to the east, with the young prince and the treaty in his charge; but on their arrival at Pondicherry, obstacles were thrown in the way of the expedition, occasioned, as was usual in the politics of the old government of France, by the intrigues of a woman,mistress to the governor of that settlement. This was perhaps fortunate for our oriental possessions, and before its effects were obviated, the revolution broke out in France, and put a final stop to their proceedings. No impediment, however, could deter the persevering spirit of Bishop Adran, nor make him shrink from his original design of re-instating his royal benefactor. He proceeded from Pondicherry to Cochinchina accompanied only by a few French officers who were to have had appointments in the new settlements, and on his arrival there, found that the two usurpers who had divided the sovereignty had so weakened each other by perpetual broils, that Caungshung (such is the name of the legitimate king,) had already ventured to return to his dominions, in compliance with the wishes of those of his subjects who still continued faithful, and had by them been received with open arms. The progress which he had already made was greatly facilitated by the councils of Adran, and the still more efficacious assistance of the French officers, under whom his troops made a great advancement in the tactics of Europe. Another favourable circumstance was the death of one of the usurpers, who left his son, a boy of 12 years of age, to succeed to the government of Tung-quin and the northern part of Cochinchina, including the bay of Turon, which place was still under his dominion when visited by the British squadron. Whether this part of his kingdom was ever re-conquered by Caungshung, is yet unknown, though Mr. Barrow informs us that in 1800 he was preparing a formidable armament against it, and that there are grounds for believing that he was success ful. In the last mentioned year the restored monarch experienced a heavy loss in his faithful friend and able counsellor, Adran. This missionary was beloved by the king to adoration, and honoured by him with the appellation bestowed on Confucius alone, the Illustrious Master.' His memory was as signally honoured as his loss was deeply lamented. The remainder of the French continued in his service, where many of them, doubtless, are at this day to be found. 6 From the year 1790, in which Caung-shung returned to Cochiuchina,to1S00, he enjoyed only two years of peace; but these were in all probability the most important of his hither to troublesome reign, as during that time, under the auspices of his oracle, the bishop, his attention was exclusively given to the improvement of his country, and the welfare of his people. He established a manufactory of saltpetre in Fen-tan (Tsiompa of the charts), opened roads of communication between important posts and considerable towns, and planted them on each side with trees for shade. He encouraged the cultivation of the areca nut and betel pepper, the plantations of which had been destroyed by the army of the usurper. He held out rewards for the propagation of the silk-worm; caused large tracts of land to be prepared for the culture of the sugar-cane; and established manufactories for the preparation of pitch, tar, and resin. He caused several thousand matchlocks to be fabricated; he opened a mine of iron ore, and con structed smelting furnaces. He distributed his land forces into re gular regiments, established military schools, where officers were instructed in the doctrine of projectiles and gunnery by European masters. Adran had translated into the Chinese language a system of military tactics, for the use of his army. In the course of thesec two years he constructed at least 300 large gun-boats or row-gallies, five luggers, and a frigate on the model of an European vessel. He caused a system of naval tactics to be introduced, and had his naval officers instructed in the use of signals. One of the English gentlemen whom I mentioned to have been at Sai-gong in the year 1800, saw a fleet of ships consisting of 1200 sail, under the immediate command of this prince, weigh their anchors and drop down the river in the highest order, in three separate divisions, forming into lines of battle, in close and open order, and going through a variety of manœuvres by signals as they proceeded along. During this interval of peace he likewise undertook to reform the system of jurisprudence, in which he was no doubt very ably assisted by the bishop. He abolished several species of torture, which the law of the country had hitherto prescribed; and he mitigated pu. nishments that appeared to be disproportionate to the crimes of which they were the consequence. He established public schools, to which parents were compelled to send their children at the age of four years under certain pains and penalties. He drew up a system of rules and regulations for the commercial interests of his king. dom; caused bridges to be built over rivers; buoys and sea-marks to be laid down in all the dangerous parts of the coast; and surveys to be made of the principal bays and harbours. He sent missions into the mountainous districts on the west of his kingdom, inhabited by the Laos and the Miastse, barbarous nations whom he wished to bring into a state of civilization and good government. These mountaineers are the people whom the Chinese designate by the degrading appellation of Men with tails;" though, in all probability, they are the regular descendants of the true original inhabitants of this long civilized empire. In short, this monarch, by his own CRIT. REV. Vol. 9. September, 1806. D indefatigable application to the arts and manufactures, like Peter of Russia, without his brutality, aroused by his individual example the energies of his people, and, like our immortal Alfred, spared no pains to regenerate his country. His activity and exertions will readily be conceived from the circumstance of his having, in less than ten years, from a single vessel, accumulated a fleet of twelve hundred ships, of which three were of European construction; about twenty were large junks, similar to those of China, but completely manned and armed; and the rest were large gun-vessels and transports.' The king of Cochinchina, who is at this time on the verge of fifty years of age, is one of the few whom nature has marked out for empire. It is remarked by superficial observers, how rarely those who are born to govern, are provided with talents adequate to their high situation. It seems to us, on the contrary, that human nature rises higher in estimation, when we contemplate the numerous legitimate sovereigns whom nature has amply qualified for command. Compared with the mass of mankind, the number of those who are born to inherit a diadem is indefinitely small, and surely it is more to be admired, that in this narrow list we should find a Philip, an Alexander, a Titus, a Peter, a Gustavus, an Elizabeth, and a Frederic, than that a Cæsar, a Tamerlane, a