THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 ^ 
 
 CHINESE NOVELS, 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINALS ; 
 
 THE SHADOW IN THE WATER. 
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 THE THREE DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE OF CHINA. 
 
 By JOHN FRANCIS DAVIS, F.R.S., 
 
 Author of " The Chinese," " Sketches of China," " Chinese Moral 
 
 Maxims," &c. &c. 
 
 NEW EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 ■JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 
 
 1843.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PL 
 
 3277 
 
 1243 
 
 Observations on the Language and Literature of Page 
 
 China 1 
 
 The Shadow in the Water 51 
 
 The Twin Sisters 107 
 
 The Three Dedicated Chambers 153 
 
 Chinese Proverbs, &c 225
 
 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 ON THE 
 
 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 OF 
 
 CHINA. 
 
 Amidst the general progress which has 
 been made by our countrymen in know- 
 ledge, their advancement in subjects con- 
 nected with the Chinese empire, and its 
 literature, has been very inconsiderable. 
 One is at a loss to account for the almost 
 total ignorance, which previous to the em- 
 bassy of Lord Macartney prevailed in this 
 country, respecting a people with whom 
 we carried on such large dealings, while 
 the French, for nearly a century before, 
 
 B
 
 2 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 had been prosecuting their researches with 
 dihgence and success. It is not easy to 
 exphiin this singular hstlessness, by saying 
 that the subject was devoid of interest, for 
 whether we consider the extraordinary na- 
 ture of the government of China, or the no 
 less extraordinary structure of its language, 
 it would seem that it had been necessary 
 only to know that " such things were," in 
 order to produce much industry in their in- 
 vestigation. 
 
 Those of our own nation, from whom 
 the first information on these subjects was 
 to have been expected, were, without doubt, 
 the agents employed by us to superintend 
 our affairs in China. Were it under no 
 other consideration than that of policy, 
 that these persons had regarded the litera- 
 ture of that empire as deserving of notice, 
 this consideration alone, when we remem- 
 ber the magnitude of the commercial rela-
 
 OF CHINA. 
 
 tions, which as long ago as the middle of the 
 last century subsisted between the two 
 countries, would seem sufficient to have 
 given it an interest, fully adequate to in- 
 duce research. But eidier the fancied, or 
 the real difficulties of the lan^ua^e, or botl 
 
 1 
 
 together, effectually prevented its acquisi- 
 tion; besides which, the Chinese themselves 
 were disposed to throw discouragements in 
 the way. As it was necessary, however, 
 that one of the parties at least should un- 
 derstand sufficient of the language of the 
 other, to facilitate their mutual intercourse, 
 the Chinese were content to acquire as 
 many words of English, as would barely 
 serve the purposes of commerce ; and thus 
 by degrees arose that base and disgusting 
 jargon, which still continues to be spoken 
 and understood at Canton. This, which 
 was at first a consequence of our general 
 ignorance of their tongue, is now the great 
 
 B 2
 
 4 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 cause that tends to perpetuate it ; for most 
 persons find it more convenient to avail 
 themselves of such an imperfect and con- 
 fined medium, than put themselves to the 
 trouble of acquiring the language of the 
 country. The natives themselves hand it 
 down from generation to generation in a 
 printed vocabulary, wherein the sounds of 
 our words are imitated, as nearly as they 
 can contrive it, by their own characters. 
 
 Thus it was that little or no addition was 
 made for years to our general stock of in- 
 formation regarding China; and until the 
 embassy of Lord Macartney, an imperfect 
 translation of a novel was the only speci- 
 men of Chinese literature for which we had 
 to thank our own countrymen. That em- 
 bassy, however, had its full effect in clear- 
 ing away much of the obscurity which in- 
 volved the subject, not only immediately, 
 through the personal observations of those
 
 OF CHINA. 5 
 
 who composed it, but also by its more re- 
 mote tendency to awaken a general curi- 
 osity, and a desire to know something con- 
 cerning so singular a people. It is to the 
 embassy, perhaps, that we may consider 
 ourselves indebted for that valuable trans- 
 lation of the Penal Code of China, whose 
 author has an undisputed claim to the 
 honour of being the first Englishman, who 
 ever gave to his country a genuine specimen 
 of the most interesting province of Chinese 
 literature. 
 
 The first thing needful in our inquiries 
 was to divest the picture of all that false 
 colouring, which had been so plentifully 
 bestowed on it by the Romish missionaries, 
 who for certain good reasons, stated by Sir 
 Geo. Staunton in his elegant preface to the 
 Penal Code, modified their most authentic 
 accounts of China in such a way, as tended 
 rather to mislead, than to inform; and it
 
 6 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 remained for the English to give the first 
 correct account of a nation, whom they 
 discovered to be neither perfectly wise, nor 
 perfectly virtuous, but who were occa- 
 sionally reduced to the necessity of flogging 
 integrity into their magistrates, and valour 
 into their generals. 
 
 If, however, the particular situation and 
 prejudices of the Jesuits occasioned the 
 information, which they transmitted to Eu- 
 rope, to be on some points both scanty 
 and unfaithful, they must still have their 
 due praise for being the first who told us 
 any thing on the subject. We seem, in- 
 deed, to be particularly indebted, for our 
 knowledge of China, to that zeal for spread- 
 ing Christianity through the world, which 
 has prompted so many to devote their lives 
 to the cause; and it must be allowed, that 
 to men who have such a purpose in view, 
 there is at first sight something peculiarly
 
 OF CHINA. 7 
 
 encouraging in the character of the Chinese. 
 The bulk of the people have all that igno- 
 rance of devoted attachment to old, and 
 that indifference with regard to the intro- 
 duction of new, religious doctrines, which 
 usually attends a spirit of Polytheism, 
 where the priesthood have little influence.* 
 The general depravation of their moral 
 character may be attributed to their total 
 want of any thing like rehgious feeling. 
 If it were left to their own choice, they 
 Avould probabl}^ adopt the mere outward 
 forms of Christianity with as much readi- 
 ness, as the Romans enlisted the German 
 deities among the gods of the Republic ; 
 and the rapidity with which the missiona- 
 ries advanced, as long as they were unmo- 
 lested by the government (though they, of 
 
 * In India, the Priesthood have the greatest influence, 
 and their jealousy is unbounded.
 
 8 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 course, made the total abandonment of old 
 superstitions a sine qud non,) aftbrded 
 abundant proof of this. At the same time, 
 the acquisition of such blind and ignorant 
 converts could hardly be considered as a 
 gain to the cause of Christianity. When, 
 however, the jealousy of the ruling power 
 was once excited, the H^-^:^ « " Re- 
 ligion of the Cross," experienced the same 
 persecution in the Chinese empire, that it 
 had formerly met with in that of Rome, 
 and was prohibited among the unlawful 
 doctrines. There is the following mention 
 of it in the seventh section of the Shing-yu, 
 a book composed by the Emperor Yung- 
 ching for the instruction of the people. 
 
 *' The religion of the Weatern ocean, which 
 reverences the Tien-chu, or Lord of Heaven, 
 also appertains to the number of those
 
 OF CHINA. 9 
 
 which are not to be found in the ancient 
 books; but as its followers are thoroughly 
 acquainted with astronomical science, the 
 government on that account employs them." 
 The late unsettled state of the empire has 
 greatly added to the rigour of the prohibi- 
 tions against introducing Christianity, and 
 it may be questioned whether any success 
 would just now attend a violation of them. 
 Several catholic priests have recently ob- 
 tained the crown of martyrdom in the 
 interior, and lost their heads in their zeal 
 to make proselytes. 
 
 But to return to our subject. One of 
 the most effectual means of gaining an 
 intimate knowledge of China, is by trans- 
 lations from its popular literature, consist- 
 ing principally of drama and novels. With 
 reference to the former, the writer of this 
 perfectly coincides in opinion with Sir G. 
 Staunton, that " the dramatic works of the
 
 10 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 Chinese are certainly less calculated, on 
 the whole, than their novels, to reward the 
 labour of the translator. Too local and 
 national to please as mere compositions, 
 and their minute beauties of style and 
 language necessarily in great measure lost 
 in the translation, the remaining sources of 
 interest are but slender. The dramatic 
 dialogue drily rendered, and unaided by 
 the talents of the actor, can convey, gene- 
 rally speaking, no more than a very im- 
 perfect outline of that interesting picture of 
 life and manners, which, in their novels and 
 romances, is filled up in its minutest details." 
 It was with a similar partiality in favour 
 of the latter species of composition, that 
 the tales, contained in the present volume, 
 were translated. Of the first of these, " The 
 Shadow in the Water,'' it may be observed, 
 that the principal incident, whence it de- 
 rives its name, is pretty and natural, and
 
 OF CHINA, 11 
 
 that, in the conduct of the different persons, 
 there is just what might be expected from 
 human nature, in that particular state of 
 society. Although the circumstance of the 
 hero espousing two wives may certainly 
 appear strange and uncouth to European 
 readers, yet, as is justly observed in the 
 Quarterly Review, " in the translations of 
 foreign novels, it is information that is 
 sought, and not a correspondency of feel- 
 ing/' Those very incidents constitute, as 
 objects of curiosity, the chief value of such 
 translations. 
 
 The most remarkable circumstance in the 
 second novel, " The Twin Sisters,^' (though 
 there again, the hero espouses two wives,) is 
 the power, which the distributor of public 
 justice seems to possess, of interfering in 
 domestic matters of the first importance. 
 However consistent such a power may be 
 with Chinese notions of policy, it must cer-
 
 12 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 tainlj appear to us strangely ill calculated 
 to promote the happiness of society. 
 
 The third and last tale was translated some 
 years ago, and a very few copies were printed 
 in China, under the title of the "Three dedi- 
 cated Rooms/' It has also made its appear- 
 ance, in fragments, through the medium of 
 a periodical journal. The translator has 
 always thought that in this, his first eftbrt, 
 he adhered too strictly to the Chinese 
 idiom, and that a less verbal rendering 
 would not only make it more agreeable to 
 the English reader, but also convey far 
 better the spirit of the original. He has 
 therefore subjected it to a complete revisal. 
 As a picture of manners and opinions it is 
 fully equal, if not superior, to the two which 
 precede it. 
 
 The Tales are succeeded by a collection of 
 Proverbs and Moral Maxims, which were 
 selected, (as the best, with regard either to
 
 OF CHINA. 13 
 
 originality or point,) from a variety of 
 sources. Judging of these by the Euro- 
 pean standard, they deserve but httle atten- 
 tion in the abstract, and indeed their only 
 claim to notice rests on their intimate con- 
 nexion with national manners and ways of 
 thinking. They cannot pretend to much 
 novelty as ethical discoveries, for the day 
 has long been passed (if it ever was) when 
 Europe could have looked to the Chinese 
 for instruction in moral science. The most 
 surprising feature of such translations, from 
 the languages of remote nations, consists 
 occasionally in the curious resemblance, as 
 well of the maxims themselves, as of the 
 modes of illustrating them, to what we meet 
 with nearer home; a resemblance which is 
 only to be accounted for, by the identity of 
 human nature every where, as well as the 
 similarity of situation, in which mankind 
 all over the world are placed, in respect to
 
 14 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 the motives and consequences of their moral 
 actions. 
 
 If it be true, that " the excellence of 
 aphorisms consists, not so much in the 
 expression of some rare or abstruse senti^ 
 ment, as in the comprehension of some ob- 
 vious and useful truth in a few words,'' die 
 language of the Chinese maj be considered 
 as admirably fitted for being manufactured 
 into proverbs. It possesses from its pecu- 
 liar structure a brevity and pointedness of 
 expression, which no degree of care or pains 
 can convey into a Translation, and which 
 those only can feel who understand the 
 original. A great deal of the beauty of a 
 sentence arises often from the selection of 
 the words, or from their mere collocation ; 
 and if the influence of such apparent trifles 
 be allowed in a syllabic language, how much 
 more in one which speaks, as the Chinese 
 does, to the eye.
 
 OF CHINA. 15 
 
 Of some particular notions contained in 
 the following collection, it will readily be 
 perceived that they are absurdly erroneous ; 
 and of others, that they are altogether re- 
 pugnant to our ideas of religion, and of the 
 administration of the universe. Indeed the 
 government itself of China preaches to the 
 people nothing better than a system of the 
 most gross atheism ; and though it certainly 
 tolerates the superstitions of Fo, and of Taou, 
 (as a means, perhaps, of amusing, and en- 
 gaging the attention of its subjects,) tlie 
 tenets of those superstitions are stigmatized 
 among the " impure doctrines,'' against the 
 belief of which the nation is warned to 
 guard itself, with especial caution, no less 
 than against the belief of Christianity. 
 
 The most popular modern work on prac- 
 tical morality, among the Chinese, is the 
 Shing-yu.* In it the maxims of their an- 
 
 * Lately translated by the Rev. Mr. Milne of Malacca.
 
 16 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 cient sages are inculcated and explained, 
 in subservience to the views of a despotic 
 government; and it is a lasting monument, 
 not only of the literary abilities, but also of 
 the political sagacity of its author, the third 
 Emperor of the present Tartar dynasty. 
 To derive the obligations of obedience to 
 the government, and observance of the laws, 
 from their own national works on policy and 
 ethics, was the means best calculated to 
 secure the submission of the Chinese to a 
 dominion, which had so recently been im- 
 posed on them by conquest, and to a yoke, 
 which to this day, perhaps, has not ceased 
 entirely to gall them. As the government 
 of a family is well known to be the proto- 
 type of political rule among this people, the 
 principles of parental authority, and of filial 
 submission, are, as might be expected, 
 carried to a most extravagant length in the 
 above work ; and the duties on the one hand
 
 OF CHINA. 17 
 
 are exacted, without any provision as to a 
 reciprocation on the other. It certainly is 
 at first natural to suppose, that indepen- 
 dently of that instinctive affection, or ^o^yri, 
 universally implanted in living creatures 
 towards their offspring, (and which in brutes 
 ceases with the necessity for its exertion,) 
 that acquired love, which springs from the 
 consciousness of securing affection by con- 
 ferring benefits, would be a sufficient pledge 
 for the performance of parental duties. But 
 it would seem, in China, that the most en- 
 dearing of human relations is not always a 
 security against domestic tyranny, and the 
 abuse of unlimited power; and this perhaps 
 is aggravated, by the dominion not ceasing 
 at a certain period, but continuing during 
 the life of the parent. It might be some 
 check to the caprice of cruelty to think, 
 that a day must come, when the law would 
 no longer be its abettor, and when that sub- 
 
 c
 
 18 LANGUAGE AND LITERATUKE 
 
 mission, which was now exacted by autho- 
 rity, could only be looked for from grati- 
 tude. 
 
 The Chinese, though possessing a vague 
 notion of a future state, in their doctrine of 
 the transmigration of souls, and though they 
 have in their language such an expression 
 as " the Life to come,'' seem to be little in- 
 fluenced, as to their moral conduct, by the 
 hope of future rewards, or the dread of 
 future punishments. In the inculcation of 
 their maxims, their Moralists appear to hope 
 for proselytes, rather by pointing out the 
 temporal and immediate profitableness of 
 virtue, than by drawing the attention of their 
 disciples so far as to a future state of exist- 
 ence. This, indeed, is to be expected 
 among a people, whose moral precepts de- 
 rive none of their force from the dictates of 
 Religion ; for where such sanctions do not 
 present themselves, temporal self-interest 
 must be resorted to, as the primum mobile.
 
 OF CHINA. 19 
 
 The idolatrous superstitions of the Chinese 
 have httle or no connexion with their mo- 
 rahty, and indeed the ignorant and brutishi 
 character of the Priesthood would seem 
 fully to entitle it to the contempt which it 
 meets with from the mass of the people. 
 The festivals and forms of their worship are 
 made almost entirely subservient to pur- 
 poses of show, and of public amusement, 
 and a theatre is in most cases erected op- 
 posite to a temple. Some of the rites, per- 
 formed on such occasions, w^ould not have 
 disoTaced the votaries of Cotvtto.* 
 
 Their Paganism has not been improved 
 by them, since they received it from 
 their western neighbours. The Greek and 
 Roman mythology, if it was good for 
 nothing else, formed the subject of their 
 
 * Inultus ut tu riseris Cotyttia 
 Vulgata, sacrum liberi Cupidinis r — Hor. 
 
 c 2
 
 20 LANGUAGE AND LITERATUllE 
 
 finest poetry, painting, and sculpture ; and 
 Lord Bacon calls it, "a soft whisper, from 
 the Traditions of more ancient nations, con- 
 A^ejed through the flutes of the Grecians," 
 who possessed a wonderful power of giving 
 a mould of eleo;ance and srace to whatever 
 passed through their hands. Chinese taste, 
 on the contrary, is what most of us would 
 pronounce vile and unseemly. It is regu- 
 lated by principles diametrically opposite : 
 for, with them, distortion is preferred to 
 symmetry, and the tricks of art to the 
 graces of nature ; witness their small-footed 
 women, their fat josses, their stunted garden 
 plants — and a tremendous et cetera of mon- 
 sters. 
 
 The writer proceeds to conclude these 
 general observations, by an examination of 
 the aids, which have recently been afforded 
 to the attainment of the Chinese language. 
 Until very lately, the chief obstacle to this
 
 OF CHINA. 21 
 
 Study has been the want of a good diction- 
 ary. In the Chinese and Latin dictionaries 
 of the Jesuits, the characters, or words, are 
 certainly well selected, and consist of such 
 as are in most common use. At the same 
 time, these compilations are incomplete, as 
 may be proved by the experience of any 
 one who has had frequently to consult them. 
 The few phrases and quotations, too, which 
 are there inserted, from merely the sounds 
 of the characters being written down in Eu- 
 ropean orthography, instead of the charac- 
 ters themselves, are rendered almost useless, 
 until the student has attained a considerable 
 degree of proficiency. These dictionaries 
 have also been very scarce and expensive, 
 as they were entirely manuscript, until M. 
 de Guignes published his printed copy in 
 France. His work is extremely well exe- 
 cuted, and the characters, which were pre- 
 pared by Fourmont more than half a cen-
 
 22 LANGUAGE AND LlTEllATUllE 
 
 tury ago, distinctly and neatly cut. M. de 
 Guignes has done very little more, however, 
 than to compile into one volume the contents 
 of all the manuscript dictionaries which he 
 could collect together, and as far as he has 
 adhered strictly to them, his labours have 
 been highly useful. A mistake, at the end 
 of the Introduction, concerning W,!^"/^ 
 $. 'S* proves that he was liable to error 
 when he trusted to his own resources. 
 
 It is not at first, perhaps, very easy to 
 decide, what plan of a Chinese dictionary 
 is the most desirable ; but the project of a 
 mere Translation of that of Kang-hy would 
 be quite absurd. At the same time, the 
 idea of a complete dictionary seems to re- 
 quire, that almost all the characters or 
 words, contained in that national work of 
 China, should be inserted. In their ancient 
 Tiooks, great numbers of words may be 
 found, which are now obsolete, or which
 
 or CHINA. 25 
 
 exist no where except in those Books: but 
 yet it seems necessary that these should be 
 noticed in a dictionary of the language. 
 The Chinese value themselves not a little 
 on the mere antiquity of their literature, 
 and are disposed to look down w^ith great 
 contempt on the learning of all other nations. 
 They have some books, such as the Ye-king, 
 wdiich are not now intelligible, without a 
 verbal comment, to natives themselves. If 
 that may be applied to a nation which is told 
 of an individual, they may be compared to 
 the man who wept in his old age, because 
 he could not comprehend the productions 
 of his youth : but if we should be inclined 
 to laugh at them on this score, they may 
 still assume grounds of superiority over us, 
 with as much right, at least, as he who 
 proudly said to his audience, " Gentlemen, 
 I have forgotten more than you ever knew \" 
 A student of Chinese should be somewhat
 
 24 LANGUAGE AND LITEIIATURE 
 
 acquainted with these Books, because there 
 are frequent alhisions to them in modern 
 writings : but to confine himself exclusively 
 to them appears to be a downright loss of 
 time. There are many excellent works of 
 a later date, which may not only serve as 
 better models of the style of the present 
 day, but likewise convey far more infor- 
 mation with regard to the present state of 
 the Empire, and the character of the people; 
 and, as has been before observed, multitudes 
 of amusing Dramas and Novels, from which 
 may be selected much curious matter. What 
 we now want is a little practical knowledge 
 of Chinese Literature, instead of speculative 
 dissertations on the nature of the language. 
 That great desideratum, a complete 
 Chinese dictionary, is at length in progress. 
 In 1814, the Court of Directors of the East 
 India Company, with their wonted libe- 
 rality, supplied Dr. Morrison at Canton
 
 OF CHINA. 25 
 
 with every facility for carrying on this most 
 desirable work. The Imperial Dictionary 
 of Kang-hy forms its groundwork, and it 
 contains every word to be found in the 
 body of that great compilation. Instead, 
 however, of being a mere translation of the 
 same, a plan equally useless and absurd, 
 with a reference to the use of the European 
 student, this dictionary comprises, not only 
 the definition of each word as given in 
 Kang-hy and other dictionaries, but also 
 quotations, in the Chinese character, from 
 all the best ancient and modern works : as 
 well as colloquial phrases, showing the sense 
 of the more common Avords, as adopted in 
 conversation. The first, and most volu- 
 minous part, consists of the Chinese words 
 first, according to their arrangement in 
 Kang-hy, under the roots. In the second 
 part (which is now completed) they like- 
 wise precede the English, but the arrange-
 
 26 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 ment is different, being according to their 
 pronunciation in the European alphabetic 
 system. The third, and last part, will be 
 English and Chinese. 
 
 In conveying the sounds of the charac- 
 ters, or words, one could have wished that 
 Dr. Morrison had retained the old system 
 of the Jesuits, or as Fourmont calls it, the 
 " Lusitanam, id est, receptam apud omnes 
 pronunciationem." With all its defects, 
 this system had the advantage of being 
 generally understood by those who had 
 turned their attention to Chinese subjects. 
 But after all, this is a matter of secondary 
 importance; for by attending to the short 
 rules at the connuencement, for pronounc- 
 ing the characters, all difficulty is done 
 away. What seems to be particularly de- 
 serving of notice, next to the learning and 
 industry displayed in the work itself, is the 
 excellence of the Chinese metal types — the
 
 OP CHINA. 27 
 
 beauty of the principal characters, and the 
 clearness and accuracy of the smaller ones 
 employed in the illustrative phrases. The 
 dictionary of Dr. Morrison has a powerful 
 claim on the attention, not only of those 
 who have a particular interest in the sub- 
 ject, but likewise of all such as possess 
 minds sufficiently enlarged to feel a gratifi- 
 cation in the advancement of literature and 
 knowledge in general. 
 
 Another work of importance on the 
 language of China, is the Clavis Sinica, or 
 Chinese grammar of Dr. Marshman, pub- 
 lished in Bengal in 1814. As the Pre- 
 liminary Dissertation to the work involves 
 some questions, on which the writer of this 
 has a little to remark, it may be as well to 
 consider it separately in the first place, and 
 then to proceed to the grammar. 
 
 The dissertation commences with obser- 
 vations on the characters, and Dr. Marsh-
 
 28 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 man very justly says, " The specific dif- 
 ference between the Chinese, and other 
 languages, lies wholly in the principle on 
 which the characters or words are formed ; 
 these being formed in the latter by the 
 union of the letters of the alphabet ; in the 
 former, by the union of certain elementary 
 characters, intended to represent the prin- 
 cipal objects of sense/' These elements he 
 calls for?natives, but proceeds, a little far- 
 ther on, to mention certain other charac- 
 ters, which he denominates primitives, but 
 of which, as far as the writer knows, the 
 Chinese have no idea whatever. 
 
 A considerable portion of the dissertation, 
 which treats of the origin of the characters 
 and the progress of the language, was pub- 
 lished in a former work of Dr. Marshman.* 
 He mentions in it the six well known divi- 
 
 * The Lun-gnce.
 
 OF CHINA. 29 
 
 sions of the characters by the Chinese ; but 
 appears to be under some mistake through- 
 out, in thinking that the language was con- 
 structed in pursuance of some pre-con- 
 certed plan, of which these six classes 
 formed the orroundwork ; whereas the fact 
 seems to be, that the classes themselves 
 were instituted, long after the language had 
 been already formed, with a view to arrange- 
 ment and order. 
 
