To which the emperor replied, "men of that character must not be expelled my dominions. Let them all come to my court: those who understand the mathematics, shall remain about my person: the others may dispose of themselves in the provinces, as they think fit." On the receipt of this order, the viceroy was obliged to send those men to the capital with honour, whom he had intended to expel with disgrace.
At this juncture, Verbiest died, A. D. 1688, regretted by the Chinese, but still more so by the missionaries, who expected to derive great advantage from his counsel and assistance. His character, for humility and modesty, was only equalled by his well known application and industry. He seemed insensible to every thing, but the promotion of science and religion: he abstained from idle visits, the reading of curious books, and even the perusal of European newspapers; while he incessantly employed himself, either in mathematical calculations, in instructing proselytes, in corresponding with the grandees of the empire on the interests of the mission, or in writing to the learned of Europe, inviting them to repair to China. His private papers are indicative of the depth of his devotion, the rigour of his austerities, his watchfulness over his heart amid the crowd of business, and the ardour with which he served religion. His sincerity was attested, by the endurance of sufferings in the cause he had espoused; and his disinterestedness and liberality, by the profusion of his gifts to others, and the renunciation of indulgences to himself.
Two of the missionaries were soon after this employed on an embassy to the Russian government, by which the boundary line was settled, and a war between
