Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 336

Valrers at Chinese

terwards filled in with the pencil, --and the whole was then printed sogether in the same manner as ordmary lithography We are aware that this has sometimes been done in Europe also but we know that Mr. Medhurst, having spent nearly the whole active portion of his life, now a score of years and more. in Asiatic countries, was igno- rant of this, and to himself alone is due the credit of the experiment and its successful result. This mode of printing somewhat mars, indeed, the fair face of the page; but usually distinctly legible, and well-furnished by this mode of printing with examples in the Chinese character, without thereby involving a large increase of cost, none we presume will complain of what enables the publisher to sell it at the very moderate price of $1.50 a copy

A grammar that will exhibit all the forms and idioms of the Chu- nese language is a great desideratum. It may in passing be here intimated, that the compiler of the Chinese Chrestomathy, noticed in our number for April, has been collecting materials for a work of this kind, during the last three years The compilation, however, of a grammar, that shall comprise everything valuable in the works of Morrison, Marshman, Rémusat, and Prémaie, and at the same time be free from their inaccuracies and supply their defects, is a task which cannot be very speedily accomplished. In the four above- named authors some very important principles have been omitted, and many slightly touched upon require to be more fully elucidated. In doing this, the little and unpretending volume before us will afford essential aid, while at the same time it puts within the student's reach, and in a cheap and convenient shape, one of the best manu- als hitherto published. We should have preferred a faithful translation of either Rémusat or Premare to these Notices. Still our best thanks are due to Mr. Gutzlaff (who often takes the signature Philosinensis) for compiling, and to Mr. Medhurst for revising and publishing this volume, which we proceed now briefly to review.

The notices, without introduction or preface, are comprised in two boks the first is divided into three chapters-on the sounds, on the characters, and on words: the second is divided into nine chapters, under the following heads-nouns, adjectives, pronouns, numerals, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, expletives and interjec- Part 1, stamped on the title page seems to intimate that the work is yet incomplete, and that something more is to appear as part II. which we suppose is to be the syntax, to which several refer rences are made in part 1

tions.

ip scope portant of the weak ther

p