principal Parts in this odd Sort of Diversion.

the

the Palaces, all the Boats, and almoft on every Tree: The Chinese exceed us extreemly in their Fire-works; and I have never seen any thing of that Kind, either in France, or Italy, that can bear any Comparison with theirs.

The Part in which the Emperor ufually refides here, with the Emprefs, his [e] favourite Miftreffes, and the Eunuchs that attend them, is a vaft Collection of Buildings, Courts, and Gardens; and looks itself like a City. 'Tis at leaft as big as our City of [f] Dole. The greater Part of the other Palaces is only used for his walking; or to dine and sup in upon Occafion.

This Palace for the ufual Refidence of the Emperor, is juft within the grand Gate of the Pleasure Ground. Firft are the Antichambers; then the Halls for Audience; and then the Courts and Gardens belonging to them. The Whole forms an Island; which is entirely furrounded by a large and deep Canal. 'Tis a fort of Seraglio; in the different Apartments of which, you fee all the most beautiful Things that can be imagined, as to Furniture, Ornaments, and Paintings, (I mean of those in the Chinese Tafte;) the most valuable Sorts of Wood;

[e] The Original fays; "les Koucifeys, les Feys, les Pines, les "Kouci-gins, et les Ichangtsays:" and informs us in a Note, that these are so many different Titles of Honour, for the different Claffes of fuch of the Emperor's Miftreffes as are most in his Favour. I did not think it worth while to fet down all these hard Names in the Text; and, perhaps, they might as well have been omitted even here. [f] The fecond City for Size in the Franche Comtè.

varnished

varnished Works, of China and Japan; antient Vases of Porcelain; Silks, and Cloth of Gold and Silver. They have there brought together all that Art and good Tafte could add to the Riches of Nature.

From this Palace of the Emperor, a Road which is almost strait, leads you to a little Town in the Midft of the whole Inclosure. 'Tis fquare; and each Side is near a Mile long. It has Four Gates, answering the Four principal Points of the Compafs; with Towers, Walls, Parapets, and Battlements. It has its Streets, Squares, Temples, Exchanges, Markets, Shops, Tribunals, Palaces, and a Port for Veffels. In one Word, every thing that is at Pekin in Large, is there reprefented in Miniature.

You will certainly ask for what Use this City was intended? Is it that the Emperor may retreat to it as a Place of Safety, on any Revolt, or Revolution? It might indeed serve well enough for that Purpose; and poffibly that Thought had a Share in the Mind of the Person who at firft defigned it; but its principal End was, to procure the Emperor the Pleasure of seeing all the Bustle and Hurry of a great City in little, whenever he might have a Mind for that Sort of Diverfion.

The Emperor of China is too much a Slave to his 'Grandeur ever to fhew himself to his People, even when he goes out of his Palace. He too fees nothing of the Town, which he paffes through. All the Doors and Windows are fhut up. They spread

wide

wide Pieces of Cloth every where, that nobody may fee him. Several Hours before he is to pass through any Street, the People are forewarned of it; and if any should be found there whilst he paffes, they would be handled very feverely by his Guards. Whenever he goes into the Country, two Bodies of Horse advance a good way before him, on each Side of the Road; both for his Security, and to keep the Way clear from all other Paffengers. As the Emperors of China find themselves obliged to live in this ftrange fort of Solitude, they have always endeavoured to fupply the Lofs of all public Diversions, (which their high Station will not fuffer them to partake,) by fome other Means or Inventions, according to their different Taftes and Fancies.

This Town, therefore, in these two last Reigns, (for it was this Emperor's Father who ordered it to be built) has been appropriated for the Eunuchs to act in it, at feveral Times in the Year, all the Commerce, Marketings, Arts, Trades, Buftie, and Hurry, and even all the Rogueries ufual in great Cities. At the appointed Times, each Eunuch puts on the Dress of the Profeffion or Part which is affigned to him. One is a Shop-keeper, and another an Artifan; this is an Officer, and that a common Soldier: One has a Wheel-barrow given him to drive about the Streets; aonther, as a Porter, carries a Basket on his Shoulders. In a Word, every one has the diftinguishing Mark of his Employment. The Veffels arrive at the Port; the Shops are opend; and the Goods are expofed for Sale. There is

one

one Quarter for those who fell Silks, and another for those who fell Cloth; one Street for Porcelain, and another for Varnish-works. You may be fupplied with whatever you want. This Man fells Furniture of all Sorts; that, Cloaths and Ornaments for the Ladies; a third has all Kinds of Books for the learnedand curious. There are Coffee-houses too, and Taverns of all Sorts, good and bad; befide a Number of People that cry different Fruits about the Streets, and a great Variety of refreshing Liquors. The Mercers, as you pass their Shops, catch you by the Sleeve, and prefs you to buy fome of their Goods. 'Tis all a Place of Liberty and Licence; and you can scarce diftinguish the Emperor himself from the meaneft of his Subjects. Every body bauls out what he has to fell; fome quarrel, others fight; and you have all the Confufion of a Fair about you. The public Officers come and arreft the Quarrellers; carry them before the Judges, in the Courts for Juftice; the Cause is tried in form; the Offender condemned to be baftinadoed; and the Sentence is put in Execution; and that fo effectually, that the Diverfion of the Emperor fometimes cofts the poor Actor a great deal of real Pain.

The Mystery of Thieving is not forgot, in this general Representation. That noble Employ is affigned to a confiderable Number of the cleverest Eunuchs, who perform their Parts admirably well. If any one of them is caught in the Fact, he is brought to Shame, and condemned (at least they go through the Form of condemning him) to be stigmatised, baf

tinadoed,