 Next comes the above-mentioned system 
 of primitives, concerning which Dr. Marsh- 
 man observes, " The way in which this ' 
 simplifies the language is too apparent to 
 need pointing out.'' This, however, is a 
 discovery which the Chinese scholars have 
 not yet made in their own native tongue, 
 and appears to the writer an innovation 
 on an ancient and highly cultivated lan- 
 guage, which (allowing that there were any 
 foundation for it) is by no means calcu-
 
 30 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 lated to facilitate its acquisition. Let us 
 proceed, however, to examine the grounds 
 on which our author builds the reality and 
 importance of his discover}^ 
 
 He says he long suspected the existence 
 of Primitives, " which, like the Greek Pri- 
 mitives, and the Sungskrit Dhatoos, form 
 the bulk of the language by associating to 
 themselves certain of the elements/' He 
 adds, that he observed in a manuscript 
 Latin-Chinese (probably meaning to say 
 Chinese-Latin) dictionary, which classed 
 the characters according to their names, 
 that in numerous instances one character 
 was the root of ten or twelve others, each 
 of which was formed from it by the addi- 
 tion of a aingle element." Now one would 
 have supposed that this single element, as 
 our author calls it, was itself the root, or 
 radical part of the character, and it is cer-
 
 OF CHINA. 31 
 
 tain that the Chinese have this idea.* Dr. 
 Marshnian observed farther, that " the cha- 
 racter thus formed generally took the name 
 of the Primitive with some slight variation."' 
 If he means to say, that the portion of a 
 character Avhich is added to the root, (and 
 which is generally to the right, as the root 
 is generally to the left,) often gives its sound 
 to the character Avhich it contributes to 
 form, he is indisputably right. An instance 
 may be given in the word ^^ ho " a river,'" 
 which the Chinese themselves produce as a 
 specimen of that class of characters, (one 
 of the sir above-mentioned) which they 
 denominate ^^ J^ " corresponding in 
 
 sound." Here the root, which is "v "water,"' 
 evidently imparts its meaning to the com- 
 pound, and^kho (which uncompounded 
 is simply a particle) its sound. Noting this 
 
 * In writing the same character variously, they never 
 alter the root, but frequently the other parts.
 
 32 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 circumstance, as far as it sometimes ena- 
 bles one to form a near guess at the sound 
 of a character, is occasionally useful ; but 
 even in this respect it is very fallacious, 
 being by no means a general rule. For 
 instance, in the common word g^ ^5/^ " to 
 read," (root g "a word'') what resem- 
 blance is there between its sound, and that 
 of ^ j?iae, which Dr. Marshman would 
 call its Primitive? In another common 
 word '^ gae, " to love," (of which the root 
 <\^ " heart'' is in the middle) where is the 
 resemblance between its sound, and the 
 sound of its primitive, even if Dr. Marsh- 
 man can show that it has any primitive, ac- 
 cording to his own system ? 
 
 Not satisfied, however, that these primi- 
 tives shall merely give their sounds to the 
 characters of the Chinese language, our 
 author endeavours to prove that they im- 
 part their meaning also. Now though the
 
 OF CHINA. 33 
 
 writer of this is sensible that the other com- 
 ponent parts are sometimes combined with 
 the root in giving its meaning to a charac- 
 ter, he must enter his protest against this as 
 a general rule. One of the principal proofs 
 which Dr. Marshman has brouo;ht forward 
 in favour of his position, is a list of com- 
 pounds, which, in addition to their proper 
 roots, have the character jgf in their com- 
 position. He observes, " in perhaps the 
 greater part of these, were the idea sug- 
 gested by the primitive, (that of something 
 current or freely flowing,) added to their 
 various formatives, the meaning of the de- 
 rivative would be nearly indicated ; as a 
 man living freely may suggest the idea of 
 a prodigal ; a tree's Jlourishing, that of a 
 leaf; a flowing mouth, that of verbositj^'" 
 &c. To say nothing of the manner in 
 which the sense of the words is here dis- 
 torted, it is quite certain that ^ does not 
 
 D
 
 34 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 mean " something current or freely flow- 
 ing," but a generation, or an age of 30 years, 
 being originally derived from ^4^ " ten/' 
 thrice repeated, though classed in the Im- 
 perial Dictionary under — " one." Other 
 instances are produced equally inconclu- 
 sive, and in particular a list of words in 
 which ^§ " I myself," is a component part. 
 Dr. Marshman thinks that " the general 
 idea suggested by this primitive seems to 
 be, that partial preference which the human 
 mind naturally feels for itself, its own ex- 
 ertions, its own property,'' &c. though he 
 is obliged to acknowledge that in many 
 cases " the chain of connexion is scarcely 
 discernible." 
 
 The second part of the dissertation is on 
 the sounds of the language, or the colloquial 
 medium, in contradistinction to the charac- 
 ters. Dr. Marshman, perhaps, takes unne- 
 cessary pains to prove that this part of the
 
 OF CHINA. 35 
 
 language existed previously to the invention 
 of the characters, since nations, as well as 
 individuals, must obviously talk before they 
 can write. He likewise observes, that it is 
 not likely the compilers of the Imperial 
 Dictionary should have introduced into the 
 language, and given " as the true pronun- 
 ciation of characters well known through- 
 out the Empire, sounds never before heard 
 by a Chinese ear." This, indeed, is evident : 
 they merely gave what the}^ thought to be 
 an improved method of expressing sounds 
 which already existed. He then proceeds 
 to lay down in detail the tables of initials 
 and finals, as they are found in the first 
 volume of the Imperial Dictionary ; as well 
 as those wherein the said initials and finals 
 are combined, to form all the monosyllables 
 in the language. 
 
 It certainly is an extraordinary fact that 
 the Chinese should ever have adopted such 
 
 D 2
 
 56 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 a roundabout method of expressing the 
 sounds of their monosyllabic characters, as 
 this of giving two, in order to enable the 
 student to get at the sound of a third; when 
 they had previously been accustomed to the 
 much more obvious and simple plan of 
 adducing a single character, of exactly the 
 same sound as the one to be explained. 
 Besides, one is naturally inclined to ask 
 where they could have got a system of syl- 
 labic spelling, of which nearly one third is 
 evidently redundant ; a system, too, so 
 anomalous to the general character and 
 genius of the language, as to be scarcely 
 understood at this day by numbers of well 
 educated Chinese. That the Chinese did 
 not invent it themselves might at any time 
 have been considered as morally certain ; 
 but from which of the neighbouring coun- 
 tries, or Avhen they got it, has not hitherto 
 been quite so clear. Dr. Morrison, in the
 
 OF CHINA. 37 
 
 Introduction to his Dictionary, seems now 
 to have answered both these questions in a 
 manner perfectly satisfactory, and the fol- 
 lowing is a short abstract of the interesting 
 information which he gives on the subject, 
 the whole of it derived from original Chi- 
 nese works, and substantiated by quota- 
 tions. 
 
 These works say, that the ^^^J^p] 
 ;;^& " The system of the tones and that 
 of the syllabic spelhng,'' were not known to 
 the 7^^^ or literati of the Dynasty of 
 Han. The mode of distinguishing the four 
 tones was first brought into general notice 
 about the fifth century of our era, in a work 
 pubhshed by a man named ^y\^^^ • The 
 syllabic spelling, or the system of initials 
 and finals, was derived from the country 
 ^ Fan, in the west, whence came the 
 religion of F6 or Buddha, and was at first 
 employed V)/>^^^^ R^^t^ ^'^^ M
 
 38 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 " to give currency to the books of F6 in 
 China/' It was not however received into 
 general use until the times of Tsy and 
 Leang, or about the fifth century ; the 
 tables of sounds, as given in Kang-hy, being 
 introduced by ^tB^i, a priest of F6. 
 
 After this, there can no longer be a 
 doubt that the Sanscrit was the language 
 from which the Chinese initials and finals 
 were derived, though the system is proba- 
 bly indebted, for its general adoption in the 
 more modern dictionaries, to the counte- 
 nance and partiahty of the Tartar empe- 
 rors, who, from the nature of their own 
 syllabic spelling, were much better able to 
 understand its application than their Chi- 
 nese subjects. Dr. Morrison remarks very 
 justly that " what is said in the dictionary 
 *^ ^ respecting the system, is still the lan- 
 guage of the Chinese. Its rules are nu- 
 merous and embarrassing, and its meaning
 
 OF CHINA. 39 
 
 obscure. Every one is afraid of the diffi- 
 culty, and rejects it, saying — ' of what use 
 will this be to me in the pursuit of literary 
 honours ?' " 
 
 Dr. Marshman soon discovers that the 
 system of initials and finals bears " a very 
 surprising likeness to the sounds of the 
 Sungskrit alphabet ;'' and is led by this 
 similarity to question, '' Did the Sungskrit 
 system give birth to the Chinese colloquial 
 medium, or did that, on the other hand, 
 give birth to the Sungskrit alphabetic sys- 
 tem ; or did they originate independently of 
 each other?" In his discussion of these 
 questions, it is difficult sometimes to dis- 
 cover his meaning ; for by the " Chinese 
 colloquial medium" and " colloquial sys- 
 tem," he seems at one time to designate 
 the spoken language itself, and at another 
 the mode of representing the sounds of that 
 language. After all, however, he does not
 
 40 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 come to any decisive conclusion ; though 
 it is probable that having read Dr. Morri- 
 son's Introduction, he will by this time 
 have been satisfactorily assured on the sub- 
 ject. 
 
 The above observations are what chiefly 
 occurred to the writer in his perusal of Dr. 
 Marshman's Preliminary Dissertation. He 
 shall conclude his remarks by a brief con- 
 sideration of the Grammar. With respect 
 to the general plan of the work, it is much 
 to be regretted that Dr. Marshman should 
 have adopted the measure of confining his 
 observations and examples almost exclu- 
 sively to the ancient books, and thus have 
 rendered his work incomplete by neglecting 
 the modern language of China. It is fair, 
 however, to state his own reasons for so 
 doing. Although he mentions Fourmont's 
 Grammar among the sources Avhence he 
 derived his information, he observes that
 
 OF CHINA. 41 
 
 Fourmont's " supporting the grammatical 
 positions which he has laid down, by sen- 
 tences formed by himself, has greatly in- 
 jured his work. Had he allowed himself 
 to examine the best Chinese works for 
 authorities, and stopped where he found 
 himself unsupported by these, he would 
 have obtained a far more accurate idea of 
 the language, and would have added ex- 
 ceedingly to the value of his work." 
 
 Was Dr. Marshman not aware that 
 Fourmont merely compiled the materials 
 which were sent to him by the French mis- 
 sionaries, and that he himself knew little or 
 nothing of Chinese?* The colloquial ex- 
 
 * When Fourmont received from Father Premare his 
 Translation of the Orphan of Chaou, it was accompa- 
 nied by the following dispensation from acknowledgment. 
 " Si vous le jugiez digne de paroitre, vous pourriez le 
 faire imprimer sous votre nom, sans craindre qu'on vous 
 accuse de larcin ; puisque entre amis tout est commun, 
 puisque je vous le donne, et puisque vous y aurez la
 
 42 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 amples were not made by him, but by the 
 missionaries, and they surely were sufficient- 
 ly good judges of correct Chinese. In fact, 
 the only errors in Fourmont's grammar 
 consist, not in the phraseology of the ex- 
 amples, for they are correct enough, but 
 in the insertion, in many instances, of one 
 character for another of the same sound, a 
 mistake the most likely to be made by a 
 man who did not understand the language. 
 Dr. Marshman afterwards says — " if con- 
 
 meilleure part, si vous vous donnez la peine de le revoir." 
 Three excellent reasons, indeed ! — It is worth while to 
 give what Fourniont himself adds, after he has quoted 
 this portion of his obliging friend's letter, as it seems to 
 prove that Du Halde acted rather dishonestly in publish- 
 ing the Orphan of Chaou in his own compilation respect- 
 ing China. "TimuitnehocDuhaldius? Scilicet, epistola 
 subdole intercepts, Librum suum hiicce mea, et ad me 
 destinata Tragico-comedia, ornare non dubitavit. Atqui 
 eam, si S me petiisset, dedissem ultro : et si me de lingua 
 Sinica interrogasset, monuissem quoque, neque imagi- 
 nariis, ac omnint^ falsis notis, pulchrum iliud et nobile 
 volumen conspurcari essem passus."
 
 OF CHINA. 43 
 
 versation differ from the style and idiom of 
 the best writers, these variations are not 
 the language; they may be given as col- 
 loquial idioms, but they can have no place 
 in a work which professes to embrace the 
 wliole of the language/' According to 
 this, then, the way to embrace the wliole of 
 the language is to give only a part of it. — 
 In page 477 of his grammar, after having 
 given an example of a modern phrase. Dr. 
 Marshman adds — " such a combination of 
 characters might be sought for in vain 
 either in Confucius or Mung.'' Why then 
 has he confined his examples exclusively 
 to quotations from them, and one or two 
 more, the language of whom is now so 
 ancient, as sometimes to require a verbal 
 comment to make it intelligible to native 
 Chinese? In consequence of his indiffe- 
 rence for the modern language of China, 
 he has omitted such phrases as "J ^ ^f^, a
 
 44 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 superlative adverb, signifying " extremely, 
 very,'' and J|^ ^ " about, about so 
 much," used as an expression of doubt or 
 uncertainty. These are phrases which are 
 constantly occurring both in conversation 
 and in books, phrases so perfectly idiomatic, 
 that it is not easy to translate them literally, 
 and which it is the business of a grammar, 
 therefore, to put down and explain. 
 
 The following are some of the mis-trans- 
 lations of Chinese sentences, and other 
 slight errors, which occur among the ex- 
 amples given in the grammar. 
 
 On the subject of comparison (p. 279.) 
 Dr. Marshman quotes this sentence from 
 the Lee-Khee ^^H^^ and trans- 
 lates it thus : " He continually regards his 
 own defects with less indulgence.'' He 
 seems here to have mistaken the sense of 
 the passage, which might have been ren- 
 dered almost verbatim by, " He incurs
 
 OF CHINA. 45 
 
 faults more rarely/' It would still have 
 answered his purpose as an example of 
 comparison. 
 
 In giving the following quotation from 
 the Lun-yu, as an instance of the adverb 
 determining the past tense of the verb to 
 which it is joined, Dr. Marshman has 
 made a considerable error, fg -^-^^ ^ 
 ^ & ^^ IL ^ jL-fc . Our author 
 translates it thus, " Formerly I saw him 
 strenuously pressing forward, I never saw 
 him stop.'' He has mistaken the first word 
 of the sentence, which signifies sorrow, and 
 is the exclamation of Confucius on the loss 
 of one of his disciples by death, for -^ 
 " formerly, in old times." In fact there is 
 no adverb of past time in the whole sen- 
 tence, and the sense of the verb is here 
 determined entirely by the context : it is 
 therefore no example of his rule. 
 
 The following insertion of one character
 
 46 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 for another of the same sound, is not noticed 
 in the table of errata. :^ ^^j^^^ 
 ^^ " If a man's desire be really to- 
 wards virtue, he indulges in no vice :'' tor 
 ^ read ;^. 
 
 The following quotation (p. 263.) from 
 
 the Four Books ^ fe^ '^ >^ ^ "fr :# 
 Dr. Marshman renders thus, " In this 
 period there may possibly arise a man 
 eminent for virtue and wisdom.^' The 
 word f^, instead of 7nai/ possibly, means 
 must positively . 
 
 Under the head of Relatives (p. 334.) 
 there is quoted a sentence from the Lun-yu, 
 which is translated in this manner; " Ob- 
 serve that which a man does, mark that 
 which he pursues ; narrowly scrutinize that 
 in which he delights.'' Here mjj^ff\ ^ 
 does not mean " mark that which he pur- 
 sues," but — " observe the sources of his 
 conduct."
 
 OF CHINA. 47 
 
 In the following quotation (p. 336.) from 
 the Shoo-king, Dr. Marshman seems to 
 misapprehend the meaning of ^j^. The 
 sentence |j^ ^L^ ^ should be trans- 
 lated thus; " Who could presume to decline 
 yielding, or acknowledging inferiority, to 
 thee?" and not " Who dares not imitate 
 thee?'' as our author has it. 
 
 In page 347, Dr. Marshman calls ^& 
 
 -^ Sj a^d #"11 2> (" I myself," and 
 " thou thyself") possessive pronouns ; but 
 surely these must be personal pronouns: 
 for, if we are to be directed by the analogy 
 of other languages, ego ipse was never 
 classed in a Latin grammar among the 
 possessives. 
 
 Of such expressions as "^J^ " rela- 
 tions,'' and ;^7§ " to fear," where two 
 words or characters of the same import 
 are joined together to convey one meaning.
 
 48 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 Dr. Marsliman says (p. 515.) that "the 
 reader must be left to form his own opi- 
 nion ; the Chinese unite the characters, but 
 of the principle on which they are formed 
 they say little more, than that one of the 
 characters is often euphonic/' It has al- 
 ways appeared to the writer of this, that in 
 a monosyllabic language like the Chinese, 
 it was found necessary in the above manner 
 to combine two words together, conveying 
 the same sense, and thus to form a dissyl- 
 lable, with a view to being more readily 
 understood in discourse. Hence these com- 
 pound words are found to be more used in 
 books, in proportion as the language of 
 those books draws nearer to that of com- 
 mon conversation. 
 
 The Grammar is followed by an Appen- 
 dix, containing a translation of the Ta-heo, 
 (the first of the Four Books) with the ori-
 
 OF CHINA. 49 
 
 ginal text. This is extremely well done, 
 and highly creditable to Dr. Marshman's 
 son, who, it appears, was the author. The 
 only error seems to be in the translation of 
 the title. Ta-heo does not mean " The im- 
 portant doctrine,"' but " The study for 
 grown persons." The Jesuits rendered it 
 very well by " The school of adults." This 
 translation is one of the best and most useful 
 parts of the whole book, and it is to be 
 hoped that productions similar to it will 
 again issue from the press at Serampore. 
 
 In the foregoing Observations, the writer 
 begs to declaim any intention of violating 
 those proper limits of candour and freedom, 
 which are generally allowed, and ought 
 always to be observed, in the investigation 
 of such subjects ; and if his remarks have 
 sometimes proceeded to minuteness, it is 
 only because the importance of Dr. Marsli- 
 
 E
 
 50 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE. 
 
 man's book, as a grammatical work, seemed 
 to give it a peculiar claim to such a con- 
 sideration. 
 
 Portland Phice, 
 \5lh January, 1822.
 
 THE SHADOW IN THE WATER 
 
 A TALE. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE. 
 
 " Fissus erat paries domui communis utrique : 
 
 Hoc vitium primi sensistis araantes, 
 
 Et voci fecistis iter, tutspque per illud 
 Murmure blanditise minirao transire solebant." 
 
 Ovid. Metam. 
 
 E 2
 
 THE SHADOW IN THE WATER. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 During the reign of a certain Emperor of 
 the Yuen dynasty, in a district of the pro- 
 vince of Canton, there hved two persons of 
 rank, who had retired from the toils of office. 
 Their names were Too and Kwan ; the 
 former of whom had obtained the highest 
 literary distinctions, and had exercised the 
 office of an Inspector General of a Province; 
 while Kwan had attained to a lower rank, 
 and an inferior office. They had married 
 two sisters, and as their common father-in- 
 law had no son, they both lived with his 
 family. The abilities and knowledge of 
 these two persons were pretty equal, but
 
 54 THE SHADOW 
 
 their dispositions were very dissimilar. 
 Kwan was of an austere and strict turn of 
 mind; while Too possessed a natural in- 
 clination towards pleasure and enjoyment. 
 The dispositions of their wives were origi- 
 nally similar; but after marriage, each of 
 them conformed to that of her husband, 
 and they gradually became estranged from 
 one another. She who was accustomed to 
 listen to grave discourse, could not endure 
 to talk of pleasure; while the other, after 
 being accustomed to pleasure, rejected 
 whatever savoured of gravity and learning: 
 and thus these two married couples, though 
 they were related in the closest manner, yet, 
 simply from the diversity of their inclina- 
 tions, disagreed with each other, and day 
 after day were involved in (juarrels and 
 disputes.- 
 
 * 
 
 * An illustration of the Chinese maxim : " Where 
 views and dispositions agree, the most distant will unite in
 
 IN THE WATER. 55 
 
 For a little while, they nevertheless con- 
 tinued to live together, but after the death 
 of the father and mother-in-law, they divi- 
 ded the house into two parts, and separated 
 them completely by means of a high wall, 
 so as to prevent each being overlooked by 
 the other. In the midst of the garden, 
 however, were two Pavilions, or summer- 
 houses, on each side of a small piece of 
 water, and one of these fell to the share of 
 each of the brothers-in-law. — As far as the 
 dry ground went, a wall of separation was 
 readily built ; but as the water was deep, it 
 was not easy to lay the foundations in it. — 
 However, the wall was still carried over, a 
 little way above the water; for Kwan, al- 
 though there was enough of the pond to 
 have formed as effectual a barrier as the 
 bellow river itself, being jealous lest his 
 
 friendship : where they disagree, relations themselves will 
 soon be at enmity." See Proverbs, &c.
 
 56 THE SHADOW 
 
 brother-in-law should be able to look into 
 his domestic haunts, spared no trouble nor 
 expense, but contrived, by means of stone 
 pillars in the midst of the Basin, to carry 
 over a wall, as a screen, from one side to 
 the other. From this time, not only the 
 male part of each family had no opportunity 
 of seeing the females of the other, but even 
 the men themselves did not meet above 
 once in a year. 
 
 Too had a son, whom he named Chin- 
 seng, and Kwan a daughter, whom he called 
 Yu-kiuen. They were both very nearly of 
 an age, and were so like each other in the 
 face, as to resemble two impressions of the 
 same seal. Their mothers, being sisters, 
 were very nmch alike, and were, besides, 
 very handsome; nor did their children de- 
 generate from them in this respect. While 
 they still rode about on the backs of their
 
 IN THE WATER. 57 
 
 nurses,* (which was previous to the sepa- 
 ration of the famihes,) it was not easy to 
 discover which was the pearl, and which 
 the gem.-j- The lady of Too sometimes 
 took Yu-kiuen into her arms, and treated 
 her as her son ; and sometimes the wife of 
 Kwan placed Chin-seng by her side to sleep, 
 as if he had been her daughter; and this 
 became a frequent custom with them. 
 
 It is said, that the faces and figures of 
 children are very much influenced by their 
 nurses: which perhaps arises from the con- 
 nection between the milk and the blood. 
 AYhile they were together, being as yet 
 infants, and without knowledge, this pair 
 were unconscious of their resemblance to 
 each other: but after the separation of the 
 two houses, when they were old enough to 
 
 * The Chinese mode of carrying children. 
 f In aUusion to the Chinese names, which respectively 
 have these meanings.
 
 ^8 THE SHADOW 
 
 have their heads dressed according to the 
 different fashions of the two sexes, they heard 
 people talking about this resemblance : their 
 curiosity was raised, and they wished for an 
 opportunity of making the comparison, to 
 see if what people said was true. But they 
 were divided as completely as the north 
 from the south, and there was no possibility 
 of meeting. 
 
 After the lapse of a few years, they both 
 of them began unconsciously to make the 
 same reflections on this subject. After 
 admiring themselves in the mirror, they 
 would each exclaim, " Surely people must 
 look upon me as the handsomest person in 
 the world: there cannot possibly be any 
 one comparable to me!" — These thoughts 
 tended to give each of them a feeling of jea- 
 lousy towards the other, rather than of love : 
 for they were both very unwilling to allow 
 the claim of superior beauty. They little
 
 IN THE WATER. 59 
 
 thought that this mutual feehng of jealousy 
 would afterwards produce the events which 
 it did, and that their adventures would be 
 converted into a pleasant story. 
 
 Yu-kiuen, being a female, could not go 
 over to visit her cousin, though she very 
 much wished it. Chin-seng, however, being 
 of the opposite sex, said to himself, " The 
 quarrels of our parents do not concern us, 
 their children: then let me go over occa- 
 sionally, and by that means preserve the 
 feelings of relationship. If our mothers 
 may see each other, are their children to 
 be totally debarred V — So saying, he broke 
 through the old custom, and went over to 
 pay a visit. To his surprise, however, his 
 uncle, as if being aware of it, had already 
 pasted up a prohibition in large characters, 
 to the following effect : " No relations are 
 allowed to come in here, as it is thought 
 expedient to exclude them. All are desired
 
 60 THE SHADOW 
 
 to pay attention to this, whatever may be 
 their degree of kindred/' — When Chin-seng 
 saw this, he stopped immediately, and did 
 not venture to go farther. He saw Kwan, 
 however, and requested him to ask his aunt 
 and cousin to come out and see him. Kwan 
 only called his wife, and would not say a 
 word about his daughter. When Chin-seng 
 again hinted her to him, he pretended to be 
 deaf, or ignorant of his meaning, and gave 
 no answer. Chin-seng, seeing his determi- 
 nation, did not venture to press him farther, 
 but after sitting some time, took his leave.* 
 From this time, both Chin-seng and Yu- 
 kiuen gave up their childish curiosity, and 
 knowing that they could not verify the re- 
 ports which they heard, did not care any 
 
 * Here follows a long speech from Kwan to his wife, 
 about his reasons for keeping his nephew at a distance, 
 the real motive, perhaps, being his enmity to his brother- 
 in-law.
 
 IN THE WATER. ■ 6l 
 
 thing more about the matter, but became 
 quite indifferent as to whether the resem- 
 blance existed or not. It seemed, however, 
 one day, by a strange chance, that fate was 
 determined to bring them together; and 
 that they, who could not contrive to meet 
 on dry ground, should view each other by 
 the mutual reflection of their images in the 
 transparent wave. 
 
