and had digested a plan for a new military college; having already established a mathematical academy, and opened a school for botany: — but what most seemed to deserve the attention of European and other nations was the charge which they had given to their agents in foreign countries to endeavour to form a scientific expedition, composed of astronomers, geographers, and naturalists "for the purpose", as they alleged, "of procuring more exact notices of the vast continent of which their republic is the central portion."
Sunday, 26th June. In the course of this day, after the usual services of the church, there existed much bustling and visiting. Whilst I was sitting, in the evening, reading in my apartment, the Chinese, my servant, quietly entered, and deliberately took out all the chairs, helping himself to them one by one, leaving me no other than that which I occupied: he stood patiently behind me, when, annoyed by his intrusion, I arose from my seat, and he
