Page 424

QITH.15\(ASIVS IP7(CHF!'S 
Kingdoms nigh unto the Sea, or in the Cities :But concerning thefre fce 
gautias, Sanedus , Atla4, Marinus, and others. 
As for the Buildings within the Walls, thofe of Private Perfons are not 
ely, they having more regard to their Convenience than Splendor or Or- 
neni ; for the mofi part they are but one Story, abhorring the trouble of
ng up Stairs : but what they want in heighth, they recompence in length 
i breadth, which makes it no wonder to find Citiesin Qina of a vafl extent:
fix Stories of the PRoman Colledge plac'd in length, would extend fifty Pa
more than half an Italian Mile, which with the Gardens, Schools, and 
urts, would make a City: Nor doth the Splendor or Beauty-of the Cities 
?bina come near thofe of Europe, for they admit of no Wiffd6-ws next the
eet, but all inwards, like the Religious Houfes of Nuns among(l us. The 
ufes of wealthy Perfons are fplendid and cofily, butthofe of the Magiflrates
5,landorins exceed the refa, and may truly becall'd Palaces. In each Metro-
is there are fifteen or twenty, and oftentimes more; id the other Cities,
for 
mofi part eight; in the lefftr, four ; they areall built alike,,'ory fome
are 
ger than others, according to the Dinity of the Prefe& or M rate, ad
ereaed at the Emperor's Col, for his Officers either Civil or Military. 
ither doth the Emperor only allow them Palaces AMdShips,; but alfo Furni-
e, Provifion, and Servants. The greater Palaces have fouxoti five Courts,
has many Houfes on the Front of the feveral Courts ; in the Frontifpiece
each atethree Gates, that in the middle the biggefl ; both fidesof the Gates
Arm'd with Lions cut in Marble, at whofe Bounds is a mofl capacioau 
-lall fupported with mighty Pillars, call'd Tang ; in this the Magifirate
admLv 
nifireth Juflice, on each fide whereof Publick Pofls have their Lodgings;
next to this is the inward Hall call'd Sutang, which is the Privy-Chamber
for 
Retirement, Conference, and Salutation : lafily, the great Gae and Houfe,
the Apartment of the Magiftrate's Wife and Childrenbeing mofl richly ador-
ned;  to which is adjoin'd Groves, Gardens, and Lakes, for Pleafure and Dee
light. But yet thefe Palaces being built all of Wood, have this Inconvenience,
that if a Fire break out, oftentimes whole Cities are reduc'd intoAffies
in a 
,very fmall fpace, as it hapned to Peking, the greatefi City in this large
Empire, 
except Nanking, which was totally confum'd with Fire by a Rebel, at the be.,
ginning of the Irruption made by the Tartars, in four Days fpace        
 yet it was 
reflor'4 to its priftine Splendor by the Tartars in four Years time. But
I will 
conclude/my Difcourfe of the Fabricks of China with the mofl flupendious,
and 
never enough to be admir'd Maflerpiece of all their Works. 
The famous Chinefe Wall 
(NOncerning which, thus faith Martinius in his Atlas: This mighty Wall forti-
fies the !3orders of four kingdoms, the Longitude being three hundred German
Miles, of which fifteen make a Degree, i.e. twe'e hundred Englifli Miles.
This long Se- 
ries continues without any Gap, only on the North part of the City Siuen,
in the Province 
of Peking, which isfupply'd with the inaccefible part of ; Mountain, and
where the Mouth 
of the Saffron River receivetb the Difembogues of lefer ,. pers : The olvenues
and 
Pafes for Strangers and Travellers repairing from Forein Countries, are contri'd
Arch- 
wife like fBridges, or through Vaults under Ground; all the reft uniform,
thougb carried 
on for the moft part tbrou     ough and uneven Countries, forcing a Way not
only over 
the $kirts, but the Mountains theimfelves. 4t commutual Diftances, where
one may ajift 
the