i^C/J T^ .sVlOS ' """ ' 3 S %UAINil]i - 1 S u ^IQS ANGELA ^ t/~ \ 1 S i %-d "*flffi E-UNIVER. I 3 U " * * ^OF-CAllFOMfc, ^ . x ^. *X f ^. ^ ^ Of iti r's Mother entering on the fixtieth !ar of her age, from the French of t, jefuit. 203 3^8092 AUTHENTIC MEMOIRS O F T H E Chriftian Church in China. VOL. U. ADVERTISEMENT. imagine we Jhall need no apology for reprinting this curious and Jen- fible piece : it is necejjary only to inform the reader that it was Jirft publi/hed in eight Jheets Svo. under the following title, AUTHENTIC memoirs of the chrif- tian church in China : being a feries of fads to evidence the caufes of the de- clenfion of chriftianity in that empire. By JOHN LAURENCE DE MOSHEIM, chancellor of his majefty's univerfity of Gottingen. Tranflated from the Gei- man. LONDON 1750, B [ 5 3 AUTHENTIC MEMOIRS O F T H E Chriftian Church in China. THE following is an account of the revolutions among that part of the Rcmijh communion, which is ejftablimed in China, of the controver- fies which have arifen among the mif- fionaries, and of the difturbance occa- fioned thereby, even amongft the fub- jecls of the bifhop of Rome in Europe. It may feem proper to begin where father Du Halde leaves off j but I find it indifpenfably necefiary to go farther back to the infancy of the church in B 3 Cbina, 6 OF THE CHRISTIAN China. It will be difficult to under- fland what has pafTed of late, without knowing many of the preceding tranf- aftions. The whole hiftory of this church is connected. The lateft events are confequences of the meafures firft taken. Indeed there is another reafon for this retrofpect. Du Halde has not related all that he might and would have related, had he been an impar- tial hiftorian; and in fome inftarices he departs from the hiftorical charac- ter, to aflume that of a panegyrift and arbitrator. I think it expedient to guard the reader againft the influence of his eloquence, as well as of his fi- lence. This cannot be done by a mere continuation of his hiftory. However I fhall be as concife as poflible. My authorities are unexceptionable. Moft of them are borrowed from both the contending parties, neic.ier of which will chooie to difpute the equity of 3 judgments CHURCH IN CHINA. } judgments pronounced at Rome, and of the bulls of Pope Clement the eleventh, and Benedict the fourteenth. And from thefe authorities my account is chiefly extracted. I {hall carefully diftinguifh matters of doubtful or uncertain credit, and my own reflections will be eafily difcerned from the teftimony of others. The founders of the Romi/h church in China were three Italian Jefuits, who were fent into that empire by the fu- periors of their order towards the end of the fixteenth century; Roger, a Nea- politan-, Pafio of Bologna -, and Mat- thew Ricci of Mazerata in the mar- quifate of Ancona. It is true, that be- fore thefe, fome other Roman ecclefi- aftics travelled to China, and promifed to found a chriftian church there. Du Halde and all the Jefuits are cautious of mentioning thefe predeceflbrs of their .brethren. And the Dominicans and B 4 Fraa- * OF THE CHRISTIAN Francifcans, who are at enmity with the Jefuits, give them inceflant praife. The effect of great partiality, envy and indifcretion on both fides i on the one hand a needlefs caution, on the other an ill-grounded vanity. The Jefuits might fafely mention, and their enemies would fuffer little by forget- ting them. Whatever their good in- tentions might be, their travels and la- bours proved fruitlefs. The only me- rit they have, is that of landing 'in China, before the Jefuits, and wiming to preach there, if they could have obtained permifiion. It is certain, that the three Jefuits beforementioned, were the firft founders of this branch of their church. They had learned the Cbinefe language before their arrival, fo that they could immediately enter upon their commiffion. Pafio and Roger had not been many years CHURCH IN CHINA. 9 years engaged in it, before they were recalled. Ricci was therefore the only one remaining, and he carried on his undertaking with great zeal and afii- duity. In very few years he had a numerous congregation, confifling of the Literati as well as the populace. He was affifted in time by fellow-la- bourers, but whilft he lived, he was at their head, in point of abilities as well as rank. He knew more per- fectly than any of them, how to affect and win the minds of all orders of men, and to feafon the doctrine he taught according to the palate and ge- nius of the Chinefe. So that he. juftly merits the title given him, by his or- der, of father and founder of the church of China. Ricci was a man of no common abilities. Befides a natural compla- cency, difcretion and benevolence, he had to OF THE CHRISTIAN had great fagacity and learning, was patient and indefatigable to a high de- gree, ready in conforming himfelf to every one's opinions and views, and had an unbounded zeal to promote the interefts of his church. He was perfe&ly fkilled in mathematical learn- ing, which of all others is moft efteem- ed in China. This opened to him the hearts of the great and learned. He fpenjt feven fuccefiive years among thofe idola- trous priefts whom they call the Bonzees, and was inftru&ed by them in the lan- guage, cuftoms and learning of the Cbi- nefe *. His parts and temper won him the affedtion and efteem of all his teach- ers. At leaving this fchool, he was well tnough verfed \nCbinefe learning to be a match for the greatefl philofophersof the empire. He laid afide the habit of a Je- fuit, becaufe he perceived it brought him * See edijiantes jf curieufes des mij/ionaires, torn. 'VIII. p. 229. JDtO CHURCH IN CHINA. n into contempt, and put on that of a Cbi- mfe philofopher. This improved the re- putation he had already acquired by his accomplimments. The. philosophers of the country embraced him as a brother and member of their fociety, and the people honoured him the more, for feeing him refpeded by their fages. He wrote fome books in recom- mendation of the chriftian faith, which were eagerly read, for they were writ- ten in the language ufed at court, and among the Literati. The principal book he publimed was printed at Pe- king, the capital of the empire, in the year 1603, and is entitled, Of the Di- vine Law. This piece is ccnfured and extolled by different parties. If we believe the enemies of the Jefuit?, it is abominable, in that it connecls and intermixes the doctrine of Jefus with the morals of Confucius. As I know no x* OF tHE CHRISTIAN" , no more of the book, than what is reported by the Jefuits and their ad- verfaries, I cannot give my opinion. The life of Ricci is written at large by a mafterly hand, father Orleans, a French Jefuit. Jt is hardly poflible to read this life without admiring the great abilities of the man, tho' the appli- cation of them may not in every cafe be defenfible. But Ricci with all his abilities, learn- ing and experience, would have been the paftor of a very fmall flock, had he purfued only the methods of preach- ing and converting common to the Romijh clergy. The prudence of his fociety was of eminent ufe to him, and feconded his labours more effec- tually, than the fimplicity of the gof- pcl. The Jefuit miffionaries preach chrilhanity very differently from the other monks and ecclefLilics. -A Do- minican, CHURCH IN CHINA. 13 nnnican, a Francifcan, an Auftin friar, or a fecular prieft, when he becomes an apoftle, carries nothing with him, but a warm 'zeal for the faith, his ichool learning, which is of more de- triment than ufe to him, and a con- fiderable ftock of fuperftitious opini- ons. Befides this, many of them are willing to make advantage of the credu- lity of the people, and promote the cre- dit of their religion by a pious fraud and a pretended miracle. This is the whole fpiritual apparatus of an ordinary Ro~ mijb miffionary. But a Jefuit leaves his fchool learning at home, and in- ilead of it carries with him fome rules of prudence inculcated into him by his fuperiors and inftruclors. Of thefe ruks the following are the principal : I. A miflionary, who hopes for fuc- cefs, muft aflame the character of a divine, or philofopher of the country in 14 OF THE CHRISTIAN in which he preaches. This conduct removes great part of the prejudice ufually entertained againft foreigners. A Jefuit therefore, as foon as he enters upon his office in a heathen country, changes his character. In India he becomes a Braman; in Siam a Tak- poin$ in China either a Bonzee, or a Confucian and philofopherj in Africa he appears a Marabou. A poor Ca- puchin or Dominican retains his Eu- ropean character, and makes that of a mendicant friar, confident with that of a preacher. Hence he is of little or no repute,, whilft the jefuit, in his mafk, gains the hearts and attention of the people, II. A miflionary muft make it his earned endeavour to be favoured at court. In order thereto, he muft leave no means untried, by prefents, by re- fpect, by attendance, and other the like prac- CHURCH IN CHINA. 15 practices, to ingratiate himfelf with thofe who are at the head of affairs. III. He muft, if pofiible, infmuate himfelf fo far, into the confidence of the great and powerful, that he may be eonfulted in matters of ftate and go- vernment. A miflionary, who has fuq- ceeded in this, may preach on fecurely. There are fome other rules under this head, which for the fake of brevity I omit. IV. A miilionary muft conform ta the opinions and cuftoms of the peo- ple he is fent to, provided they be not manifeftly inconfiftent with the faith he vs commiffioned to preach. V. He muft make ufe of whatever has the appearance of truth and piety in the religion of the country where he preaches, and endeavour to recon- cile j6 OF THE CHRISTIAN cile it to his own doctrine. It is not ma- terial, that this cannot be done without distorting the heathen as well as the chriftian religion. The little fin com- mitted upon fuch an occafion is amply attuned for by the benefit it produces. VI. He mud not abolim, or prohi- bit, ancient cuftoms and ceremonies, to which an ignorant people is general- ly much attached. Let the people retain the cuftoms of their fathers,. It is fufficient to fandify them, that is, to feparate all that is manifcftly idola- trous and fuperltitious, and with a good defign to make the reft confiftent. VII. A mifiionary muft have money, and trade may enable him to procure it. If therefore he can privately carry on a little commerce, he does well. It is no difgrace to his office, whil ft he con- verts his gains to the fervice of God. I might CHURCH Iff CHINA. ,7 I might enumerate more of thefe rules, but it would be needlefs, as the reft follow from thefe. If it be afked, what authority I have to aflert, that the Jefuits obferve thefe rules in their miffions? I anfwer, it appears not mere- ly from the writings of their enemies, but from their own conduct. As this is in all their miffions their conflant practice, it is highly probable, that di- rections for thofe purpofes are given them by their fraternity. Indeed mofl of thefe a Jefuit would hardly be afhamed to confefs. Perhaps he may treat the third and the laft as mere calumny; but the reft he would call inftances of apoftolical prudence. The moft able of their brethren have al- ready done fo. I appeal to Fabri, to the great Gabriel Daniel, to their writings publimed in the Cbimfc, and to the letters of their miflionaries. VOL. II. C Ricci 18 OF THE CHRISTIAN Ricci mod diligently obferved thfr principal of thefe directions, and by their means invited and drew many perfons of all ranks in China into the church he had founded. He lived, wrote, converfed, and drefTed like a Chinefe philofopher and fcholar. His learning and other merit recommend- ed him to the perfons in power. He reconciled the ancient religion of the eountry v in fome meafure, to the firft principles of theology, and united the maxims of the great Confucius with the words of life by delivered Jcfus Chrift. He fuffered his converts to follow the cuftoms of their fathers, and to cbferve, as before, thofe ancient ufages and ce- remonies, which were founded in the laws of the empire, prohibiting only whatever admitted of no glofs or pre- tence, and might affe6t the firft trutlvs of chriftianity. 2 The CHURCH IN 'CHINA, ! 9 The religion of China is twofold. One as ancient as the empire itfelf, and in all probability introduced by its founders. The other is of much later date, and imported from India not long after the birth of our Saviour. The lat- ter has idols, temples, facrifices, priefts, monks, feftivals, and many external rites and ceremonies. The former is free from all thefe, and is, perhaps, the mod artlefs and fimple of all the religions that ever were taught in the world. It prefcribes reverence to an invifible be- ing, refiding in the vifible heaven, and diftributing from thence happi- nefs and mifery amongft mankind ; but it enjoins no particular worfhip to him: fo that temples, priefts, af- femblies, facrifices and rites, are things entirely foreign to it. The Emperor alone, at certain times, offers a facri- fice to this powerful being in the name of his people. The moral part of C 2 this 20 OF THE CHRISTIAN this old fyftem is fhort and eafy : it confifts in honouring the fervants of Tien or Chang-Ti^ (for fo the fupreme being is called) that is, the fpirits pre- fiding over the mountains, rivers, fo- refts, and other parts of the earth, and in fbme duties neceflary to the welfare of the public, and of every particular family. Excepting thefe du- ties, it allows great latitude to the natural inclinations and appetites of men. The later religion, that idolatry I mean, which was introduced by FO, or FOE 9 a celebrated Indian impoftor, has a confiderable party among the populace and women, but it is only tolerated. The wife men, and thofe of diftinftion, profefs the old religion, which is befides the religion of the ftate, profefied and even preached by the Emperor himfelf, and protected by the CHURCH IN CHINA. 21 the laws of the empire. Ricci was too wife and cautious to embrace the other party. And this, which he did em- brace, happened to be fo circumftanced, that he formed hopes of reconciling it to the chriftian faith. He there- fore fignified to the people, that he was only come to renew, and, by the addition of fome efiential tenets, to reform the antiquated religion of their forefathers, that he preached the fame 'Tien or Chang-Ti^ whom the old laws of their country pointed out to them, and that his moral fyftem was in truth no other than that, which was propo- fed by their great philofopher Cong-fu-zu or Confucius, after the example of the fir ft fages and fathers of the empire. This was naturally pleafing to a people more vain and tenacious of the reverence due to their anceftors, than any na- tion in the world. I will not join in the accufation, that he purpofely C 3 wrefted 22 OF THE CHRISTIAN wrefted and falfified the chriftian doc- trine, to adopt it to the opinions and prejudices of the Chine fe. His enemies and the enemies of his order have not yet clearly proved this charge. But thus much cannot be denied, that he in feveral refpe<5r.s milmterpreted the old Chinefe faith, to render it more agreeable to nature, reafon, and true religion. China is the country where the Ge- nius of ceremony principally refides. The people are by long tradition and by the laws of the empire inured to fo many rites and cuftoms, that nature feems totally fupprefled in them. What- ever is done in public is done by num- ber, weight and meafure, by a certain rule and proportion. A particular council is eflubli faed to take care of the.fupport of national cuftoms, and to punifh the contemners thereof. Mod of CHURCH IN CHINA. 23 -of them were introduced chiefly fqr reafons of ftate, and have no connec- tion either with the old or n,ew re- ligion. But fome few have a reli- gious appearance, and feem to be con- fequences of certain doctrines. The principal of thefe are the veneration of their anceftors and of the greajt philofopher Confucius. Every family an China is bound .at certain times to afiemble in a hall, which is called the hall of the fathers and forefathers, ancj there to pay a kind of wormip, fome- what like facrifice and idolatry, to thek anceftors, whofe names are written on little tables or regifters hung up irj the hall. They proftrate themfelves before thefe tables, kill beafts, burn gilt paper in honour of their fathers, and promife themielves, that heaven will reward thefe marks of love and re- fpecl: towards thofe, from whom they are 4efcended. Much the fame tribute of C 4 re- 24 OF THE CHRISTIAN refpect is paid by all the Literati to the great teacher of the empire, Con- -fucius. Ricci, however difpofed to indulge his converts in the cuftoms and laws of their country, hefitated much at thefe ceremonies, which feemed to amount to a fpiritual facrifice. He deliberated eighteen years, whether he mould permit them or not ? The refult of fo long a deliberation was, to tolerate them, not as religious, but political cuftoms. This refolution was doubt- lefs' chiefly fuggefted by the defire he had to enlarge his flock, and to fe- cure it from reproach and perfecution. Whoever in China neglects the ufual reverence to his anceftors, forfeits the character of an honeft man and good citizen ; and whoever neglects that paid to Confucius, forfeits all pretenfions to public honours 'and employments. So. that CHURCH IN CHINA. 