6 [The idea of depicting the manners of one's own country under the disguise of a foreign observer seems to have originated in France. The Turkish Spy' led the way, and acquired extensive popularity all over Europe: this was followed by 'Peruvian Letters,' 'Persian Letters,' Chinese Letters,' and others, all with greater or less credit, and offering the fairest encouragement to an English writer to pursue the same track. The genius, the humor, the good-nature of Goldsmith, seemed to fit him for the task: he had, moreover, himself been a traveller, and at the time when these Letters were produced, no doubt many circumstances in English life and manners appeared to him with somewhat of the novelty which he ascribes to the impressions of his imaginary oriental. The Chinese Letters' commenced in the Public Ledger newspaper in January 1760, and were collected under their present title, in two volumes 12mo., in May 1762.] PREFACE. THE schoolmen had formerly a very exact way of computing the abilities of their saints or authors. Escobar,* for instance, was said to have learning as five, genius as four, and gravity as seven. Caramuelt was greater than he. His learning was as eight, his genius as six, and his gravity as thirteen. Were I to estimate the merits of our Chinese Philosopher by the same scale, I would not hesitate to state his genius still higher; but as to his learning and gravity, these, I think, might safely be marked as nine hundred and ninety-nine, within one degree of absolute frigidity. Yet, upon his first appearance here, many were angry not to find him as ignorant as a Tripoline ambassador, or an envoy from Mujac. They were surprised to find a man born so far from London, that school of prudence and wisdom, endued even with a moderate capacity. They expressed the same surprise at his knowledge, that the Chinese do at ours. "How comes it," said * [This famous casuist was born in 1588, of a noble family of Seville, and died in 1669. His polemical and other writings occupy twenty-three folio volumes.] + [A Cistercian monk, born at Madrid in 1606. It was said of him, that he was endowed with genius to the eighth degree, eloquence to the fifth, and judgment to the second. He wrote many works of controversial theology, and a system of divinity, in seven vols. folio. He died in 1682 |