prepared; all kingdoms will be at peace, and we can give ourselves to continual joy."

Whatever may be the exact date of this legend, it is confessedly a very ancient one, perhaps the most ancient of any in the world, though the tombs of Beni-Hassan, and the obelisk at Feliopolis erected by Osirtasen, are nearly as old, and much more trustworthy in regard to their antiquity. Chinese historians do not discard it, nor the facts recorded of the princes of Hia, for those times would then be blank; but they receive them with doubt.

The Hia Dynasty, founded by Yu the Great, existed four hundred and thirty-nine years, down to B.C. 1766, under seventeen monarchs, the records of whose reigns are very brief. Among the contemporary events of importance, are the call of Abraham, Jacob's flight to Mesopotamia, and Joseph's elevation in Egypt.

The Shang Dynasty began with Chingtang, B.C. 1766, and continued six hundred and forty-four years, under twenty-eight sovereigns, down to B.C. 1122. This period was characterized by wars among rival princes, and the power of the sovereign depended chiefly upon his personal character. The principal contemporary events were the exodus of the Israelites, their settlement in Palestine, judgeship of Othniel, of Deborah, of Gideon, of Samson, and death of Samuel. The first monarch of this dynasty, Chingtang, is reputed to have paid religious worship to Shangti, the Supreme Ruler, under which name, perhaps, the true God was intended.

The Chau Dynasty began with Wu Wang, and continued for eight hundred and seventy-three years, under thirty-five monarchs, down to B.C. 249; the longest of

any record in history. The sway of many of these was little more than nominal, and the feudal states increased or diminished according to the vigor of the monarch, or the ambition of the princes. Among the feudal states under the house of Chau, that of Tsin on the northwest had long been the most powerful, occupying nearly a fifth of the country, and its inhabitants forming a tenth of the whole population.

Mention has been made of the burning of the Ancient Books, by the founder of the Tsin Dynasty. It occurred about B.C. 212, and is always referred to as the greatest disaster; and with it was coupled the slaughter of many of the literati, by the same monarch.

The emperor's ministers had represented to him, that the scholars of his day gave their time to the study of antiquity, and to eulogizing the rulers and the customs of former times, instead of devoting their talents, as became them, to studying the laws and strengthening the power of the government under which they lived; therefore they advised that all the books should be burned, excepting only those on medicine, divination, and husbandry. The emperor followed their suggestion.

It cannot be supposed that a complete destruction of the ancient books of China was effected by this monarch. Some remained in the hands of individuals, in whole or in parts, and it was a work for future scholars to collect, arrange, and reproduce these works, some of which reproduction may have been made, perhaps, partly by the aid of memory and partly by traditions.

As our only object in this very brief historical sketch is to prepare the reader in some measure to understand

the character of the times in which those personages lived who are referred to in this volume, and to know what portion of the world they lived in, it will not be necessary to bring down the history to a later period than that when Confucius and his principal disciples were upon the stage; and in order to present a more complete view of those times, we have transferred from the volumes of Dr. Legge his description of the "Ancient Empire of China."

THE ANCIENT EMPIRE OF CHINA.

ENTRANCE OF THE CHINESE INTO CHINA-OTHER EARLY SETTLERS-GROWTH OF THE TRIBE INTO A NATIONRELIGION AND SUPERSTITIONS-FORM AND ISSUES OF THE GOVERNMENT.

ABOUT two thousand years before our Christian era, the Chinese tribe first appeared in the country where it has since increased so greatly. It then occupied a small extent of territory, on the east and north of the Hothe more southern portion of the present province of Shan-se. As its course continued to be directed to the east and south, (though after it crossed the Ho it proceeded to extend itself westward as well) we may conIclude that it had come into China from the northwest. Believing that we have in the tenth chapter of the Book of Genesis some hints, not to be called in question, of the way in which the whole earth was overspread by the families of the sons of Noah, I suppose that the family, or collection of families-the tribe-which has since grown into the most numerous of the nations, began to move eastward, from the regions between the Black and

Caspian Scas, not long after the confusion of tongues. Going on, between the Atlantic range of mountains on the north, and the Tauric range, with its continuations, on the south, but keeping to the sunny and more attractive south as much as it could, the tribe found itself, at the time I have mentioned, between 40° and 45° N. L., moving parallel with the Yellow River in the most northern portion of its course. It determined to follow the stream, turned south with it, and moved along its eastern bank, making settlements where the country promised most advantages, till it was stopped by the river ceasing its southward flow, and turning again towards the east. Thus the present Shan-se was the cradle of the Chinese empire. The tribe dwelt there for a brief space, consolidating its strength under the rule of chieftains who held their position by their personal qualities more than by any privileges of hereditary descent; and then gradually forced its way east, west, and south, conflicting with the physical difficulties of the country, and prevailing over the opposition of ruder and less numerous neighbors.

Neighbors? Yes. The arrival of the Chinese tribe had been anticipated by others. These may have left the original seat of our infant race in the West earlier than it; or they may have left it at the same time. If they did so, the wave of emigration had broken in its progress. Some portions had separated from the main body, and found their way into the present province of Shan-se; and others, pursuing the same direction with it, but moving with more celerity, had then been pushed forward, by its advance, towards the sea, and subsequently along the seaboard, trying to make good a position for themselves among the mountains and along the streams