question in the affirmative. There, seems to us good reason to think that the power which has exercised so healthy an influence all over the West,, will, in the fullness of time, extend its, influence to this country. In fact, if reflect, we shall come to the conclu sion, that there is no nation in the world so likely to be swayed by the Press as the Chinese. They have so profound a respect for literature and are so devoted to reading, that they will devour the closely printed sheets of the cheap journal far more eagerly than the artisan devours the Daily Telegraph or the housemaid the Family Herald!
As it is, the demand for books is gratified by the productions of the novelists, and these are by no means healthy works. An age which after eighteen hundred years of Christianity and Civilization is nourished by the fictions of Ouida, need not throw stones, but yet we conceive that Ouida is modest when compared with the anonymous writers of fiction who supply the reading public in this great Empire. Now why should not the popular craving be supplied with instructive and healthy writing. The Europeans in the Chinese service are doing incalculable good by translating works of a scientific and practical character for circulation amongst the onplyd at the arsenals. But these are special books for special purposes. We desire to see a few journals issued under the superintendence of the Imperial Customs, for popular reading. To be the pioneer in this enterprize would be to confer a benefit on the nation that cannot be expressed. One thing is certain.
The time cannot be far distant when China will have newspapers. The keen trading spirit of the people will prompt them to demand the earliest intelligence on mercantile topics, and to appreciate the immense value of 2o-curate information and of an intere change of ideas. Papers of @ commercial character will probably be the first in the field. A publication like the Economist, infusing sound views on fiscal questions, and giving trustworthy
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.