Cromwell, or a Buonaparte, should occasionally start up to challenge a distinguished place in history, from among the innumerable millions that swarm upon the earth. We shall transcribe the character of the Cochinchinese monarch, as given by Mr. Barrow; and if the reader complains that it is a cold and dry delineation, it is not, we reply, in the pages of every writer that we must look for the chaste elegance of Robertson, the correct and manly eloquence of Hume, the splendid declamation of Bolingbroke, or the ornamented pomp of Gibbon. Caung-shung is represented to be, in'the strictest sense of the word, a complete soldier. He is said to hold the name of general far more dear and estimable than that of sovereign. He is described as being brave without rashness; and fertile in expedients, when difficulties are to be surmounted. His conceptions are generally just; his conduct firm; he is neither discouraged by difficulties, nor turned aside by obstacles. Cautious in deciding, when once resolved, he is prompt and vigorous to execute. In battle he is always eminently distinguishable. At the head of his army he is cheerful and good humoured; polite and attentive to all the officers under his command, he studiously avoids to mark out any individual as a favourite beyond the rest. His memory is so correct, that he is said to know by name the greater part of his army. He takes uncommon pleasure in conversing with his soldiers, and in talking over their adventures and exploits; he makes particular inquiries after their wives and children; if the latter go regularly to school; how they mean to dispose of them when grown up; and, in short, enters with a degree of interest into a minute detail of their domestic con cerns. His conduct to foreigners is affable and condescending. To the French officers in his service he pays the most marked attention, and treats them with the greatest politeness, familiarity, and good humour. On all his hunting excursions, and other parties of pleasure, one of these officers is always invited to attend. He openly declares his great veneration for the doctrines of Christianity, and tolerates this religion and indeed all others in his dominions. He observes a most scrupulous regard to the maxims of filial piety, as laid down in the works of Confucius, and humbles himself in the presence of his mother (who is still living) as a child before its master. With the works of the most eminent Chinese authors he is well acquainted; and, through the translations into the Chinese character of the Encyclopedie by the bishop Adran, he has acquired no inconsiderable knowledge of European arts and sciences, among which he is most attached to such as relate to navigation and ship-building. It is stated, on what appears to be good authority, that, in order to obtain a thorough knowledge of the practice as well as theory of European naval architecture, he purchased a Portugueze vessel, for the sole purpose of taking in pieces, plank by plank, with his own hands, fitting in a new piece of similar shape and dimensions as the old one he removed, till every beam, timber, knee and plank, had been replaced by new ones of his own construction, and the ship thus completely renovated. The energy of his mind is not less vigorous than the activity of his corporeal faculties. He is represented, in fact, as the main spring of every movement that takes place in his extensive and flourishing kingdom. Intendant of the ports and arsenals, master shipwright of the dock-yard, and chief engineer of all the works, nothing is attempted to be undertaken without his advice and instructions. In the former, not a nail is driven without first consulting him; nor a gun mounted on the latter but by his orders. He not only enters into the most minute detail in drawing up instructions, but actually sees them executed himself.'. He professes on all occasions a great veneration for the character of the English,with whom however he has little acquaintance but by name. But he has more than once given proofs of his good inclinations towards us, in favouring our commerce, and affording such British subjects as had entered his ports, his special protection. We are sorry that tnatters have not been so managed as to promote that kind of friendly communication which this prince is disposed to encourage, and which could not fail to be highly beneficial to our Indian interest. We agree that neither in that country nor in China (for similar prejudices exist in both) is any important advantage likely to be attained by an inter course through the medium of the East India Company. In neither country do the ideas of the people admit of any honourable distinction being attached to the profession and character of a merchant; while the most profound deference is paid to honours derived from official rank and literary acquirements. In ours and in Mr. Barrow's opinion, a royal commission is the talisman by whose powerful aid alone we can hope to derive effectual good. The succinct account which we have given of the negotiations of the court of Versailles with that of Cochinchina, will shew that this country well deserves the attention of the British government. If the comparatively feeble cabinet of Louis XVI. could do so much, what may not be expected from the sleepless vigilance and boundless enterprise of the present emperor of the French, whose jealousy of our oriental power is too well known to be here enlarged upon? We collect that the land forces of the Cochinchinese monarch amount to 113,000 men, among whom are 15,000 artillery men, and 42,000 infantry, trained to the tactics of Europe. In the sea-service he has 26,800 men, a portion of whom are attached to the European built vessels, of which mention has before been made in an extract. Cochinchina, till a few centuries after the Christian era, formed a part of the Chinese empire; and we learn from Mr. B. that the general features of the natives, many of the customs, the written language, the religious opinions and ceremonies still retained by them, indicate distinctly their Chinese origin.' Time and climate have, however, effected considerable shades of difference in the characters of the two nations, and the Cochinchinese may bear the same relation to the people of China as exists between the Portuguese and Spaniards, or the inhabitants of the United States of America and those of our own country. The former in each case are destitute of the wealth, the arts, the refinements,the literature, and perhaps the virtues of the latter. Our author's observations however, it has been already premised, were merely local, of course restricted and unsatisfactory. The following anecdote gives us an account of the Cochinchinese notions on the important subject of morality, and agrees accurately with what is related by Dampier, who visited this country in the 17th century; for it is in fact Cochinchina, and not China, that Prior alludes to in the following lines: In China, Dampier's Travels tell ye, &c. And jolly long-boat rows to shore, |