?6 AN HISTORICAL DISQUISITION

SECT. by whom we are informed that An-toun, (theII. Emperor Marcus Antoninus,) the king of thepeople of the Western-Ocean, sent an embassy “with this view to Oun-ti, who reigned overChina in the hundred and sixty-sixth - year of theChristian era ". What was the success of thisattempt is not known , nor can we fay whetherit facilitated such an intercourse between thesetwo remote nations as contributed towards thesupply of their mutual wants. The design cer-tainly was not unworthy of the enlightened emperorof Rome to whom it is ascribed.

It is evident , however, that in prosecutingthis trade with China, a considerable part of theextensive countries to the east of the Caspian Seamust have been traversed ; and though the chiefinducement to undertake those distant* journieswas gain, yet, in the course of-ages, there musthave mingled among the adventurers, persons ofcuriosity and abilities , who could turn theirattention from commercial objects to those ofmore general concern. From them such informa-tion was procured , and subjected to scientificdiscussion, as enabled Ptolemy to give a descrip-tion of those inland and remote regions of Asia ",fully as accurate as that of several countries, of

" Memoire fur les Liaisons & le Commerce des Romains,avec les Tartares & les Chinois, par M. de’ Guignes.Mem. de Literat. xxxii. ; 5 5 , &c.

" Li^ vi. o. 11—18-