6 = 6 = 5 = 1— 31 — ^ 33 8 — 5 1 5^5 1 = n THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES s^ isiris OF CiJniXX16Co8C6C oSCfiCHXcoSC. l()^^[) jx Hrekn^. T^ M < L»w^-'? > ^^ ^« m ^.m ^^^^^fr* : M, .^-aviea i/^^-- 'o'7a-JC13a«D3 ,_lj»>i,>^. NOTICES OF CHINESE SEALS /nimii in ^xtknt BY EDMUND GETTY, M.R.I.A. READ BEFORE THE BELFAST LITERARY SOCIETY, ON THE 6th may, 1850. DUBLIN: HODGES & SMITH, GRAFTON-STREET. BELFAST:— MARCUS WARD & Co. 1850. CD NOTICES OF CHINESE SEALS FOUND IN IRELAND. In giving the following notices to the Public, I must be con- sidered as a collector of the fruits of the labour of others, rather than as an original enquirer. Several years have elapsed since my attention was first di- rected to the very singular Seals that form the subject of this communication, and I have, on various occasions, brought before the members of the Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society some facts concerning them. One found in a neigh- bouring county having been presented to their Museum, by Mr. Osborne, and another dug up at Kircassock, the proi)erty of Mr. Christy, having been exhibited by his permission at one of the meetings, caused an interest to be taken in the sul)ject, which was further promoted by the enquiries of my friend Mr. Joseph Huband Smith, of Dublin, a gentleman who lias given much attention to Irish Antiquities, and who kindly presented to the same collection casts of several Seals that had come under his notice. This gentleman has endeavoured to pro- cure notes of all the Porcelain Seals discovered from time to time in Ireland, and Mr. Joseph William Murphy, of Belfast, has also made very minute investigations with the same view. It is evident that the opening of the intercourse with China, during the last few years, renders it very desirable to have this list made as perfect as possible, so that Seals found in this country may be distinguished from those imported at a late period, though as far as my enquiries go, I have not met with any Chinese Seal of late introduction identical with those now under consideration. The seals referred to, by a writer in the " Athenaeum," (No. 648, of 20th March, 1840, who is described as "a Chinese scholar,") "as long and rectangular, and terminat- ino- at one end in an animal, and very commonly met with in collections," have no connection with the seals now men- tioned. At a meeting of the Royal Irish Academy, held on the ninth of December, 1839, Mr. Smith read a paper descriptive of up- wards of a dozen found within six or seven years previously, and in places very distant from each other. "He exhibited to the Academy one of these Seals, with "impressions of several others in Sealing-wax. He stated " that they were all uniform, consisting of an exact cube, having 5 " by way of handle, some animal (probably an ape) seated upon " it ; and that they were so precisely similar in size and <^eneral " appearance, as to be indistinguishable, except by the charac- " ters on the under surface. Little is known respecting these " Seals, beyond the mere fact of their having been found in this " country." '• An extract from the Chinese grammar of Abel Re3IUSAT, " showed that the inscriptions on these Seals, are those of a "very ancient class of Chinese characters, 'in use since the " time of Confuscius,' who is supposed to have flourished in the "middle of the sixth century, B.C." " The remote period to which these characters are assigned, "leaves open a wide field for conjecture as to the time in which "these Porcelain Seals found their way into this country." " The situations in which some of them have been found are " remarkable. One was discovered in ploughing a field near " Borrisokane, county of Tipperary, in 1832 ; another was found " last year at Killead, in the county of Down ; another in the "bed of the river Boyne, near Clonard, in the county of Meath, " in raising gravel ; and a fourth was discovered many years " ago, at a short distance from Dublin." " From the extreme degree of heat to which they appear to " have been subjected, and the conseciuent vitrification whicli " has, in some measure taken place, they are quite as capable of 6 " resisting the attacks of time, as the Glass and Porcelain deities " and ornaments found in the mummy cases in Egypt, and may " have lain for an indefinite period beneath the surface of the " earth. It is, therefore, at least possible, that they may have " arrived hither from the East, along with the weapons, orna- " ments, and other articles of commerce, which were brought " to these islands, by the ships of the great merchant princes of " anti(|uity, the Phoenicians, to whom our ports and harbours " Avere well known." Mr Smith then called the attention of the Academy to the remarkable discovery, by Rosellini, Lord Prudhoe, and other recent travellers, of unquestionable Chinese vases in the tombs of Egypt. He read a passage from Davis's China, in which some of them were described ; and also, an extract from Wil- kison's ancient Egyptians, from which it appeared that the number of Chinese vases, found at Coptos, Thebes, and else- where, amounted to seven or eight, and that the inscriptions on them had been translated by Chinese Scholars to mean, " The flower opens, and lo ! another year," being a line from an ancient Chinese poem."