panied with a great Train of the Sons of the Bassa's and chief Men in the Empire, who return'd Home improv'd indeed, but often by the Address of the Missionaries (who waited still on the Catch for them) so prejudiced against Mahometism, and so in Love with the noble Arts forbidden by their Prophet, as Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, and above all the delicious Vine-Press, that it is incredible how far the secret Infection is spread, and how likely suddenly to break out into a violent Distemper in the State.
The Translation of select Parts of the Bible with useful short Notes licens'd by the Pope, and also the number of Arabick and Turkish Books which the Printing-Presses disperst among them, help'd on the Missionaries marvellously; for they were so subtilly compos'd, as to shake and undermine the false Religion, and secretly to prepare the People for op'ning their Eyes to the Truth. Indeed, as to outward Profession Mahometism still shews its Face, but 'tis just like the Pagan Religion under Julian the Apostate, the Religion of the State but not of the People; one third of whom are either secretly or avowedly Christians, another third Deists, and hardly as many sincere Mahometans. What adds to thewonder
