a city of China, and capital of the province of Kiang-nan, is said to have been formerly one of the most beautiful and flourishing cities in the Nan-king world. When the Chinese speak of its extent, they say, if two horsemen should go out by the same gate, and ride round it on full speed, taking different directions, they would not meet before night. This account is evidently exaggerated; but it is certain, that Nan-king surpasses in extent all the other cities of China. We are assured that its walls are five leagues and a half in circumference.

This city is situated at the distance of a league from the river Yang-tse-kiang: it is of an irregular figure; the mountains which are within its circumference having prevented its being built on a regular plan. It was formerly the imperial city; for this reason it was called Nan-King, which signifies, the Southern Court; but since the six grand tribunals have been transferred from hence to Peking, it is called Kiang-ning in all the public acts.

Nan-king has lost much of its ancient splendour: it had formerly a magnificent palace, no vestige of which is now to be seen; an observatory at present neglected, temples, tombs of the emperors, and other superb monuments, of which nothing remains but the remembrance. A third of the city is deserted, but the rest is well inhabited. Some quarters of it are extremely populous and full of bustle; particularly the manufacture of a species of cotton cloth, of which great quantities are imported into Europe under the name of Nan-kin. The streets are not so broad as those of Peking; they are, however, very beautiful, well paved, and bordered with rich shops.

In this city resides one of those great mandarins called T'ong-gou, who takes cognizance of all important affairs, not only of both the governments of the province, but also of those of the province of Kiang-si. The Tartars have a numerous garrison here, commanded by a general of their own nation; and they occupy a quarter of the city, separated from the rest by a plain wall.

The palaces of the mandarins, whether Chinese or Tartars, are in this city neither larger nor better built than those in the capital cities of other provinces. Here are no public edifices corresponding to the reputation of so celebrated a city, excepting its gates, which are very beautiful, and some temples, among which is the famous porcelain tower. It is 200 feet high, and divided into nine stories by plain boards within, and without by cornices and small projections covered with green varnished tiles. There is an ascent of 40 steps to the first story; between each of the others there are 21.

The breadth and depth of the river Yang-tse-kiang formerly rendered the port of Nan-king very commodious; but at present large barks, or rather Chinese junks, never enter it: whether it be that it is shut up by sand banks, or that the entrance of it has been forbidden, in order that navigators may infallibly lose all knowledge of it.

In the months of April and May a great number of excellent fish are caught in this river near the city, which are sent to court; they are covered with ice, and transported in that manner by barks kept entirely on purpose. Although this city is more than 200 leagues from Peking, these boats make such expedition, that they arrive there in eight or nine days. This city, though... Nan-king though the capital of the province, has under its particular jurisdiction only eight cities of the third class. The number of its inhabitants is said to be 1,000,000, without comprehending the garrison of 40,000 men.

E. Long. 119. 25. N. Lat. 32. 46.