Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 633

616

Illustrations of Men and Things in China.

Nov.

plied, "Mallards and ducks can swim because their feet are broad; wild geese and cranes can sing because they have long necks; firs and pines remain green throughout the winter because they have strong hearts."

The youth rejoined, "Not so; fishes and turtles can swim, is it because they all have broad feet? Frogs and toads can sing, is it because their necks are long? The green bamboo keeps fresh in winter, is it on account of its strong heart?"

Again interrogating, he said, "How many stars are there altogether in the sky" Confucius replied, "At this time inquire about the earth; how can we converse about the sky with certainty?" The boy said, "Then how many houses in all are there on the earth?" The sage answered, “Coine now, speak about something that's before our eyes; why must you converse about heaven and earth.” The lad resumed, “ Well, speak about what's before our eyes-how many hairs are there in your eyebrows ?"

Confucius smiled, but did not answer, and turning to his disciples called them and said, "This boy is to be feared; for it is easy to see that the subse-

quent man will not be like the child." He then got into his carriage, and

rode off.

The ode says,

Do not despise a youth, a bright intelligent lad;

'

Whose talents are discursive and great, in wisdom surpassing men; While discoursing about things in general, of affairs without a limit, It is evident that an ancient sage, has manifested himself in the body. The pages of the book are divided into two parts, having no connec- tion with each other. On the lower part, succeeding this story, comes the Hundred Family Names (see vol. IV., page 153), and above it is the Thousand Character Classic (see vol. IV., page 229), both of them as dry as chopped hay' to the juvenile mind. There are also in the upper division, various lists of persons, comprising the disciples of Confucius, famous heroes and scholars, the 24 youths renowned for their filial duty (see vol. VI., page 130), &c.; also short admoni- tions in verse, curious directions how to divine good or bad luck from candlewicks; and lastly, nearly 200 pictures of the most common objects in nature, with their names attached. These pictures indicate a very primitive state of the art of drawing, and are altogether so rude, that if the author had not very discreetly told the lad, this is a horse,' he would perhaps have called it a handsaw. If these pictures are those to which Mr. Davis refers, in his work, as being employed by Chi- nese teachers in giving instruction, and we have little doubt but they are, he ought to have given us a better idea of their merits.

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In the lower part of the book, succeeding the Thousand Character Classic, the stripling, who may wish to wander farther in this Eastern Garden, is entertained with various multiplication and division tables, and then led to a plat whereon are depicted the sublime calculations of the abacus or swanpan. Then follow a large number of parterres, containing a choice selection of phrases and terms with appropriate definitions and illustrations. They embrace the whole range of sub-