To the Kaitor of the Sm—In the Daily News of Tuesday, the work called "D498 Chuy-scki-shih, is referred to, It is a book which sells for 60 cents, in eight volumes, Your contributor 'F.' represents the editor of the SALE us writing certain passages which examining I find were really written by the anonymous author of Chung-si-ki-In fact all the riders against Clu are anonymous or written by authors long yee deceased. The passages ascribed by the editor of the Blue Books, Ko Shih-ju editor is a Shanghai man now livin, are really in the older work. who would never write these slanders, if he did, could not put his name to then. He would be a man marked for punishment if it were so. fact the passages are a part of Chung: hin and anonymous. See chapter 2, 16-22. The editor of the Ching-shih-wen inserts good papers as well as bad, and, as I suppose, aims to be impartial. Living amidst evil rumours and being a Shanghat man, he thought that in the foreign question he would publish both sides und thus please all. In the earlier portion of the paper by 'F.' on the recent riots, he condemns $§3X7E 'Tsiang Tun-fu, another writer from whose works selections have been published in the Blue Books, for id, reckless writing." 'BF.' says he was, he believes, a Hunan man and " member of the Hanlin. But in reality he was a man whom L knew well, ruined by opium smoking, and a clever writer. He was & pundit employed for his literary talents in the London Mission for several years. He has been long dead. He translated the History of England forthe Rev. W. Muirhead, and his style adds to the value of the translation not a little. His home was near Woosung. Opium smoking stood in the way of his advancement, and he worked with us, not because he loved Christianity, but to be able to continue the enjoyment of the opium pipe.
What was the reason of the bitterness shown by himiu writingagaiust Ubristisuity?
I suspect that he wished to gain the favour of Confucianist readers. He repeats no scandals. He writes politically from the onfuciauist standpoint. His sister was a! nun and he was fond of Buddhist reading. Once Professor Julien, of Paris, wrote me, ing for explanations of some twenty knotty Buddhist expressions. I gave them' to Tsiang and sent his solutions of the difficulties. M. Julien was highly pleased with them and wrote in reply that our position in China is enviable as compared wit that of students in France We can get difficulties explained by a native scholar which in France require long study before they can be cleared also had a partiality for Buddhistreadi that would prejudice him somewhat against Christianity. Such meu when they write use flowery expressions which are archaic and eleyaut to the Chinese reader. We need to allow a liberal discount in a writer like Tsiang for his way of employing forcible terms consecrated by long usage, Living so long at Shanghai he had an enlarged idea of the strength of foreign nations, but his knowledge of China led him to the conviction that China by patriotic feeling and immense numbers will hold her own, At least he hoped so and wished it to appear that he had hope of his country.
Since he wrote the government has become more distinctly committed to the new policy, and Tsiany's views are already out of date, having been written tweutyfive years ayo. They are to be seen in the volumes he published, ete.
In regard to Shen Pao-cheng I wish to add a word. 'KF.' objects to my view of this official's character. He was several years in Foochow in charge of the Arsenal knd is well known to foreigners, Before this he was promoted to be Governor of Kiangsi_ and afterwards made Nanking Viceroy. If he had been a violent enemy of Europeans the government would not have made him Governor of Kiangsi, a province which is claimed by the Hunan men as one with them in hating foreigners. *F.' admits that the tone of the documents despatched by this Governor to the Tsung. li Yamen is excellent, but he charges the writer with being utterly insincere." That however is not likely. He was under no necessity to write the opposite of what he thought, and the reader can read what he says and judge for himself, or he cay ask experienced and educated Chinese, (if more than 50 years of age and having a knowledge of the world the better) what they think of these documents and of Shen Paud He will find that my view is the correct one that this oficial was promoted to the high poste he held, not because he sym-thised with the Hunan spirit, but because imew foreign affairs and was n prudent and competent administrator. As the new honour granted him just now xt Foochow shows, he is considered as worthy of remembraucealong with TsoTsung-tang. Take the following extract (Blue Book 111, 17.) "Fearing a rebellion through the violence of the people I secretly despatched personal friends of my own, long known and trusted
other provinces. They were to sit in wine to go in the disguise of travellers fun shops and tea taverns and making believe that they met accidentally with other customers they were to enter into conversation. Talking freely and without revealing their purpose they would watch what was said by their new acquaintances till they made their thoughts evident and they could learn by enquiry who originated the movement. When these men reported the result I found that there was simply a great mass of suspicions which men would not let go. The charges passing from mouth to mouth, the popular voice grew to be like thunder because every one repeated his suspicions to every one doe. The course then to be adopted is to allay and remove suspicions. When this has been done the missionary on returning to the capital (Nanch'sng) will be able to conduct his mission work in peace." I see here a sincere purpose to pacify the excited people and pave the way for the removal of all ficulty between China and France, Shen Pao-cheng was a native of Foochow and imatried the daughter of Liu Tye-hsii, He rose to distinction in the war with the Taipings when, besieged in the city of which he was prefect, he said to his wife, "We shall have to give the city up." Her reply was "Die rather than do sv." He followed her advice, was successful, and was soon made Governor of the came province, Tam, ete., J. Koxiys, 16th September.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.