Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-22
New Rocks.

Frank Ieslie's Poular Monthly for Oc-
tober. Is a striking number, pictoriahy'
without any sacrifice of it's other we'll
known features. The opening article IS
a description. by Mrs. Leicester-Addis OF
a summer holiday visit TO England
loveliest county, Surrey. with pen
picture Of the stately manor OF Deepdene'
upon which the present American Duch-
ess OF Marlborough has spent
large sums Of money 10 good purpose;
Apropos of this years tercentenhiai
Tasso celebration, there is sympathetic
and deliberately illustrated paper on
1.-THE Last Days OF Torquato Tasso, py
Marie Walsh. Another Italian contripu-
ton of artistic interest Is Miss II. Z.
Vansittart's description OF Monte Oiveto
Maggiore, TO which are appended some
souvenirs Of Siena," by the late John
AddIngton Syrnonds. Othe picturesque
features are: Women as Athletes by
W. de Wagstaffe; Burmese Women
by II. Fielding; Light Givers," by Mary
Titcon,b: Town and Cloth Halls OF
Flanders" by Alexander Anstead;
''Vidowed sovereigns." by A. Oakley
Hall. and alpine Soldiers" by Henry
Tyrrell. This number also contains some
unusually interesting short stories and
poems
FORTY YEARS IN CHINA; OR CHINA
IN TRANSITION. BY Rev. X. ii.
Graves. y. ID. Illustrated. Baltimore:
r. II. Woodward Company. ZIG pages.
Price. 800.
This volume is not altogether what one
would be apt TO conclude 1t is from its
authorship. 1t is not a narrative OF the
personal experience of a missionary in
the Celestial empire, simply as a mis-
sionary. 1t embraces. indeed, very little
personal Incident. DR.. Graves thinks that
the necessary forces for the reconstruc-
ton of China are education, mission
work. and book distribution. but before
proceeding to argue this ont he gives US
n vast deal Of valuable information touch
ing the later history of the empire. It's
government the vices of the people, ana
their methods OF thought. He holds that
the accepted estimate OF the population
of China is much too large. and, In re-
ferring TO the lack of homogeneity, says:
"Cbina is to be compared to Europe
rather than to France or Spain, or any
other State OF Europe. for IL Is an as
semblage Of people differing In their--lan-
cuages, habits, and customs" while
he adds the Chinese "are united by
their adhesion TO the Imperial rule and
their reverence for the Confucian classics,
they are divided as 10 many OF their
ancestral traditions. geographical and
climatic environments. local attachments,
and provincial customs" DR.. Graves
warns the reader OF a book on China TO
beware OF the many hasty generalizat!ons
and bids him 10 be careful TO take into
consideration the local standpoint OK the
writer and the people by whom ne IL
surrounded.
DIR. Graves's description of the govern
mont of China is exceedingly interesting.
and contains much information on that
subject which will prove new TO the
average reader. He fays that mo one
can understand China who regards Its
Government as a pure despotism-an au-
sorrat imposing his own Will on subser-
,ient subjects. The popular element
mat also be considered In estimating the
rnrce. that bind Chinese society together"
china to-day, he asserts. Is governed by
tue forces-the Imperial authority. as
ranresented by the msBdar!ns, high and
loo, with the underlings and police run
ners connected with the various official
courts and the popular viii represented
by the village elders.
DIR. Graves gives concrete expression 10
h,s observations regarding the cruelty OF
the chinese, their duplicity, and theis
general yiciousness. when he declares
nat the Chinaman has a dislocated
Coincidence" Yet he has hopes for the
cclestiais. and contends that their re-
generation can be accomplished without