-' *It is proper to state that Sir J. Francis Davis, when speaking on the subject says, " the portion of the internal evidence which most militates against the high antiquity of these specimens is the form of the character, which certainly is not that which the Chinese ascribe to their remotest periods." He in consequence imagines these Vessels may belong to a period so late as the Roman, or even the Arabian commerce with that country. " From this the trade of China with distant conntries, at a " period of the remotest antiquity, being clearly proved, Mr. " Smith submitted to the Academy, that a case of strong pro- " babilty had been made out, that the Porcelain Seals found " their way into Ireland at some very distant period. In fact, " if they be not of modern introduction into this country — a " supposition which the situations in which several of them "have been found seems utterly to preclude — their arrival " here must of necessity have been most ancient." Notices of the same communication are also to be found in the " London and Edinburgh Philosophical Magazine," Volume 16, No. 102, for March, 1840 ; also, in the " Belfast Commercial Chronicle," of 18th March, 1840, and in the following Nos. of the "Athenaeum," No. 646, 14th March, No. 648, 28th March, and No. 653, of 2nd May, 1840. On the occasion of a lecture on Babylonian inscriptions, de- livered by Mr. Isaac Cullimore, on the 16th December, 1841, before the Natural History and Philosophical Society here, some reference having been made to these Seals, Mr. Hyndman })ro- duced one from the collection of Irish Antiquities, when I ex- pressed an opinion that the marks on the seal represented a written character, but my view was generally opposed by the gentlemen who took a part in the discussion. Soon after I took a few of these seals to London, in the hope of procuring some 8 information that might enable us to trace their history, and there they excited considerable interest. On the same occa- sion I submitted to my friend Mr. William Ogilby, — than whom no one is better qualified to give an opinion, — the animal that forms the handle of these seals ; for it seemed unquestionable that the artist who modelled it had before him some species of the creature represented, and that however inaccurately it might be moulded, that still it would possess the general characters of an animal he had seen, and would not be altogether a work of fancy. Thus, if it exhibited any specific character, however rude, I considered that one proof had been obtained of the original country of the work in question. This gentleman immediately declared it must have been modelled after the Chinese monkey, that is to say, that the workman who shaped it, must have seen a monkey, to be ena- bled to give it the form, however imperfect, and that this monkey was the Chinese. Sir John Francis Davis, in reply to an ap- plication made to him, wrote the following note on the character. Hollywood, by Bristol, 1th May, 1843. Sir, Just before I had the pleasure to receive your note of the 4th inst., I enclosed to our friend. Sir George Staunton, all that I knew about those strange Chinese seals, and he will be 9 happy to communicate the paper to you on your return. Their substance is perfectly imperishable, and the characters suifi- ciently ancient for any assignable date within our reach. " The wonder is how the D 1 they got there." I agree with you in thinking it improbable that any one should have been so "superfluous" as to journey about the most distant parts of Ire- land, for the purpose of hiding them in those peat-bogs, burial grounds, and beds of rivers, &c., where mere chance has led to their discovery. Mr. Crofton Croker, and Captain Beaufort, drew my attention to the subject of the seals, about tAVO years since. The latter told me that at least GO years have elapsed since one of them was dug up, to his own knowledge. The characters upon them being mere names, do not admit of trans- lation ; but they are perfectly recognizable as the ancient seal characters of China, often used at the present day on the seals of public and ]5rivate persons. I have the honour to remain. Sir, Your most obdt. servt., J. F. DAVIS. William Of^iLBr, Esq , GoweV' Street, London. Here my enquiries would most probably have terminated had I not found a zealous auxiliary, in my friend and relative Mr, 10 J. W. Murphy, who determined to pursue the investigation, by endeavouring to ascertain the history of every specimen of these seals found in Ireland, and to procure casts or impressions from them, with the view, as already mentioned, of having those un- doubtedly discovered in Ireland identified, so as to be for ever distinguished from others introduced lately from China. Mr. Murphy has kindly placed in my hands, for the information of the Society, a detail of his enquiries, as far as they have proceeded, and has also furnished me with copies of impressions from a considerable number found in various parts of Ireland, as w^ell as of other inscriptions in the seal character, taken from works of art in his possession.""' The appointment of a very intimate friend, Mr. J. G. Come- late, to an office under government, at Hong Kong, gave me an opportunity of extending my enquiries respecting these seals, into the Celestial Empire itself ; and soon aftei* the arrival of that gentleman in China, he made the following communication, dated Victoria, Hong Kong, 1st September, 1845. ■'■ ""■ "' " I have now the satisfaction to inform you that the characters of the seal" (either 2 or 2G of the present collection,) " of which you gave me the impression, have been immediately recognised to be Chinese, as soon as the Rev. Mr. Gutzlaff, (the Chinese Secretary to the Government,) showed it to a learned * In Plates 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, 14, 15. , 11 Chinese, who said, ' they are Chinese seal characters, namely, only used for seals, particularly in old times.' These characters differ from those commonly used now-a-dajs, in writing or printing, J A JbjL which should be ^ M "^xT Sealed or shut. HOO FUNG This translation will perhaps appear unsuitable and insulse ; but it is quite correct, for the people of Hindostan are wont to close their letters with common paste, and sometimes with- out any, but they write outside a curse or ill omen to him wiio shall attempt to open the letter, Avhich is in consequence res- pected. The Chinese, who, perhaps were, or are more honest than the Hindoos, formerly insured the contents of their let- ters from the inspection of the curious, by merely warning, by means of the stamp or a writing, which said, closed, shut, sealed, and this was siifncient." " If the above remarks are not sufficient to convince, you will perhaps be satisfied by reflecting that were the characters not Chinese, they could not have been read, nor conveyed the same idea to several persons. Besides, I have a drawing, or print, representing