The writing of this book has evidently been a labour of love. We can see that Mr, Rees enjoyed lingering over his task, adding here a detail, there a touch, so as to perfect the Chinese picture which he has been ambitious enough to attempt painting as from the inside. We are astonished at his daring: astonished yet more at his success. There may be, indeed, there must be many trifling inaccuracies, but the pictures presented certainly resemble Chinese life, and if it resembles it to us, who have lived for many years among Chinese, it certainly gives a sutticiently correct representation for people in England, who are yet interested in people Chinese, how they think and feel, what they wish and hope for. And, above, all it is a representation. We have read books by authors well known to fame, books whose scenes were laid in China, and which were very readable, but for one fault—that their scene might just. well have been laid anywhere else. Now this is not the case with Chun Ti-kung's life and adventures. The story of the book is very slight, and we fancy Mr. Rees himself cared little about it, or were there other sadder reasons for the hurry evident in the last two chapters? As most dwellers in Shanghai, at least, must know the work is posthumous, But we fancy even had he lived to watch over its publication, Mr. Rees would have thought it more artistic not to describe the final catastrophe too much in detail, and that what he rather sought to give was a presentment of the Chinese of good education and social position, together with his mode of life. wholly passes in China, strikes us'as that certainly the first part of the book, which in which the writer took most pleasure, and which will be most enjoyed in England. In China possibly, however, the second part will give more satisfaction; there is more story toit, there is love interest in it; and the character of Nellie, the English young lady, who yet finds it possible not only to marry a Chinese but actually to fall in love with, and to love him, is' very ably and delicately portrayed. We.'seem to know her, and we understand how it all came about, as we never do in the modern American type of novel, Mr. Henry James always leaving us inthe dark as to what moves his heroines to act as they do. As usual we think the missionaries are a little hardly dealt with. Somebody must really write a novel with a missionary hero or heroine, they have been too long caricatured, and the only part of the book we seriously demur to is Mrs. Falford's eagerness about the last fashion plates. Perhaps she was eager, perhaps this very incident is taken from the life. But, ifa poor woman, whose means prevent her probably from getting even as much as one new dress a year, on the great occasion of her having to superintend stitch by stitch the making of a dress, and as likely as not cutting it out herself, does show some eagerness about getting any help towards it, this does not necessarily prove that she is given over to worldliness and frivolity. And we certainly think the speech put into Mrs. Fulford's lips: "You have dared to introduce me to a woman who is no better than she ought to be, and let me eat with her! What can you think of me or of my feelings 7" inconceivable from any missionary. That Mrs. Fulford sets to and does all there is to be done for poor Nellie almost directly afterwards is just, however, what we should expect, and that being always some think sooner or later some writer of fiction must really make the amende honorable to the missionary body.
There are of course also inaccuracies. We are very doubtful about the isissing, and if it took place it was only because these particular Chinese had learnt ''foreign fashions," and one or two other statements surprise us. But we will not pause to indicate them.. The book is well written, the English is clear, terse, and pleasing, the character of Chun Ti-kung with his timidity, fatal reticence, his kindliness and perseverance is admirably drawn and yet better we think is that of his uncle, who ran away from home, got a yellow riding jacket at the particular request of Li Hung-chang, and was finally appointed Taotai of Hoochowfu. The genial, tough old fellow is very genially handled, indeed that is the special characteristic of the book, which speaks of Chinese and Europeans alike sympathetically and kindly. the scenes with Master Pei at the beginning read asit taken from life, the ceremony at adoption is new to us, and rather calls for some explanation; all ought to enjoy the pursuit of the pirates, which is very well told, and many will be interested in the Taotai Chun's surely somewhat new rendering of the slaughter of the Wangs, whilst his account of '*Poor Lo, who did not remember his other names," and whose forgetfulness and death were the means of preventing himself from joining the Taipings, is very touching.
'The book' is by no means of The Lovely Wang or The Swallow's Wing type, it is neither humorous nor grimly exciting, but for those who like to read about Chinese it will prove pleasant reading, and reveals a life little known, and never before, we think, attempted to be described after this style. "The way in which Chinese proverbs are introduced is very pleasing, as also the solemn quaintness of the young Hanlin's style of conversation, as for instance when he says of his chief: "The Marquis is fond of wine, and there is nothing to blame in that; all our best poets raise the use of wine when relaxation Joes not interfere with business." This addressed to a young lady strikes us as a very good example of the calm: of the "superior man."
It only remains to add that the book has been carefully seen through the press, is beautifully printed, and that its binding is a great success, being Chinese, therefore of course artistic, and yet, while catching the eye at once, so subdued in colouring as to suit with the English adjuncts it is likely to lie among. It is a book that will probably please people at home yet more than in China, yet we think that many Chinese residents will not only read it, but find it a book they would like town. It is anyway 2 remarkable book to be the first work of its author.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.