Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-08-11

of an address of the ancient chieftan Shun to
his successor Yu, found in the Shocking. or
Book of Records, may not only show the pure
system of instruction at that day, but prove
also the antiquity of its author:
| "From the mouth come peace and war
Peace is mild, but war is destructive; from the
words of the mouth, then, are these two diverse
effects. How greatly ought auch springs of
evil and of good to be feared"
The words must have been uttered more
than four thousand years ego. They remind
us forclbly of the inspired penman, .Out of
the same mouth proceedth blessing and cursing.
There are annual examinations in the province,
and triennial examinations at Pekin, which are
resorted to by throngs of ambitious students.
| The whole empire is university, a mighty
laboratory of scholars. The happy men who
pass successfully through the several necessary
ordeals are honored with distinctions. They
are toasted at the expense OF the nation: their
names and victories are published throughout
the empire; they are courted and caressed; and
they become, ipso fccte, eligible to all the Off
oes within the gift # the sovereign. The most
learned are appointed to the highest degree of
literary rank, the '.Han-lin'' or membership of
the national college. Ali this means that the
emperor many ''pluck out the true talent oi
the land, and employ in the administration of
his government. The fourteen thousand civil
mandarns are. almost without exception, the
beauesprits-tne best scholars of the realm.
The highest literary graduate is entitled to
wear white stone brought from India, called
! s'Chav hew," on cap, as distinguishing
mark. The success of literary examination is
by them teamed .plucking branch of the fra
giant olive denoting the attainment of the
| rank of ..Keu-jin;" because that flower is in
blossom in autumn, when the examination oc-
ours. Educated talent here enjoys its inst con-
sheraton. All other entities to respect, all
other qualifications for Office, are held as naught
compared with this. This undoubtedly, in con-
nexon with the rigid enforcement OF the doc
| trne of responsibility is the true secret of the
greatness and prosperity, the stability and re-
pose, of the Celestial empire. For, as Dr.
! Milne truly remarks, they are the ambitious
who generally overturn governments but in
China there is road open to tie ambitious,
without the dreadful aIternatv OF revolutions
ing the country. 1t is merely required of a
man that he should give some proof of the pos
session of superior Abilities certain y not an
unreasonable reqnlsition-
In education, Chimes glory is the in. -olcation
of social and political duties. Their teaching
is chiefly by authority. Hence the great use
| Il
the walls of every apartment where they are
constantly seen and read from early childhood
TO decrepit age. They say, Good savings are
like pearls strung together: inscribe them on
the walls of your dwelling, and regard them
night and day as wholesome admonitions.."
the Chimes arc reading people, an | the num-
Der of their published works is very considera-
bile. In the departments Of morals, history,
| biography, the drama. poetry and romance.
| there is no lack OF writings "such as they are.
The Chinese Matera Medica of Leslie chan
comprises forty octave volumes. OF statisti-
cal works, the number is also very Iarge.-
| Their novels are said TO be, many OF them, ex-
ceIlent pictures of the national manners
The plot is often complex, the incidents natural
| and the characters well sustained. The wri-
tags of the Chinese" re exceed ngy numerous
and variety of style in very great. From the
days of Confucius down to our own times, du-
ring period of more than twenty-ihree hun
dred wears. there has been one uninterrupted Sc
4 ries of authors.
The five classics and four books, taken COL
lectively, are somewhat less copious than the
| Old and New Testanents, with which, how
ever, they are not to be compared, either in
| diversity and beauty of composition, or in pu-
| rity and elevation of sentiment.
Still, the precepts given, the duties incul
Gated, and prohibitions made, are remarkable,
and have excited inquiry whence writings of
so salutary a character forthe moral government
of this people should have originally emanated.
| China has had, too, her Agustan age of POE
try. But neither pos try nor prose has as
sumed precisely the same forms as among the
Greeks and Romans. 1t is remarkable that this
brilliant epoch IN Chinese letters was during
the eighth century of our era, when almost the
whole of Europe was sunk in gross ignorance
and barbarism. We subjoin single specimen
of Chinese poetry. in touching little piece,
published in the second volume of the ''Royal
Asiastic Transactions" and written 5000 years
ago. Besides the pleasure its intrinsic beau
ty will afford, it officers convincing proof of
the substantial identity of human feelings in all
| times and countries The piece bemoans the fate
of maiden, betrothed to humber rival, but
compelled TO become the bride ola rich and
powerful sultor:
The nest Won winged artist builds,
| Some robber bird shall tear away;
! So Yields her hopes the afianced maid,
Some wealthy lords reluctant prey.
| The futtering bird prepares home.
In which the spoiler soon shall dwell;
Forth goes the weeping bride, constrained;
A hundred cars the triumph well.
Mourn for the tiny architect:
A stronger bird hath ia en- its nest;
Torn for the ina pless, stolen bride;
How vain the pomp to soothe her breast!
HIGHER.-A noble motto for a young man
higher. Never look down. Aim high-push
high-leap high. If you cannot reach the stars
you can have the satisfaction of drawing near
them. He who stands ON an elevated position,
is sure to catch the first rays of the glorious sum-
So he who is always stepping up and reaching
up will first catci the favors and blessings of
heaven as they descend. There is no object on
which we gaze that gives so much pleasure
as the upward and the continued progress in
moral culture and robust virtue of enterprsipg