25 that Ricci would have made but few difciplrs, and thofe muft have been continually molefted, had he prohibit- ed this cuftom. He therefore looked about him for arguments to recon- cile the toleration of it to his confci- ence. Men are feldom at a lofs in a cafe like this. The underftanding is deluded by the will, and a (lender reed affumes the air and ftrength of a pillar. The reader will judge better of the force of thofe arguments, which con- vinced Ricci of the innocence of the ceremonies he was willing to tolerate, by perufing them *. " The Mahome- ft tans, faid he, who are enemies to ' idolatry, perform thefe honours to *' their anceftors and to Confucius.; * See Gabriel Daniel, Hiftoire Apologetique tie la Conduite des Jefuites de la Chine t dans le HI. Tome du Recueil dejes Oeuvres, p. 4. &c. " there- 26 OF THE CHRISTIAN " therefore they are not idolatry." A* if Mahometans were judges in chriftian cafes of confcicncc; or as if the opinion of a Chinefe Mahometan, that is, of -3 half Mabcmetan^ was of weight to de- termine what is fuperftition and idola r itry. Again -, " The Chinefe refpedfc " neither their anceftors, nor Confu- " cius, as deities or faints ; their re- " yerence to their anceflors is only " to them, as perfons to whom they " owe their lives, and Confucius is < honoured merely as a philofopher " and legiflator." Here the matter in queftion is taken for granted. " Thofe " who kill the beafls at thefe ceremor * c nies are not priefts^ but butchers." This would be fome argument, were it eflential to a facrifice, to have it {lain by the hands of a prieft. Further; *' In the year 1384. the Emperor by " an edicl; prohibited columns to be " erected to Confucius, and that fort " of CHURCH IN CHINA. 27 " of honour to be paid him, which is " ufually paid by idolaters to perfons " deceafed." This is fuppofing, that laws are always ftriclily obeyed, or that it is impoffible for them to grow ob- folete. He alledged again, *' that the * l fame honours, whicji are paid to " deceafed anceftors and to Confucius, * fc are likewife paid to the living Empe,- *' rors and the great officers of ftate." It is ftrange, fo judicious a man fhoyld forget, that marks of honour derive their value from the perfons to whom they are exhibited, and that confequent- ly thofe offered to perfons deceafed, and living, are of a very different na- ture. A man of fenfe would never conclude, that b&caufe he may inno- cently proitrate himfelf before the Em- peror, he may therefore with a fafe .conlcience fall down before the image of a perfon deceafed, or before the table, upon which his name is recorded. Befides, 28 OF THE CHRISTIAN" Befides, the honours done to the Em- peror and his minifters are not the fame with thofe others ; at lead no beaft is ever killed for an offering to the Em- peror and his Mandarines. He urged in the laft place, " that thefe cuftoms " were eftablifhed in China before ido- " latry took place there, therefore they " are not idolatrous.*' This argu- ment takes it for granted, that there could be no idolatry in China, before that of Foe was introduced. However bad as thefe reafons were, they fatisfied the doubtful confcience of ths Jefuit. He permitted his con- verts to reverence their anceflors and Confucius after the cuftom of their country, with only fbme few limita- tions. Whatever was not exprefly re- quired by the laws of the empire re- lating to this ceremony, he enjoined them to omit, and at the obfervation of CHURCH IN CHINA. 2 f of the reft, to lift up their hearts to God. That is, to outward appearance they were to worfhip their anceftors and Confucius; inwardly, in fpirit, they were to worfhip God. Thus the con- verted Cbinefe deceived the unconvert- ed, who were aflembled with them in the hall. The chriflians bowed with feeming devotion to the tables of their anceftors, and thus avoided offence, whilft they were addreffing their thoughts and bending their fouls to God. Whilft none but Jefuits were preach- ing in Cbina^ Ricci's manner of con- verting and his connivances proved fuccefsful. The chriftians, however opprefled in fome parts, increafed by thefe means exceedingly. But their tranquillity was difturbed by the Do- minicans and Frandfcans, who came in the year 1630 to affift the Jefuits, in 30 OF THE CHRISTIAN in cultivating the vineyard they had planted. The new labourers, being entirely unacquainted with the jefuiti- cal rules of converting, were aflonifh- ed when they faw chriftians proftrate before Confucius and the tables of their anceftors, and boldly declared* that their confcience obliged them to con- demn fo fuperftitious and idolatrous a practice. A warm controverfy en- fued betwixt them and the Jefuits. Neither party being difpofed to yield, the matter was referred to the decifion of their fupreme judge at Rome. The enemies of the Jefuits were plaintiffs. A Dominican friar, John Baptifta Mo- ralez, fet out for Rome, and laid be- fore the congregation De propaganda fide, his own and his brethren's doubts con- cerning the Cbinefe ceremonies tolera- ted by the Jefuits among their profe- lytes. The congregation, as ufual, called in the opinion of many divines on the CHURCH IN CHINA. 31 the fubject of this complaint, and at laft determined, that thofe ceremonies were fuperftitious and intolerable. As the Dominican had reprefented the hall of the anceftors as a temple, and the whole ceremony as idolatry and fa- erifice, they could not well pafs a milder judgment. Pope Innocent the tenth confirmed it on the izth of Septem- ber in the year 1645. and command- ed all preachers of chriftianity in China, under pain of excommunication, to conform to this decree, till the holy fee mould determine otherwife. The Jefuits in China received this injunc- tion with veneration, and laid it afide with contempt. This is, their ufual manner of treating thofe decrees of the bifliops of Rome, which contradict the cuftoms, maxims and opinions of their fociety. They are bound more ftriclly, than any other order, to obey the Pope, and no order obsys him lefs 3 2 OF THE CHRISTIAN than they. It may be accounted ifof among other reafons by this, that their fuperiors and their learned brethren, are efteemed by them to be better judges of what is ufeful and pernicious to the church than the Popes and their councils. To this injunction, at lead, they paid fo little regard, that feveral years pafled before they fent a counter-reprefenta- tion to Rome. In the mean time they permitted what was forbidden by the decree, and thought themfelves jufti- fied, becaufe the decree was grounded on a faife report. Their difobedience however occafioned much difquiet and offence. At length, therefore, they judged it neceffary to fend one of their brethren to Rome, to folicit the repeal of the decree obtained by the Domi- nicans. Martin Martini was the folicitor. He difcharged his commiflion with the greateit CHURCH IN CHINA. 33 greateft dex terity. Inftead of applying to the congregation, who had paffcd the former fentence, and who he fore- faw would hardly retract their own judgment, he went immediately to the then Pope Alexander the feventh him- felf, and repreiented to him, in a wri- ting at large, that thofe Cbimfe cuftoms were free from idolatry and fuperfti- tion, and tended only to the peace and welfare of the empire. The Pope lefc the decifion of the matter to the holy office or court of inquifition, undoubt- edly at the folicitation of the Jefuit, whofe bufmefs it was to keep it our of the hands of the congregation De propaganda fide. The event anfwered his wifnes. The holy office rejected the ritts, which the Jefuits had rejecl- ed, and permitted thofe which they had permitted. Their judgment was approved and confirmed by the Pope, on the 23d of March 1656. The Je- l. D fuks 34 OF THE CHRISTIAN" iuits at firfl received this favourable decifion as a fhield, to be made ufe of in cafe of neceffity. They did not publilh it in China, but retained it pri- vately, by way of anfwer to any future aggreflbrs. But in time their caution abated, and their flveld was converted into a fword. They produced the de- cree imported by Martini, and main- tained it to be a rule for the conduct of ail the Romijh clergy in China, fince it annulled that decree, which had been fent by the hands of Moralez. This indifcretion renewed the war. The Dominicans and Francifcans impor- tuned the Pope and his minifters with- frcfh complaints and remonftrances, prctefled in the mod folemn terms,, that the ceremonies in queftion were the worft of abominations, and defired that the holy office woul4- inform them, whether the former decree of Pope Innocent the tenth, was indeed annul- led CHURCH IN CHINA. 35 led by this new one produced by the Jefuits ? The inquifition gave an an- fwer, which might feem fufpicious or forged, had we no authority for the genuinenefs of it, befides that of the enemies of the church of Rome. Bur the infallible teflimony of Pope Bene- dict the fourteenth, who recites it in his famous bull, Ex quo Jingulari, &c. renders the truth of it beyond all dif- pute. The inquifition anfwered, " That " the former decree of Pope Innocent " was by no means annulled by thi? " of Pope Alexander; that both were " to be obferved, each according to ** its circumftances, and according to " the tendency of thofe queftions and " doubts which had occafioned it"*. The two decrees, which were both to be * / cboofe here 'to tranfcrlle the 'very words tf Pope Benedict the fourteenth; " Refpondic " facra, Inquifitionis congrcgatio, projfatum de^- " cretum adhuc vigere hahica ratio .TC rrrum, D z " quae 36 OF THE CHRISTIAN be in fome meafure valid, were as different as light and darknefs. The one condemns the Chinefe ceremonies, the other permits them. And both were to be obferved by the miffionaries in Chi- na. There are but two folutions of this difficulty. Either the holy office meant, that if the Dominicans had made a true reprefentation of the Chi- nefe cuftoms, then the decree obtained by them mould be in force, and take place of the other; but if the Jefuits had truly reprefenttd the nature and tendency of thefe cuftoms, then the decree imported by them mould be Valid. Or if this was not their mean- quse fuemnt in dubiis expofitee, neque illuJ fuiffe circumfcriptum a decreto facne Inqut- fuionis, quod anno 1656 exaravit : imo efFe omnino obiervandum juxta qnaefita, circum- flantias & omnia ea, qua; antediftis dubiis con- tinentwr Declaravit pariter eodem modo efle obfervandimi precdidlum facrae congrcgationis ^decrctum anni 1656, juxta qosefita, circura- ftantias Sc reliqua in ipfis exprefla." ing, CHURCH IN CHINA. - 37 irrg, it could be no other, than that every one might follow his own opi- nion j whoever was perfuaded, that the honours paid to Confucius, and to their anceftors, were idolatrous and fuper- ftitious, might adhere to the firfl de- cree; and whoever judged them to be innocent and indifferent might follow the fecond. Whether we admit this, or the other fenfe, the anfwer of the holy office amounts to nothing, and leaves every miflionary in Cbina to aft according to his own peifuafion and confcience. This is the practice at Rome: when two powerful parties con- tend about matters of religion, the judgment pronounced is commonly in- terpretable in favour of either fide. Such are the decifions of that vifible head of the church, who pretends to infallibility and extraordinary illumi- nation! This anfwer, which left both fides in pofTeffion of their own opinion, D 3 was 328093 38 <)F THE CHRISTIAN was given in the year 1609, and Cle- ment the ninth, who was then Pope, made no fcrupie to honour it with his apoftolical fanclion. In the fame year commenced the golden age of the church in China. Jt had been long and feverely per- fecuted. At the death of the Em- peror Xung-Cbij the firft of the Tar- tar family now on the throne, his fuc- ceflbr Cang-bi, or Cam-hi^ was not of the age for government. During his minority^ his regents confpired with the nobles to extirpate the chriftian doctrine, which had then fpread very far. The execution of this defign was begun in a manner, that ilruck terror into every chriftian teacher and hearer in China. John Adam Schal), the ce- lebrated German Jefuit, who was then fe venty -four years of age, at the head of the Cbincfe million, and in a con- fiderable CHURCH IN CHINA. 39 fiderable poft at court, was in the year 1664 thrown into a dungeon, and nar- rowly efcaped a mod cruel death. The next year it was unanimoufly refolved by all the minifters of ftate, that the chrif- tian law was falfe, and dangerous to the empire, and therefore it was for- bidden under pain of death. Upon this the chriftians, and their paftors, endured a variety of fufferings. In 4660, the young Emperor took the reins of government himfelf, and im- mediately the horrid ftorm againft the chriftians ceafed. This prince had un- common talents : he was particuhrly the patron of arts and fciences, and .hence the church derived its profperity ^during his long and glorious reign. Moft of the Jefuits in China were well -verfed in thofe parts of learning and mechanics, which Cam /fr/efteemed. He therefore invited them to court, avail- ed himfelf of their advice in council, > 4 .gave 40 OF THE CHRISTIAN gave them confiderable employments with large falaries, and even intrufted them with a mare in the government. This favour of his to the Jefuits pro- cured for the church all the protection it flood in need of, and promoted its increafe. It flourifhed confiderably more, when feveral French Jefuits ar- rived, who by their engaging addrefs, by being converfant in the Cbinefe lan- guage, as well as that of the Tartars^ by their fkill in mathematical learn- ing, in politics, in mechanics, in me- dicine, and in other branches of know- ledge, entirely won the Emperor's heart. They foon difcovered the monarch's inclinations and views, and by employ- ing all their genius and fagacity in pleafing and entertaining him, at laft became necefiary to him. They were his inftructors, whom he daily attend- ed to, his friends, his phyficians, and his counfellorsj they ferved him as painters, CHURCH IN CHINA. 41 painters, turners, watchmakers, found- ers, accomptants, aftronomers, and matters of the ordnance. In fhort they directed every thing at the court of Pe-king. The chriftian faith and its profeffors Ihared in this extraordinary profperlty of t..e Jefuits. The Em- peror, to gratify his favourites, pub- limed in the year 1692 that celtbrated edict, by which the chriilian religion was declared to be good and falutary, and all his fubjefls were permitted to embrace it. At their requelt he fenc an embaiTy to the Pope, built- them a magnificent church within the walls of his palace, and commanded all his vice- gerents, and minifters, to act with ten- dernefs towards the chriftian-. There was but one inllance, in which he difap- pointed them : they flatterec themfelvts with the hopes of perfuading him at lad to be a chrittian; and he greatly encou- raged thcfe hopes by attending clofely to 4 2 OF THE CHRISTIAN to their inftruclion, by praifing their doctrine, and by his fignal favours to them, their fellow-labourers and their followers. But he died without the pale of the church in the year 1722. .As far as could be conjectured from .his life and aftions, he was of that jper-fuafion, which among the Tartars is called the faith of the great Gmgbiz-kam. This religion conlifts of fome few tenets, which excepting the command of the fabbath, bear great affinity to the ten commandments of Mofes. But the chriftian church in China* in the midft of this vifible profperity, during the reign of Caw-btj continued internally divided and torn. The Je- .fuits purfued their own manner of con- verting, and the other miflionaries were offended at it, and preached a very different gofpel. Hence arofe two con- gregations, which .hated and defpifed each CHTJRCH IN CHINA. 43 each ether. The Jefuitical chriftians honoured their anceflors and Confu- cius: the reft abhorred this practice as a fpecies cf idolatry. The latter treated the former as prerended or half chriftians, and thefe again treated them as infolent contemners c^f the laws of the empire. The diforder was incu- rable, becaufe the laft anfvver of the holy inquifition had left both parties at liberty to acl: as they thought fit-. The Dominicans, and their afibciates, had not intereft to procure a frefh de- cree, and the Jefuits we^e too prudent to defirc one. The former therefore endured with regret an evil they could not redrefs, and waited for a favour- able opportunity to revive the conteft they could not continue. In the year 1684, fortune favoured them with fuch an opportunity.' A fociety of clergy had been inftituted at Paris in 1663, for the propagation of chriltianity among the 3 infidel 44 OF THE CHRISTIAN infidel nations*. The members of this fociety provide for the education and in- ftruclion of youth, in a houfe appropri- ated to the purpofe, in order for their million as apoftks of Chrift to thofe that have not yet heard of the gofpd. The member* themfelves accept this office, if called to it by the head of the church, or by thofe, who, under him, have the care of the converfion of the heathens. Thtfe miffionaries are ce- lebrated at Rome, as zealous, faithful and indefatigable men, and frequently the bilhops or legates of the Pope into the infidel countries, are chofen from their body. Some of them arrived in the year 1684 in China. The mod diftinguifhcd among the-fe, was Charles Maigrot, a doclor of the Sor- bonne, whom the Pope had dignified with the title of apoftolical vicar, and * Gallia ChriftJana, Tom. VII. p. 1039. Con- ,re^atio iacerdotum exterr.arum miffionum. whom CHURCH IN CHINA. 