For although the very same civilization which built Angkor was alive and right before his eyes, he considered them in a "state of barbarism" and could not believe they were civilized or enlightened enough to have built it.
For selvom den selvsamme civilisation som havde bygget Angkor var i live og lige foran hans øjene anså han dem for at være i en tilstand af barbari og kunne ikke tro at de skulle være civliserede og oplyste nok til kunne have bygget det.