Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION The following work was drawn up by F. Sangermano, partly during his residence as a missionary in Ava, and partly after his return to Europe. He was sent out as a missioner in 1782, and in the July of the following year arrived at Rangoon, whence he proceeded directly to the city of Ava. But shortly after he was remanded to Rangoon, which was the scene of his future missionary labours. The cause of Christianity was greatly forwarded in this place by his exertions. He completed the church of St. John, which had been begun before him, as well as the college of the. missionaries ; both of which were built of brick. He superintended the college as long as he remained there; and under his direction it was very prosperous. It contained fifty students, who were instructed in several branches of learning and science; so that besides some ecclesiastics, it has produced skilful engineers, physicians, and even pilots. There is at present a young Burmese practising as a surgeon in Rome who received his education in this institution. F. Sangermano was greatly esteemed by the natives of Rangoon : in particular, the Viceroy and his consort honoured him with many marks of distinction. The latter would often come to his church to be present at the Catholic ceremonies, especially those of Holy-week: and sometimes she would pay a visit to the Superior in his College, and hold long conferences with him on religion; so that it was thought that she would become a Christian. On these occasions she always came with her guards and her whole court. Her guards remained in the square opposite the college, but the rest of her suite entered with her. F. Sangermano was also well known to the foreigners who frequented Rangoon, particularly to the English. From one of the latt... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.