Nor can

capable of judging, have said so more than once. their opinions, more than ours, be attributed to mere prejudice. They have, and always had, a different civilization from ours, and different civilizations presuppose different modes of thought. Even arts and sciences, that may be a source of wealth to one nation, may, for various reasons, be of very little, if any, use to another. For example, the science of navigation is of very little use to a nation that has no sea-coast, and that devotes no attention to foreign commerce; and what is not useful is not likely to be much cultivated. If, then, we find a nation ignorant of any particular art, or science, we should rather ask whether it is likely they would have been acquainted with it had they been placed in the same position and circumstances with ourselves, than pronounce them inferior in intellect. We ought to make the allowances for foreigners which we expect them to make for us, remembering that, however absurd, stupid, or ignorant they may appear to our travellers, we are likely to appear equally so to theirs. This has been well illustrated by Goldsmith in his Letters of a Chinese Philosopher, and still better, perhaps, by Montesquieu in his Persian Letters. But real Chinese and Persians have travelled and have given their views of the institutions, laws, religion, and manners and customs of the principal European nations. Thus, we have now before us a translation of a poem on London, written by a Chinese who visited Europe in 1813; and certainly no intelligent, unprejudiced person can read it without admitting that it gives as fair and truthful an account of the great English metropolis, at the time it was written, as any European would be likely to give of Peking, especially if he attempted the description in verse. We select two or three stanzas as a specimen, reminding the reader that it is but a prose translation, as nearly literal as possible; a mode of rendering which could not do justice to an author writing in the most universally studied language of Europe; but which does less to the Chinese than such could to any other:

7.

"The towering edifices rise story above story,
In all the stateliness of splendid mansions;
Railings of iron thickly stud the sides of every entrance;
And streams from the river circulate through the walls;
The sides of each apartment are variegated with devices;
Through the windows of glass appear the scarlet hangings,
And in the street itself is presented a beautiful scene;
The congregated buildings have all the aspect of a picture.

8.

"In London, about the period of the ninth moon,

The inhabitants delight in travelling to a distance;

They change their abodes and betake themselves to the country,
Visiting their friends in their rural retreats.

The prolonged sound of carriages and steeds is heard through the day;
Then in autumn the prices of provisions fall,

And the greater number of dwellings being untenanted,

Such as require it are repaired and adorned.

9.

"The spacious streets are exceedingly smooth and level, Each being crossed by others at intervals;

On either side perambulate men and females,

In the centre career along the carriages and horses;

The mingled sound of voices is heard in the shops at evening.

During midwinter the accumulated snows adhere to the pathway; Lamps are displayed at night along the street sides,

Their radiance twinkling like the stars of the sky."

The author is not so correct in speaking of the Christian religion. "The people of these realms," he says, "pretend to believe only in one God; but they invoke several Gods; nay, they have told me to my face, that three Gods and one God are the same. From these facts, I conclude that they must have borrowed their religion from our neighbors, the Hindoos. They have, besides, a grand lama, who is half priest, half emperor, dresses himself in women's clothes, and calls himself the representative of Heaven. There are a large number, however, who do not believe in the lama; but they make a lama of their Emperor, and pretend to interpret the sacred books for themselves. The principal difference, I have been able to see between the two leading sects, is that the members of one insist that they take the deity into their stomachs, just as he is in the ninth heaven; while the other claim to do so in a figurative or symbolical sense. The ministers of both sell their services the same as any other commodities; and they seem to value money more than heaven itself." To the bravery of Europeans, or, rather, of the English, the same author pays the following tribute: "They make light of their lives on occasions of personal contest, and, when two of them quarrel, the consequences may be serious. They stand face to face, and discharge firearms at each other on a given signal. If one falls, the survivor is not punished; if neither fall, there is an end of the quarrel. They do this," adds the poet, "to show that they are not afraid!" When a guest arrives, the host helps him with his

own hand to the juice of the grape; they welcome visitors with wine, not as we do, with tea; and perhaps this will account for their fighting propensities." Need we say, how few authors there are of the European race that have the talent to make shrewder observations than these. If Chinese authors commit errors, and are sometimes profane, the same may be said of our own. We should, then, rather take the advice of Horace, and make an allowance for the difference between the two civilizations, if we wish a similar indulgence to be extended to ourselves :

"Scimus et hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim."

But it is now time that we should make some observations on the general character of Chinese literature. There is nothing more common, even in this enlightened age, with all its boasted advantages of steamships, electric telegraphs, railroads, &c., &c., than "to harden ignorance into contempt," and to assume that whatever is unknown is not worth knowing. This, however, is a fault of nature; our self-love prompts us to depreciate what we do not understand. But it is much better, as well as fairer, to put everything that claims to possess value to the test, before attempting to pass judgment upon it.

No other literature contains a larger proportion of poetry than the Chinese; but it is equally true that no poetry is more difficult to be translated. For this reason, the best versions we have of Chinese poems are admitted to be vastly inferior to the original. This will be the better understood, when it is remembered that, complicated as the written characters appear, most of the poetry is in rhyme. Specimens of prose give a better idea, therefore, of Chinese literature than specimens of poetry; and, accordingly, we proceed to select a few of the former.