the Goddess of Mercy and of the Sea, (it is like the Virgin and Child, with the halo, a sceptre in the hand, tlic Tvosary and Dove). This has three seals on the top, two of which are of the same character as your Seal. It was given to 12 General D'Aguilar, by the Buddist Priest of the Temple of Fo, in Amoj, and is intended to be sent to the Belfast Museum." " It is singular that every Province (as large as any European Kingdom) has its own spoken dialect, or language, not under- stood by the others ; but the written language is the same throughout the Empire. Every Chinese, from the highest to the lowest class, and in every remote and wild corner of the Empire, knows how to write and to understand it ; but reading according to the dialect of his own Province. Thus, a native Chinese, in travelling through the Empire, has only to write his wishes and dispenses with an interpreter." The next communication I received, respecting the impres- sion of a Seal, was dated the 27th of February, 1846, when Mr CoMELATE writes, " I have shown the impression of your Seal""' to a Chinese scholar of Nankin, who gives this translation of the ancient Seal characters into those now in use, thus, — y] ^\ -y / ^^ A acqua currens comparrre lapis 4 3 2 1 water (by thej running appear stones which comes to the ancient Latin adage, Gutta cavat lapidem, and more particularly so, if the word cavat is taken in the * This Seal was No. 3, the one now in the Belfast Museum. 13 sense of 'To scoop out,' and not 'to make a hole.' The motto is really beautiful, meaning ' Constancy or Perseverance.' " With the view of procuring more satisfactory information, I forwarded impressions of a considerable number of these Seals to my friend in April, 1846 ; and under date of the 24th June, of the same year, he says in reply, "' "-' - " I have received the impressions of your Seals;"' there should be 26, as numbered; but 19 and 20 are wanting, as there is not the least appearance of the impressions having dropped off, I am inclined to think the two squares have never been filled up. I was very careful in opening the letter. On this day month I shall send you the translations with the modern written characters. I did not receive the Newspaper, containing your notice of the Chinese Seals, where you made honorable mention of my name, but I read a quotation from it in the London Mail." A letter dated the 29th of October, 1846, contains the follow- ing paragraph : — " herewith you will find two translations of your Seals, which gave me more trouble than anything I have at- tempted. The second differs from the other, which is by 3Ir. Gutzlaff. I intend to send the impressions to Shanghai, for another translation, and lest it should go astray send me ano- ther copy, numbered to agree with the one I have, so that I can compare them one with the other." * Plates 1 and 2. Nos. 1 to 2G. 14 I. — Mr. Gutzlaff's translation.- 1. — To sing about the Wind and handle the Moon. 2. — Sealed, (same as No. 26.) 3. — As soon as the waterfalls the rocks appear (come to light.) 4. — To have the same ex^^ansive heart as Heaven and Earth. 5. — Eespectfully Sealed. 6. — Some friend. 7, — A lucky month. 8. — For one day practice virtue. 9. — A pure heart, (same as 13.) 10. — The heart, though small, most generous. 11. — A square in the water, (same as No. 21.) 12. — Heaven is high. 13. — A pure heart, (same as 9.) 14. — The azure cloud, (the mediator,) (same as IG.) 15. — To push one forward amongst men. 16. The azure cloud, (the mediator,) (same as 14.) 17. — An inferior scholar, who yields all to Heaven. 18. — Heaven and water are of the same colour. 19.) I Were not at this time printed. 20.J 21. — A square in the water, (same as 11.) 22. — Long is the river, high the mountain. t Into modern Chinese, Plates 5, 6, 7, 8. 15 23. — Long is the river. 24. — Pure is the breeze on' the stream. 25. — Never thought about it. 26. — Sealed, (same as No. 2.) II. — THE SECOND TRANSLATION"''- This seems less satisfactory than Mr. Gutzlaff's ; but I consi- der it right to insert it here, in connexion with this enquiry. As the original is written in Italian, by one of the Priests of the Propaganda, in China, I copy it in that language, translating as literally as possible. It will be observed that there is a distant resemblance in idea to the other translation, and that the same fact of the identity of Xos. 2 and 26, and Nos. 11 and 21, is referred to ; also, of 14 and 16 ; 5 and 6, however, are decidedly distinct, though treated in this translation as the same. Mr. Gutzlaff translates Nos. 2 and 26, Funghoo, sealed ; the second translator, Hou-fom,un plicodi lettere, a bundle of letters. No. 1. — Sin tou mei ky, pronounced, seen tho mei chee ; amabile recordanza di (questoj sincere sigillo ; sweet, or amiable, remembrance of this sincere Seal. 2. — Hou fom, pronounced, Hu fong ; un plico di lettere, a packet of letters. 3. — Xuei Kiao hdei \Cm, pronounced, Shuei chiao hoei chu; Into modern Chinese, Plates 9, 10, 11, 12. 16 L'aqua, orgoglisce nel flusso e riflusso : — the water grows proud in its flux and reflux. 4. — K6 Kuo tien fom, pronounced, Kaw kooaw tien fong ; II cielo spirituale di un regno calamitoso ; — The spiri- tual heaven of a calamitous reign, 5 & 6. — Kin fom, pronounced, Chin fong ; Plico venerabile : — A Packet worthy of veneration. 7. — Tchuin ky, pronounced, Chong chee ; grave ricordanza : Serious or painful remembrance. 8. — Tchamkyhoeitcham/jr(?nozt?ic(?c?changchee hoei chang; Retorna la freeccia a chi confida in se stesso : — The arrow returns to him who trusts to himself. 9. — Tou kieu vvam ttham, p^ronounced, Tho cheoo voohog chang ; (quando) un re si estende, la terra, o il globo rimane deserta, omendica oppure un regno estesso di una terra incolta : — When a kins: extends himself or his territory, the earth or the globe becomes a wilder- ness or poor ; or, an extended kingdom of an unculti- vated land. A o _ 10. — Fan xu tou tcham, j^^onounced, Fan shoo tho chang ; Vano aumento dell' ej^istola forastiera, oppure, sigillo esteso deir estranea lettera : — A vain or useless addi- tion of a foreign letter ; or, an extended Seal of a fo- reign letter. 