the table of contents of the American edition of " The World's above title of an article by Be Fried-Work" for May there appears the
rich Birth, formerly well-known China as_a Commissioner in the Imperial Maritime Customs service, and now Professor of Chinese in Columbia University, New York. The full title of the article is "American Opportunities in an Intimate Knowledge of China," and its subject is the desirability of a knowledge of the Chinese language and literature for all young men who are contemplating a career in this country. It is, in fact, an urgent invitation to American young men to go to Columbia, or some other college with a Chinese chair, to study the language and literature of China.
Dr. Hirth's opening paragraph is, perhaps not unnaturally, tinged with optimism. "China has declared her willingness," he says, "following the example of Japan, to reform her government and to adopt the formerly abhorred civilisation of the West. The way in which progress in government and military and civil life in China has set in has no precedent in history." We should be glad if we could feel that Dr. Birth has not overstated the case in this sentence; but unfortunately the evidence trustworthy foreigners and_ natives is at one in showing that the desire of the government for reform is very superficial, and the progress actually made most inconsiderable. Again Dr, Birth says: "No observer who has closely watched events in the Far East since the return of the Court from Hsianfu will deny that the reform of public life has long ceased to be a mere phrase. China is determined to imitate the example of, her neighbour. Japan, within a few decades, by similar efforts, has, from what riged to be looked upon as a nonentity, grown into a Power to be reckoned with, a valuable ally of her friends, an opponent to be feared by her foes, and a serious rival to Europe and the United States in the field of commerce. Whether China will succeed in becoming the equal of her eastern rival remains to be seen.. What nobody can doubt is that she is making serious efforts to reach a position similar to that of Japan." Dr. Birth does not tell us whence he derived this information there are few students of the situation in China who would confirm Dr. Hirth's conviction.
Dr. Birth goes on to rate very highly the position of Japan China; it is one, he says, " which it will be most difficult for other foreign nations to compete with." he says, originally owes her tion to China; while adopting western civilisation, Japan has not discarded Chinese education. 'The consequence is that every educated Japanese understands the Chinese language, and "is regularly imbued with ideas derived from Chinese literature." This gives him a much better standing in a than any other foreigner, as is shown' by the fact that the Peking University is to have Japanese professors, and a Japanese professor has been appointed to draw up the new code of law for the Chinese empire.
Dr. Birth lays too|¢ much stress on this evidence; the fact that Japanese do not demand such high salaries as other foreigners has more to do with the question. Dr. Birth has been led away by his devotion to deduction. He feels that the events of the last few years must have shown China the necessity for reform, and therefore he concludes that she is reforming; it is plain to him that the knowledge possessed by the Japanese ought to give them a better position in China than any other foreigners, and therefore he is sure that they have that position. Unfortunately China the logical conclusion rarely follows the premisses.
"The next ten years," says Dr. Birth, "will see thousands of intelligent Chinese well versed in foreign Ianguages... Every Chinese who has a command of the English language calls for a citizen United States or Great Briti has equal command of the Chinese language." But Chinese is only spoken in one empire, and English is spoken more or less all over the world, and the more the knowledge of English spreads in China, the less necessity is there for foreigners here to know Chinese. Would Dr. Birth say that for every Russian who learns English, one Englishman or Ameri must learn Russian? Dr, Birth is on firmer ground' when he says that "the general public begins to realise that a good knowledge of Chinese may be turned to excellent use in many ways in China." He, of course, urges thit young men about to make a career in China should get a sound preliminary knowledge of the language and literature at home. "A student of Chinese," he says, "may learn a great deal in China, and yet if he be left to himself, it will be very little when compared to the rate of his progress, that may be secured by methodical preparation at home. Let aman start as an engineer or a merchant, or as an intending official, he will seldom succeed in turning whatever good qualities he may possess to the best account without 2 good knowledge of the language. On the other hand, a man_ thoroughly familiar with the speech, thought, and literature of the Chinese may set out almost without that letter of introduction which is to secure him a position. He is sure to find one through his competency. Other conditions being equal, the man who has the advantage of a command of language and literature has decidedly more success than he who has not." Dr. Birth omits one very imtrant point; how long it wi student in New York to atti thorough familiarity with the speech, thought, and literature of the Chin-jose? And if the student had, at his disposal, a few years for this purpose, would he not' get on fi in a Chinese city, like Nanking boy who learns French in London will never speak it like the boy who learns it in Paris.
We quite agree with Birth that for men holding Consular appointments in China it is an arlvantage that they should know the language; but' that is not true exclusively of China. He "Men like Sir Harry Parkes, Sir Thomas Wade, Sir Robert Hart, J. MeLeavy
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.