£80 Oriental Literature, [Chap. XIV 



SECTION V. 



' CHINESE LITERATURE. 



It is generally known that Europe is indebted to 

 the learned men of France for almost all the know^ 

 ledge of Chinese literature of which it can boast. 

 As early as the sixteenth century a number of French 

 Jesuits penetrated into China, and by their learn- 

 ing and address conciliated the favour of the go^ 

 vernment. These missionaries were followed by 

 others^ of various characters and talents, and, iri 

 fact, a succession of them was maintained, amidst 

 many changes of reception and treatment, until 

 after the middle of the century under considera- 

 tion. The opportuaiities which they enjoyed for 

 exploring the literature and science of that empire 

 were diligently improved. Much of the informa- 

 tion which they acquired was transmitted, at dif^ 

 ferent periods, to Europe ; and though the foitlu 

 fulness of their narratives has sometimes been 

 called in question, the works compiled from their 

 letters and journals may be considered as, on the 

 whole, the richest sources of instruction in this 

 department of oriental inquiry *. 



Toward the close of the seventeenth century M, 

 Couplet, one of the missionaries above mentioned, 



* The missionaries have been, perhaps, too freely charged with 

 the want of fidelity \\\ their accounts of China. Later inquiries 

 Jiave shp\yn that there is ground for this charge, at least in sonoe 

 instances. Still, however, these accounts are highly valuable, anc| 

 abundantly worthy of perusal. «. 



