critically dwelt upon), with three
tiers of maidens, some already waving their hands as an encouraging
token; on each side a barrier of prickly growth inopportunely presented
itself, while in front the eleven kicking crickets stood waiting, and
among them lurked the one grasping a doubly-edged blade of a highly
proficient keenness.

There are occasional moments in the life of a person when he as the
inward perception of retiring for a few paces and looking back in order
to consider his general appearance and to judge how he is situated
with regard to himself, to review his past life in a spirit of judicial
severity, to arrange definitely upon a future composed entirely of acts
of benevolence, and to examine the working of destiny at large. In such
a scrutiny I now began to understand that it would perhaps have been
more harmonious to my love of contemplative repose if I had considered
the disadvantages closer before venturing into this barbarian region,
or, at least, if I had used the occasion profitably to advance an
argument tending towards a somewhat fuller allowance of taels from your
benevolent sleeve. Our own virtuous and flower-strewn land, it is true,
does not possess an immunity from every trifling drawback. The Hoang
Ho--to concede specifically the existence of some of these--frequently
bursts through its restraining barriers and indiscriminately sweeps
away all those who are so ill-advised as to dwell within reach of its
malignant influence. From time to time wars and insurrections are found
to be necessary, and no matter how morally-intentioned and humanely
conducted, they necessarily result in the violation, dismemberment or
extirpation of many thousand polite and dispassionate persons who have
no concern with either side. Towns are repeatedly consumed by fire,
districts scourged by leprosy, and provinces swept by famine. The storms
are admittedly more fatal than elsewhere, the thunderbolts larger, more
numerous, and all unerringly directed, while the extremities of heat and
cold render life really uncongenial for the greater part of each year.
The poor, having no money to secure justice, are evilly used, whereas
the wealthy, having too much, are assailed legally by the gross
and powerful for the purpose of extorting their riches. Robbers and
assassins lurk in every cave; vast hoards of pirates blacken the surface
of every river; and mandarins of the nine degrees must make a livelihood
by some means or othe