of the men in navigation; the famous gardens of the emperor; are all circumstances applicable to the Chinese of the present day; and the few last lines of the passage referred to, which are expressive of the perpetual succession of fruits, I should interpret to relate to the great extent of the Chinese empire, which, traversing all sorts of climates, furnishes the fruits of all of them, in some part of the country or other, at all times of the year. The names of the persons of distinction among the Phæacians mentioned in 8 Od. 112, et seq. Ωρτο μεν ακροονευς και αγχιαλος και έρετμεις almost all of them refer to the skill of the Chinese in navigation; though one of them Aäodaμas, seems to have relation to their skill in hewing and transporting the massive stones, for the use of which they are so famous in constructing their canals, bridges, and other public works. The predilection which the Chinese entertain for fat people is noticed in these lines, Και μιν μακροτερον και πασσονα θηκεν ιδεσθαί Ως κεν Φαιήκεσσι φιλος παντεσσι γένοιτο Δεινος τ' αιδοιος τέ=== The very remarkable propensity of the lower classes of the Chinese to industry, trade, and commerce, is poetically stated in the following lines under the figure of their frequent sacrifices to Mercury the God of Commerce, 7 Od. 136, Ευρε δε Φαιήκων ηγήτορας ηδε μεδοντας Their whitish sails, made of matting, seem alluded to in 8 Od. 55, ανα δ' ιςια λευκα πετασαν and their superior excellence in the practice of sculling, or managing the oar as a rudder, in 7 Od. 327. Είδησας δε και αυτος ενι φρεσιν όσσον άριςαι their custom of sitting upon smooth polished stones, such as we commonly see represented in their gardens, as exhibited in their paintings, in 8 Od. 6, Ελθοντες δε καθιζον επι ξεςοισι λιθοισι the prodigious population of their country, their multitudinous crowds, and habit of gazing at foreigners, in 8 Od. 16. Καρπαλίμως δ' εμπληντο βροτων αγοραι τε και εδραι Αγρομένων, πολλοι γαρ εθηήσαντο ιδοντες again, in 8 Od. 58, Πληντο δ' αρ' αίθεσαι τε και ερκεα και δομοι ανδρων Αγρομένων πολλοι δ' αρ' εσαν νεοι ηδε παλαιοι and again, 8 Od. 110, Βαν δ' μεν εις αγορην αμα δ' εσπετο πόλος όμιλος Μύριοι, αν δ' ιςαντο νεοι πολλοι τε και εσθλοι Their custom of proceeding to council or other public assemblies, at sunrise, seems to be noticed in 7 Od. 222, Υμεις δ' οτρύνεσθε αμ' και φαινομενηφι as are the embassies which the Chinese are so famous for receiving and entertaining, in 7 Od. 227, Εκέλευον πεμπεμεναι τον ξείνον again, 8 Od. 30, Πομπην δ' οτρυνε Ημεις δ' ως τοπαρος περ εποτρυνωμεθα πομπην and again, 7 Od. 191. -επειτα δε και περι πομπής Μνησομεθ' ως χ' ο ξεινος ανευθε τους και ανίης Πομπη ἐφ' υμετερη ην πατρίδα γαιαν ικηται. The emperor's custom of making a superb banquet for the embassadors before their departure is remarked in 8 Od. 38, έπειτα θρην αλεγίνετε δαιτα and again, in 8 Od. 62, Τετύκοντο δε δαιτ' ερατεινην and the custom of making presents at that time, in 8 Od. 545, Εινεκα γαρ ξεινοις ταδ' αιδοιοιο τετυκται Πομπη και φιλα δωρα τα οι διδομεν φιλέοντες. The particular custom of making presents of wearing apparel, (which prevails very generally in the East, and not in China only,) is noticed in 7 Od. 238, -- τις τοι ταδε είματα δωκεν ;-- and further appears from the collection of presents made to Ulysses by the great men of the Chinese court, upon his taking leave of them, in the 13th Odyssey, according to the emperor's orders, given in s Od. 390, Αλλ' αγε οι δωμεν ξεινηιον ως ιπιεικες - Φαρος εκαςος εύπλυνες ηδε χιτώνα. |