The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1885-05-06

Philosophy Of the human mind. considers
the invention Of printing. rather rs the
the result Of those general causes on
which the progress Of society seems
to depend. than as the mere effect Of a
fortunate accident" in fact as a step in
the social history Of man, and as marking
a point in his progress Admitting this
TO be true says Sir John, 1T would fol
low that the Chinese in the 10th century
were not only farther advanced than their
contemporaries in Europe (of which there
can be no doubt whatevcrl but that they
had reached higher point Of civilization
than the ancient Greeks and Romans
The ancient style Of block printing has
been found to answer all the demand. SO
far a relates 10 books, but the puhlica
ton Of newspapers. requires a more
manageable method Chinese marine ar
chi-ecture Is modelled after the duck, and
not like that of western lands after the
fish. In general the Chinese exhibit
high degree Of skill. but appear 10 be des
titute Of taste. They can execute works,
like the Great Wall, and the Grand Canal,
and their skill Is equally exhibited in all
the details Of mechanical combinations,
Whether in smelling iron. in weaving
silk. or in pottery and enamel work. the
most characteristic OF the Chinese, l. their
ability to accomplish almost everything,
with means Of almost nothing. They have
their own method Of executing work,
which is generally different from that of
Credentials. often better in itself, and
always better for them. The Chinese
have the art Of appropriating the results
of the labors Of others. IN a high degree.
III . z4nuTF,lnHtu4z f.laFr1rr,l
aud railways, are well understood IN the
leading minds among them. There are
many reasons for the delay in introducing
them. among which must not be forgotten
the poverty o. the Empire the cmharass
ments Of the country, the division Of sen
timent among the high officials. and the
fear Of falling prey to the clouds OF
foreign harpies, who scent the spoil from
afar. and who give the Chinese much
trouble 1t Is idle for Us 70 scoff at any
Oriental nation for not adopting at once,
those improvements to which we have be
come accustomed by the deliberate pro
gross of many centuries
VI. MISCELLANEOUS CONsnEEATIoNS.
There Is in China a great respect
for law. a respect which Is indefinitely
greater than in the United States, where
there appears to be 200 often no respect
for anything. There i likewise a great
respect for reason. The Chinese are a
peaceable people, and q quarrel no sooner
begins. then there energies ''peace-talkers'
and reason takers. who will cOutrlve TO
settle the matter If Il be soluble In gene
raj, the most angry crowd can be quietei
by talking reason to them In a good ma
turcd manner. 1t Is much easier to ad-
Just disturbance, even for a foreigner TO
adjust one. in China than in the United
States. 1t Is safer for an American 10
travel all over China, than for a Chinese
to travel in the United States. There i
bitter hostility 10 foreigners. on the
uH.t q The Chinese hterati. but this
springs largely fTOm ignorance Is 10 the
motives Of foreigners for coming among
them. Yet this hostility. great as it Is. Is
probably less than that felt toward the
Chinese in the United States. where the
relation OF the :wo races Is supposed to be
well understood. Notwithstanding this
blind aversion TO Foreign Devils Tt-sf.
It i common for foreigners TO travel all
oyer China. and never 10 be iusulted 10y
any overt act The Chinese are among
the politest Of the human race. 1t has
been common to sheer at the Chinese code
etiquette. as a mere routine OF ceremony.
but the principles which underlie IT, are
the same which are found essential in all
diplomatic circles in the world II is
that each individual shall occupy q fixed
place in the scale and no other. each shall
have fixed relations TO all above and TO all
below and thus dignity Is secured, such
a code Of ceremony would be grlevUUs
burden. but it Is eminently becoming to
the Chinese. and gives them so greatly
the advantage in intercourse with other
races. that it Is easy TO understand how
| the come 10 consider all nations as harha
rians. who do not regulate their lives on
the same plan In China. says Capt Lap
| lace, struck with the order found among
the crowded population on the Canton
river. 1.-The knowledge and the arts which
| have given such an impulse to the indus
| try Of France and England, are much Us
/ they We're in Europe above "a century ago.
but ] repeat that the Chinese are very
much our superior- IN true civilization
I in that which frees the majority Of men
/ from the brutality and ignorance. which.
among many European nations places
/ the lowest Glasses Of society on q level
with the most savage beasts" Mr.. lap
| lace says Sir John Davis Is quite right;
the lower classes Of the Chinese. are bet
/ Ter educated. or at least better trained,
than in other countries.
They certainly are upon the whole, the
most good humored people In the world,
and the most peaceable; and the good
cause Of this must be sought for in their
political and social institutions"
There Is a business like character
/ about the Chinese" remarks the same
| competent authority which assImIlatcs
| them in a striking manner 20 the most
| intelligent nations Of the West, and Ger
| tainly marks them ont in very prominent
relief. from the rest Of the Asiatics In
| everything which enters into the compost
| ton Of actively industrious and well or
| gained communities, there Is vastly less
difference between them and Anglo Sax
Ons and French. than between the latter
and the inhabitants Of Spain and P0rtu-
/ gal" In this remarkable capacity for
| business. the Chinese have few rivals in
| the world They run ont all competitors.
as the HilJ. grass runs ont the HaHj.ais.
They are iudefatigably industrious. not
in an AnglO-Saxon way. but in q Chinese
way II is a mistake 10 expect a Chinese
TO stop being a Chinese, and bc an Anglo
! Saxon. for he VIII not and he cannot.
There Is a story Of an American who
/ had amassed SO much wealth. as 90 be
restless in bis own country. and who like
others in similar circumstances. went TO
/ Europe to live, with view perhaps. to
having his portrait painted by the odd
masters" He bought o Castle on the
Rhine where he made his home, but
/ found the winter very cold and no pro
vision for heating the building One day
/ his daughter found him IN the arnory Of
/ the establishment, working over an old
| suit Of rusty armOr. which be had set mp
and inside which he had built o tre
! Why Father. she exclaimed. "rir' Hrt
/ ggu 150wF' Why. ] am building o FIRE. but
| ne alF fol hr' pTt0.'sF Tie s,ars. lid 1a' HH-
I a.rsrnd he Jn.fas.sf- have often thought
Of this anecdote, when / have seen
/ foreigners trying 20 make AngI0Sax0us
/ ont Of Chinese. and after the host efforts
being forced to ezclaiu The Old Fool
that patented this Chngmau. did not
/ know what be was about o. whereas the
real difficulty is that that tho 1n0bsaryaut
| foreigner has attempted to make ont Of O.
I suit Of fairly good Chinese arm9r an
! American gas burner stove
The Chinese are On emiuentiy practical
people Even their beautiful ornamental
writing, is valued as much Tor the -0uti
ment. and for the form in which it g con
vsyed. az for THE merits Of the execution
| Their attachment to their homo IS hardly
exceeded hy that q the Laulander. end
I their last wish is 70 be- buried with their
| fathers Their style Of living certainly
/ O. mitch more rational one than that boz
Occidental lands They are deliberate 1
their meals and Of their work. true they
/ DO not accomplish SD mnch iu tLe =ama
! time rs the energetic Saxon hui they
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