In CHINA, there seems to be a pretty considerable stock of politeness and science, which, in the
course of so many centuries, might naturally be expected to ripen into something more perfect
and finished, than what has yet arisen from them. But CHINA is one vast empire, speaking one
language, governed by one law, and sympathizing in the same manners. The authority of any
teacher, such as CONFUCIUS, was propagated easily from one corner of the empire to the other.
None had courage to resist the torrent of popular opinion. And posterity was not bold enough to
dispute what had been universally received by their ancestors. This seems to be one natural
reason, why the sciences have made so slow a progress in that mighty empire.*34
I.
XIV.21