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Nieuhof, Johannes, 1618-1672 / An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham, emperor of China: delivered by their excellencies Peter de Goyer and Jacob de Keyzer, at his imperial city of Peking wherein the cities, towns, villages, ports, rivers, &c. in their passages from Canton to Peking are ingeniously described by John Nieuhoff; also an epistle of Father John Adams, their antagonist, concerning the whole negotiation; with an appendix of several remarks taken out of Father Athanasius Kircher; Englished and set forth with their several sculptures by John Ogilby
(1673)
[Kircher appendix] Chap. IX. Of the mode that our fathers are wont to proceed in, in the conversion of the Chinese., pp. 390-391 ff.
Page 391
Metaphyfical Speculations, nor Study of Scholaflical Q(uirks and Subtletieo more fublime Theories; but you mull extra6t and fhw fome undertaken ?Speciwens of the ,4athematicks, and things fenfible, both to caufe admirationj and to gain a Repute to the European World. Latly, fome Documents of Mo- ral (Philofopby, Unto which they are addi&ed, to be approv'd not by vain gaiety of Words, but Example of an excjuifite, excellent, and innocent Life, re- mov'd from all defires of Mundane Pretenfions, fuch as becometh the Apo- flolical Laborers in the Propagation of the Divine Las'. And as the Precepts of the Chriftian Faith feem to differ as much from the Religion of the Cbinefes as the Heaven doth from the Earth, fo it cannot be ex- prefs'd how many Toils and Labors mufl be undergone, and how many Dan. gers pafs'd through, that they may be rendred capable of receiving our mofi holy Law, and the truth of the fame genuinely explain'd : Here the Vanities of Polytheifm, or of having many Deities, muft be confuted; here Polygamie, or Marrying of many Wives, mnuflbe defroy'd by flrength-of Argument'; here the incumprehenfible Myfleries of our Belief muf be inculcated with great dexterity and caution, wherein laboring with more than ordinary patience and continual fubje&ion of the Body, how many Calumnies mull they be fubje6t unto! But for this perufe the Hifllory of Father Daniel Dartolus, lately publifh'd in the Italian Tongue. And becaufe the Preaching of the Gofpel could not take root without the publication of Books, I might treat opportunely in this Place concerning thofe publifh'd on this Occafion. As firf: the Works of the Venerable Father Matthe', v(jccius of Macera, the Founder of the Cbinefian Expedition after St. Frano cis Xavier. Secondly, Father Nicbolas Trigautius a Flandrian of Vovay. Thirdly, Father Jacob kIho of Milan; all which writ many large and Learned Volumes. And befides thefe, there were many wnho publifh'd large Treatifes to fatisfie the Curiofity of the Chinefes, as the two-fold Univerfal Hiflory of Father Ni. cbolas Trigautius, Father John Terentius his Indian Pliny, and many more particu. larly mention'd by our Author, from Foh- i 1'" to II. in which are the Par., ticulars at large.
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