Since the days when Dr. Morrison-set himself to the Herculean task of acquiring Chinese, with no other aid than that afforded by the imperfect compilations of foreign missionaries, the language, colloquial and written, made uso of by natives in referring to strangers from the West has been an ever recurring annoyanao to the Chinese philologist. Accustomed to regard, herself as the literal and moral centre of the world, China contemptuously designated the visitors to her porte as *'red-bristled barbarians and the contempt thus expressed found practical illustration in the insolent acts which, after provoking warlike reprisals daring a series of years at each of the then "open ports," culminated in the war of 1859, the occupation of Canton, and the final destruction of the Summer Palace at Yuen Ming Yuen. With the establishment of the foreign Legations at Peking and the ratification of the Treaty of Tientsin achango for the better was inane grated. The obnoxious character E "barbarian" was henceforth to be banished from Chinese official documents. District Mandarins were enjoined to write of foreigners with a semblance of outward rec, and, far more important, the terms Lao-Ye, Tas ye, Tavjen, &e-, became those colloquially used in addressing foreign officials of all nations resident at Peking and the thirteen ports. Many are the sneers which have been levelled at the student interpreters, Wh, bert tan their critics of the importance of the principle involved, insisted (it may be at times ing sree by the designation provided in the off with ludicrous earnestness in European dyes) upon be: lal agrecmonte made, Toco who Lave bestowed uch time in "'chafing" the junior officials of the Consular Service have been either wilfully blind re. garding facts familiar to all residents of any standing {the East, or have more probably felt vexed that as. ident should have conferred a designation upon off cials, however junior, which native custom withheld from members of the mercantile community, howerer accomplished, wealthy, or well born, "Wile we toa certain extent, for reasons we will presently state, sympathise with the complaints made of the contempt thous tone permitted towards nomolficial: foreiguety, should much regret to sce any members of ths Gog: their due. 'The regard paid by Asiatica fo. the tilling null servic voling one fora of the react which and minute details of ceremony is well known, and 16 amusing allusion to this matter was recently.' made te the accounts published of the last} Indian °"ducban™ The Chinaman, who is most unwillingly compelled. to uso terms of respect before. those who understand hie Tanguage, ouster avery oesaton upon which ho can succeed in withholding aay specified title asa victory on a mall acalo. This foding naturally prompts: the withholding of any phrase implying respect er civ, lity when no obligation Ss Inid upon fe tongue cial custom, or by the yet stronger check of being understood when he speaks his ows language. Noches la thie more markedly the case than in Hongkong, where even officials permit themselves to' be sliver, ted and spoken of la terms which would not be to. lorated at s Consular port. It has occurrod.to us that a collection of some of the phrases most commonly tos sould fateieet our restlece, Wo need scarcely revert to the familiar Ping Vow (soldier-head) by which His Hxesllency the Gocomos is usually designated. Lot us listen for a few mo: ments toa group of coolies talking in an ordinary way, about ordinary affairs. A letter has to be sent to avery well known resident, and a boy tells one of".the group to "'carry it to the house of—tho stinking one," (chow HA i). Astonished probably at the sobriquet, the student learns that this is the form applied to foreigners of violent tempers; and the well known resident in question enjoys that reputation. Presently a foreigner passes on horseback and the ro-mark is made that there goes a monkey' riding a dog." The conversation might proceed somewhat as
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.