17 11&21. — U tcham xueii MdiS., pronounced, oo cliang slioei nai ; I'aqua paziente uii lungo parlar, oppure, di lungo par- lar I'acqua paziente : — The water bears with patience a long speech ; or, the patient water of a long speech. C — A _ 12. — i fom kao kia, pronounced, Ye fong kao chiah ; una casa grande o nobile si riduce in un sol cumolo o mucchio; — a great or noble house is reduced to a heap of ruins. 13. — Tou xuei pien tcham, pronounced thoe shoei pien chang, una tavola estesa dell a descritta acqua ; — A wide table of the above mentioned water. 14 & 16. — Vvei sine xe nai, pronounced oovei sine the nai ; pria dello storico la neve non e : — The snow is not before history or the historian. 15. — Ya pa ky nai, pronounced jah pah chee nahi avanti larrivo di una giusta, e retta unione o congresso : — Before the arrival of a just and upright assembly or Congress. 17. — Kiao tien vvam kieii, pronounced chiao thien oovang chieu ; un regno mendico del cielo superbo : — A poor realm of the proud heaven. 18. — Xuei tien tcham pao, pronounced shoei thien chang psho, I'aqua e il cielo abbracciano una grand 'estensione o sono molto estesi : — AVater and heaven embrace a wide extent ; or, are much extended. c 18 22. — Toan kao xuei kau, ^yroyiounced toan kaoshoeikan; solo il magnate o il grande tiar puo della sommita deir alture Tacque : — The Grandee alone can draw waters from the summits of the mountains. 23. — Xuei iom,2)ronounce(hh.oei fong ; Tacqua, e il yento : su- perstizione Cinense ; AVater and wind ; tJuit is a Chi- nese superstition. 24 — Yavram kiaotOLi,/>7'07iozmc(?^,yeahooahngchiaotae; Due re alterevanno i limiti del lor ristretto o regno : — Two kings will alter the limits of their district or kingdom. 25. — Toan kim i si, pronounced toan chim ye see : costa di un sol canal lapiagaoppostacioel'occidentemagnifico costa di un sol canale, o fmme: — The opposite side, or the magnificent AVest has a coast or bank of a single canal or stream. The following note is appended to this translation. " It is to be remarked, that all these as well as all other Chinese Seals, invariably express proper names, or those marking some dignity; and, besides, the greatest part contain various superstitions, agreeably to the capricious taste of each person ; nor can the Chinese themselves understand them, nor give any reason or ex])lanation." Mr. Comelate, who was indefatigable in his endeavours to l)rocure information on this interesting subject, again writes 19 from Hong Kong, on the 24tli of July, 1848 : " I have just now received from Shanghae, the translations of your seals, which I send here in, with the remarks of my correspondent." The trans- lator informs me that the same characters are now in use, and expressed doubt about the originals being found in an Irish bog." Shanghae's translations. 1. To sing with the wind and play with the moon. 2 & 26. — Securely Sealed, 3. — When the water falls, the stone appears. 4Sl1 6. — Virtue great as heaven and earth. 5. — Carefully sealed. 6. — Plum trees and bamboos. 7. — The moon at night. 9 & 13. — A pure heart. 10._My little heart goes a thousand miles (to meet you.) 11 & 21.— In a land amidst the waters (far away.) 12.— A rush cottage or arbour (rurality.) 14. — A man of purity of mind. 15._To excuse one's self and lay the blame on others. 17.— Intimate with all the Savans of the world. 18._Water and sky of the same hue. 19 & 20.— {Wanting.) 22.— Lofty mountains and far spreading waters. 20 23. — Far spreading waters. 24. — The pure breeze on the river's bosom. 25. — I never had such a thought. A letter dated Hong Kong, the 23rd of June, 1849, is as fol- lows— "B}' the last Mail of the 24th May, I sent you, among the government despatches for the Colonial Office, (where you should apply, if it is not forwarded to you,) a large envelope, containing two translations of your seals, which I hope will now be in your possession." These translations apply to the Porcelain Seals, and also to the other inscriptions collected by Mr. Murphy. I shall, in the first place, copy here those of the 26 Irish Seals, originally sent out, and then in their proper order, the translations of the other Irish seals, afterwards procured, together with those of various Chinese inscriptions on seals attached to works of art, known to be from that country ; and other inscriptions, of which copies are given in Plates 13, 14, 15. These were mingled with the Irish seals, as a means of testing the accuracy of opinions expressed by parties who were applied to for information. Of the additional Irish seals, impressions are found as follows : — Plate 2 ; Nos. 27, 28, 29. Plate 3 ; I^os. 43, 44, 45, 4G, 47. Plate 4 : Nos. 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61. The first set of translations are by Thomas Taylor Meadows, Esq., Chinese Interpreter to the British Consulate at Canton, and arc as follows : — 21 1. — Ying fang lung yue ; Ringing in the breeze and playing under the moon. " An allusion to people amusing them- selves out of doors, in a cool moonlight night." 2. — Hoo Fung; Protecting the closure. "The Chinese, after pasting down the flap of an Envelope, (generally with with a few grains of cold boiled rice) seal over the open- ing, so that one half of the impression is on the flap and the other on the main part of the Envelope. The im- pression, made with a red ink, or thin paste, composed of red sulphurate of Mercury and oil, thus " protects the closure." 3.— Shwuy lo shih chuh ; When the water falls the stones will appear. "A common way of expressing, metaphori- cally, the true facts of any case or event coming to light, in consequence of the disappearance of obscuring cir- cumstances." 4. — Che sung seem se ; Mind like heaven and earth. Heaven and earth are the Dual powers from which all things spring— deities, in fact, whose attributes are the highest degree of justice, greatness of mind, &c." 5.— Kin fung ; Strictly guarding the closure. (Compare note under No. 2.) 6.— Mei Yew ; A friend like the mei flower. " This is the flower of a kind of plane-tree, which is held in peculiar estimation by the Chinese.' 