re are
many who are devout, and, as might be expected, many who are impostors.
It is a melancholy fact that, in China, Buddhism has led the entire
population not only into indifferentism, but into absolute godlessness.
They have come to regard religion as merely a fashion, to be followed
according to one's own taste; that as professed by the state it is a
civil institution necessary for the holding of office, and demanded by
society, but not to be regarded as of the smallest philosophical
importance; that a man is entitled to indulge his views on these matters
just as he is entitled to indulge his taste in the colour and fashion of
his garments; that he has no more right, however, to live without some
religious profession than he has a right to go naked. The Chinese cannot
comprehend how there should be animosities arising on matters of such
doubtful nature and trivial concern. The formula under which they live
is: "Religions are many; reason is one; we are brothers." They smile at
the credulity of the good-natured Tartars, who believe in the wonders of
miracle-workers, for they have miracle-workers who can perform the most
supernatural cures, who can lick red-hot iron, who can cut open their
bowels, and, by passing their hand over the wound, make themselves whole
again--who can raise the dead. In China, these miracles, with all their
authentications, have descended to the conjurer, and are performed for
the amusement of children. The common expressions of that country betray
the materialism and indifferentism of the people, and their consequent
immorality. "The prisons," they say, "are locked night and day, but they
are always full; the temples are always open, and yet there is nobody in
them." Of the dead they say, with an exquisite refinement of euphemism,
"He has saluted the world." The Lazarist Huc, on whose authority many of
these statements are made, testifies that they die, indeed, with
incomparable tranquillity, just as animals die; and adds, with a bitter,
and yet profoundly true sarcasm, they are what many in Europe are
wanting to be.

* * * * *

From the theology of India I turn, in the next place, to the
civilization of Egypt.

[Sidenote: Egypt a mysterious country to Europe.]

[Sidenote: Its reported wonders.]

The ancient system of isolation which for many thousand years had been
the policy of Egypt was overthrown by Psammetichus about B.C. 670. Up to
that time the inh