In this sentence yu, in the second line from the right, has nearly the force of the preposition to in English, when used to denote "speaking to." suffice. Other examples of this kind might be quoted; but this one may

In common conversation the character tooi, which means " opposite

to or before another," and hence " to respond," is sometimes connected

with a verb of speaking; as in sentences of this kind;

This however, is literally; "go speak before him, or in his presence.

But this mode of using the verb tooi is confined almost wholly to conversation it is scarcely ever found in respectable compositions.

The Vocative.-Relative to this case, little requires to be said. In the most esteemed Chinese works, it is in general formed by merely repeating the name of the person addressed. Of this several instances occur in Lunyu in book the first, the sage is introduced as conversing with his disciple, Tse-loo already mentioned, who, amidst his other foibles which so often drew on him his master's reproofs, was somewhat too fond of appearing to be acquainted with every thing. With the view of correcting this turn of mind, and of pointing him to the way in which he might obtain real knowledge, the sage advises him ingenuously to acknowledge his ignorance in those things of which he was actually ignorant; which advice he introduces with this address;

"Yao, let me teach thee, (the way to) real knowledge?" Lun-yu, b. i.

In this sentence the first character to the right, is evidently a proper name, used in the vocative case.

In the second book of the same work, another instance occurs. Tsekoong, one of the sage's disciples already mentioned, holding a place of authority in the kingdom of Loo, wished to abolish the ancient custom of presenting a lamb annually at the paternal temple, as a kind of offering on the first day of the new year, which he now deemed a useless expense, as the ideas originally connected with the rite were now almost forgotten. The sage however wishing to retain the ancient custom in the hope of its one day reviving those feelings of filial veneration in which it originated, disapproved of this innovation; and addressed him in a sentence, the first character of which forms the vocative case.

<< Chya, thou regardest the lamb connected with the rite, I regard its virtuous import."

Lun-yu, b. ii.

In this sentence Tse, the first character to the right, must necessarily be understood in the vocative case.

Another instance of the vocative may be quoted from book the third, in which this same disciple tells his master, that he felt no more desire to injure another man, than for another to injure himself. To this declaration, the sage, whose opinion of his disciple's virtue was somewhat lower

than his own, addressing him by his name, which of course forms the vocative, replies;

"Tse, this is a pitch of virtue to which thou hast not attained." Lun-yu, b. iii.

In these three examples the vocative is formed merely by mentioning the name. There is however an instance occurring in the same work, wherein the character hoo already mentioned, is placed after the vocative; but it evidently adds something to the meaning of the sentence, like a note of admiration placed after the vocative in English. The sentence occurs in the third book of Lun-yu, where the sage addressing himself to his favourite disciple Choong-koong, relative to the nature of his doctrine, says,

"Ts'han! my doctrine centres wholly in one principle." Lun-yu, book iii.

In this sentence, Ts'han, the first character to the right, is the vocative case;

to which the second character, hoo, is not however, a necessary appendage: it is used here by the sage, to call the attention of his disciple.

These examples may suffice to convey an idea of the manner in which the Chinese express the vocative case. We proceed to another far more complex in the ideas generally included underneath it, and requiring therefore a far greater number of examples by way of illustration.

THE ABLATIVE.-Under the case gencrally termed the Ablative, is included so great a variety of ideas, that it seems rather an assemblage of cases, than one in particular. Of these the Sungskrit language has formed three distinct cases, by the names of the Instrumental, the Ablative, and the Locative; and as the Chinese have characters which nearly answer to all these three, it may not be improper to class them under these distinct heads.

The Instrumental.-Under this case we may class those characters which answer to the English prepositions by and with. Here however, it will occur to the intelligent reader, that even the preposition with, conveys two distinct ideas; with, when intended to describe the instrument by which an action is performed, differing widely from with used merely in the sense of accompanying. It is in the former sense alone that with can be classed under

this head.

In familiar conversation, the Chinese often employ the verb

yoòng,

to use, &c. to express the instrument by which an action is done: thus,

Ff

But the use of yoòng in this sense is confined almost wholly to conversation. The character generally employed in their best writings to denote the instrument, is the verb yeé, to use, to employ, &c. of which the following sentence from book the second of Lun-yu, furnishes two examples. In reply to the enquiries of Ting-koong, the sovereign of Loo, respecting the manner in which a prince and his ministers ought to act towards each other, the sage says;

"Let the sovereign employ his ministers with propriety; let his ministers serve him with faithfulness."

Lun-yu, book ii.

In this sentence yeé in the second and fifth lines from the right, evidently denotes the instrument: it might indeed be rendered by the present participle of the verb to use; as, "using propriety, using faithfulness;" but as there is another verb in the sentence, this character, even then, would still answer to our preposition with, as used to denote the instrument.