, 1881-11-12


tribute tn prove Mr.. Nheeler's ability to deal
with the subject indicated by the title Of his
wnrk. -All eminent Chinese scliolar-able to
preach, write, and talk to tile relestlalS in
their own tong1e-alul Il resident Of China
for nlitliy years, the author was able to give
u what Ire had to say the weight of personal
experience ami kEow!e'lea. i;lc result nf
his labors has beel. 4 brief but Interesting
summary OF the history of the advert and
sojvut,t os the foreigner il, China sufficient
~ comprehensive fur the general reader i'll
tcrcsteG in the subject. For much Of the iil-
formation contained in this volume Afr.
Wheeler was t!cpeadent urUn the works Of
Others, Of which assistance lie has made
frank acknowledgment The latter por-
ton 0f his book. bcing more directly
the result Of his own experience. /; of tlle
most practical advantage 10 one who desires
information i'll regard to the present aspects
OF the Chinese question. Wheeler is, On the
whole, nnprej.licsd in his attempts to SiTe
clear and cXact statements OF Its different
phases. And even those not in sympathy
with him cannot fai. to admit that i'll many
respects he makes the test sllowin" for the
Chinese nation yet 1u;tie. He cnati,n.s him
self tu stating, what lie Knows and permits. :.
the reader to ur:lw his own conclusions.
golan civilization there are many ciains
put forward loi it which this a1'-
thor is unwilling to in.iorse. That
the, Chinese should have ~ invented
"'riting-ptpcr, printing. gnnpowttcr, and the
according. to. Mr. Wheeler. ''On the con
tr;.:y., quite the REVERSE" as Sam Weller
would put it. That China should have the
credit OF having conferred these blessings
upon the world ut large has perhaps mo
f.l.
sions. and the general tendency among EN-
ropeaus to assign to that nation anything the
origin Of which is u'iknown or Obscure" 1t
Is with feelings of pride we read tilat tile
lsis,, but it is nlortifying to learn that our
Consular agent WIS styled 4 "tac-pan."
The combination is, too closely akin 10
that Of "till-pan "-eletined as Il noisy
implement Of domestic use attached |
generally II Il dogs caudal appenfiage. as
Il matter of fact Our early representatives ao- +!
pear to have been of very little Use, to have |
had no salary, dignity, or power until niany
'The entire New Testament was first pub
1sllcd i'll Chinese in 1914, The greater rlrt OF
tile translation having been accomplished by, |
Mr.. Morrison, who, III lS23:s, completed all |
dictionary in six volumes. |
And ret from six to eight thousand arbitrary
symbols must be committed to memory in |
or!er to read the simplest book. !" Pigeon !
English" is a language i'll Itself. Who would |
recognize the first lines OF l.onBfc1lON'S |
''Excelsior T" written III this shane:
That nightcy time begin chop-chop, (
One Young tuAn wakey--no eau stop.
Maskce SNOW! Nia3kce ice! Il
He carry tins, with chnp so nice
Torsde-g.on. |
1.-THE Chinese have the original patent for
;ivil-service REFORM. says Mr.. Wheeler,
'fand. with ut least all due ceremonies and
apparent evell-llandeu justice to aspirants
for place and honors under tflt: Emp pirc, they
have maintained their educational system!
Ettr more ilian 2,0Q0 years. Not only are the
candidates for civil Office promoted accort-
ng to their examinations, but when men
% government promotion, although unsuc-
,csstul. they pass into 4 certain honorable
position. as Il result, they have scholars who
IAN, iii some respects, MOCK the wlseSt
1 nen we are a5lc to produce: The The natiye
! mass Of knowledge. equal in volume
% some OF our largest commentaries
~ the Bible; yet the Emperor never lacks
Tor scholars who can repeat every word Of
hem FROM. .melnory."
ecent treaties with China negotiated by
President Angel.
Mr., Wheeler's work is by no means rs
cholarly rs that recently published by, DR..
'lartin. nor does it profess to give anything
ike history Ut the Chinese nation, or even
onls, and industries as they exist today, It
i inferior us reference work to DR.. VIII
ans work. At the best, it is only sketch
# the relations to China borne by foreign
latlons since l51G. But it is one branch Of a
.reat subject with which it would do no
lar,n for tilore Of our people to be familiar.
)mitring the dry fields OF the tlrst half, there
$ enough good, soiil food in the last to make |
his book wortl, reading.
Published i'll Chicago by S. G. Grigss & Co.