45 whom the Jefuits themfelves confefs to have been a man of great piety and integrity. He became afterwards Biftiop of Concn. The new mifiionaries were barely arrived in China, when the Dominicans and their afibciates, who had hitherto been forced^to filence and fubmiffion, laid before them their com- plaints againft the Jefuits and their converts. They were heard with at- tention and favour. But it was pro- per to attack the Jefuits with caution. Maigrct and his brethren took feveral years to confider the matter in dif- pute ; at length, after a full examina- tion, they joined with the party againft the Jtfuits, and began with declaring, that the Ckinefe words Tisn, and Cbavg- Ti* were improper to denote the true God, whom chriftians adore; fmce they fignify no more than the vifible heaven : and in the next place that no chriflian could, wish a fafe confcience, comply with 46 OF THE CHRISTIAN with the Chinefe cuftom of honouring Confucius and their anceftors. This declaration was the rupture which occafioned that long and bitter animofity between the Jefuits and their fellow-labourers in China, tranfmitted through many changes to the prefent time. Maigrot ufed every argument and remonftrance to bring the Jefuits over to his opinion. But it was a vain expectation, that a body of men would be flexible, who poffcfs the heart of the greatett Monarch on earth, enjoy afflu- ence, dignity and refpeft, and are be- fides,in their own opinion, fo much more wife and meritorious than other men. They perfifted in their conduct, and threw out menaces of the Emperor's and the Pope's difpleafure. Maigrot was fo little diiheartened at this, that it rather animated him. He commen- ced the war, and ventured to become the CHURCH IN CHINA. 47 the aggrefibr in the year 1693. A ma- nifefto of his was publiflied, in which by virtue of his apoftolical office, he interdicted, to all chriftians and their teachers, the ufe of the names Tien- or Chang-fi, and the wormip of Con- fucius, and their anceftors, under pain of excommunication. This might be truly ftiled a piece of fpiritual heroifm ; that a flranger, who wanted both mo- n y and friends, and was neither a, bifhop nor plenipotentiary from the Pope, fliould dare to bid defiance to- men, who enjoyed all the intimacy of friendship with the fovereign of ther country, and that he fhould venture this, without applying to his principal at Rome, and by his own authority fuperfede a decree of the holy inqui- fkion, and that confirmed by a Pope \- Religicus zeal makes no difficulty of furmounting ordinary Jules ; this feems to be his only excufe. He \vas fen* fiblc 48 OF THE CHRISTIAN fible himfelf, that his conduct would require much apology. In the fame year therefore, in which he publifhal his injunction, he fent it to Rome with a letter to the Pope, and an humble petition, that judgment might be pafftd at Rome, whether he had dor.e well or ill. In his letter to the Pope he complained itrongly of the Jefuits, and allured his holinefs that it would draw tears from his eyes to fee the mifchief and abominations introduced into the church in China by thefe ecclefiaftics. Thefe papers and complaints were fe- conded very powerfully, in the year 1696, by the perfonal appearance and application of Charmot, a fellow-la- bourer of his. He earntftly folicited the Pope, and the court of inquifition, for a due examination and judicial de- cifion of tie affair, and was vigoroufly afiifted in his folicitation by the ene- mies of the Jefuits, that is, by a very co a- CHURCH IN CHINA. 49 confiderable number of perfons of rank and abilities in all parts and countries of the Romifh communion. The mat- ter was delayed for fome years at Rome, doubtlefs becaufe the Jefuits employed all their friends and intereft to prevent an inquiry. At laft Pope Innocent the twelfth, who then filled the chair, was prevailed with, and appointed in the year 1699 a committee of the moft learned and principal members of the holy office, maturely to examine and adjuft this difpute. But he died in 1700, before the committee had time to make any progrefs in it. His fucceflbr, Clement the eleventh, immediately upon his promotion to the papal fee, ordered them to proceed. He was more favourably inclined to the fociety of the Jefuits than his pre- deceflbr. And had he followed his inclination, he would have faved them VOL. II. E their 50 OF THE CHRISTIAN their anxiety about the event, by dif- folving the committee. But the Pope is not always at liberty to indulge his own humour. The affair was become too important to be laid alide. The church of Rome was alarmed, and all Europe waited impatiently to fee on which fide the victory would be con- ferred. Both parties employed the ableft hands to fet forth their caufe in public writings. The fociety at Paris, to which Maigrot, Charmot, and the other combatants of that party be- longed, warmly efpoufed the caufe of their members, and printed a ftrong addrefs to the Pope, in which they reprefented the Jefuits in China as de- ceivers and corrupters of the faith : thefe, on the other hand, delivered -a- paper, which commanded attention and refpect, and feemed alone more pow- erful, than all the writing and com- plaints of their adverfaries. The great Emperor CHURCH IN CHINA/ 51 Emperor Cam- hi fent a teftimony un- der his own hand, that the cuftoms rejected by Maigrot were mere poli- tical ceremonies, upon which the peace and welfare of the empire in fome meafure depended. And a thoufand Cbinefe, believers as well as unbelievers, learned and unlearned, rich and poor, confirmed upon oath their Monarch's teftimony. Never was an accufation oppofed by more fpecious and refpect- able evidence. There was now no room to hinder the affair from taking its courfe. After fix years had been fpent in confulting and deliberating, judgment was at length pronounced. On the zoth of November in the year 1704, the holy office decreed, " That " the two Chinefe words Tien and Cbang- " ft mould no longer be applied to " God, but that inftead of them the " word Tien-Cbu, which Cgnifies Lord E 2 "Of $i OF THE CHRISTIAN " of heaven, fhould be introduced $ " that the tables upon which was writ- " ten in Chinefe letters King-Tien, or " the Honour of heaven, fhould be re- ** moved from the chriftian churches ; " that chriftians fhould by no means " affift at thofe facrifices, which are " offered in fpring and autumn, at the * l ti me of the equinox, to Confucius and " their anceftors -, that they fhould like- " wife abfent themfelves from thofe *' houies and temples, which are built in " honour of Confucius, in order to pay " to that philofopher the worfhip due to " him from the Literati of the empire; " that they fhould thenceforward upon s Indes Orientates. Tom. I. p. 1 1 1. mas CHURCH IN CHINA. 55 mas de Tournon, of an ancient and noble family in Lorrain, a divine, who by his piety and probity had acquired the general efteem and affection of the court of Rome. The Pope himfeif, to convey the higher authority to his office, confecrated him patriarch of An- tiocb f. It is common at Rome to create patriarchs, archbifhops and bifhops, as merely titular, as theatrical emperors and kings, I mean that they only repre- fent certain patriarchs, archbimops and bifhops. Tournon was one of thefe no- minal patriarchs, and had not the leafl jurifdidlion in the city, or territory, from which his title was borrowed. He em- barked on the fifth of Auguft 1703, and landed at For.dicherry on the coalls of Coromandel on the fixth of November .in the fame year. Here he ftaid till f Du Halde is much miftaken in calling h : tn Patriarch of India; but this is not his only miftake. E .4 the 56 OF THE CHRISTIAN the eleventh of July in the next year, and arrived in China in 1705. The Jefuits received him with all the marks of honour which a legate of the Pope could expect from the fubjects of his matter. They even exceeded their duty : they procured him accefs to the great at court, and an audience of the Emperor, permitted the moft honourable of their converts to attend him in his public entries, and pre- vailed with the Emperor to diftinguifh him by various favours from all other ambafiadors. But this refpect lafled only whilft they had hopes, that he would at lead have found out a me- dium betwixt them and their adverfa- ries. The moment he declared againft them* a terrible florin arofe againft him. Tournon was of that party in the church of Rome, who are called the Rigids> and therefore naturally an enemy to rl.e Jefuits .and the'ir doctrine 1 , which is more CHURCH IN CHINA. 57 more lax and moderate. It might be eafily forefeen, that one of this cha- racter would not favour them, and their manner of converting : he fig- nified as much foon alter his arrival, but for fbme time kept his zeal within certain bounds. Whilfl he was pru- dent, they continued obliging and re- fpeftful. But his prudence fail d him as foon as he had an account from Europe of the judgment of the Inqui- fition againfl the Jefuits. In the year 1707, he publilhed a ftrict ordinance in the name of the Pope, agreeably to the decree of the holy officr, and under pain of excommunication pro- hibited all that was prohibited in that decree. This fo embittered the Je- fuits, that they determined he fhould feel ths whole weight of their refent- ment. They and their partizans firft appealed from him to the Pope, and thereby evaded the cenfure of difobc- dience. 5& OF THE CHRISTIAN cticnce. Next they reprefented his procedure to the Emperor, as a vio- lation of his prerogative. Indeed it is hard to acquit him of a crime like this. Cam- hi, as was related before, .had fent a writing under his own hand to Rome to difculpate the Jefuits, an'd 3tteft,that the Cbinefe meant by the word S'teny not Heaven, but that Infinite Spirit, who dwells in heaven, and governs the univerfe j and that the ceremonies permitted by the Jefuits were not reli- gious, but political, and ancient cuftoms of the empire. And here a ftranger, a legate of an European bifliop, boldly and publicly oppofcs the Emperor, and in his own dominions, without his knowledge, makes a law to prohibit the fubjects from practices enjoined by ithe laws of the empire. No fovereign .prince would differ a conduct like this ? to pafs with impunity. It is doubt- lefs, that TournQn, pious as his mean- ing CHURCH IN CHINA. 59 ing was, far tranfgreffed the bounds of prudence and refpeft. He was, in truth, not qualified to difcharge re- putably and ufefully the great and im- portant commiffion he was intruded with. His good difpofition was under the influence of a narrow fpirit and weak underftanding, of which his wri- tings, letters, and injunctions, printed by Norbert and others, furniQi abun- dant proof: they contain dry and ih- fipid thoughts, fo fwelled, indeed, by pompous expreflion, that the carelefs and injudicious reader can hardly dif- tinguifh their flatnefs and impotence. Cam -hi \va.s exceedingly provoked, when the Jefuits informed him, that the Eu- ropean, to whom he had been fo gra- cious, had prefumtd to withftand him and his -edict,- and to know more of the religion of his country than him- fclf. He therefore immediately pub- Jiihcd a ftrict mandate, by which all 4 <6o OF THE CHRISTIAN Romi/h ecclefiaftics in China were for- bid, under fevere penalties, to teach any thing contrary to the laws of the empire, and to the ancient traditions of the Cbinefe. Moft of them obeyed. The fewv who paid greater regard to the patriarch's injunction, were im- prifoned, treated with great feverity, and banifhed the empire. Tournon himfelf was ordered immediately to nquit the country, or to be punifhed as a traitor. He did not wait for the reception of this order, but haften- ed to MacaO) there to embark, and avoid the fury of the Emperor, or rather of the Jefuits. But whilft he was preparing for his departure, it was recollected at the court of Pc-king^ that if he was fuffered to return to Rome, he would certainly make heavy complaints of his perfecutors. A frefh order was iffued to fecure his perfon .and detain him a prifoner at Macao y till CHURCH IN CHINA, 61 till the return of two Jefuits, whom the Emperor difpatched to Rome. The unfortunate Tournon was forced to change his character of an apoftolical legate and law-giver, for that of a flate-prifoner, and to pafs four years in great trouble; and anxiety, under a ftrong guard, in the houfe of the Bifhop of Macao. His enemies the Je- fuits were his keepers, and they doubt- lefs were not negligent of their charge. It is pofiible, that their adverfaries have confiderably aggravated his diftrefles and indignities in prifon. They did not probably fo far forget the pru- dence efTential to their order, as to treat a legate of- the Pope, like si common malefactor. And they could never have been pardoned at Rome, had they been entirely unmindful of their duty to the Pope and him. Bur thus much is certain, that whatever little refpedt they may have fhewn him, was 6* OF THE CHRISTIAN was mixed with various inftances of bitternefs, contempt and mortification*. Clement the eleventh was amazed when he heard of the fate of his legate, and thought the beft method of alleviating his mifery was to raife him to the higheft dignity next to his own. ' He honoured the prifoner with a cardi- nal's hat, in hopes that his mercilefs keepers would treat a cardinal with more civility and refpecl: than a pa- triarch. But the new cardinal and the authority he affected, were fub- * Clement the eleventh, in the bull of excom- fKunitatron he pullijbed againjl the Eljhcp of Ma- cao, nv/jo was among the mojl bitter of 1 ournon's enemies, defcribes bis filterings in the following wards ; Innotuit nobis quod Carolus T&omas Tournonius tametfi tune temporis in civitate Macaonenji, non quidem a paganis, fed ab offi- cialibus & minillris Chriftianis multorum mi- litum diurna nodurnaque cuftodia, ut captivus detineretur, aliifque acerbiffimis & plane incre- dibilibus injuriis & contumelib, ipfis exhorre* icentibus Ethnicis, afflidus reperirctur nihil- ominus, &c. Set Norbert's Mem'^ires, Tom. I. p. 304. jeft CHURCH IN CHINA. 63 jefb of ridicule at Macao. His trou- bles continued till a fevere fit of ficlo nefs put an end to his life on the eighth day of June, 1711. The ad- verfaries of the Jefuits pretended all- over Europe, that he had been poifon- ed, and that the poifon was adrninif- tered to him at Pe-king by Percy ra, a< Jefuitf. But this rumour has rather the air of calumny. To what pur- pofq can they be fuppofed to have icn- prifoned him at Macaa, and prevented his voyage, if they were allured, that he carried death in his bofom. The motion of the fhip and other incon- veniences of fo long a paflage muft have haftened the effect of the poifon, and foon put an end to his miferable life. It is reproach fufficient to the Jefuits, that they -cannot clear thern- f" Anecdotes de la Chinei Tom. I. p. 88, fclvcs^ 64 OF THE CHRISTIAN felves of the imputation of extreme injuftice and violence exercifed upon a legate of the Pope, a cardinal, and a man of piety. The body of the deceafed cardinal was, after fome years, conveyed to Europe^ and his funeral obfequies were performed at Rome, arnidii the tears and lamentation of the Pope and all his court. Clement the eleventh, in a celebrated panegy- rical oration, which he fpoke in me- mory of .him in a full congregation of cardinals, extols him as a faint and a martyr *. And if the Jefuits had lefs power at the court of Rome, than they have, he would probably before now have been admitted into th- kalendar of that church. Their ene- mies are waiting for a convenient op- portunity to iblicit the canonization of * // may be found among tie other fpeeches of this Pope in P. Norbfrfs Mcinoires fur ies Millions Orientals, Tom. II. p. 6. this CHURCH IN CHINA. 65 this great facrifice to their refentment and to his own indifcretion. The overthrow of cardinal Tour- non was of no ufe towards the reco- very of the jefuitical caufe-, it rather inflamed matters more. The Pope, before he received advice of the im- prifonment of Tournon, had approved, and in every refpect confirmed his in- junclion. It was therefore neceflary to carry on the fame meafure. The holy office afiembled on the twenty- fifth of September, in the year 1 7 10, in prefence of the Pope, and came to a new refolution, or rather confirm- ed and improved that formerly made. They rejected the appeal to the Pope, with which the Jefuits in China had warded off the cardinal's injun&ion \ and decreed, that, without farther ex- ception or objection, the judgment pafs- ed in the year 1 704, and the injunction VOL. II. F of 66 OF THE CHRISTIAN of Cardinal Tournon fhould remain in full force. They prohibited be- fides, under the moft fevere ecclefiafti- cal penalties, the publication of any books or pamphlets concerning the Chinefe ceremonies, and declared pre- vioufly, that all fuch, as fhould appear from the prefs, fhould be ranked among the lift of prohibited books -j-. This ieems to be a clear and ftrong decree ; but it was not ftrong enough to hum- ble the mighty Jefuits. Extenfive as the papal power is, it cannot reach them at the court of Pe-king^ in the Emperor of China's palace *. The de- cree was immediately fent to the Bifhop f .The title of this decree runs thus : Declaratio fuper omnimoda ac inviolabili refponforum alias in caufa rituum feu ceremoniarum Sinenfium a facra congregatione datorum, & a fandiflimo ap- probatorum cum aliis ordinationibus. T6ef re- Jen t Pcpe has infer ted it eat ire in his loft bull, Ex quo fingulari, ffr. * Ihe prefent Pope in his bull juft mentioned complains thus : Nee decretum hujufmodi ad dif- iitiles aniinos fubjiciendos valuit. of CHURCH IN CHINA. 