Page:Ta Tsing Leu Lee; Being, The Fundamental Laws, and a Selections from the Supplementary Statutes, of the Penal Code of China.djvu/7

iv were not wanting in the agacity, or neglectful of the policy, which had, on o many other occaions, crowned the projects of their ociety with ucces. It is difficult indeed to ay how far, under uch circumtances, even the mot ancient of the intitutions, upon which the fabric of the Chinee government is founded, or the mot deeply rooted of the prejudices and attachments, by which it continues to be utained, could have withtood their powerful and undermining influence, had they not happened to have lot the upport the countenance both of the head of the Catholic church, and of their repective temporal overeigns.

The conequent extinction of their order having ubverted the ytem of politics, which until then the Miionaries in China had uccesfully oberved, having caued the adoption of a plan of converion more trict, and probably more orthodox, but, in the ame proportion, more unaccommodating to the prejudices of the people, and more alarming to the jealouy of the government, and having alo, generally peaking, thrown the profeion into the les able hands, the caue of Chritianity and of Europe necearily lot much of its temporary lutre and influence. In addition to this unfavourable change of circumtances, the French revolution has ubequently had the effect of coniderably reducing both the amount of the funds which upport, and the number of the labourers who cultivate the Chritian vineyard in China; under which accumulated diadvantages the intercoure with Europeans, as far as the Miionaries are concerned, it will eaily be conceived, mut of late years, in pite of every exertion, have been gradually on the decline.

Although, among the few Miionaries whom the Emperor of China till retains in his ervice at Pekin, and among the larger number who are clandetinely employed in maintaining and propagating the Chritian faith in the provinces, there are, no doubt, many amiable and repectable, and perhaps even ome learned men, they can carcely be expected