22 7.—Yay yue ; The moon of night. " This is merely an allu- sion to the beauty of a moonlight night." 8. — The impression not to he deciphered. 9. — Yih peen ping sin ; A pure heart. 10. — Tsun sin tseen le; An inch long heart extending a thousand le. "A le is about one-third of an English mile, the expression alludes to the thoughts of friends exten- ding to each other at tlie greatest distances." 11. — Tsae shwuy yih fang; Must be in the neighbourhood of the water. "This is an extract from the Chinese classic, called the Book of Odes, where it is used by a man, who, not seeing his friend was conjecturing where he might be, hence used for a seal to be impressed on letters be- tween friends at a distance." 12. — Yih tsaon ting ; A portico of straw. "Porticoes or sheds are erected on many roads, in China, for wayfarers to rest under ; these, at a distance from large towns, have often straw or malva-leaf roofs. The inscriptions used on seals, are, to say the least, as numerous as those on English fancy seals and wafers, and like those on the latter, have often no apparent or even real connection with a written correspondence of any description." 13. — Yih peen ping sin. {Same as No. 9.) 14. — Owing to the indistinctness of the imp>ressions , only the two 23 last words of four, on this seal, can he made out These are Ahung j in ; middleman. 15. — Tuy ke keih jin ; Put one's self in the place of others. " Equivalent to the Christian ' do unto others as you would be done by." 16. — Seeras to he the same as No, 14. 17. — Keaon teen hea sze; Intimate with all the literati of the empire. 18. — Shwuy teen yih sih ; The sky and the water of the same colour, 19. — Tsae shwuy che mei ; Must be among the plants on the banks of the stream. {Compare No, 11.) 20. — Same as No. 5. 21. — Same as No. 11. 22. — Shan kaon shwuy shang ; High mountains and long streams 23. — Shwuy shang ; A long stream. 24. — Keang shang tsing fung ; The pure breeze on the river. 25.— Wei che sze yay; Men do not think of it (virtue.) " This is an extract from the Sun yu of Confucius." 26. — Same as No. 2. Another set of translations into both modern Chinese and English, was received from Mr. Gutzlaff, as follows:— The Chinese character, being printed in plates 16, 17, 18, 19 24 No. 1. — To sing about the (wind), play with the moon. 2. — Closing of a letter. 3. — When the water falls the stones appear. 4. — The virtue on a par with heaven and earth. 5. — Eespectfully closed (a letter). 6. — There is somebody. 7.— Woo ! City. 8. — A State exercising charity. 9. — One i^ure heart. 10. — An inch of heart (that expands) a thousand le (ex- treme generosity). 11. — On the brink of the water. 12. — A rural capula. 13. — The same as JVo. 10. "" 14. — A watery cloud coming down upon a man. 15. — To ap2)ly it from one's self to other. 16. — Same as No, 14. 17 — A scholar who has intercourse with the whole empire. 18. — ^Water of the same descrij^tion as heaven. 19. — With No. 11 the same, \ 20. — The same as No. .5. 21. — The same as No. 11. * Perhaps 9 is intended. ' t There seems some error here, but it is so in the original. 25 22. — The hills high, the streams long. 23. — Long streams. 24. — On the river is a pure breeze. 25 — Have not thought about it- 26. — The same as No. 2. The following are the copies of the other translations men- tioned at page 20. The Irish Seals are distinguished by the star prefixed. By Mr. Meadows. ■^' 27. — Ban ; to praise — " this is probably the individual (bap- tismal) name of the person who used the seal." 30. — Too yin heo chung — " Too is a surname, heo chung is an individual or (as we would say) a baptismal name. The word yin marks this." 31. — The impression not to he deciphet^ed. 32. — Yew Chuh ; Friendly to the Bamboo. " The bamboo tree is a very elegant object, as it grows in China." "-■ 33. — Shan gin ; Literally a man of the mountains. " Is used of hermits, and also, China monks or bonzes." 34. — Impression not to he depcipher ed. 3-5. — Ping hoo ; Literally ice vessel, "signifies a pure heart." * Mr. Thomas Dawson, 23, East-side Bethnal-green, under date 1 1 th November, ] 848, sends the following notice of this Seal: — "No 32 contains two Chinese Seal characters; 1st jew, a friend ; chiih, the bamboo ; that is, the Seal of Mr. Yew, chiih," — E.G. D 2G " There is a line of Chinese poetry running : — Yih peen ping sin tsae yu hoo — a pure heart in a vessel of pre- cious stone ; * a word or two of which is often taken to express a pure heart.' " 36. — Lin fun gow yin ; — " Lin is a surname, and fun gow is an individual name." 37. — Le Shway ; — " A surname and individual name." 40. — Kwei Ting ; — " An individual name." 41. — Shaon Ke; — "An individual name. 42 & ""■ 43. — Not to he deciphered. ■"' 44. — Same as No. 5. ^'- 45. — Same as No. 11. "" 46. — Not to he deciphered. "• 47. — Sarae as No. 5. * 48. — Yih die tan kwei ; a branch of white olive. ^:- 49. — ^Wan ching woo tsae ; A fine composition (or piece of writing) when perfected, is beautiful as the five colours. " the five colours are azure, yellow, red, white and black, which the Chinese regard as perfect or simple colours, from which the others are obtained by mixture." ^'" 50. — Tih e : to obtain one's wish. '■''' 51. — Yue sill Ko jin ; the lovely appearance of the moon. ^' 52. — Same as No. 49. ^' 53. — Same as No. 9. 