is either stupid or good for nothing in itself, or so marred in the intermediate process as to have lost all the attraction it had possessed in the original state." And again, "The interests and reputation of Chinese literature in Europe seem to demand that its professors take some pains to render its introduction as attractive as possible, by a careful selection of the best subjects, and by treating these in such a manner as shall interest the greatest number of tasteful and cultivated readers. To weary the attention with a bare list of barbariphonous and uncouth names, to produce some bald and miserably verbal translation, to present the mere caput mortuum of something that in its original shape possessed spirit and beauty, is, in fact, scaring away attention from a new subject, which, with a little discretion, might be rendered sufficiently attractive even to general readers. . ... Whenever a work of taste meets with general approval in its own country, we may be assured that its success is in great measure owing to the merits of its style and language, and therefore it seems singularly injudicious to think of transferring the spirit and effect of such a Chinese composition into bad English, which it must inevitably become by a servile adherence to the letter of the original. Between the greater number of European languages there is a certain connection, which allows literalness of rendering to be carried to a great extent-but a verbal translation from the one concerning which we now treat, must of necessity degenerate into a horrible jargon which few persons would undergo the disgust of perusing." With regard to poetry Sir John Davis observes, "We may adopt the happy illustration used on a similar occasion: Celui qui prétendrait juger de quelque Poème que ce fut, dans une traduction littérale, pourrait aussi raisonablement espérer de trouver, sur le revers d'une tapisserie, les figures qu'elle représente dans toute leur délicatesse et toute leur splendeur.' Verse, then, ought to be the shape into which Chinese, as well as all other poetry, ought to be converted in order to do it mere justice." When it has to be considered that the ideas belonging to the Oriental mind, have to be clothed in such a form of words as will best adapt them to the European intellect, and awaken a sympathetic interest in the general reader, I think it will be conceded that the principles set forth in the foregoing extracts, cannot be too closely adhered to. Should I, however, whilst attempting to act up to them, have failed to make my subject sufficiently attractive, I feel convinced that it will have proceeded from no other cause than my incapacity to set forth the thoughts, words, and actions, belonging to the remote period of which it treats, in a manner or in a language that would commend them to the attention of a public whose taste for all that concerns Chinese classical literature has, with a few exceptions, been very scantily cultivated. It will be seen that this work has no pretension to being a book written by a scholar for scholars. But it has not been lightly undertaken, nor have any efforts been spared, to overcome the many difficulties by which its execution has been surrounded. The greatest of these difficulties proceeded from the circumstance that amongst the most advanced students of Chinese, a great diversity of opinion exists as to the correct rendering of many passages - often amongst the most important-in the classical writings. Of course in such cases I have had to choose between conflicting authorities, and to select the rendering, which, after a careful comparison and a reference to the Chinese text, was, to my mind, the one, in closest accord with the context, and with the general process of the line of thought of which it formed a portion. The inception of the work dates from the timenow more than forty years ago-when the Confucian writings became part of my course of study when endeavouring to gain a knowledge of the Chinese language and literature during a period of service in China. In old age one reverts à ses premiers amours, and hence this book is submitted to the indulgent suffrage of the public, in the sincere hope that it may be of some little use in extending amongst us a knowledge of the people of another great empire, the confines of which have now become contiguous to our own. Contemporary events of the time in which Confucius lived- Origin and chronology of the ancient Chinese, and their moral, political, and social progress down to the same period Entry into public life-Marriage-Death of his mother-A period of mourning-Studies and occupations—Establishment as a |