Nevertheless, these very annals, whichcontain SO many fables upon the account of Fohi's birth, say nothing of his predecessors, and speak very imperfectly concerning his country; which makes us suspect that he was not born in China, and that he came thither from some other place. They only intimate, that he was born in a province called Kensi, where he indeed must necessarily arrive, supposing that he came from some other part into China; for after the confusion of tongues, and dispersion of the people, he must come from Mesopotamia, or from the territory of Senaar, to land at Kensi, and afterwards arrive in the heart of the country, viz. in the province of Honan, where it is written that he kept his court.

Although we cannot exactly know at what time Fohi laid the first foundations of his empire, yet it is very probable that it was not long after the deluge: for indeed, if we vigorously follow the computations of the Chinese, and chronology of the Septuagint, it was not till about 200 years after, in a time when Noah was yet living; so that we may readily believe that he is descended from this patriarch by Sem, who, according to the sentiment of the whole world, had Asia for his inheritance. And that which more confirms us in our opinion is, that in the Chinese language, Sem, which signifies to engender and produce, imports also life and sacrifice. Indeed, it is from Noah's children that all men, since the deluge, are descended, and have received life, and have

learned to offer sacrifice unto God. Whereunto it might be added, that Fohi is by the Chinese called Paohi, which signifies also a victim, because that he was the first of Sem's posterity that introduced the service of God and the use of sacrifices amongst them.

But if we refuse to adhere to the computations before-mentioned, let us retrench, with their leave, the first six emperors, whose history cannot in every thing be true; and let us begin to compute only from the seventh, viz. from the emperor Yao. For from this emperor's reign, so many persons have, by cycles, computed and written whatever has passed in this kingdom, and have done it with so much exactness, and such a general uniformity, that we can no more doubt of the truth of their calculation, than of that of the Greek Olympiads. For we shall also find, according to that computation, that the origin of the Chinese nation was not long after the flood; for from the time of Yao, to the year of this age 1688, it is four thousand forty and eight years.

This being so, it must necessarily follow that the first inhabitants of China had likewise the true knowledge of God, and of the creation of the world; for the idea of the true God, and the remembrance of the world's creation continued a long time after the deluge in the minds of men, and even of those that were most corrupted, as the posterity of Cham for example. Indeed, besides that in the annals of the Chinese a discourse is

there made concerning the creation of the world, although after a different method from Moses's history, yet it was not possible that those ideas of the true God, which the creation of the world, and after that the deluge, had deeply engraved in their hearts, could be so suddenly effaced, in such a manner as that they should fall into idolatry, and follow after other gods than Him that had created them. But the more thoroughly to convince us of what we have been discoursing, it is needful only to consider the doctrine, sentiments, and manners of the ancient Chinese, the books of their philosophers, and especially those of Confucius. Certainly we shall throughout observe the excellentest morality that ever was taught, a morality which might be said to proceed from the school of Jesus Christ.

The books which the ancient Chinese have written, are exceeding numerous; but the chief are those which are called Ukim, that is to say, the Five Volumes, and those entitled Su-xu, that is to say, the Four Books.

The first and chiefest of these five volumes is called Xu-kin. It is not necessary very amply to discourse of the antiquity of this work; it is sufficient to say, that in perusing it, we find that the author wrote a long time before Moses. At first there is seen the history of three great kings, viz. Yao, Xun, and Vu, the last of which was the first and chief of the family Hia, the most considerable of all the imperial families; and the two

others have been famous law-givers, and, as it were, the Solons of China. Therein is afterwards found the most important constitutions that were made during the reign of the second family, or imperial house, called Xam and Vu, especially by Chim-tam, who was the founder thereof, and who arrived at the empire 1776 years before the coming of Jesus Christ. In fine, a discourse is there made of the third family, wherein is chiefly related what was said or done most remarkable under the government of the first five princes, and of the twelfth. There is represented the history of Vuvam, who was the chief of the third family, and the lucubrations and instructions of the illustrious Cheu-cum, the brother of this.emperor, who was a prince highly esteemed, both for his virtue and extraordinary prudence. This whole volume, not to multiply words, is only an historical relation, and collection of moral maxims, of harangues spoken by princes, of sentences uttered by the mouths of kings and particular persons, and of precepts and counsel given to princes; wherein so much prudence, policy, wisdom, and religion, is set forth, that they might be given to all Christian princes.

The second volume, which is properly a recital of the customs and ordinances of almost twelve kings, is entitled Pi-kim. It is a collection of odes, and several other little poems of this nature : for music being greatly esteemed, and much used in China, and whatever is published in this volume

having respect only to the purity of manners and practice of virtue, those that wrote it composed it in verse, to the end that every one being enabled to sing the things therein contained, they might be in every one's mouth. Virtue is there magnified and extolled to the highest degree, and there are so many things expressed after a method so grave and wise, that it is impossible not to admire them. It is very true, that therein are contained things ridiculous, extravagant hyperboles in favour of certain princes, and murmurings and repinings against God and heaven: but the most judicious interpreters are of opinion, that all this is suspicious; that those to whom they are attributed are not the authors; that they are not to be credited, as being since added. Indeed the other ancient odes, they say, contain nothing ridiculous, extravagant, or criminal, as appears by these words of Confucius: "The whole doctrine of the three hundred poems is reduced to these few words, Su Vu Sie, which import, that we ought not to think any thing that is wicked or impure."

The third volume is called Ye-kim. In this volume, which is the ancientest, if it may be called a volume, nothing but obscurity and darkness is observed. Fohi had no sooner founded his empire, than he gave instructions to the Chinese; but the use of characters and writing being unknown, this prince, who could not teach them all with his voice, and who was moreover employed in the advancement of his growing monarchy, after a