27 "" 54. — Not to he deciphered. The numbers from "' 55 to "■ 61, inclusive, can only he partially deciphered (and hence cannot he translated). No. *60, alone ex- cepted, luhich is the same as No. 5. A. — Chung tung wae chili chin keun tsze ; Leen Ke. Within penetrating, without upright ; a true gentleman (or a truly honorable man) — " this is a comparison between the lotus and the keun tsze, honorable man or gentle- man, the lotus grows in purity in the water ; its stem is upright and is in the inside tun(/, a word which signifies permeable and also mesms penetratiny when applied to the human mind." " The words Leen Ke are the name of the writer." B. — Kung Kuh sang heang; perfuming the unoccupied valleys. " This refers to the Ian hwa,— a species of Epi- dendium which grows in retired valleys, and alludes metaphorically to the scholar who retires from the busy world, and occupies himself with literary pursuits." C— Yah che han mei yew too chun ; When a branch of the winter plum tree blossoms spring is near. D. — Chun ching w^oo choo poh fei hwa ; in the spring the air in inhabited places is filled with flying flowers. F. a H. I. K. L. & M., "form a poetical efiusion of the poet 28 Foo poo on the writings of a contemporary Le tae pih, one of the most celebrated of the Chinese poets. The order in which the present separate paragraphs stand in the original is as follows:" — H. — Pih yay she woo teih ; The poetry of Pih is unequalled. M. — Peaon jen sze pah kean ; Easy and flowing, his ideas differ from those of the many. K. — Tsing sin yu kae foo ; His poetry is pure and fresh like that of Yu the Kae foo. (K = * — Tsen yih ; Paou tsan keun ; Elegant and free like that of Paou, the tsan keun.) Y, — Wei pih chun teen shoo ; I look from wei pih and only see the trees of Spring. I. — Keang tung jih moo yun ; I look towards Keang tung but see only the clouds of the evening. O. — Ho she yih pei tsew : When shall we together enjoy a cup of wine ? L- — Chung yu lun se wan ; and again minutely discuss literary composition, t * K* is not in the paper sent me, but I have inserted it because completing the original poem. — t.t.m. t The seals at the ends of the several lines have no connection with the poem. The Kae foo mentioned, under K, and the Tsan Keun, under K*, are official titles. — T.T.M. 29 The following is the literal rendering of the Seals attached to the inscriptions distinguished by the capital letters, as given above : — H. — Keih sing ; a fortunate star. M. — Ping tsing ; the purity of ice or ice-like purity (see No. 35). K. — Sang tzae ; to create wealth. F. — Chung tean ; the central heavens. I.— Yu hoo ; a vessel of precious stone (see No. 35.) Gr.— Fung lae ; the wind comes. L.— Ta taou ; the great principles- By Mr. Gutzlaff. * 27 — Praise. 30.— Carefully (impress) the seals and study ancient lore. 31. — Take water. 32.— Grass grass. 33. — Lie down. 34.— Tieh ke ; (a man's name, gaudy keepsake.) 35.— Smoke. 30._Seal of Gowlin fung. 37. — To prolong. 40. — A bower of the laurus cassia. 41 .—To continue fundamental principles. 42.— Heaven has brought forth one water. 30 -"'43. — The same as No. 14. •j;- 44^ — The same as No. 5. ""'45. — In one part of the water. ■j:- 4(5, — The same as No. 16. "-47. — With No. 5 the same. r. 48, — One red branch of the laurus cassia. -"- 49.— And beam five (different) colours. -''■ 50.— Display. -"- 51. — An amiable, beautiful person. --- 52. — The same as No. 49. i^- 53. — The same as No, 9, it 54. — The same as the former reversed. * 55. — The wind amongst the fir trees, and (the reflection) of the moon in the water. * 56.— The water of the placid river is approaching. * 57, — An even life (as steady as) metal and rock. * 58. — A wooden man (and) a seal. * 59. — A beam in a vessel. * 60. — Same as No. 5. * 61.— A dark cloud.* A. — He is truly a superior man who, intellectual in himself, is upright towards others — the classic of reason. * " Some of the cliaracters were indistinct, and Lad to be guessed." This remark applies to all this series. 31 B. — The empty valley produces perfumes. C. — By one branch of the cold plum-tree (that blossoms in winter), you may know the spring. D. — In the vernal city there is no place whither the (leaves of) flowers are not flying. F. — North of the Wee (river), there is the vernal celestial tree. On the Seal — In Heaven. G. — At what time a bottle of wine ? On the Seal— The, same with Heaven. H.— Pih (le tae pih the poet), has in poetry no compeer. On the Seal — A lucky star. J. — East of the river are the evening clouds. On the Seal— A vessel of a precious stone. K.— Yu, the treasurer, composed chaste, and new odes. On the Seal — Acquire riches. L.— A Treatise containing minute joint discussions. On the Seal — Great principle. M. — Rapid thoughts are of an uncommon nature. On the Seal — The water is pure. It may perhaps be expected that I should endeavour to ac- count for these Chinese Seals being found in Ireland. I must, liowever, confess I have been unable to discover any clue to the mystery ; most probably the explanation may be of a very simple kind That examples of these Seals have been dis- 32 covered from time to time during the last 80 years is well attested, and the situations where they have been found lead to the inference that they had lain in the earth for a consider- able time previously. It is, however, unfortunate that the particulars have not been preserved in every case with such accuracy as to lead to any general rule respecting them. The following instances however may be mentioned as shewing the circumstances in which some of them have been found. Mr. Osborne states with respect to No. 3, now in the Belfast Museum, that it was found in the townland of Tullychin, in the Parish of Killileagh, about the year 1842 or 1843, in a piece of ground very much covered with furze, and which apparently had never been cultivated. Another Seal was found at the same time and place, stated to be of the same material, but of a buff colour: it was also of a different shape, and had a hole through the handle, which does not appear to have had the form of an animal. The impression left on the memory of the persons who saw it, is, that the inscription resembled our letters, CM. This specimen was unfortunately lost by the man who found it"" having given it to a friend, who carried it to Scotland, and he cannot now recover it. Judging from this description, it may have been one of the seals of Steatite, so common in Chinese collections. * O'Prej, of Derrjboj. 