tured both him and his capital. Twan-tsung, his successor, was equally unfortunate. He was chased by the Mongols to Canton province, where he died. A tragical fate, also, awaited Te-ping, the only remaining scion of the imperial family. He had taken refuge in the fleet; but being pursued by the Mongols, a minister named Loo-sewfoo embraced the young emperor, and threw himself with him into the sea. This race being thus cut off, Kublai, the then leader of the Mongols, proclaimed himself emperor, A.D. 1279.

THE YUEN DYNASTY.

The reign of Kublai was called Che-yuen, and his ancestorial title is She-tsoo. He appears to have been one of the greatest rulers China ever possessed; but being a Tartar, and hence deemed a barbarian, Chinese historians have avenged themselves on his memory by passing over his exploits in silence. How great these must have been, is proved by the fact that all the tribes of the Siberian ice-fields, the deserts of Asia, and the country between China and the Caspian, acknowledged his sway. He fitted out a fleet of four thousand vessels in order to subject Japan; but bounds were set to his restless ambition. This fleet was dispersed by a storm, and before he could put another in motion, death ended his schemes, A.D. 1294.

Kublai was succeeded by his grandson, Chingtsung, who reigned in peace. So also did Wootsung, his successor, who exerted himself to render his subjects happy. In his reign foreign trade seems to have been carried on very briskly, for it was deemed necessary that the exportation

of gold, silver, grain, and silk should be prohibited. In the days of Jin-tsung, the next emperor, the administration underwent a complete change. All foreigners holding high sta tions were expelled, and Chinese scholars appointed in their room. Philosophers governed the country; but their rule being rather of a speculative than a practical nature, proved fatal to the reigning dynasty. Bands of robbers

overawed the government; and this state of affairs existed during the reigns of five successive emperors, when, in the midst of wild anarchy, Chuen-yuen-chang, who was originally a robber, appeared as a patriotic leader, and laid the foundation of the Ming dynasty. By him the last emperor of the Mongol race was chased from the throne, and the Mongols hastily fled to their deserts. Thus this dynasty ceased, and China was again ruled by native emperors, A.D. 1368.

THE MING DYNASTY.

From the accession of Chuen-yuen-chang, Chinese history speaks of the emperors of China under the name of their reigns, and not of their ancestorial titles; his reign was denominated Hung-woo.

He

The first acts of Hung-woo were to regulate his harem and palace, to enact laws for the better administration of government, and to chastise the Mongols in their inhospitable deserts. ruled with a master spirit, and the country which had long been a scene of anarchy and rapine, soon became tranquil. Even the Confucians, and other sects, whose zeal rendered them turbulent, were overawed by him without his

calling the sword of persecution into action. He granted universal toleration; his chief study being to benefit, and not to oppress his subjects. His reign was happy; but he caused great discord among his family by granting to each of his children separate principality. This was made manifest during the reign of Keën-wan, his grandson. That emperor, after having showed much moderation, prompted by evil counsellors, suddenly dethroned his uncles, the princes of Min, Tseang, Tse, and Tae, and disgraced them to the rank of plebeians. The public mind recoiled with abhorrence from such an act; and the Prince of Yen, their only remaining brother, taking advantage of it, marched with a large army to Nankin, the capital, and the gates being opened to him, he burned down the palace with remorseless fury. The empress perished in the flames, but Keën-wan escaped, and, after wandering about for some time, died in obscurity.

The Prince of Yen adopted the name of Yung-la, under which he reigned. Having destroyed all the partisans of his nephew, which he did with unrelenting severity, he carried war into the heart of Tartary. He was successful in two campaigns, erecting a monument of his triumphs even in the dreary wilds of Tchitchihar. To him, also, is ascribed the credit of having subjected Tunkin and Cochin-China to the Chinese sway. At the same time, Yung-la was a munificent patron of literature.

Yung-la was succeeded by Hung-he, who lived only one year. His successor, Seuen-tih, waged successful war against the Tartars, and thus ensured the safety of his country. He reigned ten

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years; and then Ching-tung, who was yet a child, ascended the throne. The reign of Ching-tung was peaceful so long as his mother lived; but on her decease, he was induced by his preceptor to engage in a war with the Tartars, which proved his ruin. His army was routed, and he was taken prisoner.

During the captivity of Ching-tung, his brother, Ching-wha, assumed the title of emperor, and after his release he still filled the throne. Chingwha amply revenged himself upon the Tartars, and suppressed a rebellion in Hoo-kwang.

The decay of the Ming dynasty is dated from Ching-wha. In the reign of his In the reign of his successors, Hung-che, Ching-tih, Kea-tsing, Lung-king, Wan-leih, Teen-kee, and Tsung-ching, the country was devastated by war from without, and famine and rebellion from within. The Tartars and Japanese successively opposed their forces against China with effect, and Cochin-China was irretrievably lost by revolt. In the reign of the last emperor, Le and Shang, two desperate robbers, contested between them the possession of the empire, and Le was successful. He invaded Shen-se, advanced to the gates of Pekin, which were opened to him; and the emperor having destroyed himself and family in despair, the Ming dynasty was utterly subverted, A.D. 1634.

It may be remarked, that during the reign of Kea-tsing, one of the last rulers of this race, the Portuguese found their way into China. A new era seemed then to be approaching; for their Popish missionaries penetrated into the empire, and communicated some knowledge both of the

religion and the sciences of Europe. But their efforts proved abortive. The religion they taught was a corrupted Christianity, and their work was brought to nought. The pure doctrines of the Bible alone, are able to demolish the strongholds of superstition which have for ages existed in China. Even had the Portuguese succeeded, it would have been only setting up one mode of superstition for another; the heart of the worshipper would still have remained unaffected, and the mind unenlightened. For Popery is a religion which appeals to the sight, and not to the inner man. It leaves that grand truth uttered by our Saviour to Nicodemus out of the question: "Ye must be born again;" and substitutes for it superstitious inventions of human device.

THE TA-TSING DYNASTY.

At the time when the robber chief, Le, took possession of the capital of China, and declared himself emperor, an army of Mantchoo Tartars, who had taken possession of Leaou-tung during the reign of Wan-leih, were drawn up on the frontiers of that province under Tsung-tih, their ruler. He was opposed by Woo-san-kwei, a brave Chinese general, who, when he heard of the tragical end of Tsung-ching, made peace with Tsung-tih, and called in his aid against the successful robber. By the assistance of the Mongol and Mantchoo auxiliaries, the usurper was overthrown, but Tsung-tih refused to return home. Consultations ensued, in the midst of which the Mantchoo leader died; but the grandees entered