 It happened, about the middle of summer, 
 when the heat was very oppressive, that this 
 young gentleman and lad}^ both came to the 
 summer-houses at the same time, for the 
 purpose of enjoying the cool air. There 
 being but little wind, the face of the water 
 was unruffled, and the two pavilions were 
 clearly reflected in it. As Yu-kiuen was 
 gazing on the water, she started on a sudden 
 and exclaimed, " How happens it that my 
 shadow makes its appearance on the oppo- 
 site side, while I myself am on this! — This
 
 62 THE SHADOW 
 
 surely must be some unlucky prodigy V — 
 After a little consideration, however, she 
 changed her opinion, and found out that 
 this shadow must be the reflected figure of 
 her cousin, who, being without his cap, was 
 to all appearances a female; and from this 
 circumstance, in fact, arose her mistake. 
 She then regarded it attentively, and ac- 
 knowledged that it was indeed the very 
 image of herself, and that there was hardly 
 the least difference between them. Being 
 thus compelled to give up the exclusive 
 claim to good looks, she began to have a 
 sort of fellow-feeling for what so nearly 
 resembled herself, and by degrees to feel 
 resentment against the parents who could 
 separate such near relations. 
 
 Chin-seng, as he sat and leaned against 
 the rails, also caught a sight of the reflec- 
 tion on the opposite side, and began to 
 dance about with joy. He strained his
 
 IN THE WATER. 63 
 
 eyes, and examined it awhile attentively, 
 and was then conscious that what people 
 had said was very true, and that he was not 
 to be compared with his cousin. His pas- 
 sion being greater than his discretion, he 
 called out to the shadow, saying, "Are you 
 not Yu-kiuen ? Yes, you are the counter- 
 part of myself! What should prevent our 
 meeting, and becoming companions for 
 life V As he spoke, he extended his two 
 arms towards the water, as if to lift out the 
 object. 
 
 Yu-Kiuen, who heard and saw this, felt 
 an increase of the regard which she had 
 already conceived for him, and would will- 
 ingly have returned these signals : but she 
 was afraid of the consequences if discovered, 
 and having as yet never uttered or done 
 any thing contrary to rule, felt a natural 
 impediment. She therefore merely con- 
 veyed the sentiments of her heart in a smile.
 
 64 THE SHADOW 
 
 Chin-seng, who was exactly like his father 
 in all respects, knew very well, that, in order 
 to discover if a woman was favourably dis- 
 posed towards you, it was only necessary to 
 observe if she smiled : should she but extend 
 her lips in a smile, it was a good omen. The 
 love-knot was already tied between these 
 two, through the medium of their shadows. 
 From this time, they came regularly every 
 day to the same place, to avoid the heat; nor 
 would they permit any of their attendants 
 to come with them; but preferred sitting 
 there alone, that they might lean over the 
 rails, and converse with each other's sha- 
 dows in the water. On these occasions, 
 however, Chin-seng had most of the con- 
 versation to himself; and the lady only 
 made use of the language of her hands to 
 convey her sentiments ; for she was afraid, 
 that should she speak, and her father and 
 mother hear her, she might not only be ex-
 
 IN THE WATER. 65 
 
 posed to severe chastisement, but even her 
 life might be endangered. In this first 
 section has been related only the intercourse 
 between the two shadows : in the next, you 
 will find what happened after the originals 
 had met. 
 
 SECTION 11. 
 
 The two lovers, althougli from the first 
 rencontre they daily conversed with each 
 other's shadows, were unfortunately still 
 separated by a high wall, which prevented 
 their personally meeting. It happened one 
 day that Yu-kiuen, in consequence of dis- 
 turbed sleep, had risen rather late, and by 
 the time she was dressed, it was already 
 about ten o'clock. When she went to her 
 summer-house, she could not see Chin- 
 seng's shadow in the water : but said to
 
 66 THE SHADOW 
 
 herself, " lie must have waited here until 
 he saw that I was not coming, and then 
 have gone away /' Upon turning round, how- 
 ever, she saw, to her great astonishment, that 
 the shadow was changed into the substance, 
 which stood by her side, and with extended 
 arms essayed to salute her. The fact was, 
 that Chin-sen g, being determined upon a 
 meeting, had seized the opportunity of her 
 non-arrival to get across the water, and 
 hide himself in a nook, from whence, as 
 soon as she came, he could sally out. Yu- 
 kiuen was a timorous creature, and as she 
 was before fearful lest the slightest whisper 
 should betray them, how much greater was 
 her terror now, lest, in the face of open day, 
 she should be found in company with a 
 young man ! With a sudden exclamation, 
 she flew into the house, and for four or five 
 days did not dare to go to the pavilion. 
 Chin-seng, seeing her thus cry out and run
 
 IN THE WATER. 67 
 
 away, had been in no less alarm himself: 
 he turned about instantly, jumped into the 
 water, and got over to the other side. Yu* 
 kiuen's hasty retreat was partly caused by 
 sudden fright, and partly by the dread of 
 discovery ; but she had no desire to break 
 off the communication with him. After a 
 little time, she began to repent of her pre- 
 cipitation. She wrote down a few verses, 
 and enclosing them in a flower, rolled the 
 whole up in one of the large leaves of the 
 water lily,* to preserve it from wet. When 
 she next saw Chin-seng's shadow, she threw 
 the roll into the water, and called out to him 
 to take it up. As soon as he heard her, he 
 ran down joyfully from the summer-house, 
 and took up the roll, in which he found the 
 verses, of which the purport was, " That 
 the troubled face of the water was the 
 
 * Nymphasa nelumbo. 
 F 2
 
 68 THE SHADOW 
 
 image of her mind: that she had been 
 greatly surprised by his coming over to that 
 side ; but that in running away from him 
 with such haste, she had been prompted 
 only by die fear of discovery and punish- 
 ment/' When Ching-seng had read this, 
 he was delighted beyond measure, and 
 speedily writing some verses in reply, placed 
 them in the roll, and threw them across. 
 In these he observed that " their present 
 mode of communication was nothing more 
 than gathering flowers in a dream ; and that 
 they must endeavour to make it more un- 
 fettered, as well as more intimate for the 
 future/' Having perused this, Yu-kiuen 
 w^as immediately aware that he was deter- 
 mined to come over at all hazards, let what 
 would happen, and that it must certainly 
 end in some terrible catastrophe. She there- 
 fore wrote him back one or two lines, in 
 which she said, "that his first adven-
 
 IN THE WATER. C'9 
 
 ture had ended in nodiino^ worse dian 
 a severe fright on her part, but she could 
 not tell what might be the consequence 
 of another visit. That her father was 
 not like his, but would certainly put 
 them both to death : and that therefore he 
 ought to be considerate and prudent."" 
 Chin-sen g, finding that she gave him this de- 
 termined answer, did not venture to repeat 
 his former words, but wrote back a formal 
 proposal of marriage, in which " he be- 
 wailed the unhappy circumstances which at 
 present opposed their union ; but advised 
 that they should wait to see how things 
 turned out, and seize some more favourable 
 opportunity. He only stayed for one word 
 in reply, to render inviolable their contract 
 for life."" Yu-kiuen was not only set at 
 ease by this, but readily consented to his 
 proposal, and answered him in a few lines, 
 in which she expressed her willingness, and
 
 70 THE SHADOW 
 
 declared "that she considered herself as 
 devoted to him alone, and that death only 
 should absolve them from this vow, which 
 Avas made in the face of heaven." Chin- 
 seng, on the receipt of this answer, was 
 greatly rejoiced, as well as consoled for the 
 misery of separation. From this time, he 
 every day had some conversation with the 
 shadow, with the ultimate view of obtaining 
 the substance. He was constantly writing 
 verses, of which the " shadow in the water"" 
 Avas always the burthen. In about six 
 months, he had composed a little poem, 
 which he called, " The Rencontre of the 
 Shadows,"' and which, having left it open 
 upon his table, his father and mother 
 chanced to see. They discovered by this, 
 that he had not degenerated from his 
 parents, but that he resembled his father 
 in the direction of his studies, and was 
 likely to realize his mother's wishes. They
 
 IN THE WATER. 71 
 
 felt much rejoiced, and were desirous to 
 form a suitable match for him. They 
 thought of Kwan, but were apprehensive 
 that he was too cross-grained to acquiesce 
 in what tended to the good of others. 
 There was a person named Loo-kung, of the 
 same rank and standing as Kwan, who had 
 filled some subordinate offices, but was now, 
 like Kwan, unemployed. He was of a dis- 
 position which was inclined both to learning 
 and enjoyment, and since he partook 
 equally of the tastes of Too and of Kwan, 
 it followed naturally that he should be very 
 intimate with both of them. After consult- 
 ing with his wife, Too determined that this 
 person was the most proper to conduct the 
 negociation. He therefore went in person 
 to Loo-kung's house, to ask the favour of 
 his mediation, saying " that as his brother- 
 in-law and himself had for some time been 
 at variance, he hoped his friend would act
 
 72 THE SHADOW 
 
 the part of a peace-maker, and endeavour 
 to restore their former union ; that the pro- 
 posal of the match might then be success- 
 ful.'" Loo-kung replied, that " since they 
 were such near connexions, it was highly 
 requisite that they should be good friends : 
 and that he would use his utmost endea- 
 vours on the occasion/' 
 
 Loo-kung, soon after, had an interview 
 with Kwan. He commenced by asking 
 him his daughter's age ; and whether she 
 had 3^et been betrothed to any one. He 
 then gradually introduced the subject with 
 which he had been entrusted by Too. 
 When he had fully understood him, Kwan 
 smiled without returning any answer, but 
 with a pencil, which he held in his hand, 
 wrote down a few^ lines on the table at 
 which they wxre sitting, to the following 
 effect : *' Since the disagreement and en- 
 mity have so long existed, it is not an easy
 
 IN THE WATER. 73 
 
 matter to effect even a reconciliation : but 
 to think of marriage is little better than a 
 dream/' 
 
 Loo-kung, seeing how he received the 
 proposal, knew that it was useless to press 
 him farther ; and therefore said nothing 
 more on the subject, but went away to in- 
 form Too. He merely told the latter that 
 Kwan had obstinately refused his consent : 
 but suppressed the exact words w^hich he 
 had written down on the table. Too and 
 his wife upon this gave up the idea entirely, 
 and bes^an to look out for another match 
 for their son. They recollected that Loo- 
 kung himself had an adopted daughter, 
 named Kin-yun, who in respect to both her 
 mental and personal qualities was in no- 
 wise inferior to Yu-kiuen. They therefore 
 engaged a person to go over and propose 
 the match. Loo-kung said in reply, that 
 marriage being a thing of great moment, it
 
 74 THE SHADOW 
 
 was not pi'oper to be guided by one's wishes 
 alone, but that the *Pa-tse (eight charac- 
 ters) on both sides should be compared 
 together. If, on comparing these, it ap- 
 peared that the combinations did not por- 
 tend any thing unfortunate, the match 
 might take place. Too then took his son's 
 Pa-tse, and sent them to Loo-kunof. As 
 soon as the latter had looked at them, he 
 was greatly astonished, for it appeared that 
 Chin-seng's eight characters were precisely 
 those of Kin-yun ; that these two were born 
 in the same hour, of the same day, of the 
 same month, of the same year. He then 
 exclaimed, " It plainly appears, from this, 
 that the match is ordained by heaven, and 
 therefore it no longer rests with man to 
 oppose it. There can be no more doubts 
 
 * Eight characters, signifying tlie year, month, day and 
 hour, in which the person was born — a sort of judicial 
 astrology.
 
 IN THE WATER. 75 
 
 on the subject/' The negotiator of the 
 marriage returned with this answer to Too 
 and his wife, who rejoiced very much, and, 
 without saying any thing to their son, con- 
 cluded the match. 
 
 But how happened it that Chin-seng, 
 who was very quick and intelhgent, should 
 not discover what his father and mother 
 had been doing for him ? The truth is, 
 that from the first moment in which he saw 
 Yu-kiuen, this young gentleman seemed to 
 have transferred his very soul to the shadow 
 in the water, and became to all appear- 
 ances more dead than alive. If he was 
 called, he gave no reply ; if he was ques- 
 tioned, he returned no answer. He would 
 do nothing but sit in the summer-house and 
 lean against the rails : nor would he allow 
 a single person to come near him. In this 
 way, he could hear nothing about the con- 
 cerns of his family ; and even his own mar-
 
 76 THE SHADOW 
 
 riage was agreed upon for some time with- 
 out his knowing any thing about it. 
 
 By chance, however, Yu-kiuen heard 
 somebody mention it, and began immedi- 
 ately to fear that he had broken his faith 
 with her. She wrote him a most cuttino; 
 letter, expressing her resentment, and by 
 this means Chin-seng became acquainted 
 with the fact. He went immediately to his 
 father and mother, and as soon as he un- 
 derstood the circumstances, began to cry 
 out like a froward child, and to entreat 
 them, as they valued his life, to break off the 
 match. He was enraged, too, with Loo- 
 kung, and began to abuse him, saying, 
 " the refusal of my uncle's consent is merely 
 a fabrication of his ; and it is plain that he 
 himself, wanting me for a son-in-laAv, and 
 unwilling to give me up, has contrived this 
 scheme. If any one else had been the 
 negotiator, my wishes would have been
 
 IN THE WATER. 77 
 
 accomplished bj this time/* He then called 
 him bj all sorts of names, and abused him 
 heartily. Too would have corrected his 
 son for this, but having formerly indulged 
 him, he could not now exert his authority. 
 He knew also that Chin-seng's disposition 
 was the copy of his own ; and since he 
 could not restrain his own passions, how 
 should he govern those of his son ? He 
 therefore let him have his own way entirely; 
 but advised him to moderate his grief, and 
 let him manaoe the affair. Chin-senoj was 
 for fixing a certain time, within which the 
 one match should be broken off, and the 
 other concluded ; and vowed, that were he 
 disappointed in this, he would find out a 
 short way of cutting off his family's pos- 
 terity.* Poor Too had no help for it, but 
 was obliged to go as a self-condemnedf- 
 
 * That is, he would kill himself. 
 
 •\ Literally, " carrying on his head the instrument of his 
 punishment."
 
 78 THE SHADOW 
 
 criminal to Loo-kung. He first entreated 
 pardon for his mistake, and then informed 
 him of his son's determination. Loo-kung, 
 when he had heard him, changed colour, 
 and exclaimed, " What sort of person do 
 you take me to be, that you may thus agree 
 with me upon a match, and then break it 
 off again ? When my friends hear of it, 
 how will they not ridicule and despise me? 
 Since your son is averse from an alliance 
 with my family, he must have some prior 
 engagement : pray inform me who the 
 person may he." Too answered, " His 
 mind is fixed upon the daughter of Kwan. 
 Though he knows that he cannot obtain 
 her, he yet wishes to retain a shadow of 
 hope, and await the vicissitudes of fortune." 
 When Loo-kung heard this, he smiled to 
 himself, and then read to Too the strong 
 answer which Kwan had written down, 
 when the match was proposed to him.
 
 IN THE WATER. 79 
 
 Upon this, Too could not refrain from 
 weeping violently, and exclaiming with a 
 deep sigh, " If it be thus, my poor son will 
 certainly die, and I shall become a child- 
 less ghost!" Kwan replied, "Why so? 
 Your son has no doubt had some inter- 
 course with the lady, and contracted an 
 inviolable engagement/' Too answered, 
 " Nothing of consequence has passed be- 
 tween them, though they have had some 
 slight intercourse with one another. With- 
 out having ever met, they have for half- 
 a-year been enamoured — of one another's 
 shadows; and the mutual feeling is now 
 so strong, that it is impossible to con- 
 quer it. How can 3^ou assist me, my 
 friend V So saying, he presented to Loo- 
 kung his son's poetical composition on the 
 subject. When he had read it, the latter 
 showed some anger, but soon laughed, and 
 said, " Akhough this is a vexatious affair.
 
 80 THE SHADOW 
 
 it still constitutes a very pleasant story. 
 Making love by shadows is a thing which 
 has never happened before ; and the tale 
 will certainly be transmitted to posterity. 
 The parents, however, should not have let 
 it come to this ; but since it has come to 
 this, the sooner it is settled the better. Let 
 it all alone to me ; and I will contrive to 
 bring it to a happy conclusion. It is better 
 that my (adopted) daughter should be dis- 
 appointed, and encounter the disgrace of 
 having been rejected : I will find out ano- 
 ther match for her."' Too said, that " if he 
 did this, he should be for ever obliged to 
 him;" and going home, he informed his 
 son of the conversation. Chin-seng, from 
 being very sorrowful, became extremely 
 happy, and not only ceased to abuse Loo- 
 kung, but began to sing his praises ; and 
 pressed his father and mother to urge him 
 to conclude the affair. He himself likewise
 
 IN THE WATER. 81 
 
 went over in person, and was advised by 
 Loo-kung, that " as this business could not 
 be happily effected without time, it was 
 better for him to attend a litde longer to 
 his studies, and give up his thoughts of the 
 union for the present." From this time 
 Loo-kuno; at once souo-ht another son-in- 
 law for himself, and laboured to promote 
 the cause of Chin-seng. However, he 
 would not mention the affair of the refusal 
 before his family ; first, because he was 
 afraid of people's ridicule, and secondly, 
 because he feared that his dauo-hter niioht 
 find out what she had lost, and evil conse- 
 quences ensue. He asserted, on the con- 
 trary, that his intended son-in-law had not 
 answered his wishes, and that he himself 
 had broken off the match, thinking it was 
 disadvantageous. He was not aware that 
 his daughter would contrive to elicit the 
 real truth out of the feigned story. 
 
 G
 
 82 THE SHADOW 
 
 Kin-yuii had already discovered that 
 Chin-seng's eight characters were the same 
 as her own. She had heard, too, that her 
 intended husband was extremely handsome: 
 and she congratulated herself on these cir- 
 cumstances, and hoped for an early con- 
 clusion of the marriage. When therefore 
 she suddenly learned that the match was 
 given up, she was very much disturbed : 
 and her maids also expressed their resent- 
 ment against their master, for " breaking 
 off so excellent a marriage, when it was 
 already determined upon. When his in- 
 tended son-in-law, too, came to his house 
 on the subject, he had persisted in refusing 
 him. Since he refused him, he ought at 
 least to have broken off all further inter- 
 course ; why then did he assist him in his 
 pursuit of another object, and thus throw 
 away so excellent a son-in-law ?" Kin-yun 
 hearing this, was very much incensed, and
 
 IN THE WATER. 83 
 
 said to herself, " I am only his adopted 
 daughter, and therefore he does not care what 
 befalls me: if I were his own child, he would 
 never have treated me in this manner !" 
 After some days, her agitation of mind 
 ended in disorder of body. It is very truly 
 said, that " there is no grief like the grief 
 that does not speak:* there is no pain 
 like that which seeks not rehef.'" She 
 would not communicate her troubles to any 
 one, but buried them within her own breast. 
 The consequence was that they became 
 intolerable, and nothing would cure her 
 malady. That a gentleman should fly from 
 a lady, and a lady be in despair for a gen- 
 tleman, is a case which never happened 
 before since the beginning of the world! 
 Our readers may stop here, and consider 
 
 * " The grief that does not speak 
 
 Whispers the o'er fraught heart, and bids it break." 
 
 Macbeth. 
 G 2
 
 84 THE SriADOM^ 
 
 the subject, and then proceed to learn Avhat 
 followed. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 It has been observed that Kwan was 
 very strict in the regulation of his family. 
 His suspicions being now excited by Loo- 
 kung's proposing the match, he immediately 
 stopped up the space under the wall by 
 means of earth and bricks, and ordered 
 that some one might always attend on his 
 daughter, nor suffer her to be alone. From 
 this time the lovers were not only prevented 
 from seeing each other personally, but even 
 their very shadows were separated. As 
 Chin-seng could have no further commu- 
 nication with Yu-kiuen, he made some 
 more verses, of which the subject was this 
 separation, and added them on to the end 
 of his former ones.
 
 IN THE WATER. 85 
 
 Yu-kiuen had only understood bis having 
 courted some one else, without knowing 
 any thing of the match having been broken 
 off. She inveighed bitterly against the 
 fickleness of her lover, who could thus 
 break his vow and leave her to misery. 
 She was also very much incensed against 
 the selfishness of Loo-kung, who (she 
 thought) had taken the intended son-in- 
 law of another to himself, and instead of 
 beins the nesociator of a match, converted 
 himself into a father-in-law. She felt con- 
 vinced that his proposal of the marriage to 
 her father was insincere, and nothing more 
 than a wa}^ to save appearances, and that 
 therefore her father had refused him. This 
 vexation of mind having lasted some time, 
 at length ended in her refusing both food 
 and drink; and by degrees she became 
 seriously indisposed. 
 
 The injury which Kin-yun thought she
 
 86 THE SHADOW 
 
 had suffered was nothing more than a mis- 
 take, as was also the resentment of Yu-kiuen 
 towards Chin-seng ; and though their sick- 
 ness proceeded from different causes, they 
 were both founded originally in an error. 
 Chin-seng, also, was affected with an indis- 
 position, which partly resembled that of 
 Kin-3^un, and partly that of Yu-kiuen ; for 
 when he thought of the latter, he looked 
 upon Kin-yun as his enemy, and said that 
 she was the cause of his disappointment ; 
 and when he thought of the former (who 
 was not inferior in beauty and whose age 
 corresponded with his own) he looked with 
 resentment upon Yu-kiuen, and inveighed 
 against her perfidy and deceit, saying that 
 when she heard of his having proposed to 
 Kin-yun, she had gone to her father and 
 asked him to close up the wall, thus assum- 
 ing a pretension to great virtue and correct-
 
 IN THE WATER. 8? 
 
 I 
 
 ness.* His father and mother, seeing that 
 he was not hkely to marry either of them, 
 could only let matters take their course, 
 and wait the event. 
 
 The more indisposed Kin-yun became, 
 so much the more desirous was Loo-kung 
 to conclude another match for her: and 
 her indisposition seemed to increase in pro- 
 portion to his anxiety on this point. Being 
 ignorant of the real cause of her uneasiness, 
 he thought that it arose merely from being 
 disappointed of her wedding,and that it was 
 only necessary to find another husband in 
 order to restore her spirits. He therefore 
 commissioned people to look out; but it so 
 happened that all the suitors who came to his 
 house were particularly frightful and disa- 
 greeable ; so that the maids, when they 
 saw them enter one after another, could 
 
 * A tedious soliloquy of Chin-seng in the original is 
 shortened in the translation.
 
 88 THE SIIADOW 
 
 not help screaming with affright. After a 
 succession of these disagreeable events, Kin- 
 jun I^ecame more and more sick and re- 
 duced; and she lay upon her bed, almost 
 ready to die. When Loo-kung saw this, he 
 became somewhat alarmed, and inquiring 
 carefully of her maids, discovered die real 
 cause of her indisposition. He then began to 
 repent of what he had done, saying, " when 
 a woman has been engaged, it is a very im- 
 proper thing to change : and there is no 
 wonder in her being hurt. It is all my fault! 
 When Too came to me, in order to get off the 
 match, I ought not to have given my con- 
 sent; but having once given it, I cannot 
 again go and urge him on the subject. Be- 
 sides, I have engaged to do my good offices 
 for Chin-seng, and as an honourable man 
 values his word more than gold, how can I 
 break my promise? The only way will be 
 to convert the two matches into one, and
 
 IN THE WATER. 89 
 
 bring all the three people together;* but 
 keep old Kwan in ignorance of a part, until 
 the whole is concluded, and then let him 
 into the secret; for when it is irrevocable, 
 thouoh he should be ever so violent he can- 
 not alter it." There was still, however, a 
 difficulty, in regard to the precedence of the 
 two wives; but having considered carefully 
 for a while, he found out an expedient even 
 for this, saying, " of old, when Ngo-hwang 
 and Niu-ying, both of the family of the 
 Emperor Yaou, espoused the great Shun, 
 they surely were not distinguished into first 
 and second wife, but styled each other 
 sisters." Having made up his mind, he 
 directed the attendants to comfort Kin-yun, 
 and invited Too to come over to a confer- 
 ence with him. He informed him " that 
 there was a way b}^ which all parties might 
 
 * That is, let Chin-seng many both the ladies.
 
 90 THE SHADOW 
 
 be accommodated : which would prevent 
 his own adopted daughter having a second 
 lover, and by which the character of Kwan^s 
 daughter might be preserved; that his son 
 Chin-seng was extremely fortunate ; and 
 that the good which awaited him seemed to 
 be the especial result of his happy destiny/^ 
 Too was extremely glad to hear this, and 
 asked him how it was all to happen. Loo- 
 kung answered, " Your brother-in-law is of 
 so obstinate a disposition that it will be better 
 not to appeal to his feelings, but to bring 
 him round by stratagem. I have arrived 
 at the middle of life without having children, 
 and he has often advised me to adopt a 
 male successor. I shall now tell him that 
 I have adopted one, and that I am desirous 
 of obtaining Yu-kiuen as my daughter-in- 
 law. When he considers our friendship, 
 he certainly will consent. After his con- 
 sent is obtained, I shall also tell him that
 
 IN THE WATER. 91 
 
 as my daughter is unmarried, I wish to 
 invite Chin-seng to become her husband, 
 and request him to agree to the compound 
 alhance, to complete the harmony of all 
 parties. If he then persists in remaining 
 at variance with you, he will lose my friend- 
 ship also. But having once given his con- 
 sent, he cannot, I think, well alter the 
 agreement. I shall then chuse a fortunate 
 day, and under the pretence of his daugh- 
 ter's marriage on the one hand, and of your 
 son's on the other, get the three people 
 together, and complete their union. Is 
 not this an excellent plan?" When Too 
 had heard this, he smiled, and could not 
 help bowing down to the ground, exclaim- 
 ing, that " Kwan's ability and kindness 
 were both of them supernatural : he could 
 not sufficiently express his obligation and 
 praise.'' 
 
