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of the Inclofure?

There are above 200 of them, without reckoning as many other Houses for the Eunuchs; for they are the Perfons who have the Care of each Palace, and their Houfes are always juft by them; generally at no more than Five or Six Feet Distance. These Houses of the Eunuchs are very plain; and for that Reason are always concealed, either by some Projection of the Walls, or by the Interpofition of their artificial Hills.

Over the running Streams there are Bridges, at proper Distances, to make the more easy Communication from one Place to another. These are most commonly either of Brick, or Free ftone, and fometimes of Wood, but are all raised high enough for the Boats to pafs conveniently under them. They are fenced with Ballifters finely wrought, and adorned with Works in Relievo; but all of them varied from one another, both in their Ornaments and defigns. Do not imagine to yourself, that these Bridges run on, like ours, in ftrait Lines: On the contrary, they generally wind about and ferpentize to fuch a Degree, that fome of them, which, if they went on regularly, would be no more than Thirty or Forty Feet long, turn fo often and fo much as to make their whole Length 100 or 200 Feet. You fee fome of them which, either at the Midft, or at the Ends, haye little Pavilions for People to reft themfelves in; fupported fometimes by Four, fometimes by Eight, and fometimes by Sixteen Columns. They are usually on fuch of the Bridges as afford the most engaging Profpects. At the

Ends

Ends of other of the Bridges there are triumphal Arches, either of Wood, or white Marble; formed in a very pretty Manner, but very different from any thing that I have ever seen in Europe.

I have already told you that these little Streams, or Rivers, are carried on to fupply several larger Pieces of Water, and Lakes. One of thefe Lakes. is very near Five Miles round; and they call it a Meer, or Sea. This is one of the most beautiful Parts in the whole Pleasure Ground.

On the Banks are several Pieces of Buildings, separated from each other by the Rivulets, and artificial Hills above mentioned.

But what is the most charming Thing of all is, an Ifland, or Rock, in the Middle of this Sea ; raised, in a natural and ruftic Manner about Six Feet above the Surface of the Water. On this Rock. there is a little Palace, which, however, contains an Hundred different Apartments. It has Four Fronts, and is built with inexpreffible Beauty and Tafte; the Sight of it ftrikes one with Admiration. From it you have a View of all the Palaces, scattered at proper Distances round the Shores of this Sea; all the Hills that terminate about it; all the Rivulets, which tend thither, either to discharge their Waters into it, or to receive them from it; all the Bridges, either at the Mouths or Ends of thefe Rivulets; all the Pavilions and triumphal Arches that adorn any of these Bridges; and all the Groves that are planted to *feparate and fcreen the different Palaces, and to prevent the Inhabitants of them from being over

looked

looked by one another. The Banks of this charming Water are infinitely varied; there are no two Parts of it alike. Here you fee Keys of smooth Stone; with Porticos, Walks, and Paths, running down to them from the Palaces that furround the Lake: There, others of Rock-work, that fall into Steps, contrived with the greatest Art that can be conceived: Here, natural Terraces with winding Steps at each End, to go up to the Palaces that are built upon them; and above thefe, other Terraces, and other Palaces, that rife higher and higher, and form a sort of Amphitheatre. There again a Grove of flowering Trees prefents itself to your Eye; and a little farther you fee a Spread of wild Forest-trees, and fuch as grow only on the most barren Mountains: Then, perhaps, vaft Timber-trees with their Under-wood; then Trees from all foreign Countries; and then, fome all blooming with Flowers, and others all laden with Fruits of different Kinds.

There are also, on the Banks of this Lake, a great Number of Net-work-houses,and Pavilions; Half on the Land,and Half running into the Lake, for all Sorts of Water-fowl; as farther on upon the Shore, you meet frequently with Menageries for different Sorts of Creatures; and even little Parks for the Chafe. But of all this Sort of Things, the Chinese are most 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.

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 Lattice-work of Brass-wire, in which the Openings are so very fine and small, as to prevent the Fish from wandering into the main Waters.

To let you see the Beauty of this charming Spot in its greatest Perfection, I fhould wish to have you tranfported hither when the Lake is all covered with Boats, either gilt, or varnished; as it is fometimes, for taking the Air; sometimes, for fishing; and sometimes, for [d] Jufts, and Combats, and other Diverfions, upon the Water; but above all, on fome fine Night, when the Fireworks are played off there; at which Time they have Illuminations in all the Palaces, all the Boats, and almost on every Tree. The Chinese exceed us extremely 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.

[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 Diverfion.

The

The Part in which the Emperor ufually refides here, with the Emprefs, his [e] favourite Miltreffes, and the Eunuchs that attend them, is a vast Collection of Buildings, Courts, and Gardens; and looks itself like a City. 'Tis at least 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 fup in upon Occasion.

This Palace for the ufual Refidence of the Emperor, is just within the grand Gate of the Pleafure Ground. First are the Antechambers; then the Halls for Audience; and then the Courts and Gardens belonging to them. The Whole forms an Ifland; 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 Chinefe Tafte ;) the most valuable Sorts of Wood; varnished Works, of China and Japan; antient Vafes 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.

[e] The Original fays; "les Koucifeys, les Feys, les "Pines, les Kouci-gins, et les Ichangtfays:" 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 thefe hard Names in the Text; and, perhaps, they might as well have been omitted even here.

[f] The second City for Size in the Franche Comtè. VOL. I.

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