out a miferable life; and fome were put to death by the bow-
ftring. Thofe few, who were found neceffary to affift in the
aftronomical part o f the calendar, he allowed to remain in the
capital.
Notwithftanding the perfecutionsthat,in every reign, have been
violently carried on againft them by the officers o f government
in the feveral provinces, numbers o f new miffionaries have continued,
from time to time, to fteal into the country. A t Macao
we found two young miffionaries, who had been waiting there
a lo n g time, in vain, for an opportunity o f getting privately
into the country. They accufed the Portuguefe o f throwing
every obftacle in their way, while pretending to afford them
affiftance ; but, on application to the Britiih Embaffador, he
found no difficulty in procuring them leave to proceed .to the
capital; and as one o f thefe gentlemen had been a pupil o f the
celebrated La Lande, his fervices may probably fuperfede thofe
o f the right reverend biihop who at prefent diredts the aftronomical
part o f the important national almanack.
From the ihort view that has here been taken o f the different
people who, at various times, have gained admiflion into
China, and fome o f them for no other purpofe than that o f
“ compaffion for their imprudence, it was not without injury to m y feelings that I rati-
11 Bed the fentence. B ut recoliedting afterwards that they were ftrangers— ftrangets
“ perhaps ignorant o f the laws o f m y empire, m y compaffion increafed for them,
4t and humanity fuffers on account o f their long confinement. I will, therefore,
“ and command that thefe twelve ftrangers be fet at liberty.” .
-diffeminating
diffeminating their religious tenets, it may be concluded, that
the primitive worihip o f the country has experienced many
changes and innovations, efpecially fince the mafs o f the people,
from the nature o f the language, the maxims o f the government,
and other circumftances, have always been kept in a ftate
o f profound ignorance. Jews, Chriftians, Indians, and Ma-
homedans, have feverally met with encouragement. The Jefuits
had but one obftacle to overcome, the law that directed offerings
to be made to deceafed relations,’ and by giving way to
this, which they were inclined to do had they not been
thwarted by the more rigorous Dominicans, they might have
converted the whole nation and Chriftianity would have become,
in all probability, the prevailing religion, inftead o f that
introduced from India. The paraphernalia and alm'oft all the
mummeries of the' Romilh church, the bells, the beads, the
altars, the images, the candles, the drefs, and the fandtimo-
nious deportment o f the priefts in the hours o f devotion, their
chaunting and their incenfe, were already made familiar to the
people in every temple o f Fo. But, as Lord Macartney has
obferved, “ the prohibition or reftridtion o f fenfuak gratifica-
“ tions in a defpotic country, where there are- fo few others, is
“ difficult to be reliihed. Confeffion is repugnant to the clofe
“ and.fufpicious character o f the nation, and penance would
“ but aggravate the mifery o f him whofe inheritance is hts
<( labour, and poverty his punifhment. Againft it alio is the
“ ftate o f fociety in China, which excludes women from their
“ proper ihare o f influence and importance. A religion which
“ requires that women ihould at ftated times communicate to
“ priefts, in private, their thoughts and adtions, muff- be parti-
3 M (ftilarly