67 of Pe king who refides at the city Lin- zing-teoti) and he was ordered forth- with to caufe it to be delivered to the Jefuits. It arrived towards the end of the year 1713, and in January 1714, the bifliop difpatched his vicar- general Charles Caftorani, a Francif- can monk, to deliver it into the hands cf the Court- Jefpits. Caftorani exe- cuted his commiffion with great hu- mility, and was received with extra- ordinary infolence. They told him without ceremony, that if he mould prefume to read this decree, or any way to divulge it, they would com- plain of him to the Emperor. He underftood their meaning, and having no ambition of martyrdom, retired pri- vately, well fatisfied with experiencing no other effect of their refentment, but contempt f. The f Carol! Caflorani nota?, & obfervationes in P 2 bullam 68 OF THE CHRISTIAN The Jefu'rs invented various apo- logies for this frefh inftance of dif- obedience. But it was at length de- termined at Rome, to difregard their pretences and humble their pride. Cle- ment the eleventh was fo provoked upon the firft news of this obftinate rebellion of his beloved fons, as he calls them, that he immediately pro- ceeded to the celebrated bull Ex ilia die. It was drawn up with expedi- tion, and iffued out on the nineteenth of March in the next year 1715*. This famous bull anfwers in Jfa to bullarn Benedi&i XIV. fupra ceremonias & ritus Sinicns, p. 35. Ron fine mei injurid t fays he, ad pttedidum dominum Epifcopum redivi. * It is intitled thus: Clementis Papse XI. Praceptum fuper cmrnmoda, abfoluta, integra & inviolabili obfervatione eorurn, quas alias a Sanftitate fua in caufa rituum feu ceremoniaium Sinenfium decreta fuerunt: cum rejeflione qua- rumcunque rationum, feu excufationum ad ejuf- modi decretorum executionem declarandam al- latarum, ac prjefcriptione formula juramenci per Miffionarios illaium partium prselentes & futures hac in re praeftandi. the CHURCH IN CHINA. 69 the fame Pope's bull Unigenitus in Europe. The former controverted, the latter defended by the Jefuits , the former proved the fource of great con- fufion among the papifts in Afia, the latter in Europe. Both have been the occafion of an expence, trouble and detriment to the papal fee, of which it is not eafy to foretell the end. Never was Pope fo unfortunate in his bulls as Clement the eleventh. The con- ftitution Ex ilia die is in fome mea- ftire a contrail to that called Unigeni- tus. It redreffes as it were by its zeal againfl. the lax and indulgent maxims of the Jefuits, all the grievance oc- cafioned by the conftitution Unigeni- tus y which favoured them and their doctrine. Hence the Jefuits are as much offended at the' former, as the Janfenifts at the latter. The Pope begins with reciting all that had been done in the Chinefe controverfy. Next F 3 he 70 OF THE CHRISTIAN he fets forth, with exprefllons of grief, the many artful inventions, wherewith the Jefuits, whom he does not men- tion, had prefumed to invalidate the laft decree of the holy fee, clear and limited as it was. To obviate at once and for ever this unaccountable in- folence, he commands in the ftrongeft terms a Pope is capable of, all the clergy in China, and the monks in particular, under pain of that excom- munication, which none but the Pope himfelf can remit, except in the hour of death, ftnctly to obferve as facred, the decrees hitherto palled by the Iri- quifition, and the ordinance of the Car- dinal Tournon, and under no pretence whatever to tranfgrefs them. With the fame rigour and caution he en- joins all eccleiiaftics, who mould be fent to Cbiaa, and other Afiatk coun- tries, to take an oath to obey his com- mands without any referve, and that no CHURCH IN CHINA. 71 no perfon whatever fhould be admit- ted to the loweft office, without having previoufly taken this oath. To fe- cure the obfervation of it more ftrong- ly, the oath was not only to be taken viva voce, but to be fubfcribed by every ecclefiaftic, and the oaths thus fub- fcribed were all to be tranfmitted to the holy office at Rome. In the Jaft place the Pope commands, with the higheft degree of caution and feverity, that no ancient indulgences, no ge- neral or particular rights and privi- leges, no tradition, no evafions, whe- ther already invented, or thereafter to be invented, fhould avail in the leaft againft thefe conftitutions, and that they fhould remain in force as an eternal and irrevocable law. It was concluded with an exprefs order, that this bull fhould be fent and no- tified to all the clergy, and efpecially to the Jefuits. It is necdlefs to recite F 4 the 72 OF THE CHRISTIAN the oath at large. The juror was to oblige himfelf exactly, abfolutelv, in- violably and without any evafion to obey the bull *, and acknowledge himfelf worthy, in cafe of difobedience, of the punifliment there threatened. There is not one among all the decrees of the bifhops of Rome lb accurately and cau- tioufly worded, or lb minutely guarded againft every pomble exception and eva- fion. The lawyers, who prepared it, ex- haufted their whole ftock of fuch words, as might be effectual to difarm thole men that ftudy to tranfgrefs under the colour of law. An Englijh fhip carried over this terrible bull to China, and it was dif- perfed amongft the Romifh clergy of the empire, before the Jefuits knew of its arrival. Had thefe been ear- * Exadle, abfolute, inviolabiliter & abfque *Ua tergiverfatione. Her CHURCH IN CHINA. 73 Her apprized of it, the Emperor would probably have lent a counter- mand to meet and annul it. It was neceflary however, in obedience to the Pope's order, to prefent it to them, and notify it in their churches at Pe-king. This was the ruin of the bull. Hone ft Caftorani, by his bifliop's command, undertook this dangerous office, and unfortunately for himfeif executed it with fuccefs. He arrived at Pe-king on the fifth of November in 1716, and on the fame day without any pre- vious notice to the Jeiuits, read the decree he was charged with in three of their churches. But he was ill re- warded for his pains. On the third day after his arrival, an officer of Hate, by the Emperor's order, caufcd him to be fettered with a chain of extra- ordinary weight and flrength at his neck, hands and feet, and thus load- ed to be thrown into a dungeon, as a traitor 74 OF THE CHRISTIAN a traitor who had dared to introduce foreign laws into the empire. His trou- bles lafted fcventeen months. Some- times he was indulged with a certain degree of liberty, and again fhut up in clofe confinement, fometimes fent to Canton, and then recalled to Pe-king. At lad he obtained his liberty, upon condition, that he fliould carry the bull back to his bifhop, and not dare to divulge it any farther*. This fe- cured only the capital againft the thun- dring bull j to defeat- the terror of it in the reft of the empire, his im- perial Majefty by a fevere edict no- tified to all papifts, that he would im- mediately banifh them from his do- minions, and caufe their Cbinefe con- verts to be put to death without dif- tinction, if they paid more regard to the Pope than to him, and attempted * Caftorani notse in bullam Benedict! XIV. fed. ii. p. 35, &c. to CHURCH IN CHINA. 75 to execute Romijh Jaws. And thefe menaces were not merely verbal. It appeared in fome places, that the go- vernment was in earneft, and would not fufrer itfdf to be iniuhed with impunity. The Jefuits, who were the original founders of this and much more mif- chief, lamented it no lefs than thole who felt the weight of it. They com- plained heavily in their writings and converfation, that the court of Rome was under the influence of perfons nei- ther difcreet nor experienced, that bulls were tranfmittecl to China, which tend- ed to defolate the Lord's vineyard. *' When will his Holinefs, faid they, " and our enemies who miflead him, *' awake and learn difcretion? Not, it is to be feared, till they find it " too late. We wafh our hands ; we " have delivered our fouls from the " burthen. 76 OF THE CHRISTIAN *' burthen. Let the blood of the poor " chriftians in China t whom this bull c * perhaps will bring to a fatal end, 44 fall upon the councils that dictated " it. We have done our utmoft to " foften the Emperor's refentment. " We have implored and intreated " him. But he is inexorable in mat- " ters that affedb the ancient funda- " mental laws o'f the empire." Thefe complaints however did not ex- empt the Jefuits from the duty of obey- ing the bull, and every precept it con- tained. The fubjefts of the Pope, and the Jefuits as much as any, are obliged to fubmit to his ordinances, though all the kings and infidels upon earth fhould op- pofe them. The fupremacy he afiumes, as vice -gerent of Chrift, would be merely titular indeed, if the laws and menaces of heathen kings had power to annul and invalidate his apoftolical precepts. The CHURCH IN CHINA. 77 The Jefuits therefore not knowing how to palliate their di (obedience in the eyes of the Emperor, refolved to feek for feme fubterfuge in the bull itfelf. But this feemed impofiible to find in a decree penned with fo much cau- tion and fubtlety, as this Ex ilia die. However jefuitical fagacity furmounts all difficulties. The evafion, which the bull itfelf will not afford, is dif- covered in the title. It was infcribed, Prxceptum de omnimodd^ &c. This fin- gle word furnifhed the Jefuits with all they wanted. " A Precept, faid 41 they, is no law. The Pope himfelf " calls his Bull no more than a Pre- ct cept. Undoubtedly a Precept from fruits, flefti and other meats, provided it be done without any prejudice to the faith. From this he proceeds to tolerate all proftration, on New-yearV *W '?. day 90 OF THE CHRISTIAN day as well as at other times, before that table'which is called Ko-teu. Lafl> Jy, he permits lights and incenfe before thefe tables, and dimes of meat to be ferved up at graves. The Jefuits could have wimed for no more, and more could not be done to defeat and invalidate the bull. The legate was fenfible of this, and being unwilling to expofe the Pope, and the weaknefs of his decree to all the world, added in the conclufion of his letter and a ftrid injunction to all ecclefiaftics in China, to the Jefuits in particular, under pain of excommunication, not to tranflate this letter either into the Chi- mfe or 'Tartar tongue, nor to com- municate it to any but thofe who came in the office of mifiionaries to China. The indulgences contained in this piece could not be entirely withheld from 2 the CHURCH IN CHINA. 91 the people, but the clergy were charged to difpenfe them cautioufly, and referve them for the higheft exigency. At Mezzabarba's return to Rome, Clement the eleventh was deceafed. Innocent the thirteenth fucceeded him. The new elected Pope was enraged at the legate's report of his fruitlefs negociations, of his perils and fuffer- ings. In the firft heat of his refent- ment he refolved to abolilh the fociety of Jefuits. But the remonftrances of fome prudent men abated the violence of this flame, which however they were not able totally to extinguifh. The Pope commanded the general of the order to recall all his Jefuits from China, that the refractory might be brought to condign punilhment, and forbad the increafe of the fociety by new members, till further notice from him*. What * Journal Univcrfel, Tom. VIL p. 460. could 92 OF THE CHRISTIAN could be done in thefe circumftances? There was but one expedient left, the promife of obedience, and they had the comfort, in the mean while, of hoping that time would extricate them from this great diflrefs. Their hopes were gratified fooner than could be expected. The death of Innocent vacated the fee of Rome, and relieved the anxious Je- fuits. His fucceflbr, Benedict the four- teenth, the prefent Pope, proved much more tractable. He accepted every promife that was made him; the Je- fuits recovered their former fituation, and the affairs in Cbina^ of which the confidents of his Holinefs did not find their account, lay dormant for a conft- derable time. Whilft thefe matters were tranfact- ing at Rome, the church in China loft, in the perfon of her protector, all her tranquillity and happinefs. The great Emperor CHURCH IN CHINA, 93 Emperor Cam-bit the patron and dif- ciple of the Jefuits, efpecially thofe of France, died on the twentieth of Decem- ber, 1722, and before his deceafe placed the crown, he was obliged to relinquifh, upon the head of Tong-'Jcbing his fourth fon. The Emperors of China have, by the ancient laws of the empire, a right to elect for a fucceffor from among their fons, him who feems beft qualified for a wife and happy flfign. The Jefuits, by their power over the heart of Cam-In had contributed not a little to the election of Yong-Tching. He had difcovered fo early an incli- nation to them, and to the chriftian caufe, that they formed better hopes of him, than of all the other fons of the Emperor. But they became fen- fible of their miftake as foon as he mounted the throne. His people ad- mired in him all the good qualities of his father, except his partiality to the Jefuits 94 OF THE CHRISTIAN Jefuits and their faith. .Tong Tching continued to efteem them, and retain- ed them at court and in pay, as inge- nious artifts, painters, watchmakers, aftronomers, geometricians, and phy- ficians. But he neither admitted them to a mare of his political cares, nor of his time, nor of his affection. They remained in his palace, but in no other condition, than that of mechanics and officers kept for purpofes of conve- nience and amufement. This gave en- couragement to thofe among the Cbi- nefe, who had been obliged in the late reign to ftifle their diflike of the chri- itians and their faith. The Emperor hearkened with attention to all their reprefentations. He unexpectedly re- pealed the edict publifhed by his father in favour of the chriftian religion, pro- hibited his fubjects from embracing the law of the Europeans, and permit- ted his governors of provinces and offi- cers CHURCH IN CHINA. 95 cers of ftate to perfecute the chriftians and demolifh their churches. It is needlefs to add, that they made ufe of this permifiion. A blind religious zeal, that has been long under a pain- ful reftraint, is naturally apt, when in- dulged, to break out with additional violence. The Emperor himfelf head- ed, and by his example animated the party againft the chriftian faith He ordered all Romi/h ecclefiaftics in his dominions into cuftody in the cities of Canton and Pe-king, to prevent any farther exercife of their function. Some time after, they were yet clofer con- fined, upon his being informed, that they continued to difcharge their duty in private. At length all but the Je- ' fuits, who refided at Pe-king, were ba- nifhed to the little town of Macao t which is in fome meafure fubject to the Portuguefe, and lies on the fea- coafts, in the remoteft part of the em- pire. $6 OF THE CHRISTIAN pire. The Jefuits, as their fole depen- dence was not upon preaching, read- ing mafs, or hearing confefiion, fuffer- ed lead by this dreadful ftorm, and took all opportunities to foften the Emperor's difpleafure, and apologize for their perfecuted brethren. But the . only anfwer they had was a gracious repulfe, and they were forced to ac- quiefce in a connivance for themfelves, and the privilege to carry on their fpi- ritual labours at court, and in the ca- pital, without interruption. Their ad- verfaries imputed all this mifchief to them, pretending that they were de- tected in a confpiracy againft the Em- peror, and thereby provoked this per- fecution of the chriftians. But the charge is highly improbable. The Emperor would hardly have entertain- ed at his court, and have diftinguifhed, from the reft of their brethren, by his favour, a fet of men, whom he knew to CHURCH IN CHINA. 97 to have formed defigns againft his go- vernment and life. The Jefuits on the other hand derive this calamity from the bull Ex ilia die. And doubtlefs they feem, in this inftance, to have more reafon on their fide. It is poffi- ble^ that Yang-aching grew impatient at the difputes occafioned by this de- cree between the Roniijh priefts, and his chriftian fubjects, and fo, to pre- vent all farther animofity, prohibited the chriftian religion itfelf. It is ufual for perfecutions, if not to appeafe inteftine controverfies in the church, at lead to effedt a cefiation of arms. The foreign enemy prurfues both contending parties indifferently, engages all the attention, which before they employed againft each other, and converts their redundant fpirits into fear and anxiety. By thefe means he VOL. II. H unites 9 S OF THE CHRISTIANA, unkes the minds of the perfecuted, bet'-, ter than all mediators or lawgivers. But the fufferings and adverfities of the church in China had not this happy effecl. The war among the clergy was carried on with the fame life and- vigour, when they were imprifoned and befet by their enemies, as in the times of peace and liberty. The indulgences of Mezzabarba extended the wounds they were meant to heal. The adver- fhries of the Jefuits oppofed thefe in- dulgences as warmly, as the Jefuits did. the bull itfelf, and abfolutejy refufed to receive or acknowledge them as va- lid. Francis Sarazeni, Bifhop of Lo- rima, even circulated a paftoral letter T prohibiting upon pain of excommuni- cation, the obfervation or intVodudlion- of thofe indulgences*. How ftrange- * Caftorani obfervationes in bullatn Benedidf XIV. P . *0v -.