I now return, to consider the Air, Water, and Situation of the Chinese. Martinius then, in the Place before quoted, tells us, that China, or the most remote Parts of Asia, abounds with all Kinds of metallic Mines, such as those of Gold, Silver, Mercury, Iron, Tin, Copper, Minium, Lapis Lazuli, and Vitriol; in consequence of which, it is probable, that the Chinese Waters, flowing from the Mountains, as well as those of Europe, partake of the Qualities of the various Minerals through which they glide. Thus, according to Georgius Agricola, in Lib. 10. de Natur. Fossil. Cap. 18. at Goslar, in Saxony, there is a Kind of Bole, or Earth, impregnated with the Juice of Vitriol, as also with Oker. The same Agricola, in Lib. 1. De Natura eorum quæ ex Terra effluunt. Cap. 4. informs us, that the River Ochra, receives its Name from Oker, with which it is tinged, of a yellow Colour, at the Place where a Rivulet coming from Mount Ramelus, disembogues itself into it. Hence, it is easy to assign a Reason, why the Goslar Ale is so diuretic: The Garlabian Ale also, so much used at Helmstadt, is of a medicinal Nature: Hence, according to the celebrated Hoffman, in Paral. Officin. Cap. ult. "It both cures and produces Diseases in such as are not accustomed to it; for it is prepared of some hot, mineral Water, as is obvious from its peculiar Taste. On the contrary, the Turgensian Ale is highly agreeable; because the Water of which it is prepared has some mineral Quality, which is easily lost by Carriage; which also happens to other Waters. Hence, Augustus, Elector of Leipsic, in preparing his Ale, instead of Malt, ordered only a Drag to be boiled." I would not, however, have any one confide too much, either in hot or cold Mineral Waters. But among Mineral Waters, I also reckon that described by Martinius, in his Account of the ninth Province of China, called Kiangnar, and the fifth Town, called Chang-chew, in the following Manner: "Near Kiangin is a Mount, called Mount Chin, celebrated on account of a fabulous Chinese Story; for they assert, that a Woman was there born of a Deer. The Rivulet Leang, from a small Hill, called Hoej, flows into a Lake, near Vusie: Its Origin is a Fountain called Hoej, whose Waters are, by the Natives, accounted to be the second in Goodness; and I myself am convinced from Experience, that the Chinese are in the right, with respect to these Waters; for they are universally admired by the Grandees; and hardly any Ship passes, without purchasing, for a Trifle, large Quantities of this Water, previously put up in Casks; though Strangers, who stay for any Time there, may, for nothing, drink as much as they please. It is conveyed to the most remote Provinces, even as far as Peking; for it is excellently well suited to the Preparation of Tea: So that these two Commodities are generally sold together." But surely this Chinese Water is to be had in no Part of Europe. The same Author, in his Description of the fifteenth Province, called Junnam, and its Metropolis, tells us, "That in Mount Xang, situated to the North of the Town, there is a Spring of intensely cold Water, which, however, is highly beneficial to paralitic Persons." He also tells us, that in the same Province, there is a Spring called Hiangkui, which, in their Language, signifies odoriferous Water, "Because it diffuses a fragrant Scent, especially in the Spring, at which Time, the Inhabitants offer Sacrifices to the Fountain, and drink Water, mixed with Wine, or with a Liquor prepared of Rice. They also assert, that this Liquor cures many Diseases." That these Waters are impregnated with Metallic Particles, I have two Reasons to believe: First, Because Martinius informs us, that the Rivulet near the City Vusie, flows from a Fountain on a little Hill, called Hoej: The second is, that the Waters of this Lake are conveyed to the remotest Provinces, even to the Royal City, Peking, where they are used by the Grandees in preparing their Tea. But the best Waters, when taken from the Spring, cannot be long preserved from Corruption, unless they abound with a peculiar Salt: Since the cold Mineral Waters of the Spaw, lose much of their Virtue by being conveyed only into the Provinces adjacent to Germany. Thus, it is sufficiently known to all the Europeans, that the May Rains abound with Salt and Sulphur; in consequence of which, they keep longer free from Corruption than other Waters. For this Reason, it is customary among the Papists, to prepare their Holy Water of May Rain: See my Digressio de Febribus Malignis. But, lest these Reasons should be esteemed conjectural, I shall farther prove, and confirm my Opinion from Martinius, who, in the Place before quoted, speaks in the following Manner: "It is not without Reason that the City Gnihing receives that Name, which, in their Language, signifies the Glory of the Earth; and which was bestowed upon