th golden pills.

The head physician to the celestial wits, and always in attendance upon
a crisis. He carried in his right hand a bladder-full of peas at the end
of a wand, to recall his majesty's wits when they wandered; and was
followed by

Fifty thousand fools marching five abreast in union,

And fifty thousand rogues, marching off with everything they could lay
their hands upon.

Then came a notorious faquir and mendicant, who was leader of a
celebrated sect. He wore but one tail instead of the two usually worn by
our nation, but that tail was of forty feet. He was followed by numerous
devotees, who threw their worldly goods at his feet, and in return he
presented them with writings and harangues, which he declared were
infallible _in all diseases_.

Ten thousand young married women, each hushing an infant to repose upon
the left breast to the sound of clarions and trumpets, emblematical of
the peaceful and quiet state of matrimony.

The banner of impudence.

Five thousand political mountebanks, contradicting each other, and
exerting themselves for the amusement of the people, who, however,
suffered rather severely from their mad tricks.

The second in command, explaining their system in an unknown tongue.

The emperor's juggler, who astonished the whole empire by his
extraordinary feats, and the rapidity with which he relieved them of all
the money in their pockets.

The banner of Love.

The celestial secretary, with goose-wings on his shoulders, goose-quills
in each hand, looking very much like a goose mounted on a mule, gaily
caparisoned in colours quadripartite, and covered with jingling brass
bells.

Five thousand old women, singing the praises of the said secretary and
taking snuff to the flourish of hautboys.

The prosperity of the celestial empire, carried by the court fool, in a
basket beautifully carved out of a wild cherry-stone; and guarded by

Fifty thousand archers of the red dragon battalion, picking their teeth
to soft music.

Ten thousand poets, each singing at the same time, and to a different
tune, his ode upon this joyful occasion.

The immortal poet of the age, attired in velvet to his feet, and
superbly ornamented with rings and chains of gold and precious stones.
He carried his silver harp in his hand, and was mounted on a beautiful
white jackass with his face towards the tail, that he might behold and
be inspired by the charms of the peerless Chaoukeun, the pearl beyond