The Melaphysic of Christianity and Buddhism. By Major-General Davwsonne M. Strong, C.B. In cloth, 8vo, 128 pp. London: Watts & Ca., 1899. (3/6.)
This is a deeply interesting little book, but hardly one for the ordinary man to criticise, as it deals with transcendental subjects far above the workaday intellect The author's object is to show that religions of Jesus and Gautama are spirit identical. The ethical and biographical features of the two systems having been exhaustively contrasted by other writers, the author confines himself in this volume to a consideration of their mythical relationship. He commences by asserting the independent origins of Christianity and Buddhism, but points out that a spurious Buddhism, in the garb of Essenism, had established a footing im Palestine at a date anterior to the Christian era, and that under the influence of St. John the Buptist, the recognised leader of the Essenes, a way was prepared and made ready for the great light which was to shive forth afresh in the majestic humanity of Jesus. He thinks it probable that Jesus spent the years elapsing between his adolescence and the commencement of his ministry among the Essenes, who dwelt in caves in the vicinity of the Dead Sea. He declares of Jesus and Gautama that they were both veritable embodiments of the mystic Sophia and one with God. Separated only by the time appointed for their appearance in the world, they were both presentations of the same Logos, called in Buddhistic terminology Bodhi or Intelligence. Both, as God and Buddha, must have been fully acquainted with all' the Iaws of nature and consequently were in full possession of so-called occult powers. Both laboured under the same difficulty; they knew more than was translatable into language, or communi cable to their followers. Having thus shown identity of personality in the two teachers, the author then proceeds to show identity of fundamental teaching. Here we have not space to follow him, and, indeed, would not veature on so ambitious a task; for he warns his readers that it is necessity to be soaked in mysticism or to begnomic, to pose as an authoritative inter-prefer of God's holy word. Sufice it to say that he concludes, after numerous examples and arguments, that the two religions are really identical, although they are now radically diferent in their outward mani-testations. The differences he explains by the opposite conditions under which their inceptions took place.
Tt is quite a remarkable little work, well written by a man who has studied widely and thought deeply. Those who are interested in the spirit of religions, and especially educated missionaries, will find it most suggestive. But it must be read without prejudice. There are only 112 pages of metaphysics, but every page deserves the closest attention and will provide thought for many hours. It is the cheapest mental pabulum we have seen for along time. The metrical adaptations of Buddhistic literature and scripture at the end of the book are hardly on so high a level as the body of the work. The writer's poetry is not equal to his really excellent prose.
The Student's Four Thousana $2 and General Pocket Dictionary. By W. B. Soothill. Shanghai: Presbyterian Mission Press, 1899. (Leather $2.50, Cloth $2.)
This handy and compact multum in pardo has just come across our path, and a little word in its favour may, it is hoped, be the means of introducing it to, and thereby lightening the labours of,' other fellow ith the language.
The Dictionary is based on the principle that a Chinese character is made up of a Radical, and "that part which is not its Radical" as Mr. Soothill introduces the Phonetic, and on this ko to speak alphabet of 1,100 signs (214 Radicals and 886 Phonetics) are hung the remaining 9,100 characters, making in all a very serviceable vocabulary of 10,200 words—a quite sufficient armament' for any foreigner. The book is extremely handy in form and convenient in size—5 inches by 6 inches and an inch thick—and nicely bound in leather. The characters are ensy to find under Phonetic (Part I) or by sound—arranged alphabetically—(Part Il) or else in the Radical Index at the end. This is a great improvement on De. Goodrich's Pocket Dictionary—a_ similar style of book—published in 1891.
The paper, print, and general style and arrangement are everything to be desired, and the volume will more than. meet the needs of the ordinary student during his first years of study, and serve him well even when he aspires to dig deeper and further afield.
With the commercial openings out here spreading further and further from the Deaten track of steamers, the demand for a working knowledge of Chinese is becoming more and micro necessary and sought after, and any substantial and practical help such as Mr. Soothill has given should and will be welcomed with open arms. Ench year the thorny path to the Chinese tree of knowledge is. bein; smoothed and shortened and' cheapene and there is now no excuse for anyone not being able to climb as high as he may wish into its branches.
The Student's material aids are many—perhaps too many; with a wisely chosen shelf-ful of books, some patience and perseverance, and a bright teacher, his end will speedily be attained; and amongst his selection of books we heartily recommend him to include Mr. Soothill's Pocket Dictionary—he will find it an excellent *lucum tenons" in the many absences of his teacher on those plausible excuses to attend to the various family rites; indeed it should be, as it is intended to be a pocket companion of every student: of Chinese.
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'1600-99 234 Ath Oct., 1898,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.