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A Chinesi Chrestomathy.
APRIL,
Conversations on medicine, nosology, materia medica, anatomy, and surgery, are the leading topics treated of in chapter 16th, under the head of Medicine,' which the Chinese call the benevolent art,' and is esteemed second only to the literary profession. The medical college at Peking arrange all diseases into nine classes-those affect- ing the pulse violently, those affecting the pulse slightly, those arising from cold, diseases of females, ulcers and cutaneous diseases, those needing the acupunctura and cautery, diseases of the eyes, of the mouth and teeth, and of the bones.
'Governmental Affairs' are treated of in the 17th chapter, divided into eight sections. The first gives an index-view of the whole Penal Code of China, by specifying all the 436 heads under which that body of law is arranged. The various titles given to the emperor are enumerated and defined in the second section. In the third are notices of the imperial family. The Inner Council of state is de- scribed in the fourth; the General Council in the fifth; the six su- preme Boards in the sixth; and the Colonial Office in the seventh. A list of official titles, 462 in number, are given in the eighth and last. Two indexes, one general, containing nearly twelve thousand articles, and a small one comprising proper names, close the volume. From the foregoing synopsis it will be seen that a very large num- ber of topics are treated of in the Chrestomathy. On many of these topics if we mistake not, it will be found one of the best sources of information within the reach of the general reader. Regarding Chi- na and the Chinese, there are probably very few single volumes that contain more information than the one under consideratio. We speak freely, yet we trust impartially, on this point, because we wish to recommend the Chrestomathy to the friends of Chinese literature in general, as well as to the students of the language in particular. "And if the Chrestomathy shall aid in bringing about a better state of rela- tions between foreigners and the Chinese, and in facilitating a more friendly intercourse, desirable and useful alike to all, the object of its publication will be fully gained.”