and under them 1617. which Courfe is taken afterwards throughout the feveral Dynafties.

The third Dynafty, call'd Tcheou, comprehends the Reign of thirty-five Emperors, within the Space of 813 Years. The fourth Dynafty is a fhort one, of but forty-three Years, and including only four Emperors. It was the fecond of thefe who built the great Wall; and it was the fame, who, through an Ambition of being thought by Pofterity the Founder of the Empire, and the original Author of all that was excellent in its Conftitution, form'd a Design of exterminating all Remembrance of his Predeceffors, and of its former State. With this View, he publish'd a Decree commanding all his Subjects, on Pain of Death, to burn the Books call'd King, and all the Works of Confucius, wherein the Lives and Actions of the best Emperors were recorded; excepting from the Flames only, those that treated of Architecture and Phyfick; accounting all other Arts and Sciences, and all Learning, to be of no Ufe, but rather an Encouragement to Idlenefs, and of dangerous Confequence to the State: Whilft Agriculture, as he pretended, which was the Source of Happiness to the People, was neglected. This Decree was executed by the Governors with the utmost Severity; and where Men of Learning were found with fome of these valuable Books, they were immediately punish'd with Death: However, fome Copies of them were fav'd. This Decree of the Emperor, and the Severity with which it was put in Execution, has made his Memory odious to Pofterity to this Day; and the Lofs of these ancient Monuments is much bewail'd by the Chinese. The fifth Dynasty, call'd Han, had twenty-five Emperors in the Space of 426 Years. The fixth, call'd Heou ban, had two Emperors only in the Space of 44 Years. The feventh, call'd Tfin, had fifteen Emperors in the Space of 155 Years. The eighth Dynafty, call'd Song, had eight Emperors in the Space of 59 Years. The ninth, call'd Ti, had five Emperors in the Space of 23 Years. The tenth,

call'd

call'd Leang, had four Emperors in the Space of 55 Years. The eleventh, call'd Tchin, had five Emperors in the Space of 33 Years. The twelfth Dynafty, call'd Souy, had three Emperors in the Space of 29 Years. The thirteenth, call'd Tang, had twenty Emperors in the Space of 289 Years. The fourteenth, call'd Heo Leang, had two Emperors in the Space of 16 Years. The fifteenth, call'd Heou Fang, contain'd four Emperors in the Space of 13 Years. The fixteenth, nam'd Heou tfin, contain'd 2 Emperors in the Space of 11 Years. The seventeenth Dynafty, call'd Heou Han, reckons 2 Emperors in the Space but of 4 Years. The eighteenth, nam'd Heou Cheou, contain'd three Emperors in the Space of 9 Years. The nineteenth, nam'd Song, contain'd eighteen Emperors in the Space of 319 Years. The twentieth, call'd Yuen, contain'd nine Emperors in the Space of 89 Years. The twenty-first Dynafty, nam'd Ming, contain'd fixteen Emperors in the Space of 266 Years. The twenty-fecond, nam'd Tfing, is now reigning, and to the prefent Time reckons 3 Emperors.

It would be endless to enter into Particulars concerning the Princes that fill up these Dynafties; but the second of the thirteenth, who was nam'd Tai tfong, and reign'd 23 Years, has fo noble and lovely a Character, that I would fain find Room to transcribe a few Traces of it. The Chinese praise him above all Things, for his Wifdom, of which he gave, indeed, a ftrong and moft fingular Proof, by the eafy Access to his Perfon, which he allow'd all who were capable of giving him difcreet Counfels, or had Courage enough to advertise him of his Faults. He was exceeding temperate, a Lover of Learning, and in fome Refpects the Reftorer of the Sciences, by the Care he took to procure the best Books to be brought from all Parts, and by reinftating in his Palace an Academy for Literature, wherein were reckon'd 8000 Scholars, and among them many Sons of foreign Princes. He founded, alfo, a military Acade

