Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 158

1850.

萬歷四十四年七月

命天

Notice of Japan in the Hai-kwok Tú Chí.

君

136

之威臣較盡恐父為又臣歷其 至不矣獎亦部自之安身一留 勝臣許復臣 干游敢為節何 惶于亦如而說妄侍關與 恐胃不臣同罰加從係臣 待後其察哉罔稱之亦事 於推詳竊 許臣輕修

ART. III. Japan: A Translation of the 12th Chapter of the Hái-kwoh

Te Chs, 海國圖志 or Notices of Foreign Countries, illustrat-

ed with Maps and Engravings. Published at the city of Yang- chau fù in Kiángsú, in the summer of 1847.

[This work now consists of sixty chapters, ten having been added to the hrst edition, which appeared in 1842. The compiler Wei-yuen, a native of Sháu-yang in-Húnán, and a subordinate officer of the Council, tells us in the preface, that it is based upon Commissioner Lin's Sz'-chau Chi, or Notices of the Islands in the Four Seas, which was translated from the writings of foreigners, or drew its information from them: it divides the whole into eigh- teen parts, which are set forth in classical and somewhat obscure language. The 1st section enjoins the necessity of taking advantage of barbarian power and inventions, to resist the barbarians, and to be on a proper footing with them. This may be said to be the grand object of the book, which then proceeds to give a geographical and historical account of all the nations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. The closing chapters direct attention to the superiority of barbarians in their method of circulating news, ship-build- ing, and gunnery; and are filled with woodcuts representing things and pro cesses, &c. Amongst barbarians, the English occupy a proininent place.

The translator was induced to undertake a version of the 12th Chapter by a remark in the Chinese Repository of September 1847, where the Hai-kwoh Tú Chi is reviewed, and its authorship ascribed to Lin: "The 12th book on Japan," says the reviewer, "is an original collection, little known to our book-makers. This is doubtless true; "but it is feared that the amount of useful matter contained in it is scarce sufficient to repay the trouble of cloth- ing it in an English dress. It serves as an instance of the extreme unfitness of a Chinese to accomplish such a task as the compiler of the work pro- posed to himself. He adds no comment or information of his own, but is content with giving extracts from The Chronicles of the Ming Dynasty; The.Art of War; History arranged in Chaptera, by Yu Ching-sich; Notes of particulars of Foreign States, by Chin Lun-tung; Geography of the whole world, by Nan Hwai-cha; Comparative Inquiry concerning the four Bar- barian Races, published under the present dynasty, or by Imperial Authority; Annals of Macan; Universal Geography ; and the Postscript of Shun king...