- ' . lv CHURCH IN CHINA. 99 ly men are blinded by their pafiions! This was doing the very thing for which the Jefuits had been fo bitterly re- proached* They were condemned for refufing immediate obedience to the injunctions of Tournon and Maigrot. And certainly Mezzabarba was equal in dignity to Tournon and fuperior to Maigrot; confequently his indul- gences claimed the fame refpect at leaft with their injunctions. This in- confiderate piece of obltinacy fo en- flamed the JefuitSj that they rafhly plunged themfelves into a frefh offence^ great enough to revive the memory of all their former tranfgreflions, and entirely ruin their caufe at Rome. Mez- zabarba had exprefly prohibited the tranflation of his paftoral letter or the publication of the indulgences it con- tained. The Jefuits ventured to vio- late this command. They difperfed H 2 his loo OF THE CHRISTIAN In's indulgences among all the Cbinefe chriftians, and endeavoured to impofe them upon thofe, to whom they were obnoxious. The afiiftance of an emi- nent bifhop was requifite for this pur- pofe. They obtained that of the new Bifliop of Pe-king) Francifcus de Purii ficatione, who was promoted in the year 1731. This prelate perceived foon after his arrival, that the good- will of the Jefuits at Pe-king was of more confequence to him, than the favour of the Pope. They influenced him to charge the clergy of his diocefe, in two public inftruments addrefled to them, dated July the iixrh, and De- cember the twenty-third in the year 1733, upon pain of degradation, to pay as facred a regard to the indulgen- ces of Mezzabarba, as to the bull Ex ilia die, and publicly to read to the people in all churches, on the four moft foiemn . CHURCH IN CHINA. 101 fblenin feflivals of the year, both the contents of the bull, and the referva- tions added to it by Mezzabarba *. This was no lefs than a public chal- lenge. The combatants on the other fide haftened to arms. Caftorani, vicar to the Bifhop of Pe-king, and heretofore a martyr to the bull Ex ilia die, who had fpent thirty-three years in his function in China, told his bilhop to his face, that he would never pay him obedience in this point. The example of fo vene- rable a man diffufed a fpirit of rebellion among the clergy. At length it be- came ripe enough for a refolution to difpatch the good old Caftorani to Rome, in order to complain of the Jefuits and the bilhop, and folicit tjie abrogation of Mezzabarba's indulgences. Per- haps the Jefuits and their .adherents * See Caftorani obfervat, and the bull of Be- ,edi& XIV. entitled Ex quo fingulari, &C. H 3 made 102 OF THE CHRISTIAN made their fport of the age and fimpli- city of this ambafTador. He confefles himfelf to be neither eloquent, nor learned, nor fagacious ; and thofe little pieces of his, that have hitherto appear- ed in print, confirm the truth of his confeffion. They difcover nothing but a zealous, honeft Francifcan friar, nei- ther infected by the air of the court and a knowledge of the world, nor corrupted by the vanity of learning and fcience. But his want of parts and penetration was amply fuppjied by his zeal, integrity, experience, conftancy, gray hairs, the reputation of a con- fefibr, and feventeen months fuffering on account of the bull Ex ilia die. A pious fimplicity has often got the bet- ter of worldly prudence. Caftorani arrived at Rome about the end of the year 1734, in the papacy of Clement the twelfth, to whom he immediately opened his comrniffion. The Pope left the CHURCH "IN" CHINA". 103 the matter to the examination of feveral cardinals, and after ten months intreaty, attendance and felicitation, as Caftorarii himfelf relates, his Holinefs by a brief, dated September the twenty-fixth 1 735, abfolutely revoked and annulled the two letters of the bifliop of Pe-king> who was juft then deceafed *. This was Caflorani's firft But he did not reft here. His principal point was to invalidate the indulgences of Mezzabarba. He therefore pro- ceeded in his undertaking with inex- piefiible zeal, and folicited the Pope, that the examination of this affair might be withdrawn from the Congregation De propaganda fide, and fubmkted to the holy office or Inquifition, to whofe * Clementis-Papse XII. Revcc^tio, annullati*, & cafTatio duarum epiitolarum paitoralium bon. .mem. Francifci epifcopi -Pekinenfis nuper de- .funfti circa res Sinenfes editariun. H 4 cog- 104 OF THE CHRISTIAN cognizance by right it belonged. His requeft was granted. This change of his judges was of great confequence to him. The Jefuits had more pa- trons than friends in the Congregation than in the Inquifition, where their old adverfaries the Dominicans prevail. As foon as he had put his caufe into the hands he wiflied to have it in, he left nothing undone to profecute it with the utmoft vigour. The account he gives himfelf of his importunate and indefatigable application is fo natural, that one cannot but admire his inte- grity; and he feems to have effected at leafl as much by unwearied impor- tunities, as by ftrength of reafoning. He was inceffantly begging, attending, writing, remonflrating and inftructing. Even the Pope himfelf was not a day Jfree from his company. He was con- ftantly attending the cardinals, the af- feffors, ancj the counfellors of the holy office. CHURCH IN CHINA. 105 office. Not a clerk of the court was overlooked in his folicitation. Not- withftanding all this, his progrefs was not equal to his endeavours. The Pope was willing, that, in an affair of this importance, the judges fhould deter- mine nothing nattily. He particularly enjoined, as his fuccefibr informs us, that all the clergy refiding in Rome, who had been in China y and all the young Chinefe, who were come to Rome for inftru&ion and education, Ihould be heard, and judicially examined. This required a confiderable time, and CJe- ment the twelfth did not furvive the inquiry. Benedict the fourteenth, who now fills the chair, was elected in his room. This prelate is faid to be lefs favour- ably inclined to the Jefuits, than to any other order under his jurifdiction. His conduct hitherto has confirmed this opinion so6 OF THE CHRISTIAN opinion of him. Poor Caftorani how- ever feems to have found it a difficult matter to bring him over to his fide. He even fubje&ed himfelf to a fevere penalty, if ever they fhould convict him of deceit or mifreprefentation. At length, after feven years impatience, the happy day appeared, for which he had been fo earnestly labouring. Benedict the fourteenth, in the year 1742, iffucd the famous bull, which begins with the words Ex quo Jlngulari^ &c. It was finifhed on the eleventh of June, and jffued out the ninth of Auguft *. The * // 'was pxblijhed at Rome from the jrinthig-- effice of the apoftolical chaniber t under the title, Confirmatio & innovatio conftitutionis, incipi- entis : Ex ilia die; a Clemente Papa XI. in caufa jituum feu csremoniarum Sinenfium editse, nee .non revocatio, refciffio, aholitio, caflatio, annul- latio ac Jamnatio permifllonum fuper iifden*' ri- rtibus feu csremoniis in quadam paftorali epiltola .Caroli Ambrofii Mediobarbaj, patriarchal Alex- .andrini, olim commiflarii & vifitatoris apoilolici in Sinarum imperio contentarum, cum prsefcrip- tione nova: formula; juramenti per miffionarios -illarum parti um prgsfentes & futures praeltandi. only CHURCH IN CHINA, 107 only thing omitted in this fevere law, to expofe and mortify the Jefuits and their adherents, is the mention of their name. But it is eafy to apprehend whom his Holinefs points at, when he fpeaks of a difobedient, crafty, mali- cious and infidious fet of men. He revokes, annuls, abolifiies, rejects and totally condemns the indulgences of Mezzabarba, as tenets extorted from the patriarch under the apprehenfion of a violent death, never approved by the holy fee, and contradictory to the bull of Pope Clement the eleventh, and commands them to be confidered no otherwife, than as if they had never been granted. He denounces his heavy dik pleafure and all the punimments which the church ufually inflicts upon the tranfgreflbrs of her laws, againft the clergy of every rank, and the Jefuits in particular, if they ihould prefume to 108 OF THE CHRISTIAN to depart in the leaft degree from the conftitution Ex ilia die. He enjoins the fuperiors of every order of monks immediately to expel thofe members of their fociety, who mould dare to violate his ordinance, and to recal them to Europe, that they might be duly puniflied. In the laft place he pre- fcribes an oath, by which all mifiion- aries in China oblige themfelves ftrictly to adhere to the bull of Clement the eleventh, and by no means to fuffer their converts to obferve any of the ceremonies permitted by Mezzabarba. The conclufion of the bull is with fome authority faid to be penned by the Pope himfelf. The language of it is ftrong, edifying, pathetic, apoftolical, and well worthy of a great prelate. " We hope f c in God," fays he, among other things, " that the preachers of the gofpel in " China will banifh from their breafts " that CHURCH IN CHINA, 109 " that groundlefs apprehenfion, that 44 the converfion of infidels will be 4 in the leaft retarded by a ftrid ob- " fervation of our decrees. The cojn- 44 verfion of heathens depends prin- * cipally upon the grace of God; " and the grace of God will infal- 4t libly aflift the labours of thofe mi- 44 nifters of the gofpel, who preach the 44 truths of the chriftian religion bold- " ly, and in that purity, in which tbey 44 are delivered to them by the apoftolical " fee t being ready to lay down their 44 lives for the honour of the gofpel, 41 according to the example of the holy 44 apoftles and other eminent martyrs, " whofe blood, fo far from retarding * 4 the progrefs of chriftianity, rather 44 improved the vineyard, and produ- 44 ced a plentiful harveft of believers." Next he puts them in mind of the na- ture of their call. " Be mindful, as < 4 you iio O TrfE CHRISTIAN you are true difciples of Jefus Chriflj " that he hath not fent you to worldly " joys, but to a difficult combat; not to * c the pofleilion of honours, but to re- " proach and contempt > not to an in-* " aftive, but laborious life j not to in^ lt dulge your eafe, but to bring forth " much fruit with patience." In or- der to underftand the meaning of this Jaft admonition, the reader muft re- prefent to himlelf the Court - Jefuits at Pe-king, drefled in the fumptuous robes of Mandarines, with a dragon on their bread, and enjoying all the honours, dignities, privileges, revenues and conveniences, which the Empe^ ror's favour or their own lervices could procure them. To miflionaries in thefe circumftances, fo full of the power and wifdom of this world, the exhortation of the Pope feems in the higheft degree expedient. This CHURCH IN CHINA. ni This latter part of our memoirs muft be matter of great admiration to thofe, who read it attentively. Caftorani a poor mendicant friar, whom the Jefuits had caufed to be fettered with nine chains, engages in a eonteft with the* moft powerful fociety in the church of Rome, with that fociety, btforc whom the Pope hrmfelf and Kings have been 1 made to tremble, and not only gains tne vi&ory, but expofes and humbles them in a manner they had never be- fore experienced. Such is the mifchief the meaneft and moil impotent enemy k capable of effecting, when either de- fpiied or too heavily oppreikd ! We feem now to be arrived at the end of the Cbinefe controverfy, which has laded upwards of an hundred years. And doubtlefs here i: mult have ter- minated, had any other order in the eh u red m OF THE CHRISTIAN church of Rome, but that of the Jefuits been the parties concerned. But this fbciety is not fo eafily difheartened by bulls from the bifhops of Rome. They have always a fund of inventions in referve, whereby to evade or repair all the damage a Pope can inflict. It is currently reported, that they pay no more regard to this bull of Benedict the fourteenth, than to that of Clement the eleventh, and continue to permit their converts to do that which the Pope fo exprefsly forbids. Another Fraflcif- can deputy is arrived at Rome within the lad year or two, from China, loaded with authentic evidence and teftimony of the contumacy of the Jefuits, and of the calamities they bring upon their op- pofers. Perhaps this may produce a third bull againft them, and the third bull may poffibly hurt the two former by its vehemrnce. The Roman theatre is fubjec~fc CHURCH IN CHINA: n 3 fubjec~t to many changes, and it is a thing not unufual entirely to drop the beft laws, in order to fave the pains and trouble of executing them. Mat- ters feem at leaft to be ripening for a new fcene in this celebrated drama. The Jefuits are gradually infmuating themfelves into the ftrong and advan- tageous fituation they were in at the court of Pe~king> in the reign of the? Emperor Cam-hi. His fucceflbr Tong- Tching^ who perfecuted the chriftian re- ligion, and favoured the Jefuits merely for his own purpofes, died in the year 1737. Ki en-Long, one of his fons, mounted the throne in his ftcad. He was but twenty-five years of age when 1 the empire fell into his hands, and be- gan his reign with various acts of cle- mency. The Bcnzees were the only body of men that experienced his dif-. pleafure. He exprefied his zeal againft- VOJL. II, I them j i 4 OF THE CHRISTIAN them in a public writing, in which he cautions his fubjefts againft their vices and deceits *. He gently revoked the orders iffued by his father againft the chriftians and their teachers, and re- ftored the church in China in great meafure to her former profperity and peace. And as to the Jefuits, he gave them frelh encouragement, embraced eagerly every opportunity of fhewing them favour, and did this, to an ex- traordinary degree, of his own accord without any felicitation of theirs. This difpofition of his to thofe cunning and ingenious ecclefiaftics is faid to improve with his years. What will become of their antagonifls, and of the bull Ex quo fmgularii if they gain as abfolute an afcendant over the heart of this Mo- * Lettres edifiantes & curieufes ecrites des inifiions etrangeres, Tom. XXIII. Preface, Page iv, v, vi. narch, CHURCH IN CHINA. 115 narch, as they enjoyed over that of his grandfather ? To this profperity the Jefuits received an acceffion about three years ago, which they had long wifhed for, and folicited in vain at the court of Rome. They have made it their endeavour for many years pad, to get all the bifhopricks in the heathen countries into their own hands, that they might referve to them- felves the fole power over their con- verts, and have a check upon the other mifiionaries, who are not of their fo- ciety. Some of the vacant fees they have been promoted to through the intereft of the kings of Portugal, who have obtained the power of nominating the bilhops of Afia. The Popes have conftantly refitted their moft prefling applications for the bifhopricks in Chi- na, particularly for that of Pe-king. I 2 His iz6 OF THE CHRISTIAN Hisprefenr Holinefs is doubtlefs of the fame opinion with his predeceflbrs in this refpeft. Notwithftanding this, in the year 1745, he promoted a Jefuit to the fee of Pe-king with ail its ex- tenfive jurifdiction. This prelate was a Portuguefe, named Polycarp de Sou- za, recommended with the warmed importunity by Don Emanuel de Sam- pajo, the Portuguefe ambaflador. And the Pope, though he feems to fear as welt as to hate the fociety of Jefuits, yet upon many accounts honours his Portuguefe Majefty i therefore the fame Benedict the fourteenth, who had fo heavily mortified that fociety by his bull Ex quo Jingiilari^ did what none of his predeceflbrs thought it prudent to do, he accepted the recommendation of a Jefuit. What can be expected in thefe circumftances ? The Jefuits being at prefent as powerful in the church, CHURCH IN CHINA. 