 Too next proceeded to report this unusu-
 
 92 THE SHADOW 
 
 ally good news to his son. Chin-seng, who 
 amidst his twofold sorrow received this 
 double portion of happiness, could set no 
 bounds to his joy. Though his grief and 
 uneasiness had been great, the present 
 remedy was fully adequate to curing them. 
 Kin-yun, too, when she heard the same 
 from her attendants and understood the 
 change that had taken place in her favour, 
 got well without any physic. She had 
 only to wait till the time appointed for the 
 marriage, to become " the sister of Niu- 
 ying, and the wife of Shun.'' — (p. 89). 
 
 Unhappily, however, only two out of the 
 three sick persons were as yet recovered ; 
 and Yu-kiuen, the third, had not heard the 
 good news. Loo-kung had an interview 
 with Kwan, and entrapped him in the snare 
 which they had prepared for him : for 
 Kwan, seeing the severe indisposition of his 
 daughter, had a natural wish to see her
 
 IN THE WATER. 93 
 
 iiiarried as soon as possible ; and as Loo- 
 kung was his particular friend and col- 
 league, he was glad to cement their intimacy 
 by the match. He therefore gave his hearty 
 consent, and made not the slightest diffi- 
 culty. Loo-kung, fearing that he might 
 possibly repent, waited only a day or two 
 before he sent the marriage presents. 
 When these had been received, he men- 
 tioned the match with Chin-seng. Kwan, 
 though he did not express his disapproba- 
 tion, could not help feeling displeasure at 
 this. He laughed at Loo-kung, and told 
 him that he had chosen a good daughter- 
 in-law, but a bad son-in-law : and that 
 while he was admitting a friend at the 
 great gate, the devil* had got in at the 
 postern ; in short, that what he had gained 
 
 * Kivei, " a devil, or evil spirit." The name civilly 
 given by the Chinese to Europeans, with the addition of 
 Fan, " foreign."
 
 94 THE SHADOW 
 
 was not equal to what he had lost. Still, 
 however, as the thing was done, it was 
 useless to speak, or to take him to task 
 about it. 
 
 Yu-kiuen, when she heard that her lover 
 was about to espouse Kin-yun, and that 
 she herself was to marry into Loo-kung's 
 family, and live with her great enemy, was 
 unable to express her resentment at this 
 additional disgrace and insult. She was for 
 instantly writing a secret letter to Chin-seng, 
 telling him her sentiments on the occasion ; 
 and then throwing herself into the water, 
 or suspending herself from a beam, in 
 order to put an end to her existence. Her 
 maids, however, kept such strict watch, 
 and her parents were so cautious, that she 
 could not only not find a messenger to 
 carry her letter, but had not a place 
 wherein she could write it. 
 
 One morning, an attendant came in to
 
 IN THE WATER. 95 
 
 announce that Kin-yun, hearing her friend 
 was unwell, wished to come over in per- 
 son, and ask after her health. Yu-kiuen, 
 hearing this, was very much disturbed, 
 thinking that the other, after having won 
 her lover, and snatched away her hopes, 
 was coming, in the exultation of her heart, 
 to boast her success over her; and that, 
 unable to wait until the period when they 
 were to meet, she had anticipated the time 
 for insulting her. She was determined, 
 however, that Kin-yun should not be grati- 
 fied in her malice ; and urged her mother 
 to send a person immediately with an 
 answer. 
 
 She was not aware that Kin-yun, far 
 from having any bad intentions, wished to 
 imitate the bird* w^hich is the messenger of 
 glad tidings, and fly to her ear with the 
 
 * Hy-tsio, a poetical name for the swallow.
 
 96 THE SHADOW 
 
 secret intelligence. Loo-kung was very 
 desirous to hasten the union, knowing that 
 Yu-kiuen, the daughter of such a man as 
 Kwan, would not consent to lose her re- 
 spectability, but as soon as she heard that 
 she was contracted to somebody else, with- 
 out knowing the real truth, would certainly 
 put an end to herself. If he sent a note 
 by any other person, her doors were so 
 strictly guarded, that no admittance could 
 be gained : he therefore made use of his 
 daughter as a messenger to communicate 
 the intelligence. 
 
 When Yu-kiuen saw that the answer 
 which she had returned had not the effect 
 of stopping Kin-yun, she was obliged to 
 let her come in : but she previously put on 
 the face of a person who had suffered a great 
 injury and disgrace, and resolved, that as 
 soon as the other had uttered what she had 
 to say, she would overwhelm her, in return.
 
 IN THE watt:r. 97 
 
 with a sharp and chilhiig answer. — To her 
 surprise, as soon as the ceremonies of meet- 
 ing were over, Kin-yun stretched out her 
 two hands, and placing them on Yu-kiuen's 
 shoulder, drew her a little towards herself, 
 like a person who had something particular 
 to say, which she did not wish others to 
 hear. — Yu-kiuen was much amazed, and 
 as soon as they had taken a little tea to- 
 gether, led her visitor into another room, 
 and asked thereasonof her behaviour. Kin- 
 yun answered, "The purpose of my coming 
 to-day is not so much to inquire after your 
 health, as to communicate to you some joy- 
 ful intelligence. The poem concerning the 
 rencontre of the shadows has already been 
 converted into a romance, and it is ris^ht 
 that we bring it to a finale. In addition to 
 the principal female performer* in the 
 
 * For the names of the usual characters in the Chinese 
 dramas, see Morrison's Dictionary, (according to the 
 sounds,) under the word He, " a theatrical performance.'' 
 
 H
 
 98 THE SHADOW 
 
 Drama, an inferior one has been added ; — 
 but you need not be anxious about the 
 result." Yu-kiuen with great surprise 
 asked her meaning. Kin-yun then ex- 
 plained minutely from beginning to end 
 her father's plan for the union; at which 
 the former was greatly pleased. — All three 
 of the sick persons had now found a cure 
 for their indisposition: and they agreed 
 together upon the means to be pursued, 
 only keeping in ignorance one person, 
 who was Kwan. — Loo-kung fixed upon 
 a fortunate day, and at once got Chin-seng 
 and Yu-kiuen to his house, where his daugh- 
 ter awaited her nuptials. The marriage was 
 then concluded, and all three appeared in 
 the hall together, and went through the 
 regular ceremonies.* 
 
 * Here is omitted a rhapsody of the author's, in which 
 he compares the ladies to flowers, and the hero to a tree; 
 and the hero to the moon, and liie ladies to two light 
 clouds; gravely ending with calling them " a brace and a 
 half of Deities."
 
 IN THE WATER. 99 
 
 When the marriage had been concluded 
 three days, Loo-kiing directed a feast to be 
 prepared, and invited Too and Kwan to a 
 meeting of relations. As, however, he was 
 apprehensive that the latter might not come, 
 he wrote a short note, and folded it within 
 the ticket of invitation. In this, he called 
 to Kwan's recollection " the words which 
 he had written down on the table, about 
 dreaming, and exhorted him, as he was now 
 become a connexion of his, not to suffer a 
 trivial animosity to interfere with the due 
 celebration of the important ceremonies : — 
 and he again fixed the day for the meet- 
 ing/' — ^The commencement of this note had 
 no effect on Kwan, but when he came to 
 the mention of the important ceremonies, 
 he could not throw off the obligations of 
 propriety, and he felt that it would not be 
 right to borrow a pretext for refusing to go. 
 On the day appointed, therefore, he went 
 
 II 2
 
 100 THE SHADOW 
 
 over to the mcetino; of relations; and when 
 he arrived, found Too already there, in his 
 proper place. 
 
 Loo-kung, having ordered a carpet to be 
 spread, requested his friends to stand in the 
 highest place; and himself taking the lowest, 
 they all bowed down four times. He then 
 requested Too to step aside, and himself 
 bowed down to the ground four times 
 before Kwan, saying, " The four first pros- 
 trations were on account of our meeting: 
 the four last are to request your forgiveness 
 for myself; and I rely on your liberality for 
 excusing all the errors which I have com- 
 mitted from the beginning." — Kwan an- 
 swered, " You have hitherto been a plain 
 and straight forward sort of personage: 
 whence comes it, then, that you are so 
 ceremonious on a sudden? Perhaps, know- 
 ing me to be rather a punctilious character, 
 you have a mind to tnke me off/'
 
 IN THE M'ATKK. 101 
 
 Loo-kung replied, " how could I dare to 
 act thus? — From the time when we agi'eed 
 upon the marriage, I have committed a 
 great many errors : as innumerable as the 
 hairs of my head ; and I have only to entreat 
 you to consider our present close connexion, 
 and extend your liberal forgiveness towards 
 me. The proverb says ' when the son has 
 offended his father, he can do no more 
 than carry to him the instrument of his own 
 punishment' — this applies with equal truth 
 to our case. I have already performed my 
 prostrations; the marriage is concluded: 
 and if you were inclined to punish me, it 
 would be of no avail." — Kwan could not 
 understand the meaning of all this, and still 
 thought it must be a mere affectation of 
 humility : but as soon as Loo-kung's speech 
 was over, the music on both sides of the 
 steps at the entrance struck up, and dea- 
 fened all their ears like thunder; so that they
 
 102 THE SHADOW 
 
 were not only ignorant of what each other 
 said, but could not hear even themselves 
 speak. In the midst of this uproar, in 
 came a number of attendants, with the three 
 newly married persons, to the hall; these, 
 arranging themselves on the carpet, only 
 waited for the signal to prostrate them- 
 selves. — Kwan stared for some time, and 
 saw his daughter alone on the left; but all 
 the rest were strangers, and he could not 
 perceive his son-in-law. — Then raising his 
 voice, he cried out to her saying, — " Who 
 are you, that are thus standing there alone, 
 Avithout paying any regard to propriety, and 
 disgracing yourself by such irregular beha- 
 viour ? — Do you still remain V — He then 
 raised his voice still higher, in a rage, but 
 nobody could hear him. When the three 
 prostrated themselves, Kwan turned round, 
 and wanted to go away, but his two friends 
 came up to him, and one of them holding
 
 IN THE WATER. 103 
 
 him bj each arm, not only would not let him 
 go out, but likewise prevented his return- 
 ing the ceremony; thus squeezing him on 
 each side, like a pair of torturing sticks. 
 When he had received the twelve prostra- 
 tions, (four from each) in due form, the two 
 ladies immediately retired, and the musi- 
 cians were then ordered to cease. Kwan 
 changed colour, and exclaimed to Loo- 
 kung, " When my daughter appeared in 
 the hall, how is it that I did not see your 
 son? Your daughter and your son-in-law are 
 not sufficiently near relations to perform 
 their prostrations to me on this occasion. 
 I cannot understand the meaning of this 
 ceremony, and must request you to explain 
 it.'' — Loo-kung answered, " I will not de- 
 ceive you. Your nephew is my adopted 
 son, and my adopted son is your son-in- 
 law, and your son-in-law is also my son-in- 
 law. He has on this occasion acted a double
 
 104 THE SHADOW 
 
 character, and hence, in the performance of 
 the late ceremony, you received twelve 
 prostrations. You are a very intelligent 
 personage, and must surely understand it 
 now." 
 
 Kwan considered a little, but still could 
 not make it out, and said to Loo-kung, " I 
 cannot comprehend a single word of what 
 3^ou say: it is a mystery which I cannot 
 unravel. Am I come to a meeting of re- 
 lations, or am I in a dream?" — Loo-kung 
 answered, " I mentioned the subject of 
 dreaming in my note to you, and you 
 should be aware that it is a subject which 
 was first started, not by me, but by yourself, 
 when I proposed the match to you, and 
 when you wrote down your answer on the 
 table. You then sowed the seeds of that 
 dream which has now come to maturity. — 
 But man's life is a dream ; why, then, need 
 you make a great stir about it ? — I advise you
 
 IN THE WATER. 105 
 
 to take the thing as it conies, and bring this 
 dream to a happy conclusion \" — When 
 Kwan had heard these words, he began to 
 comprehend it, and asked Loo-kung, " how 
 he, so correct a man, could practise such 
 deceit: that it" he wanted to act as the 
 negotiator of the match, he should have 
 spoken clearly, and not have laid this trap 
 for his unwariness." — To this Loo-kung 
 replied, "And did I not speak clearly? — but 
 you, instead of giving me a plain answer, 
 thought proper to deal in tropes and figures, 
 as if you wanted to set me a dreaming. I 
 therefore could not speak to you any longer 
 in a straight forward manner ; but was com- 
 pelled to act to the best of my abilities. If 
 indeed I had only sought my own particular 
 good, and, deceiving you into the marriage 
 of your daughter alone, caused you to 
 look ridiculous, — this would have been an 
 unpardonable offence: but by giving mi/
 
 106 THE SHADOW in the water. 
 
 awn daughter in marriage, I also effected 
 the marriage of yours. On performing the 
 ceremonies in' the hall, I still gave your 
 daughter the higher place, and my own 
 willingly took the lower. There certainly, 
 then, never was such another conscientious 
 contriver as myself. I entreat you to 
 relinquish your angry intentions, and 
 practise the rule of forgiveness. '^ — Kwan, 
 when he had heard thus far, relaxed the 
 rigidity of his visage; and after a little more 
 explanation,* all parties having become 
 good friends, they closed the day with 
 feasting and merriment. 
 
 * The conclusion, which in the original consists merely 
 of a further conversation, repeating what the reader already 
 knows, has been a little curtailed in the translation.
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS : 
 
 A TALE. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE. 
 
 Bonus atque fidus 
 
 Judex. Hot.
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 Early in the reign of an Emperor, of the 
 Ming dynasty, there dwelt, in a city of the 
 province of Hoo-kwang, a merchant, named 
 Siaou-kiang, who had the misfortune to hve 
 on very indifferent terms with his wife. They 
 were for a long while without any family, 
 until, after a lapse of many years, two 
 daughters, twins, were born to them. It is 
 a popular remark, that sons generally re- 
 semble the father, and daughters the mother ; 
 but these two sisters, contrary to what is 
 usually the case, did not inherit the features 
 of either of their parents ; and they seemed 
 like the children of some other family. 
 Neither was the difference confined to their 
 persons, for their dispositions were quite
 
 110 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 as dissimilar. As the father and mother 
 were extremely plain and very stupid, so, 
 on the contrary, the daughters were very 
 handsome and particularly clever. After 
 ten years of age, they began to resemble 
 fair flowers glittering with dew, or fragrant 
 herbs agitated by the breeze: and then' 
 beauty every day increased, until, having 
 reached the age of fourteen or fifteen, no 
 one could behold them without emotion. 
 Not only were the young men in love with 
 them, but even those of a more advanced 
 age, when they beheld them, confessed the 
 power of their charms. 
 
 Their dispositions were extremely docile, 
 but notwithstanding this, they had learned 
 but little, and the whole extent of their 
 knowledge was confined to figures.* As 
 to the use of the needle, and other female 
 accomplishments, they needed but little 
 
 * Their fatlier being a merchant.
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. Ill 
 
 instruction in order to acquire them. Their 
 dress and ornaments were '(from their station 
 in hfe) coarse and ordinary, but yet, when 
 these two girls were compared with the 
 daughters of more weahhy and dignified 
 persons, it was allowed by all, that they 
 need not change their homely dress, and 
 metal ornaments, for the silks and jewels of 
 the others. 
 
 As they were so very handsome and 
 engaging, it naturally followed that the 
 young men of fortune and family should 
 seek them. 
 
 The good man and his dame were more 
 like enemies than husband and wife. The 
 former wanted to marry his daughters 
 without the interference of the latter; and 
 his wife, on the other hand, wished to obtain 
 two sons-in-law without the knowledge of 
 her husband. With this principle of mutual
 
 112 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 deceit, tliey each of tliem secretly engaged 
 with their separate friends. 
 
 Though the father was severe in his own 
 house, he was naturally of a kind and 
 friendly disposition : not like his wife, 
 whose turbulence led her, when provoked, 
 to make the neighbourhood ring with her 
 violence. People therefore said to them- 
 selves, that it would be an easier thing to 
 dupe him than her, and that of the two, it 
 was better to aid the wife than the husband. 
 Hence it was, that the latter was more suc- 
 cessful in her adherents than the former, 
 and after a little while, for each of her 
 daughters a husband was selected. A for- 
 tunate day was chosen for the marriage, 
 and they (the Bridegrooms) were desired 
 to send the wedding presents : but with a 
 view to prevent her husband's disapproba- 
 tion and rejection of the match, he was 
 kept in ignorance of the whole.
 
 THE TWIN STSTKRS. 113 
 
 There were some sensible persons, who 
 said, that the propriety of a daughter's 
 marriage ought to be determined by the 
 father, and that if the mother would not 
 consent, the matter should be referred to 
 the magistrate, who would never side with 
 an obstinate woman, nor put aside the hus- 
 band for the sake of favorino; the wife. 
 These persons wanted to get somebody to 
 make their proposals to the former : but 
 unfortunately, all those whom they asked, 
 proved to be as ready to deceive him, as 
 they were afraid of his wife, and when in- 
 vited to act against her, they immediately 
 made some pretext for declining. They 
 dared not to incur her resentment, saying, 
 that if they offended the husband, they had 
 nothing to do but to wait until he broke 
 out, and then reason with him : and if he 
 was violent, thev might still go and com- 
 plain to the magistrate. But if they of- 
 
 I
 
 114 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 fended his wife, and her anger was excited, 
 it w as not fit for them to contend with a 
 w Oman ; and should she abuse, and even 
 chastise them, they must bear it, and could 
 do nothing in return. 
 
 Thus it was, that no one would consent 
 to assist those who w ished to make propo- 
 sals to the good man, and they were ac- 
 cordingly obliged to open the subject to 
 him in person. He had been very much 
 nettled at seeing people in the first instance 
 go to his wife, without coming to consult 
 him, and therefore, on the present occasion, 
 when the marriage of his daughters was 
 proposed to him, he echoed his consent 
 with sreat satisfaction, and made not the 
 slightest objection. 
 
 The suitors told him, that every one was 
 afraid of his wife, and that, for this reason, 
 none would act as mediators. What, there- 
 fore, was to be done? He replied, " When
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 115 
 
 the parties are unknown to each other, it 
 is necessary to make use of such agents ; 
 but when I have ah'eady given my consent, 
 what more is required V The suitors, 
 hearing this, were very glad, and a lucky 
 day was chosen on the spot for the trans- 
 mission and reception of the marriage pre- 
 sents. 
 
 The husband's plan was similar to his 
 wife's, inasmuch as he would make no dis- 
 closure beforehand, but left the matter to 
 be developed by the occasion. It hap- 
 pened that the lucky day fixed upon by 
 both parties was the same, and the gifts of 
 all the four bridegrooms arrived at the 
 door together. The gongs made a great 
 din, and the different articles composing 
 the presents were spread out profusely, so 
 that there was no telling to what names 
 they belonged. 
 
 The first idea was, that the bridegrooms, 
 
 I 2
 
 116 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 knowing the bad understanding which ex- 
 isted between the parents of the bride, and 
 fearful of offending either party, had each 
 caused a pair of ceremonial tickets to be 
 made out, one for Siaou-kiang, and the 
 other for his wife, thinking it better to be 
 too ceremonious, than not enough so. 
 When, however, the tickets were examined 
 a little closer, it turned out, to the great 
 astonishment of either party, that no two 
 names w^ere the same, but that all four of 
 the cards had a different title. 
 
 The father and mother stared at one 
 another, and both broke out at once. Said 
 one, " In addition to my two sons-in-law, 
 whence come these two wretched pre- 
 tenders ?" — Said the other, " MVho has sent 
 all these things to be placed by the side of 
 my presents V 
 
 He exclaimed to his wife, " Who will 
 have the audacity to receive one of these
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 117 
 
 gifts, without the consent of me, the master 
 of the house V — His wife rephed, " With- 
 out leave from me, the mistress of the 
 family, who will venture to take any thing 
 that is here V 
 
 Upon this, the good man said, " It is a 
 maxim, that a woman, before her marriage, 
 must obey her father, and after it, her hus- 
 band. Now with respect to my daughters, 
 I being their father, it is their duty to be 
 guided by me, and with respect to yourself, 
 I being your husband, have a right to 
 control you. What is the reason, then, of 
 your behaving in this manner?" — She im- 
 mediately replied, " It is also a maxim, 
 that in the marriage of a son, the father is 
 to have the direction, but in the marriage 
 of a daughter, the mother. If the former 
 were our case at present, then indeed you 
 might do as you pleased, but as we are 
 now concerned about the latter, I, as a
 
 118 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 matter of course, have the sole right to 
 command. Under what pretence, then, 
 do jou meddle with my affairs V 
 
 From words they would very soon have 
 proceeded to blows, but those who were 
 standing by prevented them, and kept 
 them apart from one another. The Avife 
 would not listen to another word. She 
 took the presents which belonged to her 
 two favorites, and receiving them all as 
 they were inserted in the list, told the peo- 
 ple to go back with her answer. At the 
 same time, she ordered all the rest to be 
 thrown out of doors, and would not let one 
 of them remain in the house. 
 
 Her husband was of course greatly en- 
 raged at this. He, in his turn, had them 
 all brought back, and emptying the boxes 
 and bowls, wrote an answer himself, and 
 sent it. 
 
 He was well aware that this double
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 119 
 
 espousal must ultimately come before the 
 magistrate ; but deferred the presentation 
 of a written report, and was resolved to 
 try what prompt and forcible measures 
 would do in the first instance. The parents 
 of his intended sons-in-law were desired 
 by him to chuse a fortunate day, and hav- 
 ing made a grand preparation of lanterns 
 and torches, to engage a number of sturdy 
 fellows to support them in carrying off his 
 daughters by force. Should this measure 
 fail, it would not be too late to present an 
 address. 
 
 Those two persons readily adopted the 
 suggestion, and chose an early day for the 
 nuptials. They hired a number of ruffians 
 to follow the chairs, with a hope that they 
 might carry every thing by numbers. 
 
 It remained for them to discover, that 
 such a plan might answer well enough 
 against men, but that a female opponent
 
 120 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 was not so easily discomfited. The wife 
 placed herself at her door, with one of the 
 bars in her hands, and by her resolution 
 plainly shewed, that she would have no 
 mercy on those who attempted to cross the 
 threshold. They all dispersed like mice to 
 their holes, and left half of *the chairs, lan- 
 terns and torches behind them ; which 
 might be called levying "contributions from 
 the vanquished." All these were seized 
 and detained by the lady for her own use. 
 Her husband, greatly incensed at this, 
 immediately urged his two friends to pre- 
 sent an address Avithout delay. These 
 persons, however, knew very well that such 
 an address on this occasion was not likely 
 to be very successful, and that it was not 
 usual for persons, so closely connected, to 
 proceed to law against each other. They 
 therefore determined not to oppose her 
 openly, but to state that they had been
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 121 
 
 repulsed with violence from Siaou-kiang's 
 door, and lay the whole blame upon him 
 in the first instance. They resolved to 
 resort to the Chy-foo, the first magistrate 
 of the district, instead of the Chy-hien. 
 When their address had been presented, 
 the husband sent in a statement of the facts 
 as the}^ really happened, by way of answer. 
 The two friends also sent in particular 
 statements, and, as if they deemed it inex- 
 pedient to bring a married woman too 
 much forward on such an occasion, merely 
 placed her at the head of the witnesses, 
 saying, that she Avas the mother of the two 
 girls who had been betrothed, and should 
 be examined by the magistrate. 
 
 At that time the office of chief magis- 
 trate was exercised by a deputy. This 
 person had not long been in the situation, 
 but bore the character of a very upright 
 man, and possessed high literary rank at
 
 122 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 an early age. When he had received the 
 address, he ordered a notice to be put up, 
 fixing the period of trial within a few days. 
 He previously sent for the husband in order 
 to examine him, and afterwards for all the 
 four persons, as well as every one whose 
 name was mentioned in the address, with 
 the exception of the Avoman ; for he sup- 
 posed, that as she had a husband to guide 
 her, any evidence which she could give 
 must be the same as his, since it was not 
 customary for husband and wife to differ 
 on such points. 
 
 He was very little aware that on this 
 occasion the mother of the betrothed daug-h- 
 ters was the enemy of the intended fathers- 
 in-law. He had heard of litigations be- 
 tween friends, but seldom of any between 
 such near connexions as these. When the 
 wife observed that she was not called upon 
 for her evidence, she complained loudly of
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 123 
 
 the injustice that was done her, and the 
 Mandarin was therefore obhged to send for 
 her up. 
 
 She pointed to her husband, and said, 
 " Though he may pretend to the character 
 of a man, he has very httle of the sense of 
 one, and any body that pleases can make 
 a fool of him. He has no regard to his 
 daughters' happiness, and those whom he 
 has chosen to be their husbands are the most 
 disreputable persons in the neighbourhood. 
 It was for this reason that I endeavoured 
 to provide somewhat better for them, and 
 would not permit him to have the control. 
 I have to beg that your worship will con- 
 descend to give me your instructions."" 
 
