SOME OBSERVATIONS
UPON THE
CIVILIZATION
OF THE
WESTERN BARBARIANS,
PARTICULARLY OF THE ENGLISH;
MADE DURING A RESIDENCE OF SOME YEARS IN THOSE PARTS,
By AH-CHIN-LE,
MANDARIN OF THE FIRST CLASS, MEMBER OF THE
ENLIGHTENED AND EXALTED CALAO.
TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE INTO ENGLISH,
By JOHN YESTER SMYTHE, Esq.,
OF SHANGHAI,
AND
NOW FIRST PUBLISHED OUT OF CHINA AND IN OTHER THAN CHINESE.
BOSTON:
LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS.
NEW YORK:
CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM,
678 BROADWAY.
1876.
COPYRIGHT.
J.B. SWASEY.
1876.
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
This Translation of the Work of Ah-Chin-le is trustworthy as to themeaning of the Text—though the literal translation has not been, inmany cases, attempted.
Preserving the Spirit of the Author, the Translator has desired to beintelligible in good, readable English. Where it is impossible to givethe precise thought of a mind so differently cultured, the nearestEnglish is given. It is hoped that the inherent difficulty of the taskmay excuse errors of grammar and style.
The Translator has been so absorbed in his Author, that he fears he mayhave often slipped in his Syntax, and been rude in his manner. However,with whatever faults, he hands the volume to his Countrymen—thinkingthat they may be as much interested in it as he has been; and mayderive as much amusement. If it do not commend itself for its Wisdom,it may, at least, for its novelty—that is, as a genuine expression ofintelligent Chinese opinion, concerning the "Civilization of theWestern Barbarians, and particularly of the English."
The Author's own Preface explains the Origin of the Work, and itsclaims to consideration.
The Retreat,
Shanghai, China, 1875.
J.Y.S.
AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
Ah-chin-le, Mandarin, and member of the exalted Calao, to theIllustrious Wo-sung, Mandarin, First class, President of the mostSerene, the grand Council, Calao; virtue, health, and the highestplace in the Hall of your Sublime Ancestors! Trained from my youthfor many years in the school of the Foreigners [Fo-kien], so as tobe versed in the languages of the chief Barbarians of the West, andparticularly of the English, afterwards perfected in the latter at ourport of Shanghai, and sent by your Illustrious command upon a privatemission with the Imperial Embassy to the outside Barbarians of the farWest to curiously seek into the state of those Peoples, and report uponthe same to your Illustrious mind—that being so informed exactly,your Wisdom might, in those matters appertaining to the WesternBarbarians, enlighten the Son of Heaven (our Celestial and ImperialMajesty [Bang-ztse] most renowned and exalted) when, in Council, thingstouching those outer Barbarians should be considered: these, my poorwords, in so far as to your Illustrious Wisdom it has been thoughtproper to make general, are now produced: that the happy subjectsof our Central, Flowery Kingdom, may understand more perfectly thecondition of those outside Barbarians, respecting whom so very littleis known, and may the more cautiously guard the Sacred Ins