eighty_ feet, perhaps a
typographical error for eight, as, in a subsequent passage, the table
of the khan is merely said to be higher than those of the rest who
have the honour to dine along with him; the particular height,
therefore, is left indeterminate in the text.--E.

[11] In all ages of the world, except the social, yet irrational ancient
superstitions of Greece and Rome, mankind have vainly thought to
propitiate the Almighty beneficence, by ridiculous acts of austere
self-torment; and even the ignorant or designing followers of the pure
and rational religion of Jesus, have copied all the monstrous mummery,
and abominable practices of the heathen, which they have engrafted
upon his law of love and harmony.--E.

SECTION X.

_Of the great power of Kublai-khan and various circumstances respecting his
Family, Government, and Dominions_.

I now propose to relate the great and marvellous acts of Kublai-khan, the
great emperor of the Tartars. His name, expressed in our language,
signifies lord of lords, and he certainly is the greatest prince in cities,
people, and treasures, that ever reigned in the world. He is lineally
descended from Zingis-khan, the first prince of the Tartars, being the
sixth emperor of that race, and began to reign in 1256, being then
_twenty-seven_ years of age[1] and he has long ruled this immense empire,
with great gravity and wisdom. He is a very valiant man, strong of body and
well exercised in arms, and evinced himself such, in many actions, before
he attained to empire, which he effected by his superior wisdom and
management, contrary to the will of his brethren. Before his accession, he
shewed himself a more valiant soldier, and a wiser general than ever the
Tartars had before his time. Yet, since he has swayed the empire, he has
always deputed his sons and other generals upon military expeditions, and
has only since then gone into the field on the following occasion.

In the year 1257, or 1258, his uncle[2] named Naiam, being then thirty
years of age, who had the command of so many countries and nations, that he
could easily have mustered 400,000 horse, became puffed up with youthful
vanity, determined to take away the empire from his lord, and drew into his
schemes another great Tartar prince, named Caydu, who was nephew to Kublai,
and commanded on the borders of great Turkey, and who engaged to bring an
100,000 men into the field, in aid o