 When the Mandarin had heard what she 
 had to say, he obsei^ed it was reasonable 
 enough. He then sent for the husband, to 
 examine him again. The latter stated, 
 " that his wife was of a very turbulent dis-
 
 124 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 position, and on every occasion endeavour- 
 ed to brow-beat and get the better of her 
 husband. That on common occasions, he 
 was ready to submit to this, but the mar- 
 riage of his daughters was a thing of such 
 importance, that he could never think of 
 giving up his right into her hands.'' 
 
 The judge, seeing that Avhat he said was 
 also reasonable, felt himself at a loss to 
 decide between them. He then addressed 
 himself to both, saying, " According to 
 rule, the husband has a right to be arbitra- 
 tor on such an occasion as that in dispute, 
 but in family affairs it is sometimes not 
 possible to adhere strictly to general rules, 
 nor to consider things too much in the 
 abstract. Wait until I call your daughters 
 before me, and hear what they have to say : 
 whether they think that their father or their 
 mother is doing what is best for them.'' 
 
 Both the husband and the wife prostrated
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 125 
 
 themselves, and said they were quite satis- 
 fied with this arrangement. The Mandarin 
 then issued a written order, and sent per- 
 sons to summon the daughters. When 
 these were gone, he said to himself, that 
 " as the parents w^ere both so plain and 
 ordinary in their appearance, it was not 
 likely that fair flowers should be produced 
 from reeds : but if the daughters were still 
 more ugly than the parents, there was no 
 telling where it would end!" He then, 
 with a countenance on which surprise was 
 ready depicted, waited their arrival in his 
 hall. 
 
 As soon as they were arrived, all the in- 
 ferior officers and attendants, without their 
 usual regard to decorum, pressed forward 
 in a crowd to gaze, as if some prodigy 
 had dropt down from the skies. As for 
 the Mandarin himself, he was altogether 
 amazed, and could not guess whence two
 
 126 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 such divine persons could have flown thi- 
 ther. Luckily for him, his emissaries at 
 the same moment announced that " such 
 a person's daughters were arrived.'' He 
 then knew that flowers of extraordinary 
 beauty had for once been produced from 
 reeds, and that the daughters were not only 
 an improvement on their parents, but that 
 they retained no resemblance whatever of 
 them. 
 
 When he had recovered from his sur- 
 prise, he addressed them thus, " Your 
 father and mother, being unable to agree 
 together, have, it appears, betrothed you 
 two to four different persons, and at last 
 refer their dispute to my decision. Your 
 father says that your mother is in the 
 wrong, and she, in her turn, complains of 
 him. It has been observed of old, that 
 * An upright magistrate can ill interfere 
 with family affairs.' I have accordingly
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 127 
 
 sent for you to ask whether, in general, your 
 father or your mother has acted with most 
 discretion ?" 
 
 Both the girls were naturally shy and 
 bashful, and would at any time have run 
 away at the sight of one man, but now, 
 when several hundred pairs of eyes were 
 fixed, and as it Avere nailed, upon them, 
 they were ready to hide themselves under 
 the table. 
 
 The j udge's eyes were clearer than other 
 people's. Having observed them for some 
 time, he asked them how thej^ could give 
 answers if they were so bashful ? When 
 they replied not a word, though he repeat- 
 ed his question several times, he began to 
 draw his evidence from their looks. These 
 seemed to say " that both of their parents 
 were a little in the wrong, but it did not 
 become them^ as their daughters, to men- 
 tion it."
 
 128 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 The judge inwardly understood their 
 meaning, and said to himself, " Two such 
 charming young women ought not to be 
 given to ordinary husbands. I shall not 
 now ask whether the father or the mother 
 be in the right, but send for all four of the 
 intended bridegrooms, and compare them 
 together. Should the girls consent to 
 marry any of them, I shall award to them 
 the same." Having thus resolved, he was 
 on the point of issuing a written order for 
 their appearance, when the four fathers-in- 
 law kneeled down before him, and said, 
 " It is not necessary for your worship to 
 send out the order. Our sons are all of 
 them waiting outside, each hoping that his 
 wife may be awarded to him. May we 
 proceed to call them in T' 
 
 The judge said, " If that is the case, 
 make haste and tell them to come in.'' — 
 They all four went out, and presently re-
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 129 
 
 turned, each leading in his son, saying, 
 " This is my boy : I hope your worship will 
 award to him his wife/' — The latter how- 
 ever shook his head, and observed the four 
 youths narrowly. They looked as if they 
 had all come from the same stock, being 
 very strange and uncouth in their appear- 
 ance. Far from being good looking, there 
 was not one without some defect in his 
 limbs or features. The judge said to 
 himself, " To chuse them husbands from 
 among these four, would be like searching 
 for a hero among d wharfs. How can I 
 possibly select one! — I did not think that 
 so much beaut}^ and such ill-fortune could 
 be combined.'' 
 
 He then sighed, and calling on the father's 
 favourites to kneel down on the left side, and 
 on the mother's, to do the same on the right, 
 he told the two girls to kneel down in the 
 midst, and spoke to them as follows. — 
 
 K
 
 130 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 "All those who were engaged by your 
 father and mother to marry you are now 
 present. I have already asked you for 
 your real sentiments. Since you would 
 not speak, I suppose that in the first place, 
 shame prevented you, and in the second, 
 the difficulty of mentioning your parents' 
 faults. I do not now call on you to speak a 
 word, but merely to turn your heads a little 
 on one side, and thereby evince your real 
 wishes. If you wish to marry your father's 
 favourites, turn yourselves to the left; if your 
 mother's, to the right. But remember, that 
 in this slight movement is involved the 
 welfare of your whole life, and your choice 
 should therefore be a good one." 
 
 When he had said this, the whole assem- 
 bly anxiously fixed their eyes upon the two 
 damsels, to see them turn their heads. 
 They, however, on the first entrance of the 
 four suitors, had looked at them, and ob-
 
 THE TWIN SISTEJtS. ]51 
 
 serving their uncouth appearance, they 
 hung down their heads, and closed their 
 eyes, and let fall their tears in silence. 
 When the judge had spoken to them, they 
 turned neither to the right, nor to the left, 
 but remaining fixed, with their faces to- 
 wards him, began to weep aloud. The 
 more he pressed them to speak, the more 
 violently did they cry; until all those who 
 were present began to weep in sympathy 
 with them, and every one felt the extent of 
 their hardship. 
 
 The judge then said, " It would seem 
 from this, that the persons chosen by both 
 your parents are exceptionable. You need 
 not think of marrying any of them; I will 
 provide for you myself. There is no good 
 reason why two such persons should be 
 given as wives to booby clowns. Place 
 yourselves on one side; I have arranged it 
 
 K 2
 
 132 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 all for you already. Call up the father and 
 mother.'' — They both appeared and knelt 
 down before the table, on which the judge 
 striking with his hand, cried out in great 
 anger, "You two must be devoid of all 
 principle to regard your daughters' welfare 
 as mere child's play. If you wanted to 
 give them in marriage, you should have 
 consulted together, and seen that the parties 
 were suited to each other: not have endea- 
 voured to unite persons so dissimilar. You 
 may have learned, from what has here 
 passed, the probable result of the union 
 had it taken place. It is fortunate that the 
 affair was referred to me, who shall decide 
 it in a manner quite different from what is 
 customary. Had you gone to another 
 officer, he would have adhered to the usual 
 track, and awarded them to one or other 
 of the suitors; and thus the happiness of 
 these two young women would have been
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 133 
 
 destroyed by a single stroke of his pencil.* 
 They shall now marry neither of the parties 
 to whom they were betrothed. I will 
 depute persons to provide a suitable match 
 for them. Do not suppose, that in taking 
 this step, I am going to consult my private 
 views, or to violate justice. On the con- 
 trary, I am adhering to the strictest reason 
 and propriety. Wait till I have made out 
 an adjudication, by which you will all be 
 satisfied.'' He then took up his pencil, and 
 wrote the following document. 
 
 " It appears that Siaou-kiang and his wife, 
 having daughters, twins, of extraordinary 
 beauty, many persons were desirous to 
 obtain them in marriage, and each has 
 endeavoured to effect his views in a differ- 
 ent way. As the father and mother were 
 at variance, and the agents of one party 
 
 * The Chinese write with a hair pencil.
 
 134 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 endeavoured to deceive the husband, while 
 those of the other aimed at keeping the 
 wife in ignorance, mistakes and confusion 
 were the consequence. There were four 
 husbands provided for the two brides, and 
 as the latter could not divide themselves, it 
 was not possible for the union to take place. 
 As the daughters appear disgusted with 
 those whom it was intended they should 
 marry, I have pitied their distress, and 
 departed from what is usually considered 
 as the proper course, for the sake of per- 
 forming an act of benevolence : but at the 
 same time, without infringing the laws for 
 my own private views. In all contracts of 
 marriage, the consent of both father and 
 mother, and the intervention of negotiators, 
 are indispensable. Now, in the case of the 
 mother's favourites, though there have been 
 negotiators, there was no father's consent. 
 Were I to sanction their claim, it would
 
 THE TWIN SlSTKllS. 135 
 
 be a dangerous precedent. In the case 
 of Siaou-kiang's favourites, though there 
 was the father's consent, there were no ne- 
 gotiators, and were I to permit them to 
 succeed, the precedent would be equally 
 pernicious. Both cases, then, would at 
 once violate ancient law, and modern opi- 
 nion. The four suitors must seek brides 
 elsewhere, for these two cannot be given to 
 any of them. It is better that they should 
 be separated now, than that, by being 
 united, the}^ should become miserable here- 
 after. Though, therefore, I do this out of 
 compassion for the one party, it is at the 
 same time the most beneficial course that 
 can be pursued for the other. Nobody 
 need again address me on the subject: this 
 judgment is decisive.'' 
 
 When it was written, a crier was ordered 
 to read it aloud ; after which, every one was 
 sent out, nor was any body permitted to
 
 136 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 make farther remark. Persons were then 
 despatched to those whom the judge em- 
 ploj^ed as agents for procuring proper 
 matches for the two damsels. These were 
 ordered, in the event of succeeding in their 
 search, to repair to the judge, who, if he 
 approved of the persons, would permit the 
 marriage to take place. 
 
 After continuing their search for some 
 time, those agents brought a number of 
 youths, who, though they were said to be 
 suitable, did not please the judge. He 
 therefore hit upon another expedient, and 
 determined to chuse for the two daughters 
 husbands according to literary merit; that 
 they might excel in talent, as well as in 
 personal accomplishments. 
 
 It happened that some country people 
 had lately caught a couple of live deer, 
 which they had presented to him, and 
 which suited very well with his present
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 137 
 
 scheme. He issued a notice, fixing a par- 
 ticular day for a literary examination : and 
 required of the competitors, that instead of 
 writing on the outside of their essays, (as 
 was customary,) the particulars of their age, 
 they should state merely whether they were 
 married, or single. He said that as the peri- 
 odical examination for literary degrees was 
 not far distant, he wished to be previously 
 acquainted in some measure with the abili- 
 ties of the Candidates, and that he had provi- 
 ded, as the subject of contention for the un- 
 married, two beautiful damsels; and for those 
 who were already married, a brace of curious 
 deer. Those who won the prizes would be 
 the first literary candidates of the year. 
 
 At the place of examination there was a 
 vacant building. The judge sent for the 
 mother and her two daughters, to live in the 
 upper part, and kept the deer in a place 
 below. When the notice was once issued,
 
 138 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 it roused the candidates in all the surround- 
 ing districts. Those, who were already 
 married, were inspired chiefly by the desire 
 of success, and regarded the deer as merely 
 tokens of this. The young men who were 
 unmarried were extremely rejoiced at 
 having a chance of obtaining a handsome 
 bride, together with their literary honours. 
 When the day of examination arrived, 
 they exerted themselves to the utmost for 
 the sake of obtaining so desirable a reward. 
 When it was over, they never thought of 
 returning home, but all remained in a body 
 on the spot, for the sake of hearing the 
 decision. 
 
 After three days, a list was published, in 
 which about ten persons from each dis- 
 trict appeared selected for re-examination. 
 Those who were thus chosen suspected, that 
 this second examination was not so much 
 to determine their literary merit, as to as-
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 139 
 
 certain their personal appearance, and such 
 of them as were good looking began to 
 entertain great hopes. When the appointed 
 day arrived, they dressed and adorned 
 themselves with scrupulous nicety, and 
 when they appeared before the judge, assu- 
 med their best looks, with a hope that he 
 might be pleased with their appearance and 
 place them at the head of the candidates. 
 The judge was as able to distinguish 
 between their respective personal qualifica- 
 tions, as their abilities and knowledge: and 
 being desirous of ascertaining the first, he 
 made his remarks upon them when their 
 names were called over. He observed 
 whether their appearance denoted persons 
 of respectability and wealth, or otherwise. 
 When the examination was concluded, he 
 desired his officer, before he had come out 
 to his audience hall, next morning, to collect 
 the musicians, and proceeding to the place
 
 140 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 where the two females and the deer were 
 stationed, to conduct them to his office. 
 The deer were to be ^^laced on one side 
 of the hall ; and the two ladies, seated 
 in ornamented sedans, used at weddings, 
 were to be stationed on the other. The 
 flowered lanterns and the music were to be 
 in readiness to proceed to the marriage. 
 
 When his orders were given, the judge 
 returned to his house to examine the essays. 
 At daylight the next morning he issued a 
 list, containing the names of the four 
 successful candidates, the two married, 
 and the two bachelors. The rest, ranged 
 according to their merits, were to have in- 
 ferior marks of distinction conferred upon 
 them. 
 
 There is no occasion to notice the two 
 who obtained the deer as their rewards, 
 and therefore we shall not mention their 
 names. Of the two who won the ladies.
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 141 
 
 one was a graduate, named Sze-tsin, and 
 the other a younger candidate, whose name 
 was Chy-yuen. 
 
 All those whose names had been noticed 
 at the examination, entered the Hall of 
 Audience to learn the result. When they 
 observed on which side the two ladies were, 
 they all crowded thither to see the damsels 
 whose beauty was so famous ; and that 
 part of the hall was filled with spectators. 
 On the side where the deer were stationed, 
 a single person only, in the dress of a 
 graduate, stood, apparently in sorrow, and 
 without a desire to go and behold the two 
 beauties. Some of those in the hall, who 
 observed him, said that this must be one of 
 the successful candidates who was married, 
 and who knowing that neither of the ladies 
 would come to his share, but that he had 
 obtained one of the deer, had previously 
 come to make his selection, that he might
 
 142 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 take the best when the time for chusing 
 arrived. 
 
 To the surprise of these persons, how- 
 ever, some of the candidates from the other 
 side of the hall went over to him, and pay- 
 ing their respects, said, " We congratulate 
 you, sir ; one of these fair ladies is yours.^' 
 That graduate however waved his hand in 
 token of denial, and said, " I have nothing 
 to do with them."" They all exclaimed, 
 " You are the first of the four successful 
 competitors, and are also unmarried. How 
 then can you say that you have nothing to 
 do with them ?" He answered, " We shall 
 soon see the judge, and you will then be 
 informed.'' They could not understand 
 his meaning, but supposed that these words 
 were nothing more than a little modesty 
 on his part. 
 
 When the drum had been struck three 
 times, the judge came into his hall, and
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 143 
 
 those whose names had been distinguished 
 went to pay him their respects. He then 
 asked, " Which are the four successful 
 candidates ? I request them to stand aside, 
 that I may address them."" When his 
 officer heard this, he read aloud the list. 
 Besides Sze-tsin, there should hav^e ap- 
 peared three others ; but two only were 
 present, both of whom were married, and 
 the absent one was the unmarried candidate. 
 The judge upon this exclaimed, " How 
 happens it, that on such an occasion as the 
 present, he is not here T' Sze-tsin replied, 
 " He is a friend of mine, and lives in the 
 same district. Not being aware of the 
 business of to-day, he has not come.'' The 
 judge said, " Is this the graduate Sze-tsin? 
 Sir, I have admired your abilities and 
 learnino;. There could be no doubt of 
 your succeeding at the present examina- 
 tion. These two ladies are certainly very
 
 144 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 beautiful, and their having obtained two 
 such husbands is a just dispensation of 
 Heaven/' Sze-tsin bowed at this, and 
 answered, " Your worship is very gracious ; 
 but I am a man of an infehcitous destiny, 
 and unworthy to enjoy such great good. 
 I request you will select a substitute in my 
 room ; for I am unwilling to mar the hap- 
 piness of my intended bride/' The judge 
 exclaimed, " How is this ! What is the 
 reason of your thus strangely declining ? 
 Tell the officer to ask the two ladies which 
 of them is the eldest, and request her to 
 come to her husband/' 
 
 Sze-tsin again bowed, and stopping the 
 officer, requested that he would not go. 
 The judge said, " What is the reason of 
 this?" Sze-tsin replied, " It is my un- 
 happy fate to be condemned to celibacy, 
 as I am never to be paired with a wife. 
 All those to whom I have made overtures
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. J4C) 
 
 of marriage, no sooner were they engaged 
 to me, than they became seized with a 
 mortal sickness and died ; and in this man- 
 ner, by the time I was twenty, I had been 
 the innocent cause of the death of six dif- 
 ferent ladies. All the fortune-tellers whom 
 I have consulted, say that I am never to 
 have a wife, and that I ought therefore to 
 become a priest of the religion of either F6 
 orTaou. Although now of the literary order, 
 I must soon forsake letters, and become a 
 priest. I will not venture again to hazard the 
 life of any young woman, and thereby add 
 to the list of my sins." The judge, having 
 heard him, replied, " Wh}^ should you do 
 thus ? There is little faith to be put in such 
 predictions. They were but unskilful di- 
 viners who told you this, and if you have 
 been unfortunate in your former addresses, 
 it must have been by mere chance. Why 
 should you behave like a man who has a 
 
 L
 
 146 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 Stoppage at the throat, and cannot eat? 
 Though you seem bent upon your resolu- 
 tion, I will not consent to it. I have, how- 
 ever, one thing to observe : how happens 
 it that the candidate Chy-yuen is not pre- 
 sent ? ' In the first place, I had chosen an 
 auspicious day, on purpose that he might 
 come and be married ; and secondly, as the 
 hand-writing of his second essay did not 
 correspond with that of his first, I wished 
 to question him a little on the subject. 
 What is the meaning of his non-arrival V 
 
 Sze-tsin, hearing this, answered, " I am 
 possessed of a secret, which by right I 
 should not have divulged ; but since your 
 worship has said thus much, it might be 
 still more culpable in me to conceal it. 
 This candidate is a particular friend of 
 mine. As he was very poor, and had not 
 wherewithal to wed, I formed an intention 
 of assisting him. The two essays were both
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 14? 
 
 of my composition. The first was in his 
 hand-writing, but the second, because he 
 did not come, was written by me for him. 
 I resolved, that should the first place be 
 allotted to myself, I would yield up the 
 prize to him ; but did not expect, that by 
 very extraordinary luck, we should both of 
 us have been preferred. Since your wor- 
 ship has, through your great penetration, 
 discovered the truth, my endeavour to serve 
 my friend has turned out very much to his 
 prejudice. 1 therefore am now^ compelled 
 to entreat your pardon in his behalf, and 
 to request, that you will extend to him, by 
 your kindness, w^hat I meditated for him."' 
 The judge replied, " Is this the state of 
 the case? Had I not fortunately discovered 
 the truth from you, a great injustice would 
 have been done to one of the ladies. As 
 the matter now stands, both the first and 
 the second place are yours, and each of the 
 
 L 2
 
 148 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 ladies belongs to you. Any one may make 
 pretensions to riches and honours, but such 
 beauty as they possess is not to be found 
 every where, and none should obtain, but 
 such as deserve them ; certainly not a false 
 pretender. Tell the officer immediately to 
 request both the ladies to come hither, that 
 the marriage may be concluded."" 
 
 Sze-tsin obstinately and repeatedly de- 
 clined, observing, " that a man whose des- 
 tiny it was never to be paired with a wife, 
 and who could not have one, — how much 
 less possible was it for him to have two?'" 
 The judge laughed at this, and said, " What 
 has happened to-day is in exact conformity 
 with your fortune. To be never paired with 
 a wife meant, that there never could be two 
 of you. Were you to marry one wife, there 
 would then be a pair, and you might fear 
 that your destiny would oppose some ob- 
 stacle; but now, since you marry two, there
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 149 
 
 will be one more than a pair, and this will 
 agree very well Avith the prediction. It 
 would appear from this, that such was its 
 very intention, and therefore you need not 
 apprehend a recurrence of your former 
 misfortune/' 
 
 When he had done speaking, the whole 
 number of persons present expressed their 
 approbation, saying, that the decision of 
 the judge this day had, as it w^ere, created a 
 new destiny for Sze-tsin, and that the ex- 
 planation he had given was admirable. 
 They advised Sze-tsin to relinquish his per- 
 tinacity, and return thanks to the judge, 
 with the two ladies. 
 
 Sze-tsin therefore had no alternative: he 
 was obliged to yield. Standing up before 
 the judge, in company with the two ladies, 
 they all bowed down four times before 
 their benefactor. Sze-tsin then called for
 
 150 THE TWIN SISTERS. 
 
 his horse, and accompanied the two orna- 
 mented sedans home. 
 
 When he was gone, the inferior rewards 
 were distributed. All those who had wit- 
 nessed the good fortune of Sze-tsin ex- 
 claimed, " that the happiness of the im- 
 mortal gods was not superior to his. The 
 regard of the judge for talent and merit had 
 caused it all. At this examination, three 
 only had succeeded, but the fourth was a 
 mere pretender, and it was just that he who 
 had helped him should have the reward.'' 
 
 Some time after, Sze-tsin was promoted 
 to higher literary rank. The name of the 
 judge became celebrated in consequence of 
 his decision, until it reached the court, 
 when the emperor called him to Peking, 
 and gave him a situation in the Military 
 Tribunal. Sze-tsin was advanced to a place 
 in the Literary College, and continued to
 
 THE TWIN SISTERS. 151 
 
 live with his fiiend the judge on the terms 
 of father and son. 
 
 The ancient saying is very true, that 
 " none but the worthy can discern the 
 worthy.''
 
 THE 
 
 THREE DEDICATED CHAMBERS 
 
 A TALE. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE. 
 
 Let observation, with extensive view, 
 Survey mankind from China to Peru ; 
 Remark each anxious toil, each eager strife — 
 
 Vanity of Human Wishes.
 
 Note. The following Tale (for it can hardly be called 
 a novel) has been already printed, but never yet given 
 to the public in a regular shape. For the reasons 
 which produced this revised Translation, see Obser- 
 vations, &,c. (p. 12.) The story is here taken at its 
 actual commencement, and a tedious introduction 
 omitted. The unnecessary recurrence of Chinese 
 names has also been avoided.
 
 THE 
 
 THREE DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 During the reign of the twelfth Emperor 
 of the Ming dynasty, in a district of the pro- 
 vince of Sze-chuen, there Hved a rich man, 
 who was hkely in time to be still richer. This 
 person, whose name was Tang-yo-chuen, 
 had an immense quantity of land. When- 
 ever he got any money, it was his delight to 
 add to his landed possessions ; but he would 
 neither build houses, nor would he supply 
 himself with any of the comforts or necessa- 
 ries of life, beyond what was absolutely in- 
 dispensable. His disposition was to enrich 
 himself by every means in his power, and
 
 156 
 
 THE THREE 
 
 his property increased daily, like the moon 
 towards the full. Houses and furniture (he 
 thought) were not only unprofitable, but 
 there was always a fear lest the god of fire 
 should destroy them, and they might in one 
 moment become annihilated. If one had 
 fine garments, there immediately came un- 
 pleasant fellows to borrow clothes. If there 
 was plenty to eat, one soon had people 
 claiming acquaintance, and taking their 
 seats in quest of food. In short, there was 
 nothing like being contented with coarse 
 articles, for people in that case would not 
 be seeking them. 
 
 He laid fast hold of this notion, and was 
 determined to take care of his money. But 
 not contented with being niggardly, he 
 wished to assume credit to himself for it, 
 and said that he was descended from one 
 of the most ancient emperors, and that his 
 ancestors were celebrated for their economy.
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 157 
 
 The father being thus parsimonious, his 
 son was bound to obey his precepts. When 
 people saw the avarice of the former, they 
 observed, that there was an ancient pro- 
 verb, which said, that " if a man was a 
 great miser, he would certainly have a pro- 
 digal son." He must inevitably have a suc- 
 cessor who would turn things upside down; 
 so that Tang-yo-chuen's disposition to save 
 was not likely to descend. To their sur- 
 prise, however, the son imitated his father. 
 From his earliest years he devoted himself 
 to letters, seeking preferment by every 
 means in his power, and soon became a 
 scholar of the third degree. In his eating 
 and drinking he did not seek for luxm'y; 
 in his clothes he wished not for a super- 
 abundance; and in his pleasures he was 
 very sparing. It was only on the subject 
 of houses that he differed ; for there he was 
 not contented with economy. 
 
