Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 004.djvu/87

 Observations of China recorded by the best Writers of that Empire. E. g. That the Chinese have had the Use of Letters longer by farr, than any other people; that the remote parts of Asia were planted before the dispersion of Babel; that China was the first planted Contry after the Flood; that those Plantations were undertaken and setled before the remove to Shinaar (the plaine where Babel was a building;) that the Chinese have diffus'd themselves to Corea, Iapan, Iava, Ceylon, Siam, Cambori, and Madagascar, if not Mexico, itself; that the China-wall hath lasted near 2000 years, and yet is not injured by time; that the Tartars are become Chinese, not these Tartars, to the preservation of the Mother-tongue of China; that the Chinese have subsisted 4000 years without any commixture with other Nations; that Commerce and Conquest have had no influence to change the Laws, Customs, or Language of that people; that the Historical Computation of the Chinese begins from 2207, years before Christ, which falls out with the 40th year before the Confusion of Tongues; that no Nation in the world is comparable to them for certainty in Chronology, &c.

And as to their Ingenuities and Arts, he notes, That the Loadstone and Compass hath been in use among them above 1100 years, and Paper- and Ink-making, above 180. years, both before Christ; that they prepare Ink of the smoak of oyle; that they have been long acquainted with the Invention of Gunpowder, and Fireworks, as also with the Manufacture of making and dying of Silk, invented by one of their Empresses; than their Potters mystery and the manner of making Porcelain vessels excels all other practises of that kind; and that they themselves do so much esteem it, as that they will not be served in Plate; that the Earth for making Porcelaine is to be had in the sole Province of Nanking, but that there they cannot make any Vessels of it, (whether it be from the quality of the water or wood, or temper of the fire, is not known;) but must transport it to Sinclesimo in the Province of Kiangsi; that that Earth is very leane, fine, and shining like, Sand, which they temper in water to reduce into the fashion of little square lumps; that they prepare and fashion it almost after the same manner as the Italians do make their Faenza-dishes, or as the Hollanders, Rh