THE Great Wall of China ranks next to the Great Pyramids of Egypt among the Wonders of the World, being as remarkable for extent, as the latter for solidity and size. Father Gerbillon, a Catholic Missionary, who travelled along the chief part of it, says, "It is indeed one of the most surprising and extraordinary works in the world; yet it cannot be denied that those travellers who have mentioned it have overmagnified it, imagining, no doubt, that it was in its whole extent the same as they saw in the parts nearest Pekin, or at certain of the most important passes, where it is indeed very strong and well built, as also very high and thick." He states that from the Eastern Ocean to the frontiers of Chan-si, or for the distance of 200 leagues, it is generally built of stone and brick, with strong square towers suffici

ently near for mutua defence, and having besides at every important pass a formidable and well-built fortress. In many places in this part the wall is double and even triple. But toward the western extremity, it is nothing but a terrace of earth. In many places it is carried over the tops of the highest and most rugged rocks, as may be seen by the above illustration. Our missionary-traveller wonders how stones and bricks could be carried to such places, or how the Chinese could construct vast forts on spots where the boldest European architects would not attempt to raise the smallest building. It is made of two walls of brick and masonry, not above a foot and a half in thickness, and generally many feet apart: the interval between them is filled up with earth, making the whole appear as solid masonry. For six or seven feet from the ground these encasing walls are built of large square stones: the rest is of brick, paved on the top with flag-stones. The mortar used is of excellent quality. The wall itself averages about twenty feet in height, but the towers, which are distributed along it, are seldom less than forty feet high. At their base these towers are about fifteen feet square, but they gradually diminish as they ascend. Both walls and towers have battlements. There are stairs of brick and stone, as well as inclined-planes, to ascend to the platform on the top of the wall, along which six horsemen may ride abreast. Near all the gates may be found towns or large villages; indeed, near one of the gates which opens on the road towards India, there is a large and populous city, where two Catholic missionaries stayed thirty days. They state that "the esplanade on the top of the wall is much frequented by the citizens of Sining-fu, both for the enjoyment of the air, which blows most wholesomely and pleasantly from the adjacent deserts, and for the performance of sundry games and exercises for the easing and recreating of the mind; for the walls are of that height that they readily invite the inhabitants unto them by the prospect they afford, and which is on every side most clear and open, and withal exceeding pleasant: and the stairs that give ascent unto the walls are broad and convenient." They give the length of

a journey which may be performed along the top of the wall, as occupying eighteen days, starting from the gate by Sining-fu, and stopping by the gate at the city of Sucien, which opens upon the desert; and state that many travellers, having from motives of mere curiosity, obtained permission from the governor of Sining-fu, and furnished themselves with provisions, have performed this mural journey. The contrast between the country within the walls and the wilds without, is described as being at certain points very striking; looking down from the battlements and towers which frequently fringe the loftiest rocks, these travellers could see on one side a cultivated expanse covered with numberless inhabitants, and on the other all the wildness of the desert, that seemed never to have been trod by human footsteps, but abounded with all kinds of wild beasts. The view of the wall itself must be equally imposing, as it traverses one vast plain after another, and strides over lofty mountains-its numerous towers, here entire and there falling to ruins, the sides of the walls, here free and open and there overgrown with creeping plants, and garlanded with hardy trees that shoot from their interstices, or that spring from their base; the whole, to appearance, stretching out as if it were to girdle the globe, or as if it had no end. The antiquity of the structure must add to the vastness and solemnity of the impression.

Mr. Barrow makes some curious calculations, which assist the conception of the magnitude of this wonderful wall. According to him, the materials of all the dwelling-houses in England and Scotland, supposing them to amount to 1,800,000 (this was about half a century ago), and to avcrage on the whole 2000 cubic feet of masonry or brickwork, are barely equivalent to the bulk or solid materials of the great wall of China! Nor are the projecting massy towers of stone and brick included in this calculation. These alone are calculated to contain as much material as London. The mass of matter is more than sufficient to surround the globe, on two of its great circles, with two walls, each six feet high and two feet thick! But in this calculation the earthy part in the middle of the wall is included.

In its eastern branch, it has only two gaps, and they are where an inaccessible mountain and broad rivers supply its deficiency. The passages through the wall are arched, or run under ground. The sally-ports for the troops are very numerous. Purchase says, in his "Pilgrims," that "when any enemy appeareth, they kindle fires upon the towers, to give the people warning to come to their places where they are appointed upon the wall." Kircher (a missionary) says, "This work is so wondrous strong, that it is for the greatest part of admiration to this day; for through the many vicissitudes of the empire, changes of dynasties, batteries and assaults, not only of the enemy, but of violent tempests, deluges of rain, shaking winds and wearing weather, it discovers no signs of demolishment, nor is it cracked or crazed with age, but appears almost as in its first strength or greatness, and beauty; and well it may be, for whose solidity whole mountains, by ripping up their rocky bowels for stones, were levelled, and vast deserts, buried with deep and swallowing sand, were swept clean to the firm ground.”

This wall was probably begun as early as two centuries and a half before the commencement of our era; and it was finished according to Chinese authority, in five years, every third man in the empire, capable of such labour, being pressed into the service. When it is added that the greater number sunk under the pressure of such severe fatigue, the account is more credible; but the whole is no doubt much exaggerated. It is more probable that the whole of this stupendous undertaking was the work of several generations than of one prince.

1

"A MAN THAT HATH FRIENDS MUST SHOW HIMSELF FRIENDLY."

"What a proud fellow that Vane is," said one of a group of schoolboys to his companions. "What do you

think he called George Osborne this morning?"

"Oh, I heard him,” replied another of the boys: "he

called him a tailor-all because George's father is of that trade."

"I vote that we all of us have nothing to do with him," cried a third; "and if he thinks himself above us, let him ask his father to send him to some other school."

This proposal was agreed to; and, just as it had been resolved upon, the subject of it marched proudly along. He was rather a smart looking-boy, but with a somewhat scornful cast upon his features, the result, it may be, of the haughty temper which swelled in his heart.

"See how he struts !" said one of the boys, so loudly that it caught the ear of Vane, who turned sharply round, and said, in a hurried tone,

"What business of yours is it how I choose to walk?"

"Oh, none whatever," replied the boy. "You may walk on stilts and I shall not care, and then you will be still loftier than you are."

"Your father is a shoe-maker, and I will not talk with you. You do not know how to behave, and you will not be taught," said Vane, as he walked along, followed by a a loud laugh from the group of rude boys.

At this moment the schoolmaster passed that way, and, hearing the contention, stepped up, and gently reproved Vane for his pride, and the rest for their rude and mocking conduct.

Vane was bitterly annoyed by the shyness which, after this time, was shown towards him by many of his schoolfellows.

About a week after this time he went into the country to spend an afternoon with his cousin, and, as he was returning home, he fell down and split both the knees of trousers. This vexed him much, as he had to pass through the town of Sunnyvale, in whose suburbs his father's house was situated. However he could not help himself; so, with a reddened face, he hurried along through the streets.

"Why, Vane, I think you want 'a tailor' now," cried out one of his schoolfellows, who met Vane as he was hastening homewards.