present rebellions.* From what will appear in the sequel the reader will perceive how entirely these rebellions, that of Kwang se, not less than those which have broken out on the coast-provinces, have proceeded from the energetic and venturous coastlanders of south-eastern China.

Those of these coastlanders who inhabit the southern half of Chekeang differ least in character from the other Chinese; as might be inferred from their greater proximity to the original seat of the race, and to the great plain of central China. Still Europeans have noticed a difference in energy, both for peaceful and for warlike avocations, even between the natives of the Chusan islands and the Ningpo mountains on the one hand, and the population of the alluvial flats about Shanghae on the other; though the localities are only about 100 miles apart. Of all the coastlanders, those from the tract about Amoy and Namoa have been for years known to us, and much longer to their own countrymen, as the most turbulent, reckless and adventurous of the Chinese.

It will be seen further on, at page 85, that when Hung sew tscuen went first to Kwang se, he sought out, and lived for some months with "a relative;" and Mr. Hamberg's book expressly states that the most of the Godworshippers were "kih keas" or strangers.

CHAPTER V.

M. HUC'S OPINIONS OF THE CHINESE.

IRELAND was once called the best abused country in the world. I deliberately and seriously declare China to be the best misunderstood country in the world. Month after month we continue to have notices, articles and books about it, all furnishing proof of the correctness of this assertion. The last book that has appeared, L'Empire Chinois by M. Huc, seems to me to demand special notice both on account of its comprehensive title and of the name of its author-still more because of its errors.

The work treats of men and things in general in China. But instead of a methodical arrangement in chapters, according to the subjects, M. Huc gives us a diary of his journey under escort from the borders of Thibet through the central and southern provinces to Canton; in which diary he intersperses, à propos to anything, many pages of discursive dissertation on the philosophy, ethics, language, literature, government &c. &c. of the Chinese. On all these subjects M. Huc quotes or reproduces either from the Jesuit missionaries, who resided at the court of Peking about 150 years ago, or from the Parisian sinologues of the last and present generation, Remusat, Julien and their scholars. M. Huc boasts much of the superior advantages which his knowledge of the Chinese language, joined to twelve or fourteen years' residence in China, gives him; yet he does little to correct certain pardonable errors into which some of these latter

gentlemen, none of whom were ever in China, fall, and wherever he ventures to depart from his authorities he is apt to propagate errors himself. As I know that much misconception exists with respect to the opportunities of Catholic missionaries of the present day, I believe I shall do a public service by a special consideration of the subject.

I could, on the authority of a French missionary who had been very much in the interior of China, state the total number of native Christians at five hundred thousand; but I will not dispute M. Huc's estimate of eight hundred thousand; which, as he correctly observes, is a mere nothing in the enormous population of the country. There are 85 counties in Great Britain. Take one of average population and divide it into five parts. The population of one of these parts has the same relation to the inhabitants of Great Britain that the highest estimate of Chinese catholics has to the inhabitants of China. These catholic Christians are, however, not collected in one place, but live scattered over all China proper, in small communities, called by the French chrétientés. There being, as M. Huc states, scarcely any converts made at the present day, it follows that the members of these Christianities are educated and trained as Christians from their infancy; being either foundlings, or of Christian Chinese parentage. They are Chinese in the outward and more obvious characteristics of dress and features, but in other respects are more like Bavarians or Neapolitans than their own countrymen; from whom they differ in many of those social and domestic customs and in all those mental peculiarities which constitute the special nationality of the Chinaman. Not only is it impossible to learn among them what the infidel Chinese are, it can hardly be learned from them; inasmuch as even those of them who have travelled in the provinces are less able to understand it, than the intelligent and well-informed European on the coast; whose habit of considering various nationalities gives him facility in thinking himself into an intellectual, moral and religious life, different from his own. The reader

can now exactly appreciate the manner of life of the catholic missionaries as described in M. Huc's own words:

"Ils sont proscrits dans toute l'étendue de l'empire; ils y entrent en secret, avec toutes les precautions que peut suggérer la prudence, et ils sont forcés d'y résider en cachette, pour se mettre à l'abri de la surveillance et des recherches des magistrats. Ils doivent même éviter avec soin de se produire aux yeux des infidèles, de peur d'exciter des soupçons, de donner l'éveil aux autorités et de compromettre leur ministère, la sécurité des chrétiens et l'avenir des missions. On comprend que, avec ces entraves rigoureusement imposées par la prudence, il est impossible au missionnaire d'agir directement sur les populations et de donner un libre essor à son zèle. . . . . Aller d'une chrétienté à l'autre, instruire et exhorter les néophytes, administrer les sacrements, célébrer en secret les fêtes de la sainte Église, visiter les écoles, et encourager le maitre et les élèves, voilà le cercle ou il est forcer de se renfermer." (T. I. p. 167.)

I know from others, men intimately acquainted with the life of missionaries in the interior, that this is no overcharged description of the restrictions they there labour under. Of himself M. Huc says:

"Au temps où nous vivions au milieu de nos chrétientés, nous étions forcés, par notre position, de nous tenir à une distance plus que respectueuse des mandarins et de leur dangereux entourage. Notre sécurité, et celle surtout de nos néophytes, nous en faisait une stricte obligation. Comme les autres missionnaires, nous n'avions guère de rapport qu'avec les habitans des campagnes et les artisans des villes." (T. I. p. 91.)

Again, speaking of China proper:

"Autrefois, lors de notre première entrée dans les missions, nous l'avions déjà parcouru dans toute sa longueur, du sud au nord, mais furtivement, en cachette, choisissant parfois les ténèbres et les sentiers détournés, voyageant enfin un peu à la façon des ballots de contrebande."

Such, then, were M. Huc's opportunities up to the period when he commenced the two or three months' * journey described in the volumes now under consideration. He however dwells much upon the opportunities this latter afforded him, more especially for being "initiated into the habits of Chinese high society, in the midst of which we (M. Huc and colleague) constantly lived from the frontiers of Thibet to Canton." (Preface xxii.)

A special search of the two volumes shows that at Tching tou fou he appeared in court before the Fiscal and Judicial Commissioners, and stood in their presence while being subjected to an interrogatory. This was one occasion on which he saw "high" society. At the same place he appeared twice before the Governor General (vice-roi). That made three occasions. At Au tchang fou he forced his way into the presence of the Governor of Hou pe, who accorded him a short and dry interview. That made four occasions—and I find no more. All other functionaries whom M. Huc saw were prefects of department, district magistrates (préfets) or men of still less rank. Now these are officers whom the French and British Consuls at Shanghae and Ningpo will not permit to correspond with them as equals; a fact that may be known to M. Huc himself. He states indeed that at Tching tou fou the favorable reception of the viceroy

"Nous mit en relation avec les personnages les plus haut placés et les plus distingués de la ville, avec les grands fonctionnaires civil et militaire."

If M. Huc, by "mit en relation," means that he received a present of fruit and cakes sent in the name of the "grands fonctionnaires," I can understand it; for it is part of the business of the stewards at the head of their enormous establishments to do these things, with or without special instructions. But I know very well that Chinese functionaries of the rank of the Fiscal and Judicial Commissioners, or even

There is such a paucity of dates in the book that I am unable to ascertain the exact time. With steady travelling, two months would suffice.