117 church, as at the court of Pe-king, it is eafy to conjecture the fate of their adverfaries, and of the bull, in which they are fo effectually expofed. The attentive reader will draw many ufeful inferences from the facts here related. How fick and feeble is the head of the church of Rome-! How- powerful and refractory are the orders, over which fhe pretends to an abfolute fway ! How little regard is paid to the Pope by that fociety, which is bound to pay him the greateft! How much divifion and difcord do we obferve in a church which boafts of her unity and peace ! How miferably diftracted is the court of Rome! How many arts are invented ta elude the ftrongeft decrees of the Pope ! How frequent is the change of thofe conftitutions, which ought to be immutable ! How inconve- I 3 nient u8 OF THE CHRISTIAN, &c. nient and defective is the government of that church! Certainly if our Saviour fubjefled chriftians in all parts of the earth to the dominion and in- Jpeclion of a fingle bifhop, he has laid a duty upon one man, to which an hundred are not equal, and has chofen one of the moft imperfect forms of government. Gottingen, April 6, 174$. ' JOHN LAURENCE DE MOSHEIM, POST- POSTSCRIPT. J)T way 0f fupplement to the foregoing account, we Jhatt inform the rea- der that fines the year 1737, when the Emperor KIEN-LONG mounted the throne, and the Jefuits entertained fucb fanguiw hopes , thofe fathers have given us Jixfuc- ceffive volumes of letters relating to their mi]Jions. From thefe we/hall extra ft ajhort account of all that has befallen them in China Jince that period. ,e,d us with the death of their old enemy the Emperor YONG-TCHING, and with ths commencement of the new reign, in which the Jefuits hoped to recover their former influence [as is mentioned above in p. 114.] How far thefe expectations have been an~ fwered we Jhall learn from the following volumes. Tom. XXI V,publijhed 1739, contains I 4 nothing 120 POSTSCRIPT. , -nothing particular relating to the Chinefe miffion, but Tom. XXV, publijhed 1741, opens with informing us that the hopes the mif- fionaries had entertained from the new Emperor were fr uprated -, that in 1738 a new perfecution had been raifed againft the chr$ians' t that the Chinefe were under heavy penalties forbidden to depart from the rites of their ance/lors, and that many of the miflionaries had been driven from their lurking places in the provinces. We find however ', that fuch of them as wei-e, employed in the Emperor's fervice at Pe- kingi continued unmolejied y and were even, permitted to intercede for their brethren, though their arguments were not able to divert theftorm. It ought to be obferved y that although the Jefuits would fain have, thefe placed to the fcore of religion, the Chinefe government conjlantly affirmed that it was, not chriftianity, but the violation f>f their Iaivs 3 which they meant to punijh: and POSTSCRIPT. 121 ?nd as they could have no inducement to diffemble or conceal their real motives^ I forft fee why we Jhould not believe them. If religion itfdf bad been the objeft of their vengeance^ no reafon can be afjigned c j.by the Chinefe within their own empire fooidd not openly declare it. Tom. *KXNl,publifhed 1743, informs us of the death of P. PARRENIN an an- cient Jefuit mijfionary^ and of the me part of a compofition by trees, or other intermediate objects. This natu- rally excites the curiofity of the fpec- tator to take a nearer view ; when he is furprized by fome unexpected fcene, or fome reprefentation totally oppofite to the thing he looked for. The termination of their lakes they al- ways 142 OF THE GARDENS ways hide, leaving room for the ima- gination to work j and the fame rule they obferve in other compofitions, wherever it can be put in practice. Though the Cbinefe are not well ver- fed in optics, yet experience has taught them that objccls appear lefs in fize, and grow dim in colour, in proportion as they are more removed from the eye of the fpectator. Thefe difcoveries have given rife to an artifice, which they fometimes put in practice. It is the forming profpefls in perfpeclive, by in- troducing buildings, vefiels, and other objects, leflened according as they are more diftant from the point of view -, and that the deception may be ilill more ftriking, they give a greyifh tinge to the diftant parts of the compofition, and plant in the remoter parts of thefe icenes trees of a fainter colour, and fmaller growth, than thofe that appear in the front, or fore-ground; by thefe means rendering what OF THE CHINESE. 143: what in reality is trifling and limited* great and confiderable in appearance. The Chimfe generally avoid ftraight lines ; yet they do not abfokitely reject them. They fometimes mak avenues, when they have any interesting object to expofe to view. Roads they always make ftraight, unlefs the unevennefs of the ground, or other impediments, af- ford at leaft a pretext for doing other- wife. Where the ground is entirely level, they look upon it as an abfurdity to make a ferpentine road ; for they fay y that it muft either be made by art, or worn by the eonftant pafiage of travel- 1-ers : in either of which cafes it is not natural to fuppofe men would chufe a crooked line,, when they might go by a ftraight one. What we callclumps, the CHnefcsps- deners are not unacquainted with -, but they ufe th^ni fomewhat more fparingly than 144 OF THE GARDENS, &c. than we do. They never fill a whole piece of ground with clumps ; they con- fider a plantation as painters do a pic- ture, and groupe their trees in the fame manner as thefe do their figures, having their principal and fubfervient mafles. This is the fubflance of what I learnt during my flay in China, partly from my own obfervation, but chiefly from the leffons of Lepqua. And from what has been faid it may be inferred, that the art of laying out grounds after the Chi- mfe manner is exceedingly difficult, and not to be attained by perfons of narrow intellects: for tho'the precepts are fimple and obvious, yet the putting them in execution requires genius, judgment, and experience, a ftrong imagination, and a thorough knowledge of the human mind: this method being fixed to no certain rule, but liable to as many va- riations as there are different arrange- ments in the works of the creation. A DE- A DESCRIPTION O F T H E EMPEROR of CHINA'S GARDENS and PLEASURE-HOUSES Near P E - K i N G. VOL. If. ADVERTISEMENT. French original from which tbs following piece is tranjlated may be found in the 2;th Recueil O/LETTRES edifiantes & curieufes &c. Paris 1749. 1 2 mo. A great fart of this tranjlation was fnifhed before the editor was apprized that a former one had been publijhed in 1752 under the name of Sir Harry Beaumont. Whatever advantages that verfwn may have over this, it may be neceffary to men- tion that the laft twenty pages of the origi- nal are omitted in if, and fame other paf- fages elfewhere: which, tho? they only relate to the affairs of the miffion, were judged too curious to be wholly fupprefled, as the Reader will be apt to inquire upon what footing the Jefuits remain at prefent in China. L z [ H9 ] A DESCRIPTION O F T H E EMPEROR of CHINA'S GARDENS and PLEASURE-HOUSES Near P E - K i N G, in a Letter from Frere Attiret, of the Society of Jefus, Painter to the Emperor of China, to Motifeur and their lodgings are always on one fide at fome fmall diftance. Thefe are plain and ordinary enough, and for that reafon are always concealed by the end of fome wall, by fome little hill, or the like. The canals are crofled by bridges at proper diftances, to render the com- munication between one place and an- other eafy. Thefe bricges are com- monly of brick or hewn (lone: but are fome of them of wood, and all fufficientiy elevated to leave free pafiage under for the barks. Th-y are guarded with baluftrades of white marble curioufly wrought and VOL. II. M fculptured 162 THE EMPEROR's GARDES fculptured in bas-relief: but are all of different conftruftion from each other. You are not to imagine that thefebridges run in right lines: far from it; they are made fo winding and ferpentine, that a bridge, which if it were extend- ed in a ftraight direction would not ex- ceed thirty or forty feet; by its contours and turnings lhall be found to reach above two hundred. There are fome, which either in the middle, or at the end, have little pavilions by way of refting- places, fupported by four, eight, or fixteen columns. Thefe pavilions are generally creeled on fuch bridges, as (land in the mod advantageous points of view. Others have at the two ends triumphal arches of wood or white mar- ble, of moft beautiful ftructure, but ex- tremely unlike any thing we arc ac- cuftomed to fee in Europe. I have faid above, that the canals and AND PLEASURE HOUSES. 163 and rivers difcharge their ftreams into lakes and meres. There is one of thefe lakes, that is near half a league dia-. meter every way, to which they have given the name of Sea. It forms one of the moft beautiful fcenes in the whole inclofure. Around this piece of water, are feen upon the banks, at eafy dif- tances, great ranges of building, fepa- rated from one another by the canals, and by thofe artificial mountains, which have been defcribed above. But what is really the * jewel of the whole, is an ifland or rock, which riles out of the middle of this lake in a rugged and wild manner, about two yards above the furface of the water. Upon this rock is built a little palace; which yet contains more than a hun- dred apartments. It hath four fronts, and for beauty and tafte, exceeds all * Bijou. M 2 dc- 164 THE EMPEROR's GARDENS defcription. The profpeft is admirable. From hence one fees all the palaces,. which are placed in the intervals round the edges of this water; all the moun- tains, which there terminate; all the canals, which there either receive or difcharge their ftreams; al! the bridges, which are at the extremities, or mouths of thefe canals; all the pavilions or triumphal arches which adorn thefe bridges ; all the * little woods or clumps^ which feparate or cover all the palaces, in order to prevent thofe which are fituate on the fame fide from being fec-n from each other. The borders of this charming lake are infinitely varied. No one fpot re- fcmbles another : here are quays of hewn Hone, on which are galleries, walks and paths. There are qu^ys of Thickets. rude AND PLEASURE-HOUSES. 165 rude pebbles, formed into a kind of fteps with all imaginable artj or elfe beautiful terrafles, having on each fide a ftep to mount to the buildings, which they fupport; and beyond thefe terrafles, are erected others, with new ranges of buildings in the form of amphitheatres. In another place prefents itfelf a wood of fuch trees, as bear flowers : a little farther you find a thicket of wild treea, fuch as only grow on the moft defert mountains. Here are trees of the moft lofty and towering kinds, and thofe ufed in building. There are fo- reign trees, trees in blofifom, and fruit trees. One finds alfo upon the banks of this lake, a great number of cages and pavilions, half in the water and -half on land, for all forts of water- fowls 5 as upon land one meets frotn M time 1 66 THE EMPEROR's GARDENS time to time with little menageries and parks for game. Above all there is held in the higheft efteem a kind of golden fim: being covered almoft all over with a colour mining like gold ; not but there are found a great number of filver, blue, red, green, violet, black and fpeckled ones : and even of all thefe colours mixed together. There are many refervoirs all over the garden, but this is the moft confiderable : a great part of 'it is furrounded with a very fine grate of brafs wire to prevent thefe fifh from ipreading themfelves promifcuoufly all over the water, To make you more fenfible of the entire beauty of this fmgle fpot, I wifli I could tranfport you there, when the lake is covered with the barks finely gilt and varnifhed, rowing either for pleafure or exercife, or for the purpofe of AND PLEASURE-HOUSES. 167 eror began his reign. employ AND PLEASURE-HOUSES. 187 employ in writing to you now. Be- fides, for this purpofe, I ought to have had free accefs to the gardens, as oft as I chofe it, with leave to remain there, as long as was necefiary. it is well for me that I have acquired fome fkill in painting: but for this I might, like many other Europeans, have lived twen- ty or thirty years at Pe-king, without ever fetting foot within this charming place. There is but one man here, and that is the Emperor. All pleafures are made for him alone. This fuperb houfe of pleafure is only fcen by hinv felf, his women and his eunuchs ; it is but feldom that his princes or gran- dees are admitted into his gardens, or even his palaces, farther than the halls of audience. Of all the Europeans^ which are here, it is only the painters and iSS THE EMPEROR's GARDENS and clock-makers, that have ever ac- cefs to thefe retirements : and their employments neceflarily procure them admittance every where. The place, where we commonly paint, is one of thofe little palaces, which I have de- icribed above: and there the Em- peror comes to fee us work almoft every day, fo that there is no pofiibility of being abfent. But we are not ad- mitted farther, unlefs what we have to paint cannot be conveyed to us, and then we are conducted to the place under a large efcorte of eunuchs. We are obliged to march quick and with- out noife, upon tip-toe, as if we were going to commit a theft. In this man- ner I have feen and gone over this whole delightful garden : and in this manner I have entered all the apart- ments. The Emperor refides here about ten months every year. It is near AND PLEASURE-HOUSES. 189 near as far from Pe-king, as from Ver- failles to Paris*. We fperd the day in the garden, and dine there at the Emperor's expence : at night we retire to a houfe, which we have bought in a pretty large city or town, near the palace. When the Emperor goes back to the capital, we return with him, and then we are during the day within the palace, and at night we retire to our own [the French'] church. Thus, fir, I have defcribed a placi? which has not been mentioned in any printed account, and concerning which you had fome reafon to complain of my referring you thither. It only re- mains that I anfwer your queries on the other articles. You would know then, in what manner I was received by the Emperor ; upon what footing I am with him; what fubjects I am * About ten Englijh milss, employed 190 THE EMPEROR's GARDENS employed in painting j what lodgings and provifions are affigned us ; how the miilionaries are treated-, whether they preach without interruption; whe- ther the Cbinefe are permitted to profefs the chriftian religion-, and laftly, what is the nature of the new brief, concern- ing the Cbinefe ceremonies, iflued out by the holy fee. Thus have you cut me out a good deal of work. I know rot whether I fhall have leifure to per- form it all. I had better compound with you, and to referve one half for the eniuing year. I was received by the Emperor of Clina> as well as a ft ranger can expect to be by a prince, who thinks himfelf the only iovereign in the world ', who is bred up, fo as to have no fenfibi- lity or feeling for any other being ; who looks upon any one, efpecially a ftranger, as too happy, in being per- mitted AND PLEASURE-HOUSES. 19* mitted to enter into his fervice and to- work for him. For to be admitted into the Emperor's prefence ; to fee him often and to eonverfe with him ; is to a Cbinefe the higheil pitch of human felicity, the fummum bonum. They would buy this favour at any price, if it were to be purchafed. Judge then, if they may not well think me- fufficiently rewarded for all my labours by being admitted to fee him every day. It is indeed almoft the only pay that I have received, if you except fome little prefents of filk and otheF things of fmall value; and even thefe come but feldom : it may well be thought then, that it was not profit that brought me to China, or that keeps me here. To tug at the oar from day to day ; to have fcarce the Sundays or feftivals left for my devotions; to paint nothing agreeably to my own tafte or genius : to have a thoufand other diffi- 2- culties- i 9 2 THE EMPEROR's GARDENS culties too long to explain : all this would quickly drive me back to Eu- rope, if I did not think my pencil fub- fervient to religion, and likely to render the Emperor favourable to the mif- fionaries, who preach it : if I did not fee paradife at the end of all my pains and labours. This is the only allure- ment, which retains me here, as well as all the other Europeans who are in the Emperor's fervice *. With regard to painting, except the * The proteftant reader will remember that it is a Jefuit here who tells his own ftory, and whatever his real motives are, will take care that none but the mofl plaufible (hall appear to the world. Other writers who have examined into the conduft of thefe gentlemen more narrow- ly, will tell a very different tale, for which I need only refer the reader to the accounts of fome of their brother miflionaries. See a curious col- kdion of tracls intitled, " Caufa Sinenjisfeu va- ria fcripta de cullibus Sinarum, &c. oblata Inno centio XII. Colonize 1700. $vo. See allo chan- cellor MoJbeMt traft printed at the beginning of this volume. portraits AND PLEASURE-HOUSES. 193 portraits of the Emperor's brother and his wife, of fome other princes and princeffes of the blood, and of fome of the Emperor's favourites, and great lords, I have painted nothing in the the European tafte. I was obliged to' forget, if I may fo fay, every thing I had formerly learnt, and to bring my hand to a new manner, in order to conform myfelf to the tafte of this na- tion : fo that I have been employed three fourths of my time, in painting, either in oil upon glafs, or in water colours upon filk, fruits, birds, fifties and beafts of all kinds ; but, feldom according to the life. The portraits of the Emperor and Emprefs had been painted before my arrival by a brother of our order, named Caftiglione, an Italian painter of great (kill, with whom I pafs a great part of my time. Every fubjecT: that we undertake is VOL. II. O pre- I 9 4 THE EMPEROR's GARDENS prefcribed us by the Emperor; who examines the defigns, as Toon as we have fketched them out, and makes us change and reform them as he pleafes. Whether the correction is for the better or the worfe, we muft fubmit to it without remonflrance. Here the Em- peror knows every thing, or at lead flattery allures him he does, and per- haps he believes it ; for he always acts, as if he did. We are here tolerably well lodged ior perfons of a religious order: our houfes are as neat and commodious, as is confident with the ftrictnefs of out religious profeflion. In this refpecl, we have no reafon to complain. Our pro- vifions are not amifsj and except in the article wine, our table is furniilied much the fame as in Europe. The Chinefe drink a kind of wine made of rice, but it is difagree:.ble to the AND PLEASURE-HOUSES. 