The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-04-02
Chinese 0Re-z.

When a student has added poetry to bis
other requirements, be knows al that
China can teach. He stands the test, and
comes through i, e.oEiousIy, gaining the
Immediate righ, to wear 4 high cap, sur
mounted by a button or bail as large . the
egg Of a pigeon, aud ia this case con.
s,rueted Of copper, gilt and wrought,
Our graduate l. now ! b L.. Or Bachelor
Of Letters, member Of the ninth class of
the order Of mandarins, and dely fitted for
the humber posts But though the sue
cessful student Is now one Of the upper
hundred thousaud-an elected aTisiocrat
he does not necessarily receive State
pay nor pass iato State employ. There Is
great 90, or second ordeal TO get
through beforc hc can take raak as Mag
istrale, Treasurer, Sub Preiect or Iuspce-
tor. Between him aud the loflies, situa.
ton lies yet another barrier, harder to
scale than the two former True, he has
all the Chinese learning in his brain,
stored away in crude state; but If be
wishes to be a great mandarin, he mus,
show the power TO apply it He can
learn; can be think Ii be hopes to
change his ninih-class button for one OF
those envied top.kno,s Of red coral, he
must show an ability to make use Of the
raw material Of knowledge, aud as thought
is not more active iu China than with US,
few are those who reach the topmost
branches Of the tree Of pFciermeut. I'm
meuse numbers Of graduates finch from
the second examination, preferriug to veg
egate through life in some slendcrly paid
Office; where there is not much to harrass
aud trouble, aud where Court favor is less
needed, and shameful downfalIs less prob
able. The storm that levels the lofty pop
lar, they say, spares the humble mush-
room at il roots But there are numbers
who fail TO obtain even a desk in a Guy-
erument bureau, or snug berth in the
Customs without hop. Of promotion.
These become scribes, poets, parasites,
scriveuers, private tutors, one or all.
Every city is full Of these poor literary
men, dinnerless aristocrats, with plant
back bones and tongues Of honey. When
wealthy merchants son marries another
merchants daughter, they jostle one au-
other, these penuiless graduates, as they
hurry to present their fulsome stanzas on
the happy event When a rich man dies,
aud the paid howlers muster around the
splendid cotiu, poet presents himself to
express the grief Of the heirs in mellitiu-
Gus verse. The Bachelors of Letters are
especially employed to 'cram the sons Of
wealthy families for examination, aud
they not only render all the services Of a
British private tutor, but now aud then
are said to personate their dear pupil on
the awful day of trial, to take his place in
the schools, and TO receive his "testamur
for apt erudition a crowning aid which
no Oxford or Cambridge 'coach' has
ever been known to render to his young
friends. The little irregularities are rem
dered faceile by the fact that Chinese ex-
aminers have itching palms and know no
salye like silver. A bribe works wonders
in convincing the arbiters of the great
progress which the student has made in
the humanities; aud in country where the
founts of justice are corrupt, it is no Won
der that degrees are to be bought. But we
must not hastily conclude that the whole
system is a make believe one, and that every
degree is matter of bargain and sale
In practice, there is very little purchase
for the very good reason that the candi
dates have more brains than dollars, and
can more easily fag than pay. The man.
darins-at least the mandarins Of pure
Chinese origin-are very seldom members
/ of the opulent classes. II is only out Of