sionaries of various orders, Franciscans, Dominicans and Jesuits of various countries. There were among them, Portuguese, Italians, Spaniards, French, Germans, in short, men from all the nations of Europe. These religious men had bidden farewell to their country, and sacrificed all they had, to travel to the end of the world, and labour in the conversion of the infidels, in the midst of privations and sufferings of every kind, and at the risk of their lives. These were the men who saw and studied the inscription of Si-ngan-Fou, and sent copies of it to Europe;[1] and we for our parts put entire trust in their sincerity. We are convinced that these devout persons did not conspire to attest unanimously the authenticity of what was only a fraud; we are convinced that, devoted to a religious life, and ready at any moment to seal their testimony with their blood, they did not lie with effrontery to Europe, China, and the whole world.
They were, assuredly, not guilty of this "pious fraud" of which Voltaire speaks. Such a fraud would be a villany, of which it is impossible for any one to be guilty, until he had lost every feeling of honour and religion. Such a proceeding in the missionaries of China would indeed convict them, not only of being without conscience, but not even of sane mind; for no rational motive could have induced them to fabricate an audacious lie, which could serve no purpose, and which, if discovered, could not fail to ruin their mission,
- ↑ Father Alvares Semedo, who was at that time in Si-ngan-Fou, expresses himself thus:— "I have seen, read, and considered this stone, at my leisure; and have been astonished that it was so complete, and the letters so entire and well formed, after the lapse of so many years. ("Hist. Generale du Royaume de la Chine.")
