anners, his science
proved to be the master-key. Among the eminent men who favoured
his mission was Sue of Shanghai, whom he baptised by the name of
Paul. Not only did he help Ricci to translate Euclid for a people
ignorant of the first elements of geometry, but he boldly came to
the defence of missionaries when it was proposed to expel them.
His memorial in their favour is one of the best documents in the
defence of Christianity. Among the converts to the Christian faith
there are no brighter names than Paul Sue and his daughter Candida.

The Ming dynasty compares favourably in point of duration with
most of the imperial houses that preceded it; but long before the
middle of its third century it began to show signs of decay. In Korea
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it came into collision with the Japanese, and emerged with more
credit than did its successor from a war with the same foe, which
began on the same ground three centuries later. In the northeast
the Mings were able to hold the Manchus at bay, notwithstanding
an occasional foray; but a disease of the heart was sapping the
vigour of the dynasty and hastening its doom. Rebellion became
rife; and two of the aspirants to the throne made themselves masters
of whole provinces. One depopulated Szechuen; the other ravaged
Shansi and advanced on Peking. Chungchen, the last of the Mings,
realising that all was lost, hanged himself in his garden on the
Palatine Hill, after stabbing his daughter, as a last proof of
paternal affection (1643).

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CHAPTER XXVI

THE TA-TS'ING DYNASTY, 1644--

_The Manchus, Invited to Aid in Restoring Order, Seat their Own
Princes on the Throne--the Traitor, General Wu San-kwei--Reigns of
Shunchi and Kanghi--Spread of Christianity--A Papal Blunder--Yung-cheng
Succeeded by Kienlung, who Abdicates Rather than Reign Longer than
his Grandfather--Era of Transformation_

The Manchus had been preparing for some generations for a descent
on China. They had never forgotten that half the Empire had once
been in the possession of their forefathers, the Kin Tartars; and
after one or two abortive attempts to recover their heritage they
settled themselves at Mukden and watched their opportunity. It
came with the fall of the Mings.

Wu San-kwei, a Chinese general whose duty it was to keep them in
bounds, threw open the gate of the Great Wall and invoked their
assistance to expel the successful rebel. His family had been
slaughtered in the fall of the c