Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1879-11-14
study Of the Chinese Language.

\ PROFEssoRsHIP FOR INSTRUCTION IN
CHINESE ESTABLISHED AT HARVARD
FORM OF LANGUAGE TO BE STUDIED.
New YORK, Oct. 27.-The World
says: On Wednesday last chair
for instruction was established in Har-
ward. At first signs the need Of the
study of the formless Chinese language
at classic Cambridge may not be seen,
but 1t must be remembered that the
wealth of many Brahmins of Beacon
street was built up by the China trade
and that the pithy sayings and doc
trims of Kung Fu Tze-the most
sagely ancient teacher have long been
discussed and accepted in the radical
parlors of Chestnut street. Thus rea-
sons have existed for some time for
studysof Chinese. The establishment
OF chair is not the result of new
agitation. For some years past Har-
ward graduates have occasionally gone
to China to engage in various official
duties. E. p. Drew of the class of
1868, who, with Francis p. Knight,
as been mainly instrumental in found
ing this instructorship, has gained
hi@h position in the Chinese custom
service, which has been filled by for
e'so2rs', principally English. In 1874
W chose three young men Of that
ass to enter this service, their
been so successful that the
1!n4. ernment now desires to
F. are laorc. The purpose of the
O. .o afford opportunities for stu
DENTS who desire to study Chinese liter
are and history. for those who desire
'e natrr official life in China for those
s3" propose to enter on business in
certain ports, and for those who pro
pose to become missionaries. The
form of language to he studied is the
Mandarin, or official dialect, This is
the h"gnu R0mana of the Chinese.
II is the language Of official and edn
Gated men, and is also in the north
eastern part Of the empire particular
ly in the trading ports of Shanghai
Ang ize, Chefoo and Tien-stin. Tc
the majority of the Chinese people
however, the madarin dialects is about
as ineligible as that of London law,
yer. The study of Chinese will be nc
easy task at Harvard. The correct
modulations Of the various tones the
meaning Of the various characters, de
mand long and serious study. Hillie,
interpreter to the British legation al
Peking; says % faithful student may
get a fair hold on the language ir
three years time. Drew, says foul
and half hours daily study for eighteer
months will secure fair mastery of it
and still another gentleman says ht
learned enough of it in six months tc
enable him to do his official work. Il
is stated that there are l45 modula
tions of tone, and 1000 vocables in tn,
Pcking dialect, and that 2000 combin
ations of characters are said to be suffi
cient for the use of beginners. The
less copious Mandarin dialect still pre-
sents sufficient difficulties, since 6
knowledge of 2000 or 5000 charac
ters is only said to be respectable
knowledge The text book to be uset
at Harvard is Sir Thomas Wade,
"Prrogressive Courses in Colloquia
Documentary Chinese" which ha.
5eenprovedtobe trustworthy. students
in the British legation are supposed t.
master this in given time but the,
must give their whole mindsto it, Th'
Harvard experiment is not undertaken
at the expense of the University. it,
costs is betrayed by a subscription o
$500, collected by Knight from re
tired Chinese merchants, cotton man
ufacturers and regular subscribers t,
the university funds. knight, togeth
er with Drew, selected and instructo
in China, and he has now settled down
III Cambridge with his family, K,
Kunhua is his name, which the ''con
tabs" have already shortened into "Mi
Ko." He is an Intelligent and cduca
tel man, about a. years old, reGne'
and dignitied in his manners, and o
known capacity to teach and writ
3t',"sa He has with him wife, fv
y and two servants, and intend
- a least three years. The,
''nesa dress, and have no
ilcel from their nationa
eter1as Of pumpkin pie