195 tafte and prejudicial to the health : in- ftead of this, we drink tea without fu- gar, which is our only beverage. The fubject of religion requires a better pen than mine. Under the Em- peror's grandfather, chriftianity was openly preached throughout the em- pire : there were in all the provinces a great number of miffionaries of every order and country. Each had his di- flrict and church. They preached pub- licly in them, and the Chinefe were free- ly permitted to embrace our religion. After the death of this prince, his fon expelled all the mifiionaries out of the provinces, con fifcated their churches, and only allowed the Europeans to re- main in the capital, as perfons ufeful to the ftate by their fkill in the mathe- matics and other arts and fciences. The reigning Emperor hath let things con- 196 THE EMPEROR's GARDENS tinue upon the farce footing, nor have we yet been able to obtain the leaft al- teration in our favour. Many of the miflionaries, who were expelled, have fecretly returned into the provinces: and others newly ar- rived have followed them in pretty large numbers. They keep themfelves concealed there, as well as they can, they cultivate their millions, and do all the good in their power, taking proper precautions not to be difcover- ed, and never performing their functions but by night. As we are publicly tolerated in the capita], our miflionaries there exercife their miniftry without referve. We have there three churches, one belong- ing to the French Jefuits, and two others belonging to the Jefuits of Portugal,, Italy > Germaty, &c. Thefe churches AND PLEASURE-HOUSES. 197 are built after the European manner, beautiful, large, well ornamented and painted, and fuch as would do honour to the greateft cities of Europe. There is at Pe-king a very large number of chriftians, who attend our churches with all freedom. We go into the city to fay mafs and adminifler the facraments at proper times to the wo- men, who, according to the laws of the country, are not permitted to go from home or to mix with men in the churches. The miflionaries are indulged in this liberty at the capital, becaufe the Emperor knows very well that the only motive which brings us hither is religion, and that if they fhut up our churches and deprived the mif- fionaries of the liberty of preaching and performing their functions, we mould quickly quit China ; which is what he would not chufe. Such of our fathers as lurk in the provinces are O i nnt 198 THE EMPEROR's GARDENS not fo thoroughly concealed, but that the Mandarines might detect them if they would : but they (hut their eyes, becaufe they know upon what footing we are received at the capital, If by mifchance we mould be fent away, the mifiionaries in the provinces would be foon difcovered and fent after us. Our figure is too different from that of the Cbinefe to remain long unobferved *. With regard to the progrefs, which our religion makes here, I have al- ready told you that we have three churches and two and twenty Jefuits; ten of the French nation in our French houfe, and twelve in the other houfes, who are Porfuguefe, Italians and Ger- * After this follows a paragraph, wherein the writer aflures his correfpondent of the implicit obedience paid by the Jefuit miflionaries to the fee of Rome, which, the impartial Reader, who confiders the fa&s produced in the Memoirs at the beginning of this volume, will not be over hafty in believing. mans, AND PLEASURE-HOUSES. 199 mans. Of thefe twenty-two Jefuits feven are employed, like myfelf, in the Em- peror's fervice. The others arc priefts, and confequently mifilonaries. They have under their care not only the million eftablifhed in the city of Pe~ king) but alfo a diftrict of forty or fifty leagues round, wherein they make from time to time apoftolic excurfions. Befides thefe European fathers, there are alfo here five Chinese Jefuits, who have received priefts orders, and go into houfes and places, where an Eu- ropean cannot go without danger or indecorum. There are beftdes thefe in the feveral provinces between thirty and forty miflionaries, reckoning Je- fuits and others. Within this city and the diftrift abovementioned, our French houfe baptizes conftantly every year between five and fix hundred grown perfons, and about twelve or thirteen O 4 hundred zoo THE EMPEROR's GARDENS hundred infants belonging to infidel parents *. Our Portuguese fathers, who are more numerous, than the French, baptize a greater number of idolaters: accordingly they reckon in this fmgle province and in ^artary^ between twen- ty-five and thirty thoufand chriftians : whereas in our French million we only reckon about five thoufand -f. I believe it is high time, fir, for the con- * It is cuftomary with the Cbinefe, when they have more children than they can conveniently bring up, to expofe their new-born infants in the ftreets, leaving them to perifh : the miffionaries baptize fuch of thefe as they find not quite dead. f In the original are four pages more, where- in the writer gives an account of the miraculous recovery of a young Chinefe woman, who afier having been at the point of death, and given over, was, upon receiving baptifm, wonder- fully reftored to health, which any perfon is at liberty to believe, if he pleafes. But this and all fuch miracles every perfon of reflection will call in doubt, till the miffionaries can fhew figns, lefs equivocal, than the recovery of a few fick AND PLEASURE-HOUSES. 201 convenience of us both, that I fhould put an end to this letter, which has run out to a greater length than I at firft intended. I wifh it may afford you pleafure, and Ihouid be very gbd if it were in rny power to teftify my perfect efteem for you by fomething more confiderable. I can only offer up my prayers for you. I beg alfo to be remembered in yours ; and am, with great relptfr, Sir, Your moll humble, and moil obedient fervant, ATTIRET, Jefuit. perfons, fuch for inftance as the gift of lan- guages, which would be of infinite ufe to them in their foreign miffions, and ought to be the firft miracle they fhould lay claim to, if they would have us pay any regard to their pretenfjons, or confider them as true followers of thofe apoftles who certainly were poflefTcd of it. THE END OF THE DESCRIPTION, A DESCRIPTION O F T H E Solemnities obferved at PE-KING, WHEN THE EMPEROR'S Mother entered on the Sixtieth Year of her Age. "ADVERTISEMENT, 7~7/ French original of the following piece was fublijhed four years ago in the 2$th Recueil 0/Lettres edifiante&et curieufes, &c. Paris 1758. i2rno. p. 1 7 1 . & fuiv. Bejides the defcripticn of theft fclenmi- ties, which are the main fu l je5t of this letter, the Reader will find in it a very fatisfaffcry account cf the footing en which the Jefuits continue at prefent in China. And ly comparing this with fome of the foregoing articles ,he will have great in- fight into the temper and pratf:ces of that fcciety. When thefe gentlemen would &c- cite tcmp.'JJlon and rcifi contributions ca their vcttiries, then we have mcft lamsnt- able defcripticns cf the perfecuticm and fuffcrings tley undergo for the fake cf Chrift\ then their f:tuc.tion in China is repre- 206 ADVERTISEMENT. reprefented in the moft unfavourable light ^ and their continuance there is meerly for the fake of the gofpel. At other times 'when they would ajfume an air of impor- tance, and magnify the power of their order , then we are given to under/land what weight they have in the Chinefe court ; then they have the ear of the Em- per or himfelf, then the Mandarines their enemies are obliged to do them honour whe- ther they will or not , and the gofpel tri- umphs in their perfons over the power of darknefs. Whereas the real truth of the cafe is, the Jefuit miffwnaries are confidered at the Chinefe court in any other light rather than in that of religionifts ; they are there upon the footing meerly of artificers and mathematicians - t the gofpel is no way concerned either in their rewards or pu- mjhments. It appears from their own ac- counts that they are very little regarded; and nctwithftanding the infinuations they endeavcur ADVERTISEMENT. 207 endeavour to give of their importance* and tie fains they take to render them- felves neceffary to the Chinefe court, we find they are more felicitous to keep them- fehes there^ than even the Emperor is te retain them. They are held too cheap, to excite the hatred or envy of the Chinefe Mandarines i as they would have us be- lieve. Nor is it their religion that is the objecl of the public attention. It is con- trary to the Chinefe laws for ftr angers te intrude into the empire without permijfion 9 and fucb when caught are Jure to ,be pit- nijhed : it is contrary to the Chinefe laws for natives to negletl the objervance of certain rites, and fitch when detefted muft incur the penalties : all this is performed by the cool difpajfionate hand of the magiftrate, and the religion of the culprit is no part of the confederation. As a proof of this, fucb miffwnaries as are retained in the Em- peror's fervice> and have his permiffion to refidc ao8 ADVERTISEMENT. refide in China, may excrcife what religion they pleafe, and make what profdytes they will among the natives within their di- ftrift, provided thefe natives conform In other rsfpeffs to the Chinefe rites, which ly their nice diftinflions the good fathers lave rendered wry compatible with their chrijiianity. A DE- 1 209 ] A DESCRIPTION OF THE Solemnities obferved at PE-KING,* WHEN THE EMPEROR'S Mother entered or* the Sixtieth Year of her Age. In a letter from P. Amyot a jefuit noifllonary, to P. Attart of the fame fociety. Pe-king^ October 20. 1752. Reverend father, YOU muft have learnt from the letters of our miflionaries, and from the public news-papers, the pre^ lent ftate of religion in this country : VOL, II. P Taking yio SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR Taking it for granted then that you are fufficiently informed on this head, I fhall at prefent confine myfelf to a relation of my voyage from Can- ton to Pe-king, and of what I have feen moft wonderful in this capital of the empire. On the fixteenth of December 1 750, the Jefuits who refide here prefented a petition to the Emperor, in which they informed him of the arrival of three of their brethren (two Portuguefe Je- fuits and myfelf) adding that the know- ledge we had of the European fciences, and among the reft of mathematics, inufic and pharmacy, might be of ufe, if it pleafed his Majefty to fend for us to the capital. That Prince gracioufly confented to their defires. He even ordered the three Europeans whom they had mentioned to him, to be brought at his own expence. The Emperor's plea fu re OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER, air pleafure was fignified to the tribunals at Pe-king. Thefe. gave notice to the Viceroy of Canton, and enjoined him to provide every thing neceflary for our journey, informing him that it was his Majefty's intention that we mould be treated according to the ancient rites. There is no doubt but the infidels, who had applauded themfelves on the perfecution of the church, muft fee with regret the minifters of the gofpel called to court. Neverthelefs thofe who had in charge to conduct us, obeyed the orders they had received without reply or delay: and towards the be- ginning of March in the year 1751, i he Mandarines of Canton fent to the Procurator of Macao, as being the prefentative of the Europeans, to de- 'and, according to cuftom, if we ere arrived, and if we were in good P 2 health. 2i2 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR health. They alfo gave him in charge to intreat us to fix upon a day for our departure. As we had been informed of all that had paiTed at court concern- ing us, we had begun to take fome of the previous fteps neceffary for our journey, and our Chin efe habits were al- ready making. We returned for an- fwer therefore, that on March 28 we mould be ready to fet out for Canton. The day appointed being arrived , I had by this time pretty well inftructed and exercifed myfelf in the Cbinefe man- ners and forms of behaviour. It was repeated to me, what I had often heard, that this was a country where the greateft attention muft be paid to outward ob- fervances; that to fail in one of the leaft of thefe was almoft to commit a capital crime j and that a mifiionary, if he would gather any fruit, ought to be- very expert in them, otherwife he would not even obtain a hearing from the Chi- nefe, OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 213 nefe, who would regard him as a favage. More in China than any where elfe, it is necefiary to become all things to all men, in order to gain over men to Chrift. Towards three o'clock in the even- ing, accompanied by fuch of our fa- thers (as well French as Portuvuffi) as would do us that favour, we went down to the bark which was to tranfport us to Canton. Having taken our leaves of each other, we furrendered ourfelves up to Providence, and embarked in or- der to lie but two leagues farther on, cppofite to a guard-houfe, which was alfo the flation of fome Cbinefe Man- darines, who are fet there to guard the fir (I avenues into their country. This precaution of taking up ones lodging every evening near the houfe of fome perfon of authority, is neceflary to fe- cure one as well from the violence and P 3 fury, 214 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR fury, as from the fubtle addrefs of the robbers which fvvarm in thefe parts. Thefe fort of gentry perform here fuch wonderful feats, that even thofe who fuffer by them, would admire them, and could not help laughing, if it con- cerned any thing lefs than their for- tunes. We did not get to Canton till after five days gentle failing. The Viceroy difpenfed with our going in perfon to vifit him. Billets made up after the fafhion, and according to the ce- remonial of the country, acquitted us of this obligation, as well with regard to him as the other Mandarines. As we were to go from Canton to Pe- king at the expence of the Emperor, it was the Chinefe magiftracy that was to furnifh us with necefiaries. They \vere further required to appoint us a Mandarine to watch over our fafety upon OF THE EMPEROR'sMOTHER. 215 upon the road. Things are here ma- naged but flowJy. Sixty-four days e- lapfed before this affair could be brought to a conclufion. We were obliged to pafs all this time on board our barks, in the port of Canton, expo fed to all the heats of a broiling fun, and to the in- fection of a mud compofed of all forts of filth, which the reflux of the river leaves every day. At length on the firft of June 1751, they told us our affairs were finiflied; that our paflport was writ out; that our people were furnifhed for our neceffary expences ; and that one of the Man?