it, because in it are made the earthen Vessels, used in diluting, and drinking their Tea. The Reason why these are preferred to the Chinese, though more transparent, and diaphanous, is, because the former convey to the Tea, a certain Taste and Smell, much admired by the Chinese; so that the Inhabitants of that City are much employed in making them; and some of them are sold at a Price equal, if not superior, to those of Portugal." Since, therefore, these Vessels communicate to the Tea, both a Smell and Taste, which are grateful to the Chinese; since the Cause of Taste is a volatile Salt, and that of Smell a certain Sulphur; since this Salt and Sulphur can hardly be separated by Chymistry; and since it is peculiar to Salt to penetrate into the Essence of Things; it must necessarily happen, that the Water, taken from the Lake, or River last mentioned, and which is without any Smell, (for, if it had been odorous, Martinius would have mentioned that Circumstance, as he did of the third Fountain) must gradually extract the Taste and Smell from those precious Vessels, resembling Lemnian or Silesian Earth. But this Water of the Rivulet Leang, or of the Fountain Hoej, would either not at all, or with Difficulty, extract the Taste and Smell from these earthen Vessels, unless it abounded with an highly penetrating Salt, or, perhaps, a Vitriol; since Martinius tells us, that Vitriol Mines are found in China, for no Substance can communicate to another, a Quality which it does possess itself. Tea has indeed a Taste, though not of the grateful Kind, as is obvious from what has been said. The Taste and Smell, therefore, which the Chinese perceive in drinking Tea, do not proceed from the Tea itself, but from the Water, or earthen Vessels they use, or from both; from the Water, which by its Mineral Salt, extracts from the Vessels their Salt and Sulphur; and from the Vessels, which in return communicate these to the Water. For this peculiar Quality of the Earth, the City is called Gnihing, which, according to Martinius, signifies the Glory of the Earth. It is, by no means, surprizing to find various fragrant Mineral Earths: Thus, in the Dutchy of Kalenberg, in Germany, there is dug up a certain bituminous Mineral, which is a Kind of intermediate Substance, between Earth, Clay, and Stone; and which if it is either licked with the Tongue, or has cold Water, and especially Rain-Water, poured upon it, diffuses a Smell as fragrant as that of the Violet: The Truth of this, I know from Experience. But these precious Vessels are so rare in Europe, that the smallest of them are not to be purchased under an immense Sum. When, however, I understood, that Frederic the third, King of Norway and Denmark, had, among other Chinese Curiosities, two of these elegant and sumptuous Vessels; I obtained the Use of them from him, and prevailed upon Julius Reichelt, Professor of Mathematics at Strasburg, and a skilful Designer, to delineate them. This Gentleman has, with the greatest Accuracy, not only exhibited in the following Plates, these, and other Chinese Utensils, but also informed himself of their real Bulk, with all the Care and Pains he possibly could: But we shall give an Account of his Performance in his own Words:
TAB. I.
Fig. I.
Fig. II.
Fig. III.
Fig. IV.
Fig. V.
Fig. VI.
Fig. VII.
B. Cole. Sculp.
TAB. II.
Fig. VIII.
Fig. IX.
Fig. X.
Fig. XI.
Fig. XII.
Fig. XIII.
Fig. XIV.
B. Cole. Sculp.
"At the Request of the learned and judicious Simon Pauli, I have delineated some of the Chinese Utensils, and hope for Indulgence, because these Vessels are neither exhibited according to the Laws of Painting, nor Perspective; but in a Manner, used by Mechanics, since I thought it expedient, both for the Sake of the Subject, and the Satisfaction of the curious Reader, to have a due Regard to Capacity, and Measure. I have exhibited the Orthography of the Vessel represented by Fig. IX. the Scenography of Fig. III. of which the Orthography is represented by Fig. IV. In Fig. VIII. the Scenography of the Vessel M, and the Orthography of its Cover N, are represented; but I have only described the Scenographies of all the rest. I have used the Rhinlandian Geometrical Foot, to the Measure of which all the Parts of these Vessels are adjusted, in that Proportion, observable in Fig. XIV. which represents a smaller Foot, divided into ten Parts. Fig. XIII. exhibits a wooden Instrument, exactly of the same Size with the Figure. In all the Figures I have represented the Length and Breadth by Diameters and Diagonals; but the Height or Depth, by pricked Perpendiculars. I hope the Mathematical Reader will find no Fault with the quadrangular Passage B in Fig. I. for conveying the Air, in order to ventilate the Coals; nor with Fig. IX. the two Feet of which, shade other two similar to themselves."
An Explanation of the Figures, representing some Chinese Utensils.