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Literary
July 17, 1788
The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
An essay praising the ancient stability of the Chinese empire, attributed possibly to Noah, contrasting it with Western kingdoms affected by wars. It highlights China's defenses, cultural influence on conquerors, ancient government, and emphasis on agriculture over luxury, with well-maintained roads and minimal parks to prioritize cultivation.
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Full Text
For the New-Hampshire Gazette.
On the Kingdom of China,
This nation is said to have lasted
through a successive series
of 4000 years, and was most probably
founded by Noah himself,
nor is this antiquity in the least to be
wondered at. The narrow bounds
of our history, and the small extent
of our kingdoms, which rise and
fall in a quick succession, are the
consequences of wars, superstition,
and the unfavorable circumstances
of our situation. But the Chinese,
who are encompassed and defended
on all sides by sea and deserts, have,
like the ancient Egyptians, given
a lasting stability to their empire.
Since their coasts and the inland
parts of their territories have been
peopled and cultivated, this happy
nation must of course have been the
centre of attraction to all the surrounding
people; and the wandering
or cantoned tribes must necessarily
have gradually attached themselves
to a body of men, who speak
less frequently of the conquests they
have made than of the attacks they
have suffered; and are happier in
the thought of having civilized
their conquerors, than they could
have been in that of having destroyed
their invaders.
In a country where the government
is so ancient, we may everywhere
expect to find deep traces of
the continued force of industry,…
Its roads have been levelled with
the exactest care; and, in general,
have no greater declivity than is
necessary to facilitate the watering
of the land, which they consider,
with reason, as one of the greatest
helps in agriculture. They have
but few even of the most useful
trees, as their fruits would rob the
corn of its nourishment. There
are gardens, it is true, interspersed
with flowers, fine turf, shrubberies,
and fountains; but however agreeable
these scenes might be to an idle
spectator, they seem to be concealed
and removed from the public eye,
as if the owners were afraid of showing
how much their amusements had
encroached upon the soil that ought
to be cultivated for the support
of life.
They have no parks or extensive
forests, which are not near so serviceable
to mankind by the wood
they furnish, as prejudicial by preventing
agriculture; and while they
contribute to the pleasure of the
great by the beasts, that range in
them, prove a real misfortune to
the husbandman.
To be continued.
On the Kingdom of China,
This nation is said to have lasted
through a successive series
of 4000 years, and was most probably
founded by Noah himself,
nor is this antiquity in the least to be
wondered at. The narrow bounds
of our history, and the small extent
of our kingdoms, which rise and
fall in a quick succession, are the
consequences of wars, superstition,
and the unfavorable circumstances
of our situation. But the Chinese,
who are encompassed and defended
on all sides by sea and deserts, have,
like the ancient Egyptians, given
a lasting stability to their empire.
Since their coasts and the inland
parts of their territories have been
peopled and cultivated, this happy
nation must of course have been the
centre of attraction to all the surrounding
people; and the wandering
or cantoned tribes must necessarily
have gradually attached themselves
to a body of men, who speak
less frequently of the conquests they
have made than of the attacks they
have suffered; and are happier in
the thought of having civilized
their conquerors, than they could
have been in that of having destroyed
their invaders.
In a country where the government
is so ancient, we may everywhere
expect to find deep traces of
the continued force of industry,…
Its roads have been levelled with
the exactest care; and, in general,
have no greater declivity than is
necessary to facilitate the watering
of the land, which they consider,
with reason, as one of the greatest
helps in agriculture. They have
but few even of the most useful
trees, as their fruits would rob the
corn of its nourishment. There
are gardens, it is true, interspersed
with flowers, fine turf, shrubberies,
and fountains; but however agreeable
these scenes might be to an idle
spectator, they seem to be concealed
and removed from the public eye,
as if the owners were afraid of showing
how much their amusements had
encroached upon the soil that ought
to be cultivated for the support
of life.
They have no parks or extensive
forests, which are not near so serviceable
to mankind by the wood
they furnish, as prejudicial by preventing
agriculture; and while they
contribute to the pleasure of the
great by the beasts, that range in
them, prove a real misfortune to
the husbandman.
To be continued.
What sub-type of article is it?
Essay
What themes does it cover?
Political
Agriculture Rural
What keywords are associated?
China
Empire
Stability
Agriculture
Industry
History
Conquerors
Literary Details
Title
On The Kingdom Of China
Key Lines
This Nation Is Said To Have Lasted Through A Successive Series Of 4000 Years, And Was Most Probably Founded By Noah Himself,
But The Chinese, Who Are Encompassed And Defended On All Sides By Sea And Deserts, Have, Like The Ancient Egyptians, Given A Lasting Stability To Their Empire.
They Have But Few Even Of The Most Useful Trees, As Their Fruits Would Rob The Corn Of Its Nourishment.
They Have No Parks Or Extensive Forests, Which Are Not Near So Serviceable To Mankind By The Wood They Furnish, As Prejudicial By Preventing Agriculture;