- darines of the marine had order to pro- vide us barks ; for thofe in which we were at prefent were not proper for travelling, and did not belong to the Emperor. The next morning the barks were provided; the Mandarine who was to condud us came to prefent him- P. 4 Si6 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR felf; and towards evening we rowed northwards. I quitted with pleafure a refidence where my health had like to have fuffered a fad fhipwreck. From Can I on to Na#~cbangi I faw nothing that could deferve attention, except the mountain which feparates the province of Canton from that of Ktf.ng-fi. This mountain affords one of the mod charming views I ever beheld. It is broken and interfeded by mod delightful valleys, which are watered by innumerable little brooks and rivulets, Thefe brooks, after wind- ing for a confiderable fpace in a fer- pentine direction, at length unite to form a river, which carries fertility into the adjacent countries. A great road paved with flints, which nature hath formed of various colours, and to which the multitude of pafTengers hath given all the polifl) of the fined marble, crofTes this OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 217 this mountain for the pleafure and convenience of travellers. Men alone perform upon this road the office which beafts of burden difcharge elfe- \vhere. It is neceflary for them only to have upon their feet fhoes woven of a kind of cord peculiar to the coun- try : and, as it is the only paflage for thofe who don't chufe to continue their journey by water, or would confi- derably fhorten it, it is every day fre- quented by thoufands of people, fo that you would rather take it for a conti- nual market or fair, than for a public road. It requires a whole day to crofs this mountain, after which a perfon is at liberty either to continue his journey by land, or to re-imbark, as he pleafes. We chofe the latter, in order to go to Nan-chang. From Nan- clang to Pe-klng, I ex- perienced nothing but ill health, pain, and 2i 8 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR and bad roads. It took us up forty- five days to get thither. The Manda- rine, who efcorted us, fuffered us only to advance by very (hort ftages. More than once we intreated him to let us go a little falter: we always received from him the fame anfwer. " You are *' ftrangers, faid he, ignorant of our * c cuftoms. By the Emperor's order, " I have the charge of your preci- *' ous perfons : the weather is very hot, * c 1 am only careful not to expofe you " to diflempers. Befides, added he ; " they are only mean people, who can " travel with precipitation." We were obliged to feem contented with thefe reafons, and to refolve to bear with patience the tedioufnefs of the moft dif- agreeable paffage that can be conceived. For think not, that they travel here as in other places. Shut up in a litter, Jike a box, one is fcarce permitted, in order to take breath, to open little loop- holes, OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 219 holes, which are fcantily made in the two fides. When a perfon arrives at an inn to take refrefhment or repofe, it would be a monftrous indecency to go out, in order to feaft his eyes with whatever there might be curious in the place. Thus, in a journey of five hun- dred leagues, through one of the fined countries in the world, I have not feen enough to afford you entertainment for one quarter of an hour. On Sunday the twenty-fecond of Auguft, about noon, we arrived at Pe* king. Some of our fathers came to meet us two leagues from the city. They invited us to alight at the col- lege belonging to the Portuguese Jefuits, that we might convey ourfelves thence to the chapel of Monfigmur the $i{hop, where this prelate awaited our coming, cloathed in his pontifical habits. We had the honour to be preferred to him, i and 220 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR and to receive his benediction. The circumftances of the lad perfecution, and the prefent ftate of religion, afford- ed him moft pathetic and affecting terms, for a little difcourfe, which he addrefied to us: after which, to the found of Chinefe inftruments, he fung mafs, to thank Gcd for having brought him a reinforcement againft the com- mon enemy of mankind. Some days after pur arrival, \ve tranfported ourfelves to Ilai-tien (three leagues from Pc-king] where the court was at that time. The Ijrtarian lord, who is charged here with all affairs re- lating to us, gave notice to one of the Eunuchs of the prefence, that the Eu- ropeans^ who were newly arrived, were come with their brethren, to pay ho- mage to his Majefty and to offer him prefents. The Eunuch informed the pmperor of it ; and this Prince anfwer- Cd OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 221 ed after the accuftomed manner, in the three following words - t I know it: for here the Emperor always knows every thing. Then our prefents were fent in, and we were commanded to per- form the ceremonies prefcribed upon thefe occafions, which we executed in the following manner. In one of the courts, where we were ranged all in a line, with our faces turned towards the Emperor's apartment, we proftra- ted ourfelves all at once with great gravity, and in a profound and re- fpectful filence. Thrice we hit the ground with our foreheads. We got up, to go through the lame ceremony afrefli .< which we alfo performed a third time: after which we were com- manded to wait his Majefty's orders. After fome hours had pafTed away, they came to tell us that the Empe- ror hud done us the honour to ac- cept many of cur prefents, and had fenc us 222 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR us victuals from his table. At the fame time thefe were delivered to us, and we eat them {landing in the fame place, where we were. Thus ended the ce- remony of our reception into the Em- peror's ftrvice. After this we were at liberty to go and come as we thought proper. I pafled feveral days at firft in returning vifits, which I had received, and in feeing the curiofities of the country. I dcfcribe none of them here, becaufe I could only tell you, what a hundred others have faid before me, and what you will find in all the books, which treat of China. A folemnity, which does not often happen, and which is worthy of your curiolity, will 'afford me an opportunity of entertain- ing you in a more interefling manner. I only beg of you to recall to mind from time to time, in reading what follows, that I only relate what I have feen, fo that if you find any thing won- derful OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 223 derful and furprizing you may not be tempted to call it in doubt. It is in 'China an ancient cuftom to celebrate with great pomp the day when the Emperor's mother enters up- on the fixtieth year of her age. Some months before that day arrived, all the Tribunals of the capital, all the Viceroys and great Mandarines of the empire, had orders to prepare them- felves for the aforementioned ceremo- ny, the moft fplendid, that is ob- ferved in thefe parts. All the paint- ers, engravers, architects, and joiners of Pe-king and the neighbouring pro- vinces, were without intermifiion em- ployed for more than three months together in making, every one, the niceft works of his refpective art. Many other kinds of artifls had alfo employment. The bufmefs was to conftruct fomething that might charm the 224 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR the eyes of a delicate and voluptuous court, accuftomed to fee whatever is moft beautiful in the works of art brought from the four quarters of the globe. The decorations were to begin at one of the Emperor's houfes of p!ea- fure, which is at Tuen-min-yuen t and to terminate at the palace which is at Pe- king in the center' of the Tartarian city* thefe are diftant from each other, about four leagues. There are two roads which lead from one of thefe palaces to the other. The Emperor ordered that the prcceffion- fhould be made along that which runs by the river fide. Immediately all the preparations were turned towards that quarter. The Prince caufed new barks to be built nearly of the fame fize and form as our brigantines. The gilding and variety of colours, with which they were adorned, gave a dazzling fplen- dour. OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 225 dour. Thefe barks were intended to carry the Emperor, the Emprefs- mo- ther, and all the perfons of their re- tinue : but by an accident, which the Emperor hirrifelf forefaw, and which any perfons of good fenfe might have forefeen as well as he, they were of ho ufe. At Pe-king the cold is extream, and, as it was in the moft rigorous feafon of the year that the ceremony was to take place, it was natural to think that the river would not be navigable. Some Mandarines neverthelefs affured the Emperor that they could eafily furmount this difficulty. And they took the following method to effect it. By their appointment thoufands of Chinefe were employed night and day, fome in beating and agitating the water to prevent it from freezing, and others in breaking the ice, which VOL. II. C was 226 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR was formed from time to time in fpite of all the precautions of their com- rades; and in drawing it out of the bed of the river. This troublefome work lafted about three weeks, after which finding that the cold continually increafed, and that it would at length get the better of them, they yielded up the victory, and defifted from an cnterprize the moft daring that ever was. It coft its principal author only one year's income of his falary : a pu- nimment light enough in a country like this r where it is always a capital crime for perfons to be found inca- pable, or even lender an impofiibility of performing, what they have had the boldnefs to promife the Emperor : and where it coils him fo little to take off their heads. The barks then were declared ufelefs, and it was concluded to fubftitute fledges in their (lead. But all this while they had been working with OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 227 with incredible diligence at the embel- li foments that were to decorate the way by which the Emprefs-mother was to pafs. And thefe were nearly what I am going to defcribe. On the two banks of the river were creeled buildings of different forms. Here was a houfe either fquare, trian- gular, or polygon *, with all its apart- ments. There was a rotunda or fome other edifice of a fimilar kind. As one went along, others appeared, whofe conflruclion (varied in a hundred dif- ferent manners) engaged, amufed and charmed the fight, wherever one fixed ic. In fuch places as the river, by growing wider, had departed from a right line, were built houfes of wood fupported by pillars fixed in the water, and which appeared above its furface, * i. e. of many angles. 2 fome 228 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR forne two feet, and others three or four, or even higher, according to the plan of the Chinefe architect The greatcft part of thefe buildings form- ed iflands, the paflage to which was over bridges built for that purpofe. There were fome intirely detached and feparate, others were contiguous, and had a communication between them by covered galleries-, built much in the fame manner as the houfes and bridges which I have defcribed above. AH thefe edifices were gilt and em- bellifhed in tfye rroft fplendid tafte of the country. They were every one devoted to a particular ufe. In- fome were bands of mufic : in others com- panies of comedians; in the greateft part were r-efremments and magnificent thrones to receive the Emperor and his mother, fuppofing they fliould have an inclination to flop and reft them- felves there for a few moments. In OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 229 In the city was another fight ft ill finer in its kind, than that I have been defcribing. From the weftern gate, by which the court was to make its entrance, to the gate of the palace, there were nothing but fuperb build- ings, periftyles*, pavilions, colonnades, galleries, amphitheatres, with trophies and other works of Cbinefe architecture, all equally fplendid. Thefe were cm- bellifhed with feftoons, garlands, and many other ornaments of a fimilar kind, which being compofed of the fine ft filk of different colours, afforded a charming fight. Gilding, mock-dia- monds, and other (tones of the fame kind, glittered on all fides. A large quantity of mirrours -j- made of metal highly polifhed, greatly added to the * A ptrijtyle is a circular range of pillars, Any (cries of pillars is a colonnade. f- The Cbinefe mirrours are not of glafs but polifhed metal. See P. Da Haldc. Ihew. 230 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR fhew. Their conftru&ion and arrange- ment, by multiplying objects on al} fides, and re-aflembling them in mini- ature, formed every thing that could enchant the eyes. Thefe brilliant edifices were inter- rupted from time to time by artificial mountains and valleys, made in imi- tation of nature, which one would have taken for agreeable deferts and for real places of the moft delightful folitude. They had contrived brooks and foun- tains, had planted trees and thickets, and iluck on deer, to which they had given attitudes fo natural, that one would have faid they were alive. Up- on the fummits or declivities of fome of thefe mountains, were feen Bonza- ries or Chinefe convents with their lit- tle temples and idols, to which they had made little paths. In other places they had made orchards and gardens. In OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 231 In the greateft part of thefe were feen vines with their tendrils and clutters, in different degrees of maturity. In others were planted all forts of trees, fo as to exhibit the fruits and flowers of the four feafons of the year. They were not to be diftinguifhed from the true ones, altho' they were only artificial. This was not all. In diverfe places by which the proceflion was to pafs, they had diftributed lakes, meres, and refervoirs with their feveral kinds of filh and aquatic fowls. In other places they had fet children difguifed like apes and other animals* who acted the feveral parts afligned them. As thefe were cloathed in the very fldns of the animals they were to reprefent, the deception was compleat. Other children were made to refemble birds and fowls, and acted their parts upon Q. 4 pillars 232 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR pillars or lofty poles. Thefe poles and pillars were covered with pieces of filk, which concealed men underneath : whofe bufmefs it was to put the chil- dren ftationed above in motion. In other places they had laid fruits of an enor- mous fize, in which they had alfo in- clofed children. Thefe fruits opened from time to time, fo far as to fhew the fpectators what they contained. I am not able to inform yo.u, reverend father, whether there was any fymbo- lical meaning in all this, or whether it was meerly the production of a vv'himfical and extravagant fancy. The bands of mufic, tire companies of co- medians, juglers, and others, were placed at intervals, all along the fide of the river, and endeavoured every one, according to his ability, his fkill, and his addrefs, to do fomething which might pleafe, if not the Emperor and his OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 235 his mother, at leaft fome of the gran- dees of their retinue, into whofe fer- vice they might hope to be admitted. The Mandarines of each tribunal had a particular building which they had caufed to be creeled, and embel- lilhed at their own cxpence : the fame had the Governors of each province, the Princes of the blood, and the other grandees of the empire. The variety of lanthorns and their arrangement formed an appearance, which merits a defcription apart. But as you have had defcribed to you, on many occa- fjons, the Chinefe lanthorns, the man- ner in which they are made, and the ornaments, with which they are de- corated, I mail refer you to thofe books wherein they are mentioned. When once thefe. works began to be *34 SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR be brought to fome degree of perfec- tion, very ftricl: orders were iffued out, that no perfon of any quality or con- dition foever, fhould prefume to fmoak tobacco in the ftreets fo newly adorn- ed. This precaution appeared necef- fary to prevent any accident which might have happened from fire. The police or good government that was obferved upon this occafion, as well as during the whole preparations of this feflival, appeared to me admirable. Some weeks before the day of cere- mony, a regulation was made, that the ftreets (which are here extremely wide) fhould be divided into three parts, in order that foot paflengers, and thofc on horfeback, the comers and goers, in a word that prodigious multitude of peo- ple, which was then aflembled in the capital, might all enjoy this fine fight at their cafe. The middle of the ftreet, which OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 235 which was much larger than the two fides, was fet apart for thofe on horfe- back or fuch as had equipages: one of the fides, for thofe who went; and the other for thofe that came. To make this order obferved, it was not necefiary to plant grenadiers with bay- onets at the end of their mufquets, or with drawn fwords in their hands, who mould threaten to ftrike all that dif- obeyed. A few foldiers fimply armed with whips, prevented all diforder and confufion. Thus thoufands faw at their leifure in the fpace of a few hours, what* could not have been feen in a fortnight, without this precaution. But, as it is not ufual in this coun- try for the women to go abroad or mix with the men, and on the other hand it would have been unreafonable to have excluded them from a mew, that 23& SOLEMNITIES IN HONOUR that was exhibited in honour of a per- fon of their own fex, the Emperor pro- vided fcJr both thefe difficulties by ap- pointing certain days for them alone. During thefe days, no man was per- mitted to appear in the flreets ; and in effect none did appear. By thefe means every body was content, and fatisfied his curiofity without violating any of their national rites, and without the leaft offence to'decorum, Another thing, which deferves to be remarked, is the choice that was made of a hundred old men, which were fuppofed to be fetched from the different provinces of the empire, and to be aged every one of them a hun r dred years. The moft aged were not fought out for this purpofe (for the Emperor here gives years at his plea- iare) but only thofe, whofe beards were whiteft, OF THE EMPEROR's MOTHER. 23? whiteft, longeft and moft venerable. Thefe old men were uniformly cloath- ed, and carried upon their bellies a long medal of filver, upon which were engraved characters, that Bgnified the province they reprefented. Thefe old men were called in the Cbinefe lan- guage, Pe-lao-King-cheon^ that is, "The " hundred old men, who pay homage * to her Majefty, and wifh her as " many years of life, as they have .J 9. /in. 7. raW hieroglyphic. 20. /. ult.for adtion, r. notion. 31. /. 17. <&/* is, 36. /. 6. /or lien, r. lien. 53. /. 17. for the, r. your. 85. /. 1 8. r. hearts the darts that wound them. 1 16. /. 8. afylljlop after daughter (.) 147. /. 8. for of, r. in./. 2O./or into, r. K>J 178. /. i^.for and, r. or. 18 1. /. 3. /or at prefent, r. now, 227. /. 14. VOL. IL 14. /. 7. r. Bramin. 90. /. 13. < !Ilc *m 31 158 00845 7904 V/mMNIHttV ^OJIIVJJO^ y #Ab 1 1 I <; *i "N > I l^r-J S