"رحلات السيد بيترو ديلا فالي، وهو نبيل روماني، إلى الهند الشرقية وصحراء الجزيرة العربية. وفيها يصف بدقة البلدان المختلفة، وكذلك العادات، الأعراف، التجارة، الطقوس الدينية والمدنية، لهؤلاء الأمراء وتلك الأمم الشرقية: في رسائل وديّة إلى صديقه السيد ماريو سكيبانو. وتم إضافة سرد عن رحلة السير توماس رو إلى جزر الهند الشرقية" [‎٨‎٣] (٥٠٨/١٠٤)

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years unprofitably 5 which might be imploy d in the acquifition
of other better Sciences;, without being always^ Children, (as
Hermes Trifmegiflus faid of the Greeks 5) yea 3 in their whole y h
life they cannot learn them all, fo that there are none among
themfelves 5 or 3 if any 3 they are very rare and miraculoi^who can .
write and read all the words^nd know all the Characters of their .
own Tonguej which is certainly a great imperfeftion5 although
they fay, that he who knows four thouland CharaderSj may
fpeak and write well enough 5 and he that knovys fix or eight
thoufand, may pafs for eloquent. The JaponeJes ieem tome
more judicious in this point., having for ordinary, and more
facile ufe;, invented an Alphabet of fewLetteiSj written like-
wile from the top downwards^ wherewith they write all words,
and all their own Language, and alfo that otChina: But in the
.Sciences and more weighty matters, the learned amongft them ^
moft commonly make ule of the C^/w^-Characrers, which, as /
myfterious and facred, are venerable to all thefe Nations ^ and
although they have all feveral Languages, yet they do and can
make ule of the lame writing 5 becaule being the faid Characters
are not Letters, but lignificative of words j and the words al
though different in lound, yet in all thele Languages are of the
fame lignification and number 5 it comes to pals that divers Na
tions adjacent to China^ as thele of Japan^ Cauchin-China^ and
other, (although different in Language J yet in Writing, making
ufe oftheC/)i«^-Charadters,at leaft in matters of greateft moment, h
underftand one another when they read thefe Characters each in
their own Tongue , with the different words of their proper
Language j which indeed, in reference to the commerce and
communication of Nations, is a great convenience. April the
fcvenand twentieth. This Morning, being the firft Thurfdaj/
ter the Dominica in Albis^ there was a lolemn Proceliion at Goa
of the moft Holy Sacrament, for the Annual Feaft ot Corpus
Chrifti^ as the cuftom is. But in Goa it is kept out of the right
time upon fuch a day, becaufe the right day of the Fealt fells in
the Moneths of great Rain 5 fo that at that time the Procefuon
cannot^be perform*d, and therefore they anticipate it in this
manner. The Proceffion was made by the whole Clergy, with
a greater Ihew of green boughs then clothes, and with many
reprefentations of myfteries by perfons dilguis'd, fictitious ani
mals, dances and mafkerades 5 things which in our Countries
would more fute with Villages then great Cities. Two Ships are
now departing by the way of Terftas, and therefore I have made
ufe of this opportunity 5 favour me tokifs the hands of all my
Friends in my Name, amongft which I reckon in the firft place
with the Signori Spina Andrea^Sig: Dottore^nd Sig: Coletta 5
upon wbom,and your felf, I pray Heaven for all felicity 5 recom
mending my felf to your prayers alfo for my fafety. From Go a,
April 27. 1623.
M
y t. r
7
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LETTER