will be fully manifested in the following brief history of Taouism.

Nearly simultaneous with Confucius appeared Laou Keun, or, as he is denominated, Taou, that is, Reason. This man, apparently dissatisfied with the existing religion, set himself up for a teacher, and succeeded in gaining many votaries. Like the hermits, which are to be met with in many ages and countries, he withdrew from the world, and, residing in the mountains, inculcated a contempt of riches, honours, and all worldly distinctions, as well as the subjugation of every passion that could interfere with personal tranquillity and self-enjoyment.

Such was the sum of the doctrines taught by Taou himself; and, considering the state of the Chinese in the age in which he lived, they contain much that is commendable. But his followers did not rest satisfied with his system. They, professing to act under his guidance, (for they maintain that he was an incarnation of some superior being, and that there is no age in which he does not appear among men in human shape,) have put forth tenets even more visionary and more soul-degrading than can be found in the state religion itself: they have, in fact, become a race of cheats and jugglers, professing to hold communication with demons.

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A legend from one of their works, entitled "The History of the Three States," will attest the debasing nature of the superstitions have occupied the attention of this sect. lates to the three brothers Chang, who belonged to the sect, and who, at the head of an insurrection of rebels called "Yellow Caps," produced that

strife which overthrew the Han dynasty. It reads thus: "Lew-pei stole upon Chang-paou with his whole force. To baffle this, Chang-paou mounted his horse, and, with dishevelled hair and waving sword, betook himself to magic arts. The wind arose with loud peals of thunder, and a black cloud descended, in which appeared a number of men and horses as if engaged in battle. Lewpei, seeing this, drew off his troops in confusion, and retreated to consult with Choo-tsien. The latter observed, 'Let him have recourse again to magic; I will prepare the blood of swine, sheep, and dogs, and, placing a party on the heights in ambush, wait until the enemy approaches, when his magic will be all dispersed by projecting the same upon him.' Lew-pei assented to this; and directed two leaders, each at the head of one thousand men, to ascend the highest part of the mountain, supplied with the blood of swine, sheep, dogs, and other impure animals. The following day, Chang-paou, with flags displayed and drums beating, offered battle, and Lew-pei proceeded to meet him. They had scarcely joined battle, however, before Changpaou again put his magic into exercise. The wind and thunder arose, a storm of sand and stones commenced, a dark cloud appeared in the sky, and troops of horsemen seemed to descend. Upon seeing this Lew-pei made a show of retreating, and Chang-paou followed him; but scarcely had they turned the hill, when the troops in ambush started up and poured their impure stores upon the enemy. Instantly the air seemed filled with men and horses of paper or straw, which fell to the earth in confusion; while the

wind and thunder ceased, and the stones and sand no longer flew about. Seeing his magic thus baffled, Chang-paou would have retreated; but the two leaders of Lew-pei made their appearance on either side, while himself and his lieutenant pursued in the rear. The rebels were utterly defeated, and Lew-pei, seeing the flag inscribed, 'Lord of Earth,' ran full speed on his horse towards Chang-paou, whom he wounded in the left arm with an arrow as he fled."

Such is the puerile nature of the superstitions which occupy the priests of Taou. But this is not the extent of the evils which they work in China. They are distinguished by diving into mysteries too difficult for the mind of man, aided only by reason, to comprehend: they have even set themselves to work to invent an elixir of long life, or immortality. This elixir is prepared from a mixture of herbs, and has a contrary effect to the end they propose: it not only does not lengthen, but, by its deleterious effect on the human constitution, it shortens life. When the health of their followers declines, however, they console them with the idea that they will soon be numbered with the genii, and enjoy everlasting youth. And yet, notwithstanding all this, there are numbers who eagerly drink the fatal ambrosia.

The followers of Taou are equally addicted to alchymy; and although they have, like other alchymists, failed in discovering the philosopher's stone, this pursuit makes them acquainted with chemistry. They are the only class of people in China, indeed, who possess any knowledge of this science; and this often enables them to pass for great physicians, whereby they gain a good

livelihood. Those who pretend to a higher degree of knowledge, afflict themselves, like the Hindoo devotees, and live upon the compassion of the multitude.

A conspicuous species of imposture which the priests of Taouism practise upon the Chinese for the sake of gain, is produced by animal magnetism. By means of this art they perform tricks which might astonish a philosopher: they even convulse their frames to a fearful degree, in order to make the people believe that they are possessed of an evil spirit. Nor do they stop here: they own a union with Satan, and, to avert impending evil, offer to that arch-enemy of mankind the richest oblations. These are offered by the priests, in the midst of the most horrible grimaces, which may be looked upon as a fit emblem of the misery which lost souls endure in the shades of despair. It is as though they had commenced that life here which is the inevitable portion of the wicked hereafter.

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The deities worshipped by this sect are too many to be enumerated. Among them stands the indefinable Taou; the San-tsing, or pure ones;" Shang-te, whom some represent as a deified personage, and others as a supreme being; and Hwa-kwang, the god of light or fire, who is the very counterpart of the Moloch of antiquity. On the birth-day of Hwa-kwang-for the gods of the heathen are born, not self-created—a large coal fire is made, and persons are hired to go through it barefoot, carrying the standards of the idol, in order to prove that he has power to subdue the violence of the element. These wretches are hurried into the fire in the midst of awful

imprecations, and many die annually of its consequences.

The Sun-tsing, or "pure ones," three in number, seem to be an imitation of the Budhist Triad. This threefold source, and supreme ruler, is represented as presiding in heaven among the assembled gods, the sun, moon, and stars, and delivering his name and benevolent commands to "the great barefooted angel," to be promulgated amongst mankind, that all who see and recite that name may be delivered from all evil, and attain infinite happiness. The circumstance of the Chinese having an idea of a Trinity is very remarkable, for such had the pagan nations of antiquity, and that universally. In the Orphic mythology there were "counsel, light, and life;" in the Platonic theology there were "the good, the mind, and the soul of the world;" in the Egyptian mysteries there were "On, Isis, and Neith;" in the Latin dogmas there were Jove, Juno, and Pallas;" in the Magian religion there were Mithras, Oromazdes, and Ahriman ;" and in that of Budhu, "Brahma, Vishnu, and Seeva,' from which the Taou sect have probably derived their ideas of the three " pure ones." Now, the question may be asked, Where did the heathen generally obtain a knowledge of this mysterious doctrine, so clearly and so sublimely unfolded in the Hebrew Scriptures? Plato has declared that such a doctrine was not new, nor of yesterday;" and that it had been obscurely delivered before him by Parmenides, the disciple of Pythagoras, and was derived from the Orphic cabbala. answer then to such a question is clear. The doctrine of the Trinity was derived from patri

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