ABSTRACT
[Father Desideri begins his “few words” by declaring that it is impossible that a young child can concoct such stories without extraneous aid. The question is whether his relations and the lamas, monks and doctors do it for their own purpose or whether it is the work of the devil. Even in the Catholic Religion, he says, we see what dissensions sometimes arise about the election of the supreme Head of the Holy Roman Church. It is only after great discussions among men eminent for their virtue and doétrine that they finally all vote for one man. How much more difficult is it in Tibet for lamas, doctors, and other persons to undertake to teach one or more boys, to agree in such fraudulent instruction, and to unite in recommending the same boy to the government and the king. It seems impossible, he says, that they can deceive not only the people of Tibet, of Upper and Lower Tartary, of Second Tibet or Lhatà-yul, of Nepal, and of the vast empire of China, the many doctors, magistrates, lamas, and the various kings. Again, he asks what can be their object in thus deceiving millions of people? Love for a boy they have never seen or heard of, as many of these lamas, monks and doctors come from distant provinces, and know nothing of the boy or of his family; hopes of obtaining advantages and honours when he grows to man’s estate? How can they tell whether he will be liberal or avaricious? Also they generally are lamas and doctors who are well off and highly respested. Father Desideri ends his long dissertation by remarking that it is singular no boy who is proclaimed Grand Lama has ever died in childhood or as a young man, and that all Grand Lamas enjoy a long life. 3 He therefore concludes that the fraud cannot be the work of man but must be the work of the devil.]
