7.7. 7. Fatal Consequence of Luxury in China.
In the history of China we find it has had twenty-two successive
dynasties, that is, it has experienced twenty-two general, without
mentioning a prodigious number of particular, revolutions. The first
three dynasties lasted a long time, because they were wisely
administered, and the empire had not so great an extent as it afterwards
obtained. But we may observe in general that all those dynasties began
very well. Virtue, attention, and vigilance are necessary in China;
these prevailed in the commencement of the dynasties, and failed in the
end. It was natural that emperors trained up in military toil, who had
compassed the dethroning of a family immersed in pleasure, should adhere
to virtue, which they had found so advantageous, and be afraid of
voluptuousness, which they knew had proved so fatal to the family
dethroned. But after the three or four first princes, corruption,
luxury, indolence, and pleasure possessed their successors; they shut
themselves up in a palace; their understanding was impaired; their life
was shortened; the family declined; the grandees rose up; the eunuchs
gained credit; none but children were set on the throne; the palace was
at variance with the empire; a lazy set of people that dwelt there
ruined the industrious part of the nation; the emperor was killed or
destroyed by a usurper, who founded a family, the third or fourth
successor of which went and shut himself up in the very same palace.
