Tus heroes of China have never preached startling revolutionary doo-trines. Though they have been men of very marked original power, they have always contrived to hang their new precepts on to the venerable and conservative past, and they have, abstained from violent and abrupt changes, When the sway of any particular dynasty has-been cruel or oppressive, they have effected a revolution and the tyrants have been removed, but the new rulers have built in the old lines and the ground plan has been unchanged. Over and over again a European would have predicted a disruption of the Empire. The siges of impending revolution have been numerous and alarming. Power. ful subjects like Yeh and the present Viceroy of Chibli have seemed from our point of view the very men likely to make attompts.at seizing the Sovereign power, but the great satraps have preserved their loyalty and have not intrigued as they might have been expected to do against the occupant' of the throne, though he has often been weak and insecurely seated in his place. There have been boy emperors, and effeminate emperors, and regencies, and, in fact, all the opportunities usually seized by ambitious spirits to wrest the prize and to kill and take possession, bat from some causes peculiar to the constitution of the realm and the temper of the people, difficult times been tided o and the bravo soldiers and potent viceroys, who in any other Asiatic country would have attempted a daring coup, have lived and died to all outward seeming models of fealty and obedience, This cor-tainly speaks volumes in favour of the solidity of the Chinese character. Though there have beau recurring temptations for selfishness and ambition to grasp the supreme power, the principles of order and submission have roled in the breasts of the great officers, they have continued to bow to the authority of the Delegate of Heaven, and Ohina is still able to boast of its compactness and unity. Power and permanence are two qualities which it cannot be denied distinguish the Empire. It has ite frontier troubles, and every now and then it seems on the point of losing province, For a times district as large as a petty European kingdom is in revolt, but no high mandarin' sympathises or helps the movement from factious or egoistic motives; and so, when opportunity offers, the Imperial armies are marched to the scene of the disturbance and slowly bat surely the rebellion is crushed and the Imperial power re-established. 'I'he boundaries of the great European countries aro-porpetually changing, but China remains substantially the same. It is easy to say that she does not progress, and that she does not develope her vast resources, or generally "make enough of herself but she is not lessened as many countries in Europe are lessened by the rectifications and extensions and cessions that follow on war. In 1842 she was compelled to cede Hongkong to the British, that is the beginning and the end of her concessions. She ia.still disfigured by corruption, her armies, if confronted with European armies would collapse, her navy in spite of foolish
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.