In China, as well as in our own country, novels are very popular; they are read by all classes; and, like our own, have a very extensive scope. Indeed, there seems to be no purpose, social, moral, religious, or political, for which a novel is written in Europe or America, but the same species of literature is used for in China. There, as well as here, the novel is expected to present a true picture of whatever phase of life it undertakes to delineate. A novel, entitled "The Fortunate Union," will serve as an illustration. We select this all the more readily, because it serves to disprove the

allegation, so often made, as to polygamy having the sanction of the laws in China. That some Chinese marry two or more wives is not to be disputed; but do not Christians occasionally do the same? In China, concubinage is allowed, but not polygamy. The Chinese wife is recognized as of equal rank with her husband, and certain rights are guaranteed to her, while the handmaid, or concubine, is received into the house as a domestic, and generally with the consent of the wife.

The "Fortunate Union" is divided into chapters, like the Waverley Novels, each having some verses at the top, generally quotations, bearing some relation to its contents. Also, as in Scott's works, original stanzas are introduced here and there, in the progress of the narrative, to serve as embellishments, or to be sung by some of the characters. It will be seen that, in the specimen we are about to give, the dialogue is full of life and vivacity, and the delineation of character well defined and eminently natural. Passing over several chapters, each of which contains some incident, adventure, or situation, well calculated to interest the reader, we come to a scene in the ninth chapter, in which an intriguing and unprincipled uncle proceeds to tell his niece, the heroine, what horrible things he has heard of the hero, whose enemy he is:

"Niece,' said he, 'have you heard the strange news?' She pleaded the retired life of a female in her situation as a sufficient reason for being ignorant of what was passing abroad. Well, then,' continued her uncle, you must know that when I advised you to marry Teihchoongyu, I had the best opinion of his character; most fortunately, however, you refused steadily to give a hasty assent-your happiness would otherwise have been ruined for life! Can you guess what sort of a person he has proved himself to be?' 'I know nothing of his birth and family,' replied the young lady, but, from what I have observed of his conduct, it would plainly appear that he is a young man of extraordinary virtue.' 'Of extraordinary virtue, indeed!' exclaimed the other, impatiently; 'you used to have some share of penetration once, niece! what has become of it on this occasion?' 'But how has he belied his former character?' inquired Shuezpingsin. 'Why, he is nothing better than a practised seducer,' replied her uncle. I know not what schemes he might have had in view when he pretended sickness, and gained a lodging in this house; but you may consider it the height of good luck on your part that he was obliged, by the sound rating I gave him, to desist, and took his departure in an affected passion. The earthen pitcher, however, gets broken at last; and no sooner did he reach the neighboring village, than he betrayed himself.' 'Pray, what was it he did to betray himself?' asked the young lady."

In this there is nothing forced or overdrawn-no exag

geration. The replies of the young lady are in perfect keeping with the characteristic generosity of woman. The more she hears against the hero, the more steadily does she cling to his cause, and seek to vindicate it. Seeing that no general assertion in regard to his conduct would have any effect on her, or tend, in the least, to alienate her good wishes from him, not to call them by a tenderer name, the uncle proceeds to enter into details as follows:

6

"Well,' said his niece, smiling composedly, 'let Teichoongyu be what you say he is; it concerns myself no more than if the favorite disciple of Confucius had been really proved to be a murderer.' 'I know it does not concern you!' exclaimed he; but this event shows how very difficult it is to be sure of a person's character on a short acquaintance, and that, to avoid the chance of being deceived, one's knowledge must be better founded than on a casual meeting.' 'In a matter with which I have so little concern,' observed Shuezpingsin, there is not much occasion to argue the point; but what you have been pleased to say seems intended to ridicule my want of penetration, in forming a wrong opinion of this young man. Did it apply to any person but himself, I should not think it worth while to say a word in reply; but, after the mutual services we have rendered each other, the slur you throw upon his character implies that our acquaintance was dishonest, and slanders my own reputation equally with his. I have, therefore, a good reason for repelling it.' I do not know,' cried her uncle, whether to be most angry or amused by what you say. I never had any cause of enmity towards this young man: what should make me slander him, then? He happens to be a libertine, and entices away a young woman. You live quietly at home, and know nothing about it; but the people near the magistrate's office report it to me-why blame me on their account? If you choose to say that you mistook his character, and that this was a thing you could not help, I can understand you; but if you attempt to maintain that he really is not guilty, I suspect all the water in the Yellow River will never wash him clean from the imputation.' 'If I think it worth while to maintain anything,' replied Shuezpingsin, it will be, that he is not what you call him, and that the whole is the slanderous invention of worthless people. You may then learn that I was not deceived in my good opinion. Any other point I do not think it necessary to argue.' 'My good niece, you are very obstinate,' said Shueynn. That he is guilty, has been proved by a number of witnesses. What is there for you to say on the subject?' 'You assert that it has been proved by witnesses,' answered she; and until we hear something authentic, I will not debate the point with you; but, judging from reason and principle, I must still maintain that this young man cannot be what you say; and though such a report may have gone abroad (admitting that it be not a fabrication altogether), there must yet be something more in it than has come to light; for, should he really prove to be guilty of the charge, I will engage to forfeit both my eyes to you.' 'Why, the woman he carried off has been apprehended in his company,' exclaimed Shueynn, and taken before the village officer, who transferred them both to his superior. They are now on trial-there can be no fabrication in this. Your attempt to vindicate his character, after matters have reached this point, proves only that you are blinded by excess of love.' It is vain attempting to persuade you, at present, uncle,' said the young lady; but do not be too positive. Inquire a little farther, and you may arrive at the real truth.'”