CO129-128 - Public Offices & Others - 1867 — Page 569

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THE

REV. W. LOBSCHEID'S DICTIONARY. 557

TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,"

SIR,

It having come to my knowledge that even Chinese linguists have concluded from the title of my English-Chinese Dictionary, that the same is intended to be a Dictionary of Colloquial Mandarin, no course is left open for me than to correct that error. Not being an Englishman, advantage has been taken of insinuating probabilities of the most foolish kind, and Mr. Mayers of H. B. M.'s Consulate of Canton has not considered it beneath his dignity to circulate the most absurd notions respecting my work. As author my opinion may be considered as not altogether free from prejudice, hence, in referring to Mr. Mayers' insinuations I will strictly confine myself to facts.

1. Mr. Mayers insinuates that I am a foreigner and jumps at the conclusion that I am unable to understand the English idioma. Does he then think that an Englishman without any knowledge of modern languages besides his own is better qualified to understand the Chinese idiom than myself? The title of the Dictionary says, that it is a Dictionary of the Chinese Language. Under Chinese language every sensible person understands the written medium of communicating or representing our ideas. The written characters being mute, every person pronounces the same in the dialect he is acquainted with. When I first came to China there were no books published in the dialect 1 wished to learn; hence I had to use the dictionaries written with Mandarin pronunciation. In order to facilitate the study of Chinese and to make the work as useful to the student as possible, I proposed to add to the Panti and Man- darin also the Hakka pronunciation, and would have done so, had it not been found that the work would become too bulky. In order to make a distinction between purely Punti colloquial and book language, the illustrations given in Punti have no Mandarin pronunciation. Mr. Mayers' should have first studied the roeaning of the title of the work before jumping at his ridiculous conclusion. In not doing so he has given a proof that he does not know what an Englishman means by Pronunciation of Chinese Characters.

2.--In giving the number of pages of the Dictionary, Mr. Mayers is again guilty of intentional omissions by not stating the number of pages of the Preface and Introduction, which altogether amount to nearly 50, and contain much which throws light on the dialectical differences of the Chinese language. I would ask Mr. Mayers to point out a singlo catalogue of books in which the number of pages of the Introduction have been omitted.

3.--A third proof that he means to injure the publisher is his statement that the work is offered to the public unbound. He must know that Morrison's Dictionary has been offered for sale in boards, and that the same has been done by the publisher of my work. To a person living in Tientsin or Newchwang it is of some importance to know whether the copy he orders can he used as it is offered for sale or whether he has to pay extra for binding. This he should have distinctly stated.

4. As to my connections. Mr. Mayers was fully aware that in 1856 I quitted the mainland under the most perilous circumstances. The privations which I had to endure brought upon me a severe illness which nearly deprived me of the sight of my eyes. When partially recovered I accepted the office of Inspector of Government Schools ou this Island. Whilst holding that office, the Bishop of Victoria consulted me respecting the practicability of initiating a free Emigration to the West Indies, and requested me to use my influence for its accomplishment. Mr. Austin, now Governor of Honduras, arrived and brought a letter from the Bishop, in which the object of his mission was explained. I did assist Mr. Austin by issuing notices to the Chinese and by directing him in all that related to the Chinese, and he owed his success solely to my influence. He would have given me a salary of $6,000 a year had I been willing to associate myself with him; but I refused all, even the $4,000 which he owed me for the first season.

Let Mr. Mayers point out a single Englishman who has acted in as disinterested a manner as myself. When resigning my office of Inspector of Government Schools, petitions signed by more than 2,000 persons were presented to me by the Chinese community requesting me to remain in office.

My visit to the West Indies was for the purpose of ascertaining the condition of Emigrants and to see whether care was taken of their spiritual welfare. I accepted the office of surgeon on board the Government Emigrant Ship, because I desired to be free and unfettered in my decision whether or not it would be prudent to recommend the Chinese to emigrate to the British possessions. I returned to China unconnected with any Government, society or company, und travelled about on the mainland with a missionary at my own expense, until I commenced the preparation of the series of works on the Chinese language. In 1865 a trial had to be made whether on not free Emigration after a plan which I had suggested was practicable. The trial was made and succeeded, and though I myself did not execute the orders sent to me, I directed and assisted the European and Chinese agents as I had done Mr. Austin at the request of the ecclesiastical dignitary who applied to me. Throughout all these years I have spent from 10 to 12 hours eacli day at my desk in the preparation of the works that have from time to time appeared, and I am sure that with the exception of the Rev. Mr. Burns, there is not a missionary in China who has so completely denied himself every comfort and pleasure, in order that he may be able to accomplish his difficult task. Where then, I ask, is the many years' engagement in mercantile affairs?

Mr. Mayors in comparing my Dictionary to any existing English Chinese-Dictionaries has again endeavoured to detract from its value. As a proof I will give a few examples, which cannot fail to open the eyes of the public as to the spirit which indited the remarks and the groundlessness that my work is a more translation of Webster.