 Being ashamed of the dwelling which
 
 158 THE THREE 
 
 they now inhabited, he wished to build 
 a better one, but was afraid to begin, lest 
 the means should not be forthcoming. 
 Having heard people say, " that to buy an 
 old house was better than to build a new 
 one,^' he observed, in a consultation on the 
 subject with his father, that if they could 
 purchase a handsome dwelling, fit for them 
 to live in, they might then think of a gar- 
 den, and build a library in it, to suit their 
 own taste. As the father had an object* in 
 humouring his son, he deviated on this oc- 
 casion from his usual maxims. He replied, 
 " There is no necessity to be in a hurry ; we 
 shall have a handsome house and garden 
 in this very street. The house is not yet 
 completed, but the day of its being finished 
 
 * When a man in Cliina attains to high literary rank, 
 certain honours are conferred on his father. A Hong 
 merchant at Canton, whose son was a member of the 
 Imperial College, had the privilege of erecting certain 
 poles or masts in his grounds, indicative of the favour of 
 the emperor.
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 159 
 
 must infallibly be the day of its sale; so let 
 us wait a while/' 
 
 The son observed in answer to this, 
 that " when people wanted to sell houses, 
 they did not often build ; when they built 
 houses, they did not often intend to sell 
 them. Where, then, was the probability 
 of this house being sold as soon as it was 
 completed." The father replied, " Pray 
 where did you get that crochet? If a man 
 possesses ten thousand pieces of money, he 
 may build a house which costs him only 
 one thousand : but if his possessions in 
 houses equal one half of his whole fortune, 
 he may be compared to a large tree with- 
 out a root, which must inevitably be blown 
 down when the wind comes. Then how 
 much more may this fellow, who, without 
 possessing an hundred acres in land, builds 
 all at once a house with a thousand rooms, 
 be called a tree without a root ! He will not
 
 l60 THE THREE 
 
 wait for the wind's blowing, but will tum- 
 ble down of himself. There cannot be a 
 doubt about it/' 
 
 When the son had heard this reasoning, 
 he agreed with his father. He went about 
 seeking for land, and said nothing more 
 concerning houses. He was impatient, 
 however, that the abovementioned house 
 should be built, in order that, the present 
 owner being gone, the finishing stroke 
 might be given by himself. The rich 
 man's plan proved successful: the result 
 justified his prediction. There are two 
 lines of the Book of Odes which are appli- 
 cable to the case. 
 
 " The nest one bird constructs with anxious toil. 
 Ere long another seizes as her spoil." 
 
 He who was building the mansion was 
 named Yu-soo-chin. He delighted in 
 amusing himself with books of poetry, and
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. l6l 
 
 fancy, but did not seek eminence as a 
 scholar. From the indolence of his dispo- 
 sition, he had a great aversion from any 
 office, and was not born to be a mandarin. 
 He therefore detached his thouo;hts from a 
 great name, and gave himself entirely up to 
 odes and wine; by which means he could 
 not but be reduced to beggary. 
 
 During his whole life he had scarcely 
 any other delight than in arranging and 
 building gardens and summer-houses. From 
 the beginning of the year to the end, not a 
 day passed without his doing something in 
 this way. He was desirous that the place 
 about which he was now engaged, should 
 be quite perfect, and superior to the com- 
 mon order of things. He said, " Let other 
 men have their numerous acres: ostentation 
 and riches were the concerns of others: on 
 him they had no influence."' There were 
 only three things in which he really felt in- 
 
 M
 
 l62 THE THREE 
 
 tercstcd, and which he was determined to 
 have of the best. These were, the house 
 which he inhabited in the day, the bed in 
 which he slept at night, and the coffin 
 which was to contain him when dead. 
 Having these ideas in his breast,* he went 
 on with his work, and laboured at it in an 
 indefatio;able manner. 
 
 Tang-yo-chuen's son, having waited se- 
 veral years without seeing him come to a 
 conclusion, began to feel somewhat vexed 
 and irritated, and said to his father, " Why 
 have we delayed in vain for such a length 
 of time.? That man's house is not yet 
 finished, nor is his money yet expended. 
 It would seem from this, that he is a fellow 
 of ways and means; and the point of his 
 selling it hereafter appears to be somewhat 
 
 * The Chinese suppose that the abdomen is the seat 
 of ideas.
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. l63 
 
 doubtful /' To this Tang-yo-chuen replied, 
 " Every day later makes it a day more 
 certain, and each succeeding day will 
 make it more advantageous for us. There 
 is no occasion for you to fret about it. The 
 reason why his house is not finished, is 
 simply this. When any part is completed, 
 it does not suit his ideas of perfection, and 
 he must take it to pieces to build over 
 again. If it is excellent, he seeks for still 
 higher excellence ; so that of every day, 
 during which it is delayed, the alterations 
 and improvements are wholly for our own 
 advantage. The reason why his resources 
 are not yet expended, is the willingness of 
 the usurers and the workmen to give him 
 credit, as long as he goes on building. The 
 labourers do not sue him for their claims, 
 because they fancy that by every addi- 
 tional day of work, they may get a day's 
 wages ; while, if they were to press him 
 
 M 2
 
 l64 THE THREE 
 
 hard, he would certainly stop the building 
 for a while, and they would get no employ- 
 ment. It is thus that his money is not yet 
 expended ; but this may be called ' taking 
 flesh to feed an ulcer/ Do not be afraid 
 that he is possessed of ways and means. 
 Having arrived at the period when he can 
 draw together no more, those who have 
 him in their books will certainly press him 
 in a body, and begin to curse him. He 
 will then seek, in the first place, to sell 
 what he has in land : but as that will not 
 sufiice to pay them, he must inevitably 
 have recourse to his house. If he begins to 
 collect now, at an early period, and before 
 his debts are very large, he may stay for a 
 good price before he sells it. Our right 
 plan will be to wait until a later day, when 
 his debts are a little increased, and anxious 
 to sell, he will be willing to come down 
 with his terms. This is all exacdy as we
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. l65 
 
 should wish it ; why, then, go and obsti- 
 nately torment yourself?" 
 
 The son, when he had heard this, ap- 
 plauded and acquiesced in his father's sen- 
 timents. Indeed, after a few years, Yu- 
 soo-chin's debts gradually accumulated, 
 and his creditors came daily to his doors to 
 claim them ; and there were some who 
 would not go away again. The house 
 which he had so long been building, could 
 not be completed ; and he at last wanted 
 to seek a man who would buy it. 
 
 All those who are selling houses, are dif- 
 ferentl}^ circumstanced from the venders of 
 lands. They must naturally desire to find 
 out a purchaser in some neighbouring or 
 contiguous situation ; for should a person 
 from a distance wish to buy, he will make 
 enquiries of those in the neighbourhood. If 
 the neighbours utter a word of disadvan- 
 tage, he who before was desirous to pur-
 
 166 
 
 THE THREE 
 
 chase, will be unwilling to do it. Not like 
 lands, or any other property, concerning 
 which people are less particular. There- 
 fore in selling a house, it is certainly de- 
 sirable to sell it to a neighbour. 
 
 Tang-yo-chuen was a wealthy man, and 
 since it was as well not to trifle with him, 
 the owner of the house of course went to 
 offer it to him first. Both father and son, 
 though at their hearts they greedily coveted 
 it, merely returned for answer, " that they 
 did not want it." They waited until he in- 
 treated them earnestly, and then went over 
 — ^just to give a look. Pretending not to 
 admire it, they observed, " that he had 
 built it but indifferently. The apartments 
 were not suited to a private gentleman, and 
 the winding avenues would only impede 
 business. The fine carved doors, when 
 they were required to keep out thieves, 
 Avould have no strength. Rooms, which
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 16? 
 
 should be different, were all alike. The 
 ground and the air were very damp. It 
 certainly could not sell for much. The 
 flowers and bamboo shrubberies were like 
 plantations of mulberry and hemp. Those 
 who came to saunter here must be served 
 with wine and eatables. Such a place as 
 this was fit only to be turned into a nun- 
 nery,* or a residence for the priests of Fo. 
 If one wished to make family apartments 
 for one^s children, it would never answer/" 
 Yu-soo-chin might be said to have spent 
 his heart's blood upon it, and when he per- 
 ceived that it met with nothing but disap- 
 probation and contempt, was not altogether 
 pleased. However, since this man was the 
 
 * There are receptacles in China for the religious of 
 both sexes, who devote themselves to celibacy. The 
 strange and unaccountable resemblance, which many of 
 the leading tenets of the religion of Fo bear to those of 
 the Roman Catholic church, led the Jesuits to assert, that 
 the devil had invented them in spite.
 
 168 THE THREE 
 
 only person who was likely to buy the house, 
 it was as well not to quarrel with him. 
 
 The people present advised Tang-yo- 
 chuen not to say too much against it. The 
 price was not altogether high; and even 
 though he took it to pieces, and built it 
 over again, it would pay for the workmen 
 and their maintenance. The father and 
 son of course praised and dispraised it, still 
 they brought it down to an exceeding low 
 price : not above one fifth of its real value. 
 
 Yu-soo-chin had no alternative, and must 
 endure the pain of selling it. Every thing 
 was delivered over in the bonds, with the 
 exception of one set of apartments, which 
 had occupied his whole life, and which he 
 had brought exactly to suit his own taste. 
 These he would not insert in the deeds, but 
 wished to build a partition wall, and make 
 a separate entrance, that he might inhabit 
 them until his death.
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. l69 
 
 The son was for decidedly compelling 
 him to sell the whole together, in order that 
 it might be complete. His father seemed 
 to agree with the rest of the people. Screw- 
 ing up his mouth, he exclaimed, " Let him 
 sell it or not, as he pleases : it is a pity to 
 force him. He merely wishes to keep this 
 small shred,* that it may be the means of 
 his recovering the property hereafter, when 
 he has improved his circumstances. It 
 will then revert to its original master, which 
 will be a very good thing.'' When the 
 people present heard this, they all said it 
 was the speech of a benevolent man. They 
 little knew that it was far otherwise ; that 
 it was altogether the language of contempt! 
 
 * There is some law existing in China, that if a man 
 in selling his property, retain but a small portion of it, 
 he is entitled to receive back the whole, if hereafter his 
 improved circumstances will allow of his redeeming it. 
 This observation may serve to explain his motive in wish- 
 ing to retain this shred.
 
 170 THE THREE 
 
 He concluded that it could never be re- 
 covered, and therefore left him this shred. 
 Indeed it was quite useless, and the whole 
 must inevitably become one house, sooner 
 or later. They listened to his requisition, 
 and entirely acquiescing with him in words, 
 they divided the property, of which the 
 new owner obtained nine parts, and the old 
 possessor one. 
 
 The apartments, which Yu-soo-chin re- 
 tained, were in the style of a Pagoda, con- 
 sisting altogether of three stories. In each 
 chamber was a tablet, written upon by 
 some person of rank and eminence, with 
 whom he was acquainted. In the lowest 
 room were carved lattices, crooked railings, 
 bamboo seats, and flower stands. It was 
 the place where he received his guests. 
 On the tablet were inscribed large charac- 
 ters to this etfect, 
 
 DEDICATED TO MEN.
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 171 
 
 The chamber in the middle sJ,ory was 
 adorned with bright tables and clear win- 
 dows, together with pictures and other fur- 
 niture. This was his study, where he was 
 accustomed to read and write. On the 
 tablet was largely inscribed, 
 
 DEDICATED TO THE ANCIENTS. 
 
 The highest chamber was empty and 
 light. There was nothing in it, besides a 
 chafing dish for incense, and a sacred book. 
 It was here that he retreated from the 
 crowd, retired from noise, and shut himself 
 up in complete solitude. On the front of 
 the tablet in this chamber was written, in 
 large characters, 
 
 DEDICATED TO HEAVEN. 
 
 Having divided the building into com- 
 partments for these three different uses, he 
 likewise took them unitedly, and formed a 
 tablet, calling them, 
 
 THE THREE DEDICATED CHAMBERS.
 
 172 THE THREE 
 
 Before he had parted with the rest of his 
 property, those three appellations, though 
 well chosen, had still been vainly applied, 
 since he had not made use of the apart- 
 ments. The lowest chamber only could be 
 excepted, for as he was exceedingly fond of 
 entertaining guests, and if a person came 
 from a distance to visit him, immediately 
 placed a bed in it, the appellation of " De- 
 dicated to Men'' was certainly applicable. 
 As to the two upper chambers, he had 
 hardly been in them. But now, since his 
 summer houses were gone, besides the 
 chamber " Dedicated to the Ancients,'' he 
 had no place in which he could read or 
 write; and except that " Dedicated to 
 Heaven," none to which he could retire 
 from noise, or retreat from the crowd. All 
 the day long he sat in them, and the names 
 which he had dictated became truly appli-
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 173 
 
 cable. He now fully understood that a great 
 deal might be effected in a small and con- 
 fined residence, and that it was better to 
 despise the name, and adhere to the reality. 
 These four popular lines are not inappli- 
 cable. 
 
 " Lord of ten thousand acres, flowering fair, 
 A few small morsels quell thy appetite ; 
 
 A thousand spreading roofs demand thy care. 
 And lo ! six feet suffice thee every night !" 
 
 The strength which he possessed had 
 hitherto been dissipated in vain. He now 
 applied his inventive genius collectively at 
 a single point, and caused his dwelling to 
 be decorated to an extraordinary degree. 
 Residing in it, Yu-soo-chin not only forgot 
 the misery of parting with his garden, 
 being in fact very much relieved by the 
 absence of that burthen, but also remained 
 secure from a violent neisihbourat his side.
 
 174 THE THREE 
 
 How he could live unmolested in this habi- 
 tation will be shewn in the next section. 
 
 SECTION 11. 
 
 When Tang-yo-chuen and his son had 
 purchased their new residence, the rich 
 man's taste unfortunately proved quite dif- 
 ferent from that of the former owner, and 
 he wanted to alter it once again. But 
 there was no necessity to take it to pieces, 
 or to change the main parts of the struc- 
 ture. It was like some beautiful landscape, 
 where the only thing requisite was to add 
 a blade of grass, or take away a tree. The 
 appearance of it did not suit his idea of a 
 picture. When he had worked at it for a 
 time, he found that he had departed from 
 his original pursuit of turning iron into
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 175 
 
 gold, and contrary to his expectation, was 
 turning gold into iron. 
 
 The persons who came to view it, agreed 
 in saying that " the pleasure-ground was 
 large and unsuitable, and that, after all, it 
 was not to be compared with the Three 
 Chambers ; — though if they were both 
 united, it would be well enough. It was no 
 wonder (they added) that the other retained 
 the small part, and despised the large one: 
 or that he held it tenaciously and refused 
 to sell it. The partition turned out to be 
 one inch of gold and ten cubits of iron.'' 
 
 Both the father and son, when they heard 
 these observations, became very sorry, and 
 repentant of the bargain : and they then 
 learned that a man may be rich, without 
 being altogether satisfied. They applied 
 to the brokers, and going over to annoy 
 their neighbour, required that he should 
 insert the Three Chambers in the deeds.
 
 176 THE THREE 
 
 and give the whole over to them, Yu-soo- 
 chin, smceselhng the pleasure-ground, had 
 employed no workmen, and had not been 
 at all extravagant. As his debts were all 
 paid, and he was short neither of money 
 nor food, what should make him wish to 
 sell his property ? He therefore said to 
 them in answer, " Tell me where I should 
 repose myself, when this habitation was 
 gone? — but I will still hold out, though 
 you try to starve me into compliance with 
 your demands." As his circumstances im- 
 proved, he became more and more deter- 
 mined in his resolution. 
 
 The brokers came over, and talked on 
 the subject with the son. The latter could 
 not help taking his father to task, and 
 telling him, that " Though he had been all 
 his life studying mankind, he seemed, on 
 this occasion, for once to have been quite 
 mistaken.'' The father replied " That fel-
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 177 
 
 low may be as determined as he pleases 
 during his life- time, but he will be very 
 quiet when he is dead. He is now an old 
 man, and without heirs. When the breath 
 is out of his body, his whole household 
 must inevitably revert to strangers, and 
 doubtless the Three Chambers among the 
 rest. All his property will become our 
 own ; there is no fear of its flying away up 
 to heaven." The son, when he had heard 
 thus far, replied, that " Though all this 
 might be very true, yet the man's duration 
 seemed to be without a limit ; it was im- 
 possible to wait for his demise ; and the 
 sooner they obtained possession of his 
 house, the better.'' From this time, they 
 made Yu-soo-chin the chief subject of their 
 thoughts ; and though they imprecated his 
 death heartily, they rather hoped that his 
 ruin would anticipate that event : for they 
 still thought that it would be impossible for 
 
 N
 
 178 THE THREE 
 
 him to hold out, when his food and raiment 
 had failed him. 
 
 Who could have conceived, that when 
 men had such virtuous wishes, heaven would 
 not comply with them ! He continued to 
 live on prosperously, in spite of all their 
 hopes and imprecations. Indeed he seemed 
 to grow stronger, as he became older. 
 Neither w^as he troubled with a want of 
 clothes, nor did his subsistence fail him ; 
 and he had no necessity to sell his Three 
 Chambers. 
 
 Tang-yo-chuen and his son were vexed 
 and enraged beyond measure, and after 
 having deliberated on the next plan to be 
 pursued, they applied to the brokers, in- 
 sisting that Yu-soo-chin should redeem 
 back what they had purchased. "Two 
 famihes," said they, " cannot live in the 
 same premises. Exalted on high in his 
 Three Chambers, he looks down upon our
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 179 
 
 dwelling; and is able to see into our private 
 rooms, while his own are secure from our 
 view. This is an unequal bargain, and 
 will never answer." 
 
 Yu-soo-chin was informed of what they 
 said ; but he knew very well that their wish 
 to be off the bargain was all feigned, and 
 that the real truth was, they greedily de- 
 sired to get possession of the whole. He 
 therefore repeated what he had said before, 
 and returned a very sharp and decisive 
 answer. 
 
 Both father and son were of course ex- 
 ceedingly angry, and it now only remained 
 for them to oppress him with the Manda- 
 rin's power. They made out a document, 
 announcing in open court their wish to 
 undo the bargain ; hoping, that by a little 
 bribery, they might be able to buy over 
 and manage that officer, and through his 
 assistance obtain the whole property. 
 
 N 2
 
 180 THE THREE 
 
 They were little aware that the person, 
 with whom they had to deal, was incorrup- 
 tible; that he had formerly been a poor 
 and obscure scholar, and was oppressed 
 and insulted by a wealthy man. He said 
 to them " This is a very poor person : how 
 then is it possible for him to redeem it ? 
 Your's is evidently a plot to ruin and de- 
 vour him. You are people of property, 
 and wish to be rich, rather than virtuous : 
 it is my business, as a magistrate, to be vir- 
 tuous, rather than rich.'' Then in open 
 court, he rebuked them for a while, and 
 tearing up the deed, turned them both out. 
 
 Yu-soo-chin had an old and very worthy 
 friend. He was a person from a distant 
 part of the country, and one who possessed 
 great wealth. It was his delight to expend 
 his riches in performing acts of kindness. 
 Happening one day to come and converse 
 with Yu-soo-chin, he observed that he had
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 181 
 
 sold his garden and pavilion ; and heaved 
 a deep sigh. When he found, also, that 
 people had been plotting against him, and 
 that he could not live unmolested even in 
 this little nest, but might hereafter be com- 
 pelled to yield it up entirely, he offered im- 
 mediately to produce the money, and re- 
 deem the whole back for his friend. 
 
 The latter was a man of a most inde- 
 pendent spirit. He would not merely avoid 
 beins; indebted to another for some hun- 
 dreds or thousands ; but if one had offered 
 him the smallest sum, without at the same 
 time proving that he had a claim to it, he 
 would have declined the acceptance. 
 Having heard what his friend had to say, 
 he observed, that " his warm-heartedness 
 was all in vain, and that he was mistaken 
 in his view^ of the subject. The possessions 
 of this world were altogether transitory, and 
 never remained for many generations in
 
 182 THE THREE 
 
 the same family. A man might take good 
 care of them during his hfc time ; but there 
 was no securing them after death. Though 
 now (said he) you interest yourself in my 
 cause, and would advance large sums of 
 money to redeem a portion of my property, 
 yet I cannot live bej^ond a few years, and 
 some day hence, when I die without heirs, 
 every brick and tile must revert to strangers. 
 Though now, from a generous motive, you 
 are willing to make light of your money, I 
 am afraid you cannot assist me hereafter. 
 Though now, alas ! you may redeem for 
 me my former possessions, wait till a little 
 Avhile hence, and you cannot be of any 
 service to my ghost!" The friend, per- 
 ceiving this to be his mode of thinking, 
 was unwilling to press him farther. 
 
 He lodged with Yu-soo-chin for several 
 nights in the Three Chambers, and Avhen 
 he took leave on his return home, addressed
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 183 
 
 him thus, previous to commencing his jour- 
 ney. " While I was reposing at night in 
 the lowest chamber, I observed a white rat, 
 which ran about for a while, and then 
 quickly darted into the floor. This cir- 
 cumstance is, no doubt, indicative of some 
 wealth being concealed there. Do not on 
 an}^ account part with this house, for you 
 may chance hereafter to dig up some 
 treasure ; at least such is my idea."" Yu- 
 soo-chin laughed at this as a mere joke, 
 and having thanked his friend, they sepa- 
 rated. 
 
 The old saying, that '* No unlooked for 
 wealth ever fell to him, who was destined 
 to be poor,'^ is a very true one. The pur- 
 chasers of houses are the only people who 
 dig up hidden treasures ; no seller of his 
 property ever yet found a single brass coin 
 in his own ground. Yu-soo-chin knew 
 this, and was too wise to entertain any such
 
 184 THE THREE 
 
 visions. He therefore replied to his friend's 
 observation with a cold laugh, and did not 
 begin to rout up the bricks and dig the 
 earth. 
 
 Tang-yo-chuen and his son, since they 
 had experienced the Mandarin's wrath, 
 were as much abashed, as they had before 
 been vexed and angry. However, they 
 were more busy than ever with their plots, 
 and lived in hope that their neighbour 
 would soon die; that he would soon become 
 a childless ghost; for they might then enter 
 his house with a good face. 
 
 Who could have conceived, that when a 
 rich man had been right in all his conjec- 
 tures, there should still be the two circum- 
 stances of life and death, which would not 
 acknowledge his controul! Their neigh- 
 bour not only contined to live on, but when 
 he had arrived at upwards of sixty years, 
 seemed to grow young again, and was
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 185 
 
 fortunate enough to have a son born to 
 him. 
 
 The Three Chambers were immediately 
 crowded with congratulatory guests, who 
 all exclaimed, that " now the whole pro- 
 perty must be redeemed !" Tang-yo-chuen 
 and his son, when they heard of the unlucky 
 event, were very much disturbed. They 
 were before only afraid of not obtaining 
 the remaining portion, but their appre- 
 hension now was, that they should lose the 
 whole: — and they were anxious beyond 
 measure on the subject. 
 
 After the lapse of a month, several 
 brokers came to them unexpectedly, saying, 
 that their neighbour, after the birth of his 
 son, had been reduced to poverty by his 
 guests, who had completely eaten him up. 
 He had now no other means of subsistence 
 left, than to sell the house in which he was 
 living. The cards of sale were already
 
 186 THE THREE 
 
 issued, and the bills pasted on the doors. 
 They ought to seize this opportunity, and 
 pounce upon it as quickly as possible/' 
 
 On hearing this, both father and son 
 were transported with joy; which was only 
 allayed by the fear, that he would remem- 
 ber and hate them for past circumstances ; 
 chusing to sell it to some other person, in 
 preference to having any dealings with 
 them. 
 
 They were not aware, that his way of 
 thinking was quite different from their own. 
 " The descendants of our two famihes (said 
 he) are peculiarly circumstanced with res- 
 pect to one another. His remote ancestor 
 conferred the Empire on mine, who had 
 nothing to give in return. Now, since the 
 obhgation has descended to the posterity, 
 it would be nothing more than what was 
 right, were I to give him this small property 
 as a present; I may surely, then, let him
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 187 
 
 have it for a price. I will not, for the little 
 resentments of these days, obliterate the 
 memory of former favours. Let him not 
 be anxious on the subject, but trust to me 
 to fix a moderate price for it, and deliver it 
 over into his possession.'" 
 
 Tang-yo-chuen, when he heard of this, 
 was happy beyond measure ; as was also 
 his son. The former said, " I always de- 
 lighted in dwelling on my ancestors, and 
 have ever experienced their favourable in- 
 fluence. Had it not been for their ancient 
 generosity, I should never have obtained 
 this elegant residence. It is thus that men 
 may rejoice in having had virtuous fore- 
 fathers.'" He then went over with the bro- 
 kers, and settled the bargain. Though his 
 disposition had always been to seek for an 
 advantage on such occasions, yet since old 
 things had been brought forward, he was 
 willing for once to practise a little liberality.
 
 188 THE THREE 
 
 His neighbour, on the other hand, did not 
 higgle about it, but imitated the generosity 
 of Tang-yo-chuen's ancestor, who had given 
 up his throne and his kingdom, and sought 
 some thatched cottage, where he might 
 hve in retirement. 
 
