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Inchantment, all at once, in fome beautiful Valley, or on the Brow of fome Hill.

This whole Inclofure is called Yuen-ming Yven, the Garden of Gardens; or the Garden by way of Eminence. It is not the only one that belongs to the Emperor; he has Three others, of the fame Kind; but none of them fo large, or fo beautiful, as this. In one of these lives the Empress his Mother, and all her Court. It was built by the present Emperor's Grandfather [i] Cang by; and is called Icbang tchun yven, or the Garden of perpetual Spring. The Pleafure-places of the Princes and Grandees are, in Little, what thofe of the Emperor are in Great.

Perhaps you will afk me, "Why all this long "Description? Should not I rather have drawn "Plans of this magnificent Place, and fent them "to you?" To have done that, would have: taken me up at leaft Three Years, without touching upon any thing elfe; whereas I have not a Moment to fpare; and am forced to borrow the Time in which I now write to you, from my Hours of Reft. To which you may add, that for fuch a Work, it would be neceffary for me to have full Liberty of going into any. Part of the Gardens whenever I pleased, and to stay there as long as I pleased; which is quite impracticablehere. 'Tis very fortunate for me, that I had got the little Knowledge of Painting that I have; for,

[i] Cang by began his Reign in 1660; his Sen Yongtching fucceeded him in 1722; and his Grandfon Kien-long in 1735;

without

without this, I should have been in the fame Cafe with several other Europeans, who have been here between Twenty and Thirty Years, without being able ever to set their Feet on any Spot of this delightful Ground. There is but one-Man here, and that's the Emperor. All Pleasures are made for him alone. This charming Place is scarce ever feen by any body but himself, his Women, and his Eunuchs. The Princes, and other chief Men of the Country, are rarely admitted any further than the Audience-Chambers. Of all the Europeans that are here, none ever entered this Inclofure, except the Clock-makers and Painters, whofe Employments make it neceffary that they should be admitted every where. The Place ufually affigned us to paint in, is in one of thofe little Palaces above-mentioned; where the Emperor comes. to see us work almost every Day; so that we can never be absent. We don't go out of the Bounds. of this Palace, unless what we are to paint cannot. be brought to us; and in such Cafes they conduc us to the Place under a large Guard of Eunuchs. We are obliged to go quick, and without any Noife; and huddle and steal along foftly, as if we were going upon fome Piece of Mischief. "Tis in this Manner that I have gone through, and feen, all this beautiful Garden; and entered into the Apartments. The Emperor ufually refides here Ten Months in each Year. We are about. Ten Miles from Pekin. All the Day we are in the Garden; and have a Table furnished for us by the Emperor: For the Nights, we have bought

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us a House near the Entrance to the Gardens. When the Emperor returns to Pekin, we attend him; are lodged there within his Palace; and go every Evening to the French Church. [k]

I think it is high Time both for you and me, that I should put an End to this Letter; which has carried me on to a greater Length than I at first intended. I wish it may give you any Plea fure; and should be very glad if it was in my Power to do any thing more confiderable, to fhew you the perfect Esteem I have for you. I shall always remember you in my Prayers; and beg you would fometimes remember me in yours. I am, with the greatest Regard,

SIR,

Your most obedient,

Humble Servant,

ATTIRET.

[4] Here follow Fourteen or Fifteen Pages in the Original, which treat only of the Author's private Affairs,. or of the Affairs of the Miffion, without any thing relating to the Emperor's Garden; and are therefore omitted. by the Tranflator.

DEFOR

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