Warmly welcoming the success of the Chinese Exhibition at Burlington House last winter, Dr, J. C, Ferguson contributes to Tien Hsia Monthly for May. interesting "Reflections" which Include a strong criticism of the catalogue issued by the Royal Academy of Arts. In particular. Dr. Ferguson objects (o the changes made in the descriptions furnished by the Chinese Committee of Experts. As tone of the experts responsible for the making of the labels, Dr. Fermason claims to speak for himself ud his colleagues and he is certain that the Chinese Organizing Com= mittee would never have consented to send objects to London if they had known advance that the Executive Com= mittee would change the descriptions made byt Tne tion greater than any' group of experts could be expected {0 bear in silence, Dr. Ferguson cites examples:
The "Chinese attribution" is given, for example, in. No, 1270, a8 Sung dynasty, andi is then stated that particular vase belongs to the Ching ynasiy. Scores "of such corrections have Been made by the London Com= mittee "especially in. the descriptions porcelains and paintings, and though 1 have found a few corrections the labels of objects. teaned failed tu an unusual manner. to: Rupe ply correct Information concerning ft The argument is that the authorities could have more tnetCully made their point by including a note in the catalogue to the effect that the views of London did not in every instance coincide with those of the Chinese Committee and thus avoiding "the pretension of superior knowledge." Dr, Ferguson's views are elaborated some length on this theme and should be ead in the complete article by those who are interested. They obviously carry weight, but seems improbable that. the London Committee, with whom the Chinese Ambassador was in the closest touch, were disposed in any way to "humiliate" the Commitiee in China. Perhaps there is some misunderstanding which Dr, Ferguson's courteous. but frank protest may succeed in removing,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.