THE
CHINESE REPOSITORY.
Vol. I.—February, 1833.—No. 10.
POPULATION OF THE CHINESE EMPIRE.[1]
Before closing the first part of this article, which appeared in our last number, we received the following communication; which, as it is brief, and presents a serious difficulty, and withal is in exact keeping with an opinion somewhat prevalent on the subject, we give entire: it is addressed to , is without date, and reads as follows.
"Dear Sir; having heard of your intention to write on the population of China, I wish to bring to your notice a remark made to-day in my hearing by an intelligent native; it was to this effect. The ordinary report of the population is a matter of mere form, to which no particular attention is paid; and when a census is especially called for by the Emperor, the local officers just take the last one, and make a lumping addition to it, in order to please his majesty with the flattering idea of increase and prosperity. Now although it be true, that the enormous census of 333 millions, was not made to impose on foreigners, as Dr. Morrison has said, yet it might have been made by this proud people to impose on themselves. What truth can you expect from a government,
- ↑ Continued from page 363.
