While those who know, or ought to know, assure us that Italy and Saumen Bay will never be more intimately acquainted than they are to-day, the Peking Government continues its preparations for resisting the Italian descent with unabated energy. Whether the ious battalions of braves are really intended for active service against foreigners, or against the rebels in various provinces, or to maintain the existence of the Tory party now in power, or to furnish comfort and entertainment for " fire-eaters'? like Kang I, Hsi Tung, Prince Li, Kun Kang and Ca, itis hard to say. That the extraordinary military preparations which have been so earnestly pushed forward for months, are still carried on with unfinished zeal is certain, Some affirm that an attempt will be made to resist all further foreign aggressions by an immense force. Others, that a large army isto be gathered and kept in readiness in order to support the Empress Dowager in finally turning Kuang Hsii adrift and appointing a new Emperor, but a3 it so often happens, no one appears to know the truth and the majority do not care. They take things philosophically and propose to adhere heroically to the ancient custom of "eating rice" twice ight up to the moment of adversity. This is a prudent state of mind to maint: This is in no sense anticipating evil. Every meal taken calmly is a net gain, You cannot cross the river until you reach it, Meantime, it is the business of the people to eat on, curse on, lie on, and mak best of life, while the mandarins paid for it" attend to State affairs, nis is regarded as being the most equitable division of labour and responsibility attainable, and it becomes sensible people to rest contented with the best they can get. Yao and Shun did so. Even foreigners do—sometimes—and for their health of body and peace of mind it would be wise on their art to make the practice habitual, Sydney Smith said that an Englishman who had not £5,000 a year ought to apologise whenever he expressed 2 palitiat opinion, but the Chinese long ago found out that it' was far better to spare himself the toil of uttering both the opinion and the apology for it. Nothing can be less than nothing; can anything usually be safer? Hence the sagacity of Captain Cuttle's golden maxim, "Stand by." Motion spells risks, often misery, sometimes death, Therefore, be wise, Chambers of Commerce, "uncommercial travellers," and ultra-commercial editors, take care to. "stand by," and in due time we shall be favoured with the privilege of taking overland trips, by rail to Antwerp, and of eating more Christmas dinners with "The Old Folks at Home!" Russia, France, and Germany will care for the rest.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.