SIR JAMES HALDANE STEWART LOCKHART
71
saying that the art of government is to do nothing. While not attempting to follow such a short cut to successful government as that recommended in this saying, this Government has taken as its maxim Pas trop gouverner, avoiding meddlesome interference with Chinese affairs, which invariably breeds trouble, creates friction, and ultimately leads to the creation of a large and expensive staff.740 The few troubles in Weihaiwei, such as they were, were caused more by external events, by the convulsions China experienced after the Revolution of 1911; within Weihaiwei life was normally quiet and peaceful, for the people were industrious and conservative, and there was 'an entire absence of the ferocious clan feuds which are so ugly a characteristic of the southern provinces.'4 There were, then, no great lineages in the Territory, but of course the two magistrates always had to deal with a large number of civil cases, chiefly concerned with the ownership of land, breach of contract, adoption and inheritance, ancestor worship, and administration of clan property — types of litigation typical of any Chinese rural community.
THE SCHOLAR
Lockhart's early contributions to scholarship were all published in the China Review42 and were mostly on subjects relating to the structure of the Chinese language and its dialects. Lockhart had received a classical education at Edinburgh University and he moved with ease to the study of another classical language, Chinese, and to the study of another classical civilisation. His great friend, Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston, in his obituary notice of Lockhart in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, wrote: 'although he published little, he was recognized to be one of the best Chinese scholars among the foreigners of his time in China. He spoke Cantonese fluently, and after his transfer to Weihaiwei he acquired a good working knowledge of "mandarin" - now known as the National Language. His acquaintance with ancient and modern Chinese literature was extensive.'43
In the nineteenth century two groups of Europeans contributed greatly to the study of the language, society and civilisation of China: missionaries, all of whom had to grapple with the complexities of a language difficult for foreigners; and colonial, consular, and diplomatic officials of one sort or another, all of whom were expected to become competent in Chinese in order to carry out ...