my,

my, where Archery was taught, and he himself often affifted at thefe Exercises. When his Ministers represented to him the Danger to which he thereby expos'd his Perfon, he anfwer'd, "I look upon mylelf in my Empire as a Father in his Family, and I love 66 my Subjects as my Children; what have I then to "fear?" He forbad the Magiftrates to receive Prefents, upon Pain of Death; and to be fatisfied that his Orders were obey'd, he made a Trial upon a Mandarin, by a Man whom he had fuborn'd to make him a Present. The Mandarin receiv'd it, and the Emperor being inform'd thereof, condemn'd him to Death. Upon this, the prime Minister fpake to him, "Great "Prince! your Sentence is juft, and the Mandarin "deferves Death; but you, who have decoy'd him "into this Fault which he has committed, are you "altogether innocent, and do you not partake of his "Crime?" This Remonftrance had its Effect, and the Emperor pardon'd the Offender. Whenever the Country was threaten'd with Scarcity, Drought, or immoderate Rains, after the Examples of the ancient Emperors, he publifh'd an Edict, by which he order'd his Miscarriages to be fignified to him, that he might take Care to reform them, and appeafe the Wrath of Heaven. He gave no Heed to Soothfayers, and when he was once defir'd to observe something, as portending him good Luck, he fmil'd at the Discourse, and faid, "What fignifies that?" A "happy Omen for me is to have wife Men about me." To comfort his People in a Time of Drought, he releas'd the Prifoners, and granted a general Pardon; confeffing, nevertheless, that this was an Indulgence, whereof a Prince ought to be very fparing, for fear that the Impunity of the Wicked might prove a Prejudice to the Publick; and that he ought to root out the Tares, left they fhould damage the good Corn. Other wife Sayings, and worthy Actions, of this Prince, are recorded, which I muft omit mentioning, and will finish this Article (which I was defirous fhould comprize the most valuable Paffages of the

Volume whereof it is an Account) with the following Advices, which this illuftrious Emperor gave his Succeffor the Year before his Death. "Govern well 66 your Heart, fays he, and all its Inclinations; pro66 mote none but Perfons of Merit into Places and "Dignities; encourage wife Men to come to your "Court; watch over the Conduct of Magiftrates; "drive Slanderers from your Prefence; be an Enemy to Pomp; keep good Oeconomy; let your Re"wards and Punishments be proportionable to Me"rit and Crimes; have fpecial Regard to the Encouragement of Agriculture, the Art Military, Laws, and "Learning; fearch among the former Emperors for "Models to form your Government upon, for I do "not deferve to be regarded as fuch, having made "too many Slips while I govern'd the Empire; have "an Eye always upon the most perfect Pattern, with"out which you will never keep a juft Medium, "wherein Virtue confifts. Laftly, take care that "the Splendor of your Rank puff you not up with "Pride, and that you indulge not your felf in the "Pleasures of a voluptuous Life; for fo you will ruin "both the Empire and yourself."

What more particularly regards the Geographical Part of this Volume of the Hiftory of China, may be seen in the Literary Magazine for December 1736.

ANTIQUITIES explained: Being a Collection of figured Gems, illuftrated by fimilar Defcriptions taken from the Claffics, by George Ogle Efq; Vol. I. London: Printed by James Bettenham, for Cl. Du Bofc, at the GoldenHead in Charles-Street, Covent Garden, 1737. Quarto. p. 188. befides an Index, Dedication and Preface.

THERE

TH

HERE is a kind of Equivocation in this Title, by which the Reader might be led to fuppole that Mr. Ogle was the fole Author of this entire Work: Whereas, by a Hint in the third Paragraph of his Dedication, we discover the Cafe to be otherwife, and truly thus: A certain French Writer had published a Suit of Gems, with fome very short Explanations of them, which falling into Mr. Ogle's Hands, and recalling to his Memory many parallel Descriptions in the ancient Claffics, he thought he might greatly improve this Collection, by adding them thereto, in the way of a further Explication; making the whole fpeak our Language. Accordingly, in this Edition, whatever follows the Afterifm in each Article, is Mr. Ogle's, and every thing preceeding it muft of right be afcribed to the French Author.

This Anonymous Gentleman tells us in his Preface, it was not his defign here to compofe a Hiftory of antique Gems or engraved Stones. In this Collection he has touch'd none but the most beautiful Pieces that either never yet appeared, or appear'd in an unbecoming Drefs. He owns, that he has given fome few, that with very little Variation are engraved in other Collections, but the leaft Variation, in Pieces of fuch Value, feem'd, in his Opinion, to merit a particular Attention. He could have been glad, on this occafion, to fatisfy the Curious, both of the Species of every Gem, and the Cabinet from which it was taken; but as thefe Engravures were not wrought after the very Gems, but Impreffions of them, it was not poffible for him to judge of the Quality of the Stone: To fay no more of his Defign, in the Choice he made, the Perfection of the Work was principally confidered, and the Preference always paid to the Subjects of Compofition; that is, to the figured Gems rather than the fingle Heads. But he thought it a Matter of Importance to give their juft Dimenfions; whether by defcribing their