Our new Taotai, Jen Hsi-f@n, has just sent oura curious circular addressed to the Elders and the Literuti of the city ushing them to write him their views of the causes of the evil times that have ofillen the fair land of Szechuan. send you a copy and, if I can, I will send you Copies of the replies. I only wish, foreign opinion had been asked. I should reply was a Nemesis for the keeping out of steamers and the burning of the missionary establishments Jast year. Mfr. Jen Hsi-fea isa graduate (chijjén) but. was for some time in Shanghai, employed in the China Merchants' 8. N. Ca, and so should be more enlightened than' the scholiasts who mostly govern this ill-starred land.
20th March.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.