33 No. 5 is in the possession of Mr. Henry Montgomery, of Carlow, who states that the seal was found at the north side of that town, on or about the site of an old road which has been closed up since the year 1798. This road led through an ex- tensive quarry to the Roman Catholic Grave- Yard ; and it was while removing some hills of cla.y over which it was carried, that the seal was found by a workman in the employment of Mr. Montgomery's father, the proprietor of the property. It lay at an inconsiderable depth from the surface. No. 7 was found in a bog, near the town of Mountrath, in Queen's County, about 70 years ago, by a turf-cutter, who handed it to his employer. Captain Cashin, who was present, and that gentleman gave it, as a curiosity, to the late Rev. Doctor Beaufort. No. 12 was found in the orchard of Mr. James Christy, of Kircassock, County of Down, about 35 or 40 years ago, by per- sons employed in taking out the roots of an old pear tree. — The particulars I have heard from Mr. Christ}^ upon the very spot where the seal was found, and they were satisfiictory, as shewing that from the age of the tree, it must have lain for a long time in the place where it was accidentally discovered. Any facts ascertained respecting the other seals, will be found in the list given in the last page of these notices. E 34 Several means have been suggested by which these Chinese Seals may have found their way into this country. One of these, which supposes them identical with the rectangular seals so often seen in collections, has been already alluded to ; and I may further remark respecting it, that I have never known an example of the Porcelain Seals that form the subject of this paper being observed in such collections. Enquiry has been made most extensively through the curiosity shops, in London, to endeavour to procure similar seals, and in places where sailors were likely to dispose of articles introduced by them after foreign voyages, but without success. Chinese Seals of Steatite, with and without inscriptions, are to be met with in large quantities. They are to be seen in shoj^-windows; and very few travellers return from China without having a number of them. The valuable collection presented to the Belfast Museum by Mr. Gordon A. Thomson, contains several speci- mens of these, but none of porcelain. I may add, that in Lon- don, a gentleman found in an old curiosity shop one of these Porcelain Seals, Xo. 20, identical with those found in this country, which the shopkeeper, when pressed to endeavour to recollect how he obtained it, stated he had purchased from '4 man who said it had been found in Ireland, and information since received induces a belief that it was one of four sold out of a private collection in Dublin. 35 It has been supposed by other parties, that these seals have been introduced accidentally in tea chests ; but they cannot account for Ireland alone having been the country where all the packages containing them have been opened. Another supposition is, that they may have been brought to this country by persons connected with Lord Macartney's embassy, and thus spread over the country : it is, however, worthy of remark, that amongst the valuable collections made by that nobleman, and preserved by his representatives, there are no specimens of these seals. In a rare work, " Liber de mensura orbis terra?,"''" by Dicuil, an Irish Monk, who flourished in the early part of the Ninth Century, there is rather an interesting notice, Avhich may be con- sidered as bearing in some degree on the present subject. It is where he mentions a party of Irish, both lay and cleric, who undertook a journey to Jerusalem, for purposes of devotion, and the particulars he received from his friend Fidelis, in whose veracity he had the greatest confidence. This company of devotees appears to have been impelled by a laudable curiosity, as well as by religious zeal. They sailed up the Nile ; saw the Pyramids, which they describe as the seven * RechercliesGeograplilqueset critiques ueuvieme siecle par Dicuil ; suivies du surlelivreDe mensura Orbis Terras com- 1 texte restitue par. A. Letronue.— pose en Irlande, au commencement du' Paris, 1814. 36 granaries of St. Joseph, and measured them. Afterwards they crossed by means of a navigable canal from the Nile to the Red Sea, influenced by a wish to examine the spot where Moses and the Israelites had passed. From the manner in which Dicuil mentions these several circumstances, it is evident that the fact of Irish travellers visiting the East did not appear to him surprising, and it is therefore not impossible that our Chinese Seals may have reached this distant Island, by the in- tervention of such Pilgrims. That Chinese vases have been found in Egyptian tombs, has been already mentioned, and this perhaps establishes another link in the chain of communication. 37 ADDITIONAL NOTE ON PAGE 35. The following extract is made from the work of Dicuil, as the original is seldom met with. The introductory part of the work by the French editor is also interesting and worthy of perusal : — Quanquam in libris alicujus auctoris fluminis Xili partem in Rubrum mare exire nequaquara legimus ; tamen affirmaus Fidelis frater meo magistro Suibneo nar- ravit coram me (cui si profeci quidquid, post Deum imputo) quod, adorationis causa, in urbe Hierusalem clerici et laici ab Hibernia, usque ad Nilum velificaverunt. Deinde, in Xilo longe navigando, septem horrea, secundum numerum annorum abuudantite, quee Sanctus Joseph fecerat ", de longinquo admirantes, tanquam montes viderunt ; quotuor in uno loco, ac tria in altero. Hinc, ad horrea tria miraculi causa vadentes, leonem et octo homines viros atque feminas juxta ilia mortuos invenerunt. Leo sua fortitudine occidit illos : illi hastis et gladiis ipsum interfecerunt ; quia deserta utraque loca sunt in quibus horrea septem constructa fuerant. Post hajc, diligenter considerando tria horrea, iterum mirabantur, a principio fundamenti usque ad finem altitudinis illorum, omnino lapidea fieri. Ilia in in- feriore parte, quadrata facta sunt ; in superiore vero, rotunda : in fine sublimitatis, quasi gracile acumen habent. Post hcec, prtedictus frater nnum latus unius horrel ab angulo, usque ad alter- um, pedibus quadringentis mensuravit. Dieuceps, iutrantes in naves in Nilo flumine, usque ad iutroitum Rubri mans navigaverunt. Ex illo portu, ad orientalem plagam, usque ad Movsis viam, per Rubrum mare parvum est spatium. Ille mensurator lateris horrei ire usque ad portum, in quo introivit Moyses cum populo suo, in mare voluit ; uon solum, ut a. Sill- cette sinmiliere tracUtion, dit IM. Le- observe que c'6tait une opiuion commune en tronne, il existe un singulier rapport eutre le Egypte au iieuneme siecle ;^ ^j;eg_o'f_«_d|_;^f'^ recit du moine Fidelis dans Dicuil et les details donnes pai- Gregoii-e de Tours; on aiu-a re- mai-que sui'tout que les pijramides simt appeiees dans I'uu comme dans I'auti-e les greniers de Joseiih: cette singuliere denomination existe dans VEtynwlogicum magnum, idnsi que dans un passage de Benjamiu de Tudela ; et 31. de Saey ajoute quelques details sur la manifere dout on mettait le hie dans I'enonne ca^•ite de la lijTamide. — Je me contenterai d'ajouter que le tres-savaut Jablonski paraissait serieuscment dispose a croire que Joseph, filsde Jacob, poun-ait bien avoir fait batir les pyiamides. 