These references to Chinese miracles shall close with a chapter which stall contain some eclectic exaniples. They are selected at random from many others, all of which as sume the prevalence of certain vices or of the possibility of certain virtues, and the former seem to predominate. It may seem strange that it should be necessary to invent miracle" in order to warn people of the extreme folly of quarrelling. But those who are familiar with the conditions of Chinese everyday life and the peculiar structure of Chinese society, will not be surprised that quarrels should be so very frequent, and are not therefore astonished that the author should attempt to culm their ferocity and diminish their frequency. For in their general characteristics they have been called, not inaptly, "social typoona." The Chinese characters, whose respective meanings are_ to quarrel," "to revile," "to hurl abusive epithets," are by their very structure very suggestive to those who understand them. The class ical word is Ch'i. It is composed of two mpler words, which mean respectively vapour" and "rice" The idea seems to be that just as a steam-engine must blow off steam when the fires are blazing and the peut up energy is superabundant, #0 a human being must shout nnd wrangle when he is in good fettle and is opposed und crossed in any way. There is no alterna. tive. Nav, which means "to be irritable," is composed of three simple characters which represent a woman between two men, or at other times x man between two women, for either way of writing the character ig current. This character spanks for itself, There is another Naa composed of "woman" and "mouth." One of the ligt things at which the newcomer stands aghast when he comes to China is the whirlwind of energy and the sulphurous torrent of angry words that may issue from the mouth of an angry woman. There is yet another Naa composed of "door" and "market." "Market days are generally held on the 3rd, the Sth, and 10th of the month, and these jute succeed each other in everlasting success. sion. Thereupon every mai 2 Woman or child wh has anything 10 itor buy trudges off to the tryst P\.ce with some "necessary of life."
It Xs the ingrained habit of the Chinese te, aggie over every monetary transaction. ey us action hough no more then a farthing is involved. Hence the application of the character.
A Chinese proverb says that "Two women and a goose make a market." The one of course is selling and the other is buying, whilst the goose cackles and screams in terror at. the Vociferatious and the gesticulations of the infuriated pair. Chinese quarrel about everything, anything, and nothing. They avail themselves of this opportunity to give vent to their feelings and expression to their Eh', and therefore shout and abuse in a way that would be amusing were it 1 disgusting because of the torrents of terrible language which, to well-regelated minds, cause a abudder. It seems to be almost a paradox that a people who are naturally so peace-loving and phlegmatic should be addicted to such ebullitions of concentrated fury. The conditions of life under which the people live will to some extent explain this. The masses are ignorant toa degree that is ungraspable, and further they live constantly from hand to mouth." The saving oF the expel of single cas is often a matter of great importance. Grandfather and grandmother, sous and daughters law, and children of every age and sex often crowd together under the same roof, [which in too may instances is none too ide for them. The frequency of the habit among parents allows the children to have ample opportunities to learn the art, so that in this thing, too, they are able to "obey heir parents in all things." Living under such conditions it is hardly to be wondered hat social typhionas are no prevalent auc moral philowpher can safely foretell the couitions of social life which will exist during the next hour, for these meteorological displays burst forth with all the suddenness of a summer squall, Therefore the author has recorded fur
consequences that overtake those who are the warning of his rewlers the terrible so foolish as to allow themselves to fall into this snare.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.