an account of all those objects to which the attention of administration is directed. In this Gazette, may be seen the names of all those delinquents who are punished with death, and of the officers appointed to fill the places of the disgraced mandarins ;--the relief given by government; and the expenses incurred by administration, for the subsistence of the troops, supplying the wants of the people, repairing, or erecting, public works; and, lastly, the remonstrances made to the sovereign by the superior tribunals, either with regard to his public decisions or private conduct; and, sometimes, even with relation to both. Nothing, however, is contained in this Gazette, which has not immediately come from the emperor, or been submitted to his inspection; and, immediate death would be the consequence of inserting a falsehood in this ministerial paper."*

"Gazettes are frequently published in Pekin, under the authority of government. The various appointments throughout the empire, the favors granted by the emperor, all his public acts, his remission of taxes to districts suffering by dearth, or other general calamity; his recompenses of extraordinary services; the embassies sent, and the tribute paid to him, form a considerable part of the public news. The domestic details of his household, or of his private life, are seldom, if ever, mentioned. Singular events, instances of longevity, sometimes the punishments of offences, committed by mandarins, are there recorded. Even,

* Encyclopedia, American edition. Vol. iv. p. 676.

sometimes, instances of the adultery of women, which is a punishable, though not a capital offence; are occasionally published, perhaps, by way of deterring others from the commission of the like enormities. While China was at war, its victories, as well as the suppression of rebellions, were announced. In all other cases the world, in point of intelligence, is confined to China. Beside the classic works of the Chinese, of which the multiplication by Printing is prodigious; the lighter literature of the country gives no inconsiderable occupation to the press.

"Notwithstanding the vigilant police of the Chinese magistrates, books disapproved by them, are, in various instances, privately printed and disseminated in China. It is not easy to prevent, or even always to detect, the operations of a trade, which, beside paper and ink, requires little more than some pieces of board, and a knife to cut the characters upon them. The books thus published, privately, are chiefly those which are offensive to decency, and inflame the imaginations of youth. It is not said, that any are levelled against the gov. ernment. The political, moral, and historical works of the Chinese, contain no abstract ideas of liberty, which might lead them to the assertion of independence.

"The art of Printing, has been the mean of diffusing, universally, and establishing among all ranks of men, certain fixed principles of right, and rules of moral rectitude, which serve as so many dykes, or barriers, against the tumult of human passions, and restrain the propensities of conquerors

in the plenitude of power. At every change in the governments of the neighboring countries, not so circumstanced, success, like a torrent, sweeps before it, and levels all former arrangements of society; but, in China, institutions and opinions, survive the wreck of revolutions. The sovereign may be removed, his whole family cut off; but, the manners and conditions of the people remain the same. The throne itself is supported by maxims from the press; the virtues of its possessor are blazoned by it to all his subjects. It gives him the vast advantage of directing their sentiments as he thinks fit. His palaces, his gardens, his magnificence, create no envy toward a prince represented to be endowed with the most transcendent qualities; and to be employed, without intermission, in promoting the happiness of his people."*

Dictionaries, almanacks, and novels which are, generally, simple and interesting, are allowed to be published in China; and, permission has been given to the Christian missionaries, who visited that country, to publish several religious works in the Chinese language.

Dr. Ducarel, commissary general of the city and diocese of Canterbury, keeper of Lambeth library, &c. had a collection of specimens of Chinese ingenuity, among which, Nichols,† in 1776,

* Staunton's Embassy. Vol. 2.

† Nichols's Orig. of Printing, p. 300. Bowyer and Nichols were two eminent printers in London, whose account of Printing was introduced into the Encyclopedia. As many writers on Printing will be mentioned in the course of this work,

saw a Chinese book, in which all the miracles recorded in the New Testament, are exhibited, printed from wooden blocks; our Savior, the apostles, and all persons therein mentioned, are dressed in Chinese habits. The jesuit missionary, probably, gave the Chinese block cutter an European book, with prints, for him to copy; and directed him to dress the figures in the fashion of his country, as being most pleasing to its inhabitants.

I will make the reader acquainted with some of them who are modern, viz.-Dr. Conyers Middleton, keeper of the public library at Cambridge, in England, was celebrated for his learning, and acquaintance with ancient typography.-The Rev. Mr. Lewis, an English author, who has written much on the subject.-Joseph Ames, esq. fellow of the Royal Society, and secretary to the Antiquarian Society, who, in 1749, published a large quarto volume of The History of Printing in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and has given more particular and minute details of English typographical antiquities, than any other author.-Andrew Coltee Ducarel, L. L. D. commissary general of the city and diocese of Canterbury, and F. R. A. S. of England. Mr. Palmer, who wrote a history of Printing in Europe.-M. Maittaire, a very respectable French writer, and author of Annales Typographici.—John Enchedi, a well educated printer, in Holland, who made great researches to ascertain the origin of the art in Europe, and published a treatise on the subject.-P. Luckombe, M. T. A. author of The History and Art of Printing in England.-C. Stowers, author of The Printer's Grammar, and History of Printing, lately published in England; a work which may be very serviceable, not only to master printers, but to journeymen and apprentices.-Gerard Meerman, mentioned p. 68; who, when in England in 1759, received the degree of doctor of civil law at the university of Oxford.

In the curious and extensive collection of George Perry, Esq. 7. A. s. in England, was a number of admirable specimens of Chinese printing, which demonstrate the zeal and the genius of the jesuits. Among those specimens was a book intitled, “Sinurum Scientia Politico-Moralis, a P. Prospero Intocretta, siculo, Societatis Jesu, in lucem editu." Part of the book was printed at Canton, and the other part at Goa. The license of the vice provincial of the order is dated " In urbe Quàm Cheu metrepoli Sinensi provinciæ Quàm tum, dje 31, mensis Julii, anni, 1667.” After a preface, printed at Goa, with Roman types, there is a second title, viz. "Scientia Sinciæ liber secundus. Chum medium. Yûm constanter tenendem Versio literalis." Then follow twelve double leaves in Chinese characters, with a Latin version, in Roman characters, all cut in blocks in the Chinese manner, printed at Canton; and fourteen single leaves in the European manner, printed at Goa. In the translation of this latter part, both the Chinese and Latin are printed with separate types. The Roman types are of metal coarsely cast; and, those of the Chinese, are cut on wood. The volume closes with the life of Confucius, in Latin, with several Chinese words interspersed; and, an additional license.*

* Nichols's Origin of Printing, p. 286.