of the Chinese Empire. 361 
by it in their minds. When in the heart of their peaceful em- 
pire the Jesuits and the Dominicans accused each other of heresy 
and impiety, the Chinese did not see two parties animated with 
a false zeal for the new religion ; but these monks appeared to 
them as dangerous fools, or political agitators from whom the 
state must be freed. Such men, in fact, would have long braved 
the influence of the climate and every other influence. The 
Jesuits wrought with a profound and crafty policy, flattered the 
confident credulity of the prince, and humanely twisted the divine 
word to accommodate it to the prejudices of a people who were 
slaves to their habitudes. The Dominicans, energetic preachers, 
as if they still pursued from town to town, and from province to 
province, the heretics, armed themseivés with all the arguments 
of the schools, proclaimed a holy war, and resolved upon the 
overthrow of China, rather than suffer the smallest departure 
from the doctrine which tliey were sent to propagate *. 
The cause of the line of conduct pursued by the Chinese 
government on this occasion was the natural moderation of the 
minds of the people. Neither the interests of earth nor of heaven 
could inflame them to enthusiasm, and far less to religious fana- 
ticism; a blifid passion which absorbs every other sentiment, 
which courts darkness, which combats peace as well as light, 
and becomes more insatiate the more its appetites are fed. The 
dreadful reign of fanaticism has covered with ruins the states 
which are embellished by the arts and sciences, which thus have 
had to fight their way against intclerance and envy. 
Fanaticism has made Europe for several centuries, and even 
since the revival of letters, the theatre of the most sanguinary 
wars, and of the most scandalous impieties. Extending its ravages 
with its doctrines, it has deluged a new hemisphere in the blood 
of its inhabitants. In China, on the contrary, the unity of 
thoughts and desires, the consequence-of a limited intelligence, 
perpetuates, without any obstacle, union, peace, and happiness, 
And why? Because there reigns an admirable intelligence be- 
‘tween nature and the social institutions ; because good sense is 
the wit of the Chinese, and common utility the object of their 
industry; hecause the serenity of the air stifles every germ of cu- 
riosity; ambition, and heroism; because, in short, every thing 
there is stationary, both men and things, so that the government 
of China appears seated on the throne of Time. 
* Tt results from my opinion as to the influence of climate and the in- 
telligence of the Chinese, that they would have derived but feeble advan- 
tayes from the settlement of our learned missionaries in their empire. But 
it is presumable that the people of Europe would bave derived great bene- 
fits both with respect to the arts and commerce as well as with respect to 
the natural sciences, 
‘ If 
