he twenty thousand virgins whose images were to be
impressed upon the ivory, one hundred only, selected by a committee of
taste, composed of the first class mandarins and princes, were to be
honoured with the beam of the celestial eye.

The avaricious, gold-seeking, Suchong Pollyhong Kate-tow, had performed
his task--wealth poured into his coffers from the ambitious parents, who
longed to boast of an alliance with the brother of the sun and moon, and
many were the ill-favoured whose portraits were dismissed by the
committee of taste, with surprise at the minister's ideas of beauty.

Now there was a certain mandarin, whose daughter had long been extolled
through the province of Kartou as a miracle of beauty, and her father,
Whanghang, brought her in a litter to the minister Suchong Pollyhong
Ka-te-tow. He felt that her charms were piercing as an arrow and that
he had found a fit mate for the brother of the sun and moon; but his
avarice demanded a sum which the father would not pay. Refuse to send
her portrait he dare not, it was therefore ordered to be taken as well
as the others, and Whanghang considered himself as the father-in-law of
the celestial Youantee. The young painter who was employed finished his
task, then laid down his pencil, and died with grief and love of such
perfection which he never could hope to obtain. The picture was sent to
the vile minister, who reserved it for himself, and wrote the name of
this pearl beyond price under that of another, unworthy to unloose her
zone as her handmaiden. The committee of taste did, however, select
that picture among the hundred to be placed in the hall of delight, not
because the picture was beautiful, but because the fame of her beauty
had reached the court, and they thought it right that the emperor should
see the picture. The virgins, whose pictures were thus selected, were
all ordered to repair to the imperial palace, and the magnificent
Youantee entered the hall of delight, which was illumined with ten
thousand lanterns, and cast his eyes over the portraits of the hundred
beauties, but not one feature touched his heart, he turned away in
disgust at the degenerate countenances of the age. "Is this all,"
exclaimed he, "that the world can lay at the feet of its lord?" And the
committee of taste prostrated themselves when they beheld his
indignation. "And this," exclaimed he, pointing to the supposed
portrait of the daughter of Whanghang; "who is this presu