1842.
Morrison Eatacation. Suciely
3:0
much further, even to equations with four unknown quantities, and in some cases to quadratic equations, was cut short by the lateness of the hour, there being no wish to protract it tediously, and for the same reason the examination in English history was omitted.
Lastly, two of the boys,--who had made greater proficiency in alge- bra than the rest, and had taken up geometry, about a month before, to fill up their vacant time,-proceeded, one to perforin a problem, and the other to demonstrate the theorem, that "the angles at the base of an isosceles triangle are equal." They had gone, it was remarked, about half way through the first book of Playfair's Euclid, demoustrating the propositions both geometrically and algebraically.
While the examination was in progress, some very well executed letters of the seven older boys, addressed to the Rev. Dr. Bridgman, acting president of the M. E. Society, were handed round for perusal. They had been written at Dr. Bridgman's request, on the previous Monday afternoon, upon the question proposed by him, "What is the difference between English and Chinese education." The theme was propounded, and the letters were the result, written and corrected by the boys unaided. They were of course unequal in merit, but all deserving of praise. There were sentiments expressed in some of them which indicated close observation, mature reflection, and purity of motive, which none could notice but to admire.
Finally, it is believed that all who were present at the examination were highly gratified, and that more would have been, had they been there. We could but feel, that the Morrison Education Society, under all its discouragements has thus far pursued its way steadily, unostentationsly, and successfully, and that it deserves the liberal patronage and best wishes of all the friends of humanity.
We subjoin two of the letters, printed exactly as they were writ- ten, leaving all their errors uncorrected.
Macão June 20th 1942.
My dear Sir. I am now in flus school, to be taught by Mr Brown, and I must adhere to what he tells me, because knowledge is power. Before I cam12 here, I had wasted four years of study in Chinese, and by it wasted money, Now I have been in an and did not know anything, but a few characters.
English school for about two years and a half, and I think to have spent these years here is a hundred times better than those four years which I wasted a long time ago. Beside this, in Chinese schools, we want money, but in this we can study without it. The Chinese are very ignorant about education. I must have a thankful heart to God and those gentlemen, who give money for us to live here and get knowledge. Therefore we inust try to learn, so as to pay for that money, and let it be of advantage to us, and those who give # 1: hould be very glad to have an examination of us, and lets those gentleinen see how much we have learned, and see if it is better for them to give or not