though they can copy the different parts, and can form
some resemblance of the whole, yet they never could arrive at such
a justness in their fabric, as was necessary to produce the desired
effect. And if we pass from their manufactures to artists of a
superior class, as painters, statuaries, &c., in these matters they
seem to be still more defective, their painters, though very numerous
and in great esteem, rarely succeeding in the drawing or colouring of
human figures; or in the grouping of large compositions; and though in
flowers and birds their, performances are much more admired, yet even
in these, some part of the merit is rather to be imputed to the native
brightness and excellency of the colours, than to the skill of the
painter; since it is very unusual to see the light and shade justly
and naturally handled, or to find that ease and grace in the drawing,
which are to be met with in the works of European artists; In
short, there is a stiffness and minuteness in most of the Chinese
productions, which are extremely displeasing: And it may perhaps
be asserted with great truth, that these defects in their arts are
entirely owing to the peculiar turn of the people, amongst whom
nothing greater spirited is to be met with.

If we next examine the Chinese literature; (taking our accounts from
the writers, who have endeavoured to represent sent it in the most
favourable light) we shall find; that on this head their obstinacy
and absurdity are most wonderful: For though, for many ages, they have
been surrounded by nations, to whom the use of letters was familiar,
yet they, the Chinese alone, have hitherto neglected to avail
themselves of that almost divine invention, and have continued to
adhere to the rude and inartificial method of representing words by
arbitrary marks; a method, which necessarily renders the number of
their character too great for human memory to manage, makes writing
to be an art that requires prodigious application, and in which no
man can be otherwise than partially skilled; whilst all reading, and
understanding of what is written, is attended with infinite obscurity
and confusion; for the connection between these marks, and the words
they represent; cannot be retained in books, but must be delivered
down from age to age by oral tradition: And how uncertain this must
prove in such a complicated subject, is sufficiently obvious to those
who have attended to the variation which all verbal relations