360 Memoir upon the Causes of the long Duration 
In the privileged regions where the human mind is developed 
in force, in penetration, in extent, and where the imagination is 
inflamed by that cieative fire which is called genius, man, by a 
fatal compensation, wanders in the wildest paths of error, and 
precipitates himself into the most humiliating excesses. It is 
there that in one and the same head are united a strong wit and 
a timid soul, boldness of thought and humble credulity: it is 
there that man is to himself an inexplicable phenomenon of 
oppositions and contrasts; it is there that Bossuet armed him- 
self with the most profound dialectics to combat mere chimeras, 
that Pascal fixed the language extended the domains of science, 
and dug for himself a hell ;—and it is there that the genius of 
Newton fell from the throne of the universe, repenting that he 
was seated there. It is in short upon this theatre of Europe, 
where Nature has so often crowned the sage who has surprised 
her at work, and the artist who knows how to imitate her,—upon 
this theatre covered with the trophies of genius, that genius too 
often creates false doctrines for ardent heads, and wanders far 
from the object of civil and religious sociability. 
This balance of good and evil, which genius produces, is un- 
known, and will always be, in Southern Asia. The supersti- 
tions of the first ages are there at psesent civilized, and, if I may 
be allowed the expression, identified with the manners and 
usages. China is peopled with fantastic beings, with good and 
evil genii, because there must be in all places where men exist, 
fables and bonzes ; and the bonzes must have riches and power *. 
The Chinese have also their golden age, their deluge, and their 
Bacchus ; they have revelations, mysteries, and prophets ; but 
these errors are only the playthings of an infant people: super- 
intended by the government, respected by learning itself, in China 
they kindle no civil wars, nor priestly quarrels. The word 27- 
tolerance is no more in their language than is the idea expressed 
* The constant serenity of their atmosphere invited the first people of 
India, those of Chaldea and Egypt, to observe the stars and their relation” 
to the earth, But these very people, whom frequent catastruphes in the 
infancy of the world inspired with terror, soon interrogated the heavens 
instead of obserying them. The chiefs of the nations could at their plea- 
sure make the gods speak, and the priests arrogated to themselves an ex- 
clusive and mysterious science. But latterly astronomy has bauished from 
its noble domains the vain formule of astrology. Among all civilized 
nations the celestial phenomena are explained by the laws of nature. 
Among the Chinese alone, the art of reading the destiny of men in the 
heavens, retains its empire. Their intelligence refuses to keep pace with 
the progressive improvement of the human mind. ‘The government has 
collected some fruits from the missionaries, but these fruits have not spread 
among the great mass of the people. The astronomical observations of the 
Chinese, however, go back to the year 1122 before our zra, 
by 