38 intrasset portum, sed, ut in eo vestigia curruum et rotarum orbitas Pharaonis cerneret* ; nautse illi non cousenserunt. Latitude maris in eodem loco, quasi vi sibi visa est. Inde in occidentali parte Rubri maris, hoc est, in sinu extendente se longe in septentrionalem partem, velivola festinatione navigaverunt. Illud est mare quod murmurantem populum Israel in deserto coarctavit; ne in terram jEgypti regredi potuisset. Non mirum est unum fluvium in diversa flumina dividi, cujus latitudo, maxime in ^Egypto, magno ponto compavatur ; ut Priscianus, in tertio decimo libroparabo- lando dicens, monet ; ut si aspicientes mare, dicamus talem esse Nilum. Hodie in Cosmograpliia, qute sub Julio Caesare et Marco Antonio consulibus facta est, scx-iptam inveni partem Nili fluminis exeuntem in Rubrum mare, juxta civitatem Clysma et castra Moysis. i. C'est probablement sur la foi d'Orse que le moine Fidelis comptait trouver les traces des chars de Pharaon. Get historien assure qu'on les voyait distinctement, non solum in littore, sed etiam in prof undo quonsqiie visus admittitur — Cosraas Iiidicopleustes dit a peu pres la nie- me chose, et Baumgaiten qui a ete sur les lieux, comme le moine Cosmas, affu-me le plus serieu- sement du moude que " la trace des chars de Pharaon et I'empreinte des pieds de ses che- vaux se voieut encore siu" le rivage ; et,soit qu'on les efface d dessein, soit que le niouvement des ondes les fasse dispai-aitre, ajoute-t-il, on ne manque jamais de les revoir le lendemain. Ces traces existent non seulement sur la plage, mais encore dans la nier, aussi loin que le peu de hauteur de I'eau permet d'en apercevoir le fond." 39 EEFEEENCE TO TEE FOLLOWING SEALS, WITH SUCH PARTICULARS AS CAN BE ASCERTAINED RESPECTING THEM. No. 1.— Found in the North of Ireland, in the possession of Dr. Stokes, 5, Mer- rion-Square North, Dublin. 2. Is in the possession of Mr. Joseph Huband Smith, Ilolles-Street, Dublin: it is nearly the same as No. 26, but is said to be the impression of a different Seal. 3. — Belfast Museum. 4. — Royal Irish Academy. 5. — Mr. H. Montgomery, Carlow. 6.— Mr. Vigors, Carlow ? 7.— Miss Louisa C. Beaufort, Hatch-Street, Dublin. 8.— Mr. J. H. Smith. 9. — Same. 10.— Mr. Robert BaU, 3, Granby-Row. Dublin ; found in Westmeath. 11.— Mr. J. H.Smith. 12. — Mr. Christie, Kircassock. 13.- Mr. Patrick Boylan, Junr., 102, Grafton-street, Dubhn. lias been m the possession of members of his family for at least 70 or 80 years. 14. — Belfast Museum. 15.— Mr. John Windele, Blair's Castle, Cork, 16-— Piltown Museum, found near Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. 17.-Piltown Museum, found at Ballyhack, Co. Wexford, under an ancient quarry. 18.-Mr. A. Abell, found about 1841, in the parish of Bally vourney, Co. Cork. 19.-Sent to Mr. Murphy, by Mr. T. Crofton Croker, on a visiting card of the late Col. Vallancey. 20.— Mr. J. AV. Murphy. 21.— Mr. R. Ball. 22.— Mr. Petrie ? 40 23.— Mr. Thomas Singleton, Fort Singleton, near Aughnacloj, found in 1816, at Clonliffe Parade, near the Circular Road, Dublin. 24. 25. — Piltown Museum, found in Co. Cork. 2G.— Royal Irish Academy, found in a ploughed field near Borrisokane, in 1833. 27.— Engraved in the " Anthologia Hibernica," vol. 1, plate 2, page 284, April, 1793. 28. 29. Nos. 30 & 31. — On a wood carving, known to be Chinese. 32 & 33, — On a second ; ditto. 34 & 35. —On a third ; ditto. 36 & 37.— On a fourth ditto. 38 & 39.— On a fifth ditto. 40, 41, 42. — Impressions of soap-stone Seals. 43 Mr. Henry Jacobs, Clonmel. 44. — Piltown Museum. 45.— Mr T. Crofton Croker, found about the year 1805, in a cave on the coast at Myrtleville, near the mouth of Cork Harbour. 46. — Exhibited at the British Archeological Association, 25th June, 1 847, and presented by Mr. George Isaacs, to Mr. T. C. Croker. Nos. 47 & 48.— Mr. T. C. Croker, purchased from Mr. Evans, Maddock-Street. 49. — Believed to be in the possession of Miss Jacobs, of Waterford. 50.— Lady Glengal — was found in 1840 or 1841, immediately outside Cahir Castle, at the west side, when removing some earth. With the Seal were found some human bones, which mouldered into dust on exposure. 51 ¥TO-2Uzl/^/y^sMrsl /m/is/aZw/is. N9 7 Ar % /Uice/ J^4^ ^ AI9/0 A^- N?8 -^^ ^4t "*X N?d -n^ y& ^ X c^ q ^ ^ ^ ^ N9J/ -f K- n % ^ ^ i N9/Z + PLATE7. ^f^^^ltxla/^2^l?''stTra?^slalwns. A/9/3 ^ ^ A/9/6 '^ I N9/4' M^ ^ |\ A/P/S H. ^ A/9/7 ^ ^ ^ ^ A^9 /8 V K- ^ ^ N: ^ PLATE 8. Wr^^iitx^af/^Ih-ytfra^is/a^):^??^. A/9/3 N9 20 A/? 23 ^7\<- Cmf^n^ Jm^, •ly. A/9 2/ -f ^ ^ A/922 ::-+- K 1^ 7^ Vi^ ^ A/0 24- \:D^ ^ ^ ^ vfr 7:^. '>1 m. J^ %, ^ N° 2S \ ^ ^ '^^^.f^^^.. -^ ^-^^. PLATE 9. NS^' 5 ^K V K ■ ^ ,^ "^ ^^ .it\.5^ ^ 1r> I?? ^ ^ ^ 3i ^^ <^ ^ ^ ^ ^ I ^ ^ A- ^ I PLATE 10. ^ ^ \. c^^ 9 PLATE II. ^ :^ ■> ^-^ I ^ t^ ^ ^ 1 -^ \ S ^ X ^ ^ > ■^<5 V 1 J ^ ^ ^^^ ^ s ^ 1 ^1 ^ \l^ ^ >^ N PLATE 12. 1 V ^ \ ':j^ ffl PLATE 13. » ^ ^W A9rrY///r//m//.s/rrUo//..S'. N92I N923 -^^K N?2+ N?25 N?26 m. N?27 Al N?30 N93I N932 N°33 N?34- ^Kk ■it ^K ;&! N035 f^ N9 36 ^-k ^^f N?37 -R^^ N94-0 N94I C7 N'?42 N?+3 N9 44 PLATE 18, JI'^^Ju/ik/y/Ts A "y^rvm// 7/y7//s////um9. N945 N9 4-6 N9+7 1i^ N9 4-9 N950 N95I U9 5Z N9 53 N954- N?55 N956 N957 N9 58 N959 N? 60 N96I ft N96Z. PLATE 19. 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