it to the end, and then pronounces it to be
a somewhat curious sample of a very foreign literature.

JOHN FRANCIS DAVIS.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

YUENTE, Emperor of China of the Dynasty Han.
HANCHENYU, K'han of the Tartars.
MAOUYENSHOW, a worthless Minister of the Emperor.
SHANGSHOO (a title), President of the Imperial Council.
CHANGSHEE (a title), Officer in waiting.
FANSHE (a title), Envoy of the K'han.
CHAOUKEUN, Lady, raised to be Princess of Han.
Tartar Soldiers, Female Attendants, Eunuchs.

The Scene is laid in the Tartar Camp on the Frontiers; and
in the Palace of Han.

~THE SORROWS OF HAN~ [1]

~PROLOGUE~

_Enter Hanchenyu, K'han [2] of the Tartars, reciting four verses_.

K'HAN. The autumnal gale blows wildly through the grass,
amidst our woolen tents.
And the moon of night, shining on the rude huts, hears the
lament of the mournful pipe:
The countless hosts, with their bended horns, obey me as
their leader.

Our tribes are ten distinguished friends of the family of Han. I am
Hanchenyu, the old inhabitant of the sandy waste; the sole ruler of
the northern regions. The wild chase is our trade; battle and
conquest our chief occupation. The Emperor Wunwong retired before
our Eastern tribes; Weikeang trembled at us, and sued for our
friendship. The ancient title of our chiefs has in the course of
time been changed to that which I now bear. When the two races of
Tsin and Han contended in battle, and filled the empire with tumult,
our tribes were in full power: numberless was the host of armed
warriors with their bended horns. For seven days my ancestor hemmed
in with his forces the Emperor Kaoute; until, by the contrivance of
the minister, a treaty was concluded, and the Princesses of China
were yielded in marriage to our K'hans. Since the time of Hoeyte and
the Empress Leuhow, [3] each successive generation has adhered to
the established rule, and sought our alliance with its daughters. In
the reign of the late Emperor Seuente, my brothers contended with
myself for the rule of our nation, and its power was weakened until
the tribes elected me as their chief. I am a real descendant of the
empire of Han. I command a hundred thousand armed warriors. We have
moved to the South, and approached the border, claiming an alliance
with the Imperial race. Yesterday I despatched an en