With bells and dragons crests her pagod-bowers, QUESTIONS. 1. To whom does Sir William Jones trace the origin of the Chinese?-2. What is the government of China?-3. How are honours in China conferred?-4. What is the state of the scien ces in China at this time?-5. What arts in China are carried to a great degree of perfection?-6. What Chinese writer is said to have a good system of morality?-7. What are the morals of the lower classes in China?-8. What is the religion of the emperor and the higher mandarins? CHARLES V. EMPEROR OF GERMANY. 1. CHARLES V. emperor of Germany, king of Spain, and lord of the Netherlands, was born at Ghent, in the year 1500. He is said to have fought sixty battles, in most of which he was victorious; to have obtained six triumphs, conquered four kingdoms, and to have added eight principalities to his dominions; an almost unparalleled instance of worldly prosperity, and the greatness of human glory. 2. But all these fruits of his ambition, and all the honours that attended him, could not yield true and solid satisfaction. Reflecting on the evils and miseries which he had occasioned, and convinced of the emptiness of earthly magificence, he became disgusted with all the splendour that surrounded him; and thought it his duty to withdraw from it, and spend the rest of his days in religious retirement. 3. Accordingly, he voluntarily resigned all his dominions to his brother and son; and after taking an affectionate and last farewell of his son, and a numerous retinue of princes and nobility that respectfully attended him, he repaired to his chosen retreat. It was situated in Spain, in a vale of no great extent, watered by a small brook, and surrounded with rising grounds covered with lofty trees. 4. A deep sense of his frail condition and great imperfections, appears to have impressed his mind in this extraordinary resolution, and through the remainder of his life. As soon as he landed in Spain, he fell prostrate on the ground, and considering himself now as dead to to the world, he kissed the earth, and said, "Naked came I into the world, and naked I now return to thee, thou common mother of mankind!" 5. In this humble retreat, he spent his time in religious exercises and innocent employments; and buried here in solitude and silence, his grandeur, his ambition, together with all those vast projects, which for near half a century had alarmed and agitated Europe, and filled every kingdom in it, by turns, with the terror of his arms, and the dread of being subjected to his power. 6. Far from taking any part in the political transactions of the world, he restrained his curiosity even from any inquiry concerning them; and seemed to view the busy scene he had abandoned, with an elevation and indifference of mind, which arose from his thorough experience of its vanity, as well as from the pleasing reflection of having disengaged himself from its cares and temptations. 7. Here he enjoyed more complete contentment, than all his grandeur had ever yielded him; as a full proof of which he left this short, but comprehensive testimony; "I have tasted more satisfaction in my solitude, in one day, than in all the triumphs of my former reign. The sincere study, profession and practice of the christian religion, have in them such joys and sweetness, as are seldom found in courts and grandeur." QUESTIONS. 1. Where and when was Charles V. born?-2. How many battles is he said to have fought?-3. How many kingdoms to have conquered?-4. What extraordinary act characterized the latter part of his life. MAHOMET. 1. O'ER fair Arabia's spicy plains, Clanking aloft her mental chains; 2. As spreads the mountain torrent wide, Her shady groves, her mountains wild; Or clear'd, to let his mosque profane the hallow'd ground. 4. Aloft the gilded crescent now (Where once the cross) triumphant rears, Blind ignorance bids her votaries bow, Repeat the Koran, breathe the vow, Or vainly pray to one who neither sees nor hears. 5. The Turk's own mind example gives, Of what such superstition breeds; His sword, his haram, all he now or ever needs. THE FEUDAL SYSTEM. 1. THE inhabitants of the north of Europe and Asia, who issued in great multitudes from their native forests, during the fourth and fifth centuries of the christian æra, and who overturned the Roman empire, introduced a new species of government into the conquered coun tries, which is known by the name of the Feudal System. It is very remarkable, that although the barbarians who framed it, settled in their newly acquired territories at various times, were commanded by different leaders, and spoke different languages; yet the system was established, with little variation, in every country in Europe. This great uniformity is peculiarly striking, and has furnished some writers with an argument, that all these people sprung originally from the same stock. But the fact may perhaps with more probability be attributed to the similar state of their manners, and the similar situation in which they all found themselves, on taking possession of their new domain. 2. The plan of the feudal constitution was this:Every freeman, or soldier, for the terms were at that period synonymous, upon receiving an allotment of conquered lands, bound himself to appear in arms against the common enemy, whenever he should be called upon by his commander. This military service was the condition upon which every one received, and the tenure by which he continued to possess, his lands; and this obligation was esteemed both easy and honourable. The same service which a soldier owed to his officer, was due from an officer to his king. The king obliged those among whom he distributed the conquered lands, to repair to his standard, with a number of followers, in proportion to the extent of their respective estates, and to assist him in all his expeditions. Thus a feudal kingdom conveys rather the idea of a military than a civil establishment. The victorious army, taking their posts in different districts of a country, continued to be arranged under its proper officers, and to be subject to martial law. 3. The principle of policy upon which this singular establishment was founded, was self-defence. The new settlers in a country wished to protect themselves, not only against the attacks of the inhabitants, whom they had expelled from their possessions, but against the more formidable inroads of fresh invaders. But, unfortunately for the happiness of mankind, and the tran quillity of society, it was replete with many evils. The powerful vassals of the crown soon acquired that land as unalienable property, which was originally a grant during pleasure, and appropriated to themselves titles of honour, as well as places of trust. In process of time, they obtained the power of sovereign jurisdiction, both civil and criminal, within their own domains; and they exercised the privilege of coining money, and of carrying on wars against their own private enemies. 4. Barons possessed of such enormous power, disdained to consider themselves as subjects; and the consequence was, that a kingdom was broken inte as many separate principalities, as it contained powerful nobles. Innumerable causes of jealousy and discord subsisted between them, and gave rise to constant wars. Every country in Europe, either wasted or kept in continual alarm during these feuds, was filled with castles and places of strength erected for the security of the despotic chieftain, not against foreign invasion, but domestic hostilities. In the reign of Stephen of England, when the feudal system was in its Leight, not less than a thousand castles, with their dependent territories, are said to have covered the southern part of the island of Great Britain. Among fierce and haughty chieftains, the laws enacted by princes and magistrates commanded no degree of respect; and the right of retaliation and revenge was considered as an inherent privilege of their order. 5. In fine, the estate of every baron was an independent territory; his castle was a strong and well garrisoned fortress, and he always considered himself as living in a state of war. When provoked by injury, he met his adversary at the head of his vassals in hostile array, and trusted to his sword for the decision of the contest. Every man was the avenger of his own wrongs, and sought the redress of his grievances in single combat, the regulation and ceremonies of which were formed into a system of jurisprudence. The common people, the most numerous and most useful part of the community, were reduced to the miseries of slavery. The peasant was considered as the mere produce of |