Tae discussion which took place on Tuesday evening last, at the rooms of the Royal Asiatic Society, was far more animated and interesting than discussions in Shanghai usually are. The subject was one of some importance, and it was handled with considerable fairness and ability. Mr. Medhurst sketched his idea of a Reading-room for the Chinese in a very clear and popular manner, and then undertook to answer certain objections that he felt might be urged against the scheme. One of these was the strictly secular character he proposed that it should assume. Without for a single moment undervaluing Missionary efforts, or depredating the good done by the diffusion of the Scriptures, H. B. M.'s Consul desired to confine the operations of the present undertaking to another field. He desired to make the Reading-room the basis of a different attack, and to approach the citadel of ignorance by a new mode of assault. Every year adds to the number of valuable European books that are being translated into Chinese. We find a diligent band of men constantly occupied in clothing English, French and German thoughts in a Chinese dress. The books translated are for the most part practical treatises on Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematies, Geographyand the like; but possibly, as time goes on, we shall have works purely literary rendered into the difficult language of the Middle Kingdom.
possible that, by this method, the national taste may be changed and new standards set up as models. All this, however, is in the remote future. The immediate work of the Reading-room will be of a less ostentatious character. It will have to attract by its working-models and scientific instruments, by its maps and its globes, as well as by the volumes on its shelves or the newspapers on its tables. The best informed foreigners assure us that there is a lively interest at present enkindled in the Chinese mind on European subjects, and this interest it is the object of the promoters of the Reading-room to foster and encourage. But it seems to be one. ces sity that all educational movements shall be itapeded at the outset by one obstacle, viz, a division of opinion about the introduction of religion, Mr. Medhurst boldly took the bull by the horns on Tuesday evening, and said that in his judgment the. Reading-room should be a secular institution. On the other hand it is alleged that you cannot possibly keep references to Christianity out. "Western thought," said Mr. Kingsmill, was "so mixed up with religion, that it would be impossible to give the Chinese much idea of it as regards secular education, without showing what had been the effect of the Christian religion upon the working of the Western mind." This view was entertained by several speakers, and in the end a compromise was effected. Need we say, that com. promise was the unfailing Shanghai resource of referring the matter to a Com. mittee! This Committee will do well to ascertain Chinese opinions on the subject, and to act accordingly. Our own im. pression is in favour of making the attempt a secular one pure and simple; and we apprehend little difficulty from the Religious Question reappearing, now that it has been boldly and frankly faced at the outset. Had it been blinked, and an attempt made subsequently to introduce tracts and religious works sub rosd, mischief would probably have arisen; but as it is, we are hopeful of results.
When listening to the discussion on Tuesday, we confess we were struck with two things: Ist the excellence of the room and the comfort and convenience of all its arrangements; its acoustic properties are good; it is light, warm, and suitable in every respect for public meetings. The other points that occurred to us were the liveliness of the debate and the fair manner in which the matter was handled. There was no exaggeration on either side, and the objections raised were met with good sense and good temper. It may he too near the busy season to revive the Debating Society this year, but surely there are many questions like the one' discussed on Tuesday, that would be the better for being ventilated. We have a room and speakers; might we not attempt to start the old association anew, next winter P
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.