 There were a few honest friends, who 
 could not bring themselves to justify Yu- 
 soo-chin. They said to him, " When you 
 had your house, why did you not sell it to 
 any body rather than to him who en- 
 vied and plotted against you? He has now 
 succeeded, and both the father and son will 
 go about to every one, chattering and ex- 
 ulting. As long as you were w^ithout an 
 heir, you would not abate in your resent- 
 ment. Since you were so fortunate as to 
 obtain one, he might have proved the means 
 of recovering back the whole property; 
 and even though you had not recovered it, 
 that which remained to vou was sufficient.
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 189 
 
 Why then did you deUver over the last 
 remnant of your possessions to that man V 
 Yu-soo-chin, having heard what they 
 had to say, smiled, and replied, " Your in- 
 tentions, gentlemen, are very good ; but 
 you regard merely what is before your 
 eyes, without considering the hereafter : I 
 judge that his plots will eventually benefit 
 me. In order to redeem back the whole 
 property, I must have waited until my son 
 was grown up, when it might have been 
 possible to recover it. But I am an old 
 man, and conceive that I cannot live so 
 long ; and who can tell, whether, after my 
 death, my son would not have sold the 
 Three Chambers to Tang-yo-chuen ? Hav- 
 ino; at length succeeded in oettins; it from 
 the son, he would have laughed at, and 
 abused the memory of the father. It is 
 better that the father should sell the pro- 
 perty, and then people will compassionate 
 and assist the son.
 
 190 THE THREE 
 
 "The above, however, might not have 
 been the worst evil. It is ten thousand to 
 one, that I should very soon have died, 
 while mj son was yet an infant. My wife, 
 being content to strive with hunger, would 
 not have parted with the property to our 
 enemy. He, seeing that the new would 
 not come into his hands, and fearing, also, 
 that the old might be redeemed, would 
 certainly have laid plots to cut off my heir. 
 Thus I am fearful, that not only the pro- 
 perty would have been lost, but my son 
 sacrificed besides. This indeed might be 
 called a loss ! By selling it cheap to him 
 now, I have merely made a kind of de- 
 posit, and caused him to incur a debt, 
 which will be paid into the hands of my 
 son. If he does not pay it, I think it pos- 
 sible that others will. The old proverb says, 
 ' To endure injuries is the sure policy.'"' 
 
 When they had heard this, his friends,
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 191 
 
 though thej were somewhat startled by his 
 reasons, still maintained their former opi- 
 nion. The old man died suddenly, a very 
 few years after he had sold his whole pro- 
 perty, and left his son, a child, under the 
 protection of his widow, who possessed 
 scarcely any thing. Their sole reliance 
 was on the price which had been obtained 
 for the house, and which produced a little 
 interest, just enough to subsist upon. 
 Tang-yo-chuen's possessions became every 
 day greater. He knew how to make 
 money, and his son knew how to take care 
 of it. Every thing came in ; nothing went 
 out; and the property which he had 
 bought seemed so secure, that it might 
 last for a thousand years. 
 
 Every one arraigned the wisdom of 
 Heaven, saying, that " the descendants of 
 those persons, who had been liberal and 
 just, possessed little or nothing; while the
 
 192 THE THREE 
 
 progeny of those, who had enriched them- 
 seh^es by unworthy means, were so well 
 off/" The saying of the ancients, however, 
 is very true, that " when virtue and vice 
 have arrived at their full, they must finally 
 be recompensed; the only difference being, 
 whether sooner or later/' These words are 
 constantly in men's mouths, but leave very 
 little impression on their hearts. Though 
 the recompense come late, it is the same 
 thino; as if it came earlv; and indeed his 
 lot, who waits for his punishment, is the 
 worst. 
 
 The subject of late or early recompenses 
 very much resembles laying out money, 
 and receiving back the interest. If you 
 receive it one day sooner, you receive one 
 day's less interest: if you leave it for a year 
 longer, you get a year's additional interest. 
 Should you look for the reward of your 
 good deeds with an anxious heart, Heaven
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBEIiS. 193 
 
 may not immediately send it, and it may 
 seem as if no reward awaited you. But 
 when you have lost all expectation, and 
 given up the hope, the recompense will 
 suddenly arrive ; like a bad debt of many 
 years' standing, which, when the lender 
 has forgotten it, comes unexpectedly to his 
 door, with an exceeding large accumulation 
 of interest. This is far better than an early 
 payment. 
 
 When Yu-soo-chin's son, who was called 
 Ke-woo, had reached the age of seventeen 
 or eighteen, he -soon acquired a literary 
 title. He was created governor of a dis- 
 trict, and being called to court, was after- 
 wards raised to a still higher office. As 
 he was a person who dared to speak in 
 the cause of rectitude, he became a great 
 favourite with the reigning Emperor. 
 
 At length, when his mother became old, 
 he requested leave to retire and take care 
 
 o
 
 194 THE THREE 
 
 of her. Making the best of his way home, 
 and being as yet some miles from it, he 
 perceived a woman, not much more than 
 twenty, with a paper in her hand, kneehng 
 by the way side, and exclaiming to him 
 aloud, " I intreat, sir, that you will receive 
 and examine this/' Ke-woo told her to 
 come into the boat,* and taking the docu- 
 ment from her, looked at it. It turned out 
 to be a deed, or bond, in the name of her 
 husband, who desired, with his family and 
 effects, to come under his protection, and 
 become his slaves.-f* Ke-woo said to her, 
 
 * Almost all journeys are performed in China by water. 
 The British Embassy of 1816, of which the translator 
 was a member, travelled a distance of about 1200 miles, 
 along canals and navigable rivers. 
 
 "f " It is to be observed, that the slavery, which is re- 
 cognized and tolerated by the laws of China, is a mild 
 species of servitude, and perhaps not very degrading in 
 a country, in which no condition of life appears to admit 
 of any considerable degree of personal liberty and inde- 
 pendence." — StaiDiton's Penal Code, p. 293, note.
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 195 
 
 " If I may judge by your appearance, you 
 are of a respectable family, why do you 
 wish to throw yourselves under my protec- 
 tion ? How happens it, too, that your 
 husband does not shew himself, instead of 
 permitting you, a woman, to come to the 
 road side, and cry out aloud?" 
 
 The woman rephed, " We are the descen- 
 dants of an ancient family; but my father- 
 in-law, while he lived, being very fond of 
 buying lands, unceasingly endeavoured to 
 add to his stock every acre of ground, and 
 every house, which adjoined to his own. 
 Those persons, who sold to him their 
 property, did not part with it willingly, 
 but each of them hated him in his heart. 
 Before my father-in-law died, they hap- 
 pened, in the first place, to be favourable 
 times, which prevented him from breaking 
 in upon his wealth: secondly, he was a 
 person of some rank and influence, and if 
 
 o 2
 
 196 THE THREE 
 
 a magistrate had any charge against him, it 
 became necessary only to spend a httle 
 money, in order to live unmolested. At 
 length, the favourable times no longer 
 existed, and before the expiration of half a 
 year, my father-in-law died. My husband 
 Avas young, and moreover possessed no 
 rank. The persecutors of the orphan and 
 widow rushed upon him in a body, and all 
 went before the magistrate with accusations 
 against him: so that, within a year, he ex- 
 perienced a great many different charges, 
 and the larger half of his property was 
 expended. But a still worse evil has since 
 befallen him. He is in prison; and money 
 alone will not release him. The only hope 
 of his liberation rests on the zealous inter- 
 ference of some person of influence, and 
 yourself are the only one to whom we 
 can look on this occasion. Besides, sir, the 
 business, in which my husband is involved^
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 197 
 
 has considerable relation to you; and 
 though he seems the only person con- 
 cerned, it may yet be considered as your 
 own cause. He therefore wrote this docu- 
 ment, and desired me to come and throw 
 ourselves under your protection, offering to 
 you both our property and our personal 
 services, and only intreating, that you will 
 not consider them as worthless, but accept 
 of them without delay."' 
 
 Ke-woo was at a loss to express his 
 surprise on hearing the above, and asked 
 her, " Pray what may the business be, in 
 which you are involved, and which has so 
 much concern with myself? Doubtless 
 during my absence from home, my house- 
 hold have been getting into mischief, and 
 in conjunction with you and your husband 
 produced this evil. Do you wish me to 
 identify myself with a parcel of strangers, 
 and, by affording them my countenance
 
 198 THE THREE 
 
 and protection, incur criminality through 
 an unjust stretch of power?'' 
 
 Tlie woman replied, " This is by no 
 means the case. In the midst of our pro- 
 perty is a tall building, called * the Three 
 Dedicated Chambers,' which originally be- 
 longed, sir, to your family, but was after- 
 wards sold to us. We lived there for 
 several years without molestation ; until 
 some unknown enemy lately presented an 
 anonymous petition, stating, ' that my hus- 
 band was one of a nest of robbers, and 
 that the three generations, from grandfather 
 to grandson, were all rogues : that twenty 
 pieces of treasure were now deposited 
 under the Three Chambers, and that when 
 the hoard was taken up, the particulars 
 would be understood.' When the magis- 
 trate had seen this document, he quietly 
 sent some thief-takers forward to raise up 
 the hoard ; and contrary to all expectation,
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 199 
 
 they certainly produced from under the 
 flooring, twenty pieces of treasure. My 
 husband was immediately apprehended, 
 and taken to the magistrate's court. He 
 was pointed out as a harbourer of thieves, 
 and severely tortured and beat, with a view- 
 that he might discover his associates, toge- 
 ther with the rest of the spoil which they 
 might have taken. 
 
 " My husband endeavoured, as well as 
 he could, to solve this extraordinary affair; 
 but was unable to get at the truth. Far 
 from having any claim to the treasure 
 which had been discovered, he knew not 
 whence it had flown thither. Being igno- 
 rant of every circumstance connected with 
 it, we were unable to unravel the mystery ; 
 but might still rejoice that no one appeared 
 to have lost it. The magistrate committed 
 my husband to prison on suspicion, but 
 has not yet decided on his crime. My
 
 200 THE THREE 
 
 husband considered the subject minutely, 
 and thought it probable, that as our house 
 and grounds formerly belonged to your 
 family, your grandfather might have de- 
 posited the treasure in the floor, and your 
 father, ignorant of the circumstance, never 
 -removed it. Hence, that which should 
 have been a profitable thing, turned out to 
 be a source of misfortune. 
 
 " We do not wish to enquire into the 
 truth of this point, but only intreat, sir, 
 that you will claim the money as your own. 
 When the money is thus disposed of, my 
 husband will be restored from death to life, 
 and as your interference will be the cause 
 of this, our whole property should be pre- 
 sented to you in recompense. The house 
 and grounds, which were constructed by 
 your father with such pains and labour, 
 liave a particular claim to be restored to 
 you, and Ave therefore intreat, sir, that you 
 will not reject them."
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 201 
 
 Ke-woo, hearing this, could not help 
 suspecting that something was wrong. He 
 said to her in answer, " My family have 
 made it a maxim of old, to refuse all such 
 offers. There is no occasion to speak now 
 about your throwing yourselves under my 
 protection. It is true that the house and 
 grounds were formerly possessed by my 
 family ; but they were regularly sold, with 
 all the forms of brokers and deeds, and 
 were not conjured away by your relations. 
 If I want them again, therefore, I must pay 
 the original price for them, and there is no 
 reason why you should give them back to 
 me for nothing. As to the treasure, I have 
 no concern with it whatever, and cannot 
 with any propriety lay claim to it. Go 
 now, and wait until I have had an inter- 
 view with the magistrate. I will request 
 him to investigate the subject with care, as 
 it is higlily necessary to have a clear deci-
 
 202 THE THREE 
 
 sion. Should the charges be proved to be 
 untrue, your liusband will of course be 
 released from prison, and certainly will not 
 be put to death unjustly/' 
 
 When the woman had heard this, she 
 rejoiced exceedingly, and returning him 
 ten thousand thanks, took her departure. 
 The source, whence these misfortunes arose, 
 and the manner in which they were after- 
 wards got the better of, are explained in 
 the third and last section. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Ke-woo, after his interview with the 
 woman, made the best of his way home. 
 He then fancied himself to be the examin- 
 ing magistrate, and considered the subject 
 in different lights, saying to himself, " Not 
 to mention that this treasure cannot be the 
 patrimony of my ancestors, yet allowing
 
 dp:digated chambers. 203 
 
 that it were so, how came I, their descend- 
 ant, to know nothing about it, nor my 
 kindred to contend for its possession ? On 
 the contrary, it was a person out of the 
 family who knew of it, and who presented 
 a petition on the subject. As this petition 
 was without a name, it is plain that he must 
 be an enemy ; — I have no doubt about it. 
 At the same time, supposing that he had 
 some cause of enmity, it was not well to 
 charge the other with such a vile act, and 
 to point him out as a harbourer of thieves. 
 Then, again, at the time of taking up the 
 treasure, the petitioner's words were veri- 
 fied, and it answered exactly to the amount 
 specified in the document, without being 
 either more or less. It is difficult to con- 
 ceive that he, who presented the petition, 
 for the sake of gratifying a secret enmity, 
 should be willing to risk such a vast sum, 
 and having placed it in another's ground,
 
 204 THE THREE 
 
 proceed to carry on so extraordinary a 
 business/' 
 
 He considered it for several days, but 
 could make nothing of the matter. It was 
 the constant subject of his thoughts, and 
 during his sleep, and in his dreams, he 
 cried out and muttered broken sentences. 
 His mother, hearing him, enquired the 
 reason of this ; and he then recounted to 
 her minutely what the woman had said to 
 him. On first hearing it, his mother, too, 
 was very much perplexed, but having con- 
 sidered it awhile, discovered the truth, and 
 exclaimed " It must be so, indeed ! This 
 treasure does certainly belong to our family ; 
 and the man was right enough in his con- 
 jectures. When your father was alive, he 
 had a friend who came from a distance to 
 see him. This friend remained for several 
 nights in the lowest of the Three Dedicated 
 Chambers, and perceived (he said) a white
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 205 
 
 rat, which ran about for a while, and then 
 darted into the floor. At the time of his 
 departure, he spoke to your father, desiring 
 him by no means to sell the apartments, 
 since he mi"ht hereafter find some unlook- 
 ed for treasure. By all appearances, this 
 treasure has now come to light. Your 
 father, by not searching for it, made it a 
 cause of misfortune to others : do you, 
 therefore, go and claim it, and thereby save 
 the man's life." 
 
 Her son replied, " There is something 
 more to be said on the subject. An idle 
 story like this is not fit for the mouth of a 
 respectable person, and when I talk about 
 a white rat to the magistrate, he will pro- 
 bably suspect that I covet that large sum of 
 money, and, unwilling to claim it openly, 
 have trumped up this story, in order to im- 
 pose upon simple people. Besides, neither 
 was this white rat seen by my father, nor
 
 206 THE THREE 
 
 was this foolish story related by him. The 
 more I consider it, the more ridiculous does 
 it appear. It may indeed be called the 
 dream of a fool. If the treasure were the 
 property of our family, my father should 
 have seen those indications; or how hap- 
 pened it that, instead of appearing to me, 
 they were perceived by a stranger? The 
 whole story is false; it is impossible to be- 
 lieve it. Still, however, we ought to con- 
 sult with the magistrate, with a view to 
 clearing up this mysterious business, and 
 saving a guiltless wretch. This will be act- 
 ing a correct and virtuous part.'' 
 
 As he had done speaking, a servant sud- 
 denly announced that the magistrate had 
 arrived, to pay his respects. Ke-woo said, 
 " I was just now wishing to see him: re- 
 quest him to Avalk in immediately." When 
 the magistrate had made his bow, and 
 talked a little on general subjects, he did
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 20T 
 
 not wait until Ke-woo began the subject of 
 the mystery, but took it up himself, and re- 
 quested to hear all that he knew about it, 
 saying, that " the person in whose house 
 the hoard had been found, although re- 
 peatedly and strictly examined, had disco- 
 vered nothing. He yesterday" (said he) 
 " made a deposition, stating, that the place 
 where the treasure had been taken up be- 
 longed formerly to your family, and that 
 therefore it must have been left by your 
 ancestors. I accordingly came here, in the 
 first place, to pay my respects, and se- 
 condly, to request your information on the 
 subject, being quite ignorant of the truth." 
 Ke-woo replied, " My family has for se- 
 veral successive generations been very 
 poor, nor did my immediate predecessors 
 accumulate any thing in money. It would 
 therefore be rash in me to lay claim to diis 
 treasure, by which means I should acquire
 
 208 THE THREE 
 
 a bad name. There must be something in 
 this affair which we do not understand ; nor 
 is it necessary to assert that it is a hoard 
 accumulated by a nest of thieves. I there- 
 fore entreat, sir, that you will continue a 
 strict investigation, and effect a decision of 
 this doubtful business. Should you be able 
 to bring the crime home to the prisoner, 
 then well and good.'' 
 
 The magistrate said, " When your father 
 departed this life,* though you, sir, were 
 still a child, and therefore, perhaps, not 
 very well acquainted with former circum- 
 stances; yet may we not ask your mother 
 if, before the property was disposed of, 
 she either saw or heard of any thing par- 
 ticular?" 
 
 He replied, " I have already interrogated 
 
 * The Chinese have a superstitious dread of mention- 
 ing death in direct terms. The expression in the original 
 is " to pass over to immortality, or become immortal."
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 209 
 
 my mother, but she talks somewhat at ran- 
 dom, and my father never mentioned a 
 word on the subject. As I am now con- 
 versing with you on business, it woukl be 
 improper to repeat any thing unadvisedly. 
 I will therefore keep it to myself." The 
 magistrate insisted on his telling it out: but 
 Ke-woo was determined to say nothing. 
 
 His mother was fortunately standing be- 
 hind the screen, and wishing sincerely to 
 do a good action, desired her steward to go 
 and recount the story in question for his 
 master. When the magistrate had heard it, 
 he considered silently for a time, and then 
 said to the stew^ard, " I will trouble you to 
 go in again, and ask, where is the residence 
 of him who saw the white rat ; whether he 
 is at present alive or dead; whether his 
 family is rich or poor ; on what terms of 
 intimacy your master lived with him ; and 
 if they were in the habit of rendering 
 
 p
 
 210 THE THREE 
 
 each other mutual assistance. I have to 
 request that your lady will speak with pre- 
 cision, as the present day's enquiry may 
 serve in the place of a formal trial, and this 
 obscure case be happily cleared up." 
 
 The steward went in for a while, and 
 coming back, answered, " My mistress says 
 that the person who saw the white rat came 
 from a considerable distance, and lived in 
 such and such a district. He is yet alive, 
 and his fortune is very large. He is a per- 
 son of great worth, who sets a small value 
 on riches, and lived on terms of strictest 
 friendship with my former master. Seeing 
 that he had sold his pleasure ground, and 
 that he would be compelled to part with 
 his Three Chambers, he wished to produce 
 the money, and redeem the whole for him. 
 As my master would not consent, his friend 
 pressed him no farther. The words in 
 question are those which he uttered at the
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 211 
 
 period of his departure." The magistrate, 
 having considered a httle, directed the 
 steward to go in and ask, '' if, after the 
 death of his lady's husband, the friend 
 had come to pay honours to the deceased ; 
 and if his lady could mention any ex- 
 pression which she might have heard him 
 utter." 
 
 The steward went in and returned, say- 
 ing, " When my master had been dead for 
 more than ten years, his friend came to pay 
 honours to his memory. Seeing that the 
 Three Chambers were sold, he was much 
 surprised, and asked my mistress, ' Did 
 you, after my departure, obtain that un- 
 looked for treasure which I predicted }' She 
 answered, that indeed they did not. He 
 then sighed, and observed that ' it was a 
 fine piece of good fortune for those who 
 had bought the property. Deceitful in 
 their hearts, and contriving plots to get 
 
 p 2
 
 212 THE THREE 
 
 possession of the place, they had acquired 
 wealth which they did not deserve. In a 
 short time, however, they would experience 
 an unlooked for calamity/ A very few 
 days after his departure, some person 
 brought an accusation against the prisoner, 
 and gave rise to this business. My mistress 
 constantly praised and admired her friend, 
 declaring that he was one who could see 
 into futurity." 
 
 The magistrate, having heard thus far, 
 laughed heartily, and going towards the 
 screen, made a low bow, saying, " Many 
 thanks to you, madam, for your informa- 
 tion, which has enabled me, a dull person, 
 to make out this extraordinary affair. There 
 is no occasion for farther enquiry. I will 
 trouble your messenger to bring a receipt, 
 and will immediately send the twenty 
 pieces of treasure to your house." 
 
 Ke-woo exclaimed, " What is your rea-
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 213 
 
 son for this ? — I beg, sir, that you will in- 
 form me." The magistrate rephed, " These 
 twenty pieces of treasure were neither left 
 by your ancestors, nor were they plundered 
 by the prisoner. The fact was just this. 
 That worthy person wished to redeem the 
 property for your father, but as he pos- 
 sessed a very independent disposition, and 
 was tenacious in his refusal, your friend 
 deposited the money in the floor, as the 
 means of redeeming the property hereafter. 
 Not wishing to declare this plainly, he pre- 
 tended the agency of some spirit, with the 
 idea, that when he was gone, your father 
 would take up the treasure. When he came 
 afterwards to pay honours to the deceased, 
 observing that the pleasure ground had not 
 been recovered, but that the Three Cham- 
 bers were also sold, your friend knew that 
 the treasure was in the hands of the enemy, 
 and of course w^as vexed beyond measure.
 
 214 THE THREE 
 
 At his departure, therefore, he presented an 
 anonymous petition, with the intention of 
 waiting until the family of the prisoner was 
 broken up, and the property dismembered. 
 As the truth is now plain, your original 
 possessions ought to be restored to you. 
 AVhat have you to say against this ?" 
 
 Ke-woo, though in his heart he admired 
 him for his decision, had still an objection 
 to claiming the treasure, from the suspicion 
 which might be attached to himself. He 
 did not wish to take it in too great a hurry, 
 but making the magistrate a bow, observed, 
 that " he had formed an excellent conclu- 
 sion, and must be possessed of admirable 
 wisdom. That though Lung-too* himself 
 Avere to re-appear, he could not equal this. 
 At the same time (said he), though you con- 
 clude this treasure must have been left by 
 
 * A famous magistrate of ancient times, who is now 
 deified, and has temples to his memory.
 
 DEDICATED CIIAMBEllS. 215 
 
 our generous friend, still there are no per- 
 sons to bear witness to it, and it would not 
 be well for nie to put in a claim rashly. I 
 therefore entreat, sir, that you will keep it 
 in your treasury, to relieve the wants of the 
 people during famine/' 
 
 While he was yet declining it, a servant 
 came in, with a red ticket in his hand, and 
 announced a visitor to his master in a 
 whisper, saying, " The person of whom you 
 have just now been talking* is arrived at 
 the door. He says that he has come from a 
 great distance to pay his respects to my 
 mistress. The magistrate being present, I 
 ought not to have announced him; but 
 since he is acquainted with the business in 
 question, and seems to have come at a 
 
 * This servant must have waited at the conferences. It 
 is customary, among the Chinese, to have a great number 
 of attendants present on all occasions of ceremony, with 
 a view to avoid the suspicion of conspiracy.
 
 216 THE THREE 
 
 lucky moment, I therefore acquaint you, 
 sir, Avith his arrival, in case you may wish to 
 interrogate him/' Ke-woo was greatly re- 
 joiced, and informed the magistrate. The 
 latter was ready to dance with joy, and de- 
 sired that he might be requested to enter 
 immediately. 
 
 He was a very respectable looking old 
 man, with a round face, and white locks. 
 He paid his respects to his friend, but only 
 slightly regarded the magistrate, who was 
 a stranger to him, and making a bow, 
 passed onward, saying, " The object of my 
 visit was to see the wife of my deceased 
 friend. I came not to court the rich or 
 powerful, nor do your affairs concern me, 
 a person from a distant part of the country. 
 I cannot presume to intrude on you ; so 
 shew me the way into the house, that I 
 may visit the lady.'' 
 
 Ke-woo answered, "As my venerable
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 21? 
 
 friend has come from a grreat distance, it is 
 not right to treat him as a casual visitor ; 
 but since the magistrate is engaged in an 
 affair of difficulty, and wishes to ask you 
 some questions, and since it is a fortunate 
 occurrence to find you here, we entreat 
 that you will sit down for a moment/' 
 
 On this he made his obeisance, and sat 
 down. The magistrate took some tea with 
 him, and then bowing, said, " I believe, 
 sir, that you are the person, who, about 
 twenty years ago, performed an act of 
 great virtue, of which no one was then 
 conscious, but w^hich it has now fallen to 
 my lot to bring to light. Were you not 
 the author of that hidden treasure, which 
 was left for your friend, without any other 
 notice than by some reference to the 
 agency of spirits ?" 
 
 The old man was taken somewhat by 
 surprise, and for a moment did not speak.
 
 218 THE THREE 
 
 Having recovered from his enibarrassnient, 
 he rephed, " How should such a rustic as 
 I perform any act of great virtue ? — What 
 can you mean, sir, by your question ?" 
 
 Ke-woo answered, " Some words, re- 
 specting a white rat, were heard to proceed 
 from your mouth. In consequence of cer- 
 tain suspicious appearances, they were going 
 to impute the crime of harbouring thieves 
 to an innocent person. As I could not 
 bear to see this, I entreated the magistrate 
 to set him at liberty. While we were con- 
 versing together on the subject, we by de- 
 grees got a clue to it ; but being still un- 
 certain whether the story of the white rat 
 be true or false, we have to request a word, 
 sir, from you to settle it."" 
 
