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 of China became lords of all within the wall and the ocean, and extended their influence from the desert to the eastern sea.

Having thus far progressed, China was soon enabled to enlarge her territories by that which generally circumscribes dominion. She spread, not by conquering, but by being conquered. For many ages, the effeminate Chinese had been exposed to the incursions of the Tartar hordes, which infested their northern border. To keep out these, the great wall was built, but built in vain. First, under the Monguls, and, subsequently, under the Manchows, the Tartar race invaded the territory, and ascended the throne of China. In this, however, the superiority of knowledge over ignorance—of civilization over barbarism—has been apparent. Mencius, a Chinese philosopher, who flourished before the Christian era, has a passage in his works to the following effect: "I have heard of barbarians being improved by the Chinese, but I never heard of the Chinese being improved by barbarians." Thus the Tartars, after subjugating China, instead of altering its institutions, and changing its maxims of government, conformed themselves to the customs and laws already existing in the country, and were, in fact, subdued by the Chinese; while China remained what China was, having only changed its rulers, and gained a great accession of territory.

The modern empire of China assumes a peculiar interest and importance, on account of the extent of its territory. In addition to China Proper, which, with its eighteen rich and fertile provinces, each of them equal in extent and population to some European kingdoms,