The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — 1824-02-10 (London, England)

LETTRES DP CACHET.  [From VoL 1. of " Voltaire's Political Dictionary," just published.l " In 1723, Father Fouquet, a Jesuit, returned to France from China, where be bad passed twenty-five years. Religious disputes had embroiled him with his brethren ; he had carried with him to China a gospel different from theirs, and now brought back to France memorials against them. Two Chintae literati made the voyage along with him ; one of diem died on the way, the other came with Father Fouquet to Paris. This Jesuit was to take the Chinese to Rome secretly, u a witness of the conduct of the good fathers in China, and in the mean time Fouquet and his companion lodged at the house of the Projined, Rue St. Antoine.  " The reverend fathers received advice of their reverend brother's intentions. Fouquet was no less quickly informed of the designs of the reverend fathers ; he lost not a moment, but set off' post the same night for Rotne. The reverend fathers had interest enough to get him pursued; but the Chinese only was taken. This poor fellow did not understand a word of French. The good fathers went to Cardinal Dubois, who at that time needed their support; and told him that they had amongst them a young man who had gone mad, and whom it was necessary to confine. The Cardinal immediately granted a lettre-de-cachet, than which there is sometimes nothing which a minister is more ready to grant. The lieutenant of police went to take this madman, who was pointed out to him. lie found a man making reverences in a way different from the French, speaking in a singing tone, and looking quite astonished. He expressed great pity for his derangement, ordered his hands to be tied behind him, and sent him to Charenton, where, like the abbe Desfontaines, he was flogged twice a week. The Chinese did not at all understand this method of receiving strangers ; he had passed only two or three days in Paris, and had found the manners of the French very odd. He lived two years on bread and water, amongst madmen and keepers ; and believed that the French nation consisted of these two species, the one part dancing while the other thrged them. " At length, when two years had daps( d, the ministry changed, and a new lieutenant cf police was appointed. This magistrate commenced his administration by visiting the prisons. lie also saw the lunatics at Charenton. After conversing with them, he asked if there were no other persons for him to see? He was told that there was one more unfortunate man ; but that he spoke a language that nobody understood. A Jesuit who accompanied the mighttrate, said it was the peculiarity of this man's madness that he never gave an answer in F,-eneh ; nothing would be got from him, and be thought it would be better not to take the trouble of calling him. The minister insisted. The unfortunate man was brought, and threw himself at his feet. The lieutenant sent for the King's interpreters, who spoke to him in Spanish, Latin. Greek, and Imiglish, but he constantly said, " Kenton, Kenton," and nothing else. The Jesuit assured them he was possessed. The magistrate, having at some time heard it said that there was a province in China called Kenton, thought this man might perhaps have come from thence. An interpreter to the foreign missions was sent for, who could murder Chinese. All was discovered. The magistrate knew not what to do, nor the Jesuit what to say. The Duke de Bourbon was then prime minister; the circumstance having been related to him, he ordered money and clothes to be given to the Chinese, and sent him back to his own country, whence it is not thought that many literati will come to see us in future. It would have been more politic to have kept this man and treated him well, than to have sent him to give his countrymen the very worst opinion of the French.%