 The old man was determined in his re- 
 fusal, and would not speak, until a message 
 came from the lady of the house, begging 
 him to give up the whole truth, in order
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 219 
 
 that an innocent person might be excul- 
 pated. He then smiled, and made a com- 
 plete disclosure of the circumstances, which 
 had been profoundly secreted in his breast 
 for more than twenty years. They agreed 
 to a tittle with what the magistrate had 
 said. Having directed the people to bring 
 the treasure, in order that they might ex- 
 amine the letters and marks upon its sur- 
 face, all these particulars corresponded 
 exactly. 
 
 The magistrate and Ke-woo admired the 
 old gentleman's great virtues ; Ke-woo ex- 
 patiated with the old gentleman on the 
 penetrating intellect of the magistrate ; 
 while the magistrate again, and the old 
 gentleman, dealt out their praises on the 
 conduct of Ke-woo, who had conferred 
 benefits, instead of cherishing resentment. 
 " Such actions as these," they observed, 
 " would be hereafter talked of far and
 
 220 THE THREE 
 
 wide : this might be predicted without the 
 aid of divination." 
 
 They went on with their praises of each 
 other without ceasing, and the attendants 
 who were present, put their hands to their 
 mouths, in order to conceal their laughter, 
 observing, that " the magistrate had issued 
 orders to apprehend him who had presented 
 the anonymous petition. Having found 
 him out, he was sitting down and con- 
 versing with him, instead of giving him a 
 beating. This was certainly a novel pro- 
 ceeding \" 
 
 When the magistrate returned to his 
 office, he sent a messenger to deliver the 
 twenty pieces of treasure, and to procure a 
 receipt for the same. Ke-woo, however, 
 Avould not accept it. He wrote back a 
 letter to that officer, requesting that he 
 would give the money over to the family of 
 the prisoner, and redeem the property with
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 221 
 
 it. That, in the first place, this would be 
 fulfilling the intentions of his father; se- 
 condly, it would accord with the wishes of 
 his generous friend ; and lastly, it would 
 enable the prisoner's family to purchase 
 some other residence. Thus, neither the 
 givers nor the receivers would be injured in 
 the least. 
 
 All parties praised such unexampled 
 generosity. The magistrate, in comphance 
 with the words of the letter, released the 
 prisoner from his confinement, and deli- 
 vering to him the original price, received 
 from him the two deeds, by which the pro- 
 perty had been sold. A messenger being 
 sent off with these, the pleasure ground, 
 and the dwelling, were delivered into the 
 possession of their original master. 
 
 On the same day, in the highest of the 
 " Three Dedicated Chambers," he offered 
 up wine, in token of gratitude to heaven.
 
 222 THE THREE 
 
 saying, " Thus amply has my father's 
 virtue been rewarded ; thus bitter has been 
 the recompense of Tang-yo-chuen's crimes ! 
 Oh, how is it, that men are afraid of virtue; 
 or how is it, that they can dehght in being 
 vicious !'' 
 
 Tang-yo-chuen's son and his wife made 
 out a deed, as before, delivering up their 
 persons, and together with the price of the 
 property, which they had received from 
 the magistrate, offered themselves to Ke- 
 woo, entreating that he would accept of 
 their services for the remainder of their 
 hves. He resolutelv declined their offer, 
 but at the same time soothed them with 
 kind words. Then the husband and wife, 
 having engraved a votive tablet, wishing 
 him long life, took it home and made 
 offerings to it. Though they could not 
 prevail on him to receive them into his 
 service, they still recognized him as their
 
 DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 223 
 
 master. They not only endeavoured to 
 recompense his favours, but hkewise wished 
 people to understand that they were a part 
 of his family, for then nobody, they 
 thought, would venture to molest them. 
 
 With a view to the remembrance of these 
 events, every one had by heart a stanza of 
 verses, which admonished persons of opu- 
 lence to refrain from contriving schemes 
 for the acquisition of their neighbours' 
 property. The lines were to this effect, 
 
 " By want compell'd, he sold his house and land. 
 Both house and land the purchasers return ; 
 Thus profit ends the course by virtue plann'd. 
 While envious plotters their misfortunes mourn." 
 
 CHINESE MORAL. 
 
 The clear judgment of the magistrate, 
 the disinterested generosity of the old 
 friend, and the moderation of Ke-woo,
 
 224 THE THREE DEDICATED CHAMBERS. 
 
 in living retired without cherishing resent- 
 ment, are all three deserving of everlasting 
 remembrance. Those who are magistrates, 
 ought to make the first their example. 
 Persons of influence, who reside in the 
 country, ought to take a lesson of the last. 
 Those, however, who possess great wealth, 
 should not altogether copy the old friend, 
 because his conduct, in presenting the 
 anonymous petition, cannot be held up as 
 an example. It may be observed of the 
 actions of such generous friends in general, 
 that very few are fit to be imitated, and 
 that those, whose conduct can be recom- 
 mended, have always been men of justice. 
 The difference between those who are just, 
 and those who are only generous, consists 
 in the conduct of the one being worthy of 
 imitation, and that of the others, not.
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, 
 
 «&c. 
 
 " Nor do Apophthegms only serve for ornament and delight, but also 
 for action and civil use: as being the edge tools of speech, which cut and 
 penetrate the knots of business and atfairs." — Lord Bacon. 
 
 " A collection of good sentences resembles a string of pearls." — Chinese 
 Saying. 
 
 Q
 
 ClflNESE PROVERBS, 
 
 1. The man of first rate excellence is 
 virtuous independently of instruction : he of 
 the middling class is so q/Ver instruction : 
 the lowest order of men are vicious, in spite 
 of instruction. 
 
 2. By a long' journey we know a horse's 
 strength : so length of days shews a man's 
 heart. 
 
 3. The spontaneous gifts of Heaven are 
 of high value; but the strength of per- 
 severance gains the prize. 
 
 4. The trenerations of men follow each 
 other, like the waves in a swollen river. 
 
 5. In the days of affluence, always think 
 of poverty : do not let want come upon 
 
 Q 2
 
 228 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 
 
 you, and make you remember with regret 
 the time of plenty. 
 
 (The Chinese have also the following, in 
 complete opposition to the foregoing, 
 maxim.) 
 
 6. Let us get drunk to-day, while we 
 have wine : the sorrows of to-morrow may 
 be borne to-morrow. 
 
 7. To correct an evil which already 
 exists, is not so well as to foresee and pre- 
 vent it. 
 
 8. Modesty is attended with profit : ar- 
 rogjance brinos on destruction. 
 
 9. The growth of the mulberry tree cor- 
 responds with its early bent. 
 
 10. The same tree may produce sour 
 and sweet fruit : the same mother may 
 have a virtuous and vicious progeny. 
 
 11. It is equally criminal in the governor, 
 and the governed, to violate the laws. 
 
 12. As the scream of the eagle is heard
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 229 
 
 when she has passed over; so a man's 
 name remains after liis death. 
 
 13. Questions of right and wrong (with 
 reference to men's characters) are every 
 day arising : if not hstened to, they die 
 away of themselves. 
 
 14. Doubt and distraction are on earth : 
 the brightness of truth in heaven. 
 
 15. In learning, age and youth go for 
 
 nothing : the best informed takes the pre- 
 
 « 
 
 cedence. 
 
 16. Against open crimes, punishments 
 can oppose a barrier : but secret offences 
 it is difficult for the laws to reach. 
 
 17. If there be no faith in our words, of 
 what use are they ? 
 
 18. If there be a want of concord among 
 members of the same family, other men 
 will take advantage of it to injure them. 
 
 19- The world's unfavourable views of 
 conduct and character are but as the float-
 
 230 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 
 
 ing clouds, from which the brightest day is 
 not free. 
 
 20. Wine and good dinners make abund- 
 ance of friends ; but in the time of adver- 
 sity, not one is to be found. 
 
 21. Let every man sweep the snow from 
 before his ow n doors, and not trouble him- 
 self about the frost on his neighbour's tiles. 
 
 22. He who can suppress a moment's 
 anger, may prevent many days' sorrow. 
 
 23. The human relations are *five in 
 number, but that of husband and wife is 
 the first in rank : the great ceremonies (or 
 rites) amount to three thousand, but that of 
 marriage is the most important. 
 
 24. Worldly fame and pleasure are de- 
 structive to the virtue of the mind ; anxious 
 thoughts and apprehensions are injurious 
 to the health of the body. 
 
 * Viz. Ilusbaucl and wife, })arcnt and child, brolliors, 
 prince and minister, friends.
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 231 
 
 25. In a field of melons, do not pull up 
 your shoe : under a plum-tree, do not ad- 
 just your cap, (i. e. be very careful of your 
 conduct under circumstances of suspicion.) 
 
 26. The man of worth is really great, 
 without being j)roud ; the mean man is 
 proud, without being really great. 
 
 27. Time flies like an arrow : days and 
 months like a weaver's shuttle. 
 
 28. It is said in the Ye-king, that " Of 
 those men, whose talent is inconsiderable, 
 while their station is eminent, and of those, 
 whose knowledge is small, while their 
 schemes are large, — there are few who do 
 not become miserable. 
 
 29. When a man obtains a large sum, 
 without having earned it, if it does not 
 make him very happy, it will certainly 
 make him very unhappy. 
 
 30. Though a man may be utterly stupid, 
 he is very perspicacious while reprehending
 
 232 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 
 
 the bad actions of others ; though he may 
 be very intelhgent, lie is dull enough, while 
 excusing his own faults. Do you only 
 correct yourself on the same principle that 
 you correct others, and excuse others on 
 the same principle that you excuse your- 
 self. 
 
 31. The figure of men in ancient times 
 resembled that of wild beasts,* but their 
 hearts contained the most perfect virtue. 
 The outward appearance of the present 
 race of men is human, but their dispositions 
 are utterly brutish. 
 
 32. Do not anxiously expect what is 
 
 * The aljsurd fables, related in the Chinese books of 
 ancient history, tell very much against their fidelity, and 
 afford a strong antidote to the implicit belief, with which 
 the Jesuitical accounts of Chinese antiquity have been 
 listened to. In fact, their most ancient historical work 
 extant, (the Chun-tseio of Confucius) is not older than 
 the history of Herodotus, and not no old as Homer's 
 Poems.
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 233 
 
 not 3'^ct come; do not vainly regret what 
 is already past. 
 
 S3. Men's passions are like water. When 
 water has once flowed over, it cannot easily 
 be restored ; when the passions have once 
 been indulged, they cannot easily be re- 
 strained. ^yater must be kept in by dykes, 
 the passions must be regulated by the laws 
 of propriety. 
 
 34. AV'ithout ascending the mountain, 
 we cannot admire the height of heaven ; 
 without descending into the valley, we can- 
 not admire the depth of the earth ; without 
 listening to the maxims left by the ancient 
 Kings, we cannot know the excellence of 
 wisdom. 
 
 35. In making a candle, we seek for 
 light ; in studying a book, we seek for rea- 
 son : lisht, to illuminate a dark chamber ; 
 reason, to enlighten man's heart. 
 
 S6. By learning, the sons of the common
 
 234 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 
 
 people become public ministers ; without 
 learning, the sons of public ministers be- 
 come mingled with the mass of the people. 
 
 37. Though an affair may be easily ac- 
 complished, if it is not attended to, it will 
 never be completed : though your son may 
 be well-disposed, if he is not instructed, he 
 will still remain ignorant. 
 
 38. If you love your son, be liberal in 
 punishment; if you hate your son, accus- 
 tom him to dainties. 
 
 39. Past events are as clear as a mirror; 
 the future, as obscure as varnish. 
 
 40. What exists in the morning, we can- 
 not be certain of in the evening; what 
 exists in the evening, we cannot calculate 
 upon for the next morning. The fortunes 
 of men are as variable as the winds and 
 clouds of heaven. 
 
 41. When you are happier than usual, 
 you should be prepared against some great
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 235 
 
 misfortune. Where joy is extreme, it pre- 
 cedes grief. Having obtained the Imperial 
 favour, you should think of disgrace; hving 
 in quiet, you should think of danger. When 
 your glory is complete, your disgrace will 
 be the greater; when your success is great, 
 your ruin will be the deeper.* 
 
 42. In security, do not forget danger : in 
 times of public tranquillit}^, be prepared 
 against anarchy. 
 
 43. The fishes, though deep in the water, 
 may be hooked ; the birds, though high in 
 the air, may be shot ; but man's secret 
 thouo;hts are out of our reach. The hea- 
 vens may be measured, the earth may be 
 survej^ed ; the heart of man only is not to 
 be known. 
 
 * " Qui nimios optabat honores, 
 
 Et nimias poscebat opes, numerosa parabat 
 Excels* turns tabulata, unde altior esset 
 Casus, et impulsa; pra^ceps immaiie ruinje." 
 
 Juvenal, Sat. x. 104.
 
 236 CHINESE PROVERBS, ScC. 
 
 ^^44. Riches arc what the man of worth 
 considers hghtly ; death is what the mean 
 man deems of importance. 
 
 45. When the man of 'a naturally good 
 propensity has much wealth, it injures his 
 advancement in wisdom : when the worth- 
 less man has much wealth, it increases his 
 faults. 
 
 46. In enacting laws, rigour is indispen- 
 sable ; in executing them, mercy. 
 
 47. Do not consider any vice as trivial, 
 and therefore practise it : do not consider 
 any virtue as unimportant, and therefore 
 neglect it. 
 
 48. Following virtue is like ascending a 
 steep : following vice, like rushing down a 
 precipice. 
 
 49. All events are separately fated before 
 they happen. Floating on the stream of 
 life, it is in vain that we torment ourselves. 
 Nothing proceeds from the machinations
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, ScC. 237 
 
 of men, but the whole of our Uves is 
 planned by destiny. 
 
 50. A vicious wife, and an untoward 
 son, no laws can govern. 
 
 51. He who tells me of my faults, is my 
 instructor : he who tells me of my virtues, 
 does me harm. 
 
 52. Let your words be few, and your 
 companions select: thus you will escape 
 remorse and repentance ; thus you will 
 avoid sorrow and shame. 
 
 53. If a man's wishes be few, his health 
 will be flourishing: if he has many anxious 
 thoughts, his constitution will decay. 
 
 54. Honours come by diligence : riches 
 spring from economy. 
 
 55. The mild and gentle must ultimately 
 profit themselves : the violent and fierce 
 must bring down misfortune. 
 
 56. If you wish to know what most
 
 238 CHINESE PROVERBS, &c. 
 
 engages a man's thoughts, you have only 
 to hsten to his conversation. 
 
 57. In our actions, we should accord 
 with the will of heaven : in our words, we 
 should consult the feelings of men. 
 , 58. If a man be not enlightened within, 
 what lamp shall he light? if his intentions 
 be not upright, what prayers shall he repeat ? 
 
 59' Man perishes in the pursuit of wealth ; 
 as the bird meets with destruction in search 
 of its food. 
 
 60. Knowing what is right without prac- 
 tising it, denotes a want of proper reso- 
 lution. 
 
 61. There are plenty of men in the 
 world, but very few heroes.* 
 
 62. Poverty and ruin must in the end be 
 proportioned to a man's wickedness and 
 craft ; for these are qualities which heaven 
 
 * Like the army of Xerxes, UoKKo) i^h avQgooTroi — oKtyoi 
 8e avS^ej.
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, <ScC. 239 
 
 will not suffer to prevail. Were riches and 
 honours the proper results of crafty vil- 
 lainy, the better part of the world must 
 fatten on the winds. 
 
 6S, The best cure for drunkenness is, 
 whilst sober, to observe a drunken man. 
 
 64. The opening flower blooms alike in 
 all places : the moon sheds an equal ra- 
 diance on every mountain and every river. 
 Evil exists only in the heart of man ; all 
 other things shew the benevolence of heaven 
 towards the human race. 
 
 65. Would you know the character of 
 the Prince, examine his ministers ; would 
 you uiiderstand the disposition of any man, 
 look at his companions ; would you know 
 that of a father, observe his son. 
 
 66. A man is as ignorant of his own 
 failings, as the ox is unconscious of his 
 great strength, 
 
 67. A man, by the cultivation of virtue,
 
 240 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 
 
 consults his own interest : his stores of 
 wisdom and reflexion are every day filhng 
 up. 
 
 ^^ 68. Confucius says, " The capacity for 
 knowledge, of the inferior man, is small, 
 and easily filled up : the intelligence of the 
 superior man is deep, and not easily sa- 
 tisfied." 
 
 Q^. Though the screen be torn, its frame 
 is still preserved : though the good man be 
 plunged in want, his virtue still remains to 
 him. 
 
 70. Without the wisdom of the learned, 
 the clown could not be governed ; without 
 the labour of the clown, the learned could 
 not be fed. 
 
 71. The cure of ignorance is study, — as 
 meat is that of hunger. 
 
 72. Though the white gem be cast into 
 the dirt, its purity cannot be (lastingly) 
 sullied : though the good man live in a vile
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 241 
 
 place, his heart cannot be depraved. As 
 the fir and the cypress withstand the 
 rigours of the winter, so resplendent wis- 
 dom is safe in situations of difficulty and 
 danger. 
 
 73. It is not easy to stop the fire, when 
 the water is at a distance: friends at hand, 
 are better than relations afar off. 
 
 74. If a man wish to attain to the excel- 
 lence of superior beings, let him first culti- 
 vate the virtues of humanity ; for if not 
 perfect in human virtue, how shall he reach 
 immortal perfection ? 
 
 75. Man is born without knowledge, 
 and when he has obtained it, very soon 
 becomes old : when his experience is ripe, 
 death suddenly seizes him. 
 
 76. There are three great maxims to be 
 observed by those who hold public situ- 
 ations; viz. to be upright, — to be circum- 
 spect, — to be diligent. Those who know 
 
 R
 
 242 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 
 
 these three rules, know that by which they 
 will ensure their ow^n safety in office. 
 
 77. A man's prosperous, or declining 
 condition, may be gathered from the pro- 
 portion of his waking to his sleeping hours. 
 
 78. Unsulhed poverty is always happy, 
 while impure wealth brings with it many 
 sorrows. 
 
 79- He who receives a benefit, and is 
 not ungrateful, — as a son, will be dutiful, — 
 as a minister, will be faithful. 
 
 80. The fame of men's good actions sel- 
 dom goes beyond their own doors; but 
 their evil deeds are carried to a thousand 
 miles distance. 
 
 81. The sincerity of him, who assents to 
 every thing, must be small; and he who 
 praises you inordinately to your face, must 
 be altogether false. 
 
 82. Petty distinctions are injurious to 
 rectitude; quibbhng words violate right 
 reason.
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 243 
 
 83. Though powerful medicines be 
 nauseous to the taste, they are good for the 
 disease: though candid advice be unplea- 
 sant to the ear, it is profitable for the con- 
 duct. 
 
 84. To shew compassion towards the 
 people, by remitting the severity of the 
 taxes, is the virtue of the prince; and to 
 offer up their possessions, sinking their pri- 
 vate views in regard for the public, is the 
 duty of the people. 
 
 85. Though the life of man be short of a 
 hundred years, he gives himself as much 
 pain and anxiety as if he were to live a 
 thousand. 
 
 86. The advantages of wise institutions 
 can be sought for, only in an inflexible ob- 
 servance of them. 
 
 87. If a man does not receive guests at 
 home, he will meet with very few hosts 
 
 abroad. 
 
 r2
 
 244 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 
 
 88. Where views and dispositions agree, 
 the most distant will unite in friendship: 
 where they disagree, relations themselves 
 Avill soon be at enmit3^ 
 
 89. Without a clear mirror, a woman 
 cannot know the state of her own face: 
 without a true friend, a man cannot discern 
 the errors of his own actions. 
 
 90. The evidence of others is not com- 
 parable to personal experience: nor is " I 
 heard" so good as " I saw." 
 
 91. The three greatest misfortunes in life 
 are, in youth to bury one's father, — at the 
 middle age to lose one/s wife, — and, being 
 old, to have no son. 
 
 92. A virtuous woman is a source of 
 honour to her husband: a vicious one 
 causes him disgrace. 
 
 93. It being asked, " Supposing a wi- 
 dowed woman to be very poor and desti- 
 tute, might she in such a case take a second
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 245 
 
 husband ?" — It was answered, " This ques- 
 tion arises merely from the fear of cold and 
 hunger : but to be starved to death is a 
 very small matter, compared with the loss 
 of her respectability/' 
 
 94. Those who cause divisions, in order 
 to injure other people, are in fact preparing 
 pitfalls for their own ruin. 
 
 95. Even the carriers of burthens may, 
 by honesty and diligence, obtain a suffi- 
 ciency. The Proverb says, " Every blade 
 of grass has its share of the dews of Hea- 
 ven :'' and " Though the birds of the forest 
 have no garners, the wide world is all be- 
 fore them.'' 
 
 96. Wisdom, and Virtue, and Benevo- 
 lence, and Rectitude, without Good-breed- 
 ing, are imperfect. 
 
 97. He who wishes to know the road 
 through the mountains, must ask those who
 
 246 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 
 
 have already trodden it. (i. e. we must look 
 for instruction to the experienced.) 
 
 98. Rich men look forward to the years 
 that are to come ; but the poor man has 
 time to think only of what is immediately 
 before him. 
 
 99- It is better to believe that a man 
 does possess good qualities, than to assert 
 that he does not. 
 
 100. The mischiefs of fire, or water, or 
 robbers, extend only to the body; but 
 those of pernicious doctrines, to the mind. 
 
 101. The original tendency of man^s 
 heart is to do right : and if a due caution 
 be observed, it will not of itself go wrong. 
 
 102. As it is impossible to please men in 
 all things, our only care should be to satisfy 
 our own consciences. 
 
 103. He who at once knows himself, and 
 knows others, will triumph as often as he 
 contends.
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, 8cC. 247 
 
 104. Though brothers are very near 
 relations, the difference of fortune widely 
 separates them. 
 
 105. Eat your three meals in the day, 
 and look forward to sleeping at night.* 
 
 106. A man's countenance is a sufficient 
 index of his prosperity or adversity, with- 
 out asking him any questions. 
 
 107. Adversity is necessary to the deve- 
 lopement of men's virtues. 
 
 108. It is too late to pull the rein when 
 the horse has gained the brink of the pre- 
 cipice: the time for stopping the leak is 
 passed, when the vessel is in the midst of 
 the river. 
 
 109. The scholar is acquainted with all 
 
 * " Carpe, mortalis, mea dona laetus, 
 Carpe, nee plantas alias require, 
 Sed s?Ltur panis, satur et soporis, 
 
 Caetera sperne.'
 
 248 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 
 
 things, without the trouble of going out of 
 doors. 
 
 110. He who advances may fight, but he 
 who retreats may take care of himself. 
 
 111. Those who respect themselves will 
 be honourable; but he who thinks lightly 
 of himself will be held cheap by the world. 
 
 112. Great promises are not followed by 
 corresponding actions. 
 
 113. It is easy to convince a wise man, 
 but to reason with a fool is a difficult un- 
 dertaking. 
 
 114. To meet with an old friend in a 
 distant country,* may be compared to the 
 delightfulness of rain after a long drought. 
 
 115. Speak of men's virtues as if they 
 were your own ; and of their vices, as if you 
 were liable to their punishment. 
 
 116. Diligence is a treasure of inestima- 
 
 Literally, " village.
 
 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 249 
 
 ble price; and prudence is the pledge of 
 security. 
 
 117. Mencius said, " All men concur in 
 despising a glutton, because he gives up 
 every thing that is valuable, for the sake of 
 pampering what is sq contemptible/' 
 
 118. Him, whose words are consistent 
 with reason, and whose actions are squared 
 by the rule of rectitude, what man shall 
 dare to oppose ? 
 
 119. Inattention to minute actions will 
 ultimately be prejudicial to a man's virtue. 
 
 120. To the contented, even poverty and 
 obscurity bring happiness : while to the 
 ambitious, wealth and honours themselves 
 are productive of misery. 
 
 121. As the lio;ht of a single star ting-es 
 the mountains of many regions ; so a single 
 unguarded expression affects the virtue of a 
 whole life. 
 
 122. Though a poor man should live in 
 
 s
 
 250 CHINESE PROVERBS, &C. 
 
 the midst of a noisy market, no one will 
 ask about him : though a rich man should 
 bury himself among the mountains, his re- 
 lations will come to him from a distance. 
 
 123. Knowledge is boundless, but the 
 capacity of one man is limited. 
 
 124. A single hair of silk does not make 
 a thread ; one tree does not make a grove. 
 
 125. A single conversation across the 
 table with a wiseman, is better than ten 
 years mere study of books. 
 
 126. Prudence will carry a man all over 
 the world; but the impetuous find every 
 step difficult. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 London : Printed by C. Rowonb, 
 Bctt-yard, Temple-bar.
 
 University of California 
 
 SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 305 De Neve Drive - Parking Lot 17 • Box 951388 
 
 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90095-1388 
 
 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed.
 
 nil i'iil'1l^i,!u'J'l'''^"''^^ LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 mill III iiiiliiilllllllllll ,„ 
 
 AA 000 602 990 4 
 
 .u 
 
 L 
 
 3 
 
 1158 01261 8 
 
 11
 
 
 ^■ii 
 
 iililiii; 
 
 § 
 
 t 1 
 
 i i 
 
 ^'"""'""''" 
 
 S&J ) 1 >S*«*<A«Af J T