at present going on in this province must be very discouraging financially to the "great man" who holds them. Both in Chingchou and Téngchou, the only prefectures he has reached yet, the number of students is only about' half of the usual enrolment. This lack of zeal for the kung-ming, whose price hitherto has not alwa: been above silver, will doubtless affect its market value, the result being not only a smaller number of students who are willing to help defray the Chancellor's expenses but also a smaller contribution individually. 'The reason for the small attendance doubtless lies in the conviction that th fashioned degree will no longer priv; possessor the same advantages und prestige tha', it formerly did. The present aspect of affairs is another proof thet the Chinese do not value their classical education f its inherent worth, but, as a Pennsylvani legislator was accustomed to say, for "what there was in it." The present desire for Western science, and above all for English, indicates the same false principle at its base, a principle which has been the b.ne of wuch missionary educational effort, but we shall hope that, in the future, many enuine students, men of talent who desire knowledge for its own sake, will be called forth, attracted and inspired by the real worth of the now learning.
The "N.-C. Daily News" seems to fear that the suspension of literary ex"minations all over thy empire for five years, would take the edge off it as " punishment for special plices, While that is true, yet the proposers doubtless overreach tieinselves by not considering that such a suspension, coupled with the present demand for Wes: ern learning, will probably be a powerful agency in entirely freeing the country frou the present antiquated and worthless system. The effect of Governor Yuan's endeavour to establish a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.