DEAR MR. FERGUSON: Owing to ill health, which obliges me to leave for the U. S., I regret that I cannot answer your question in detail, but I have no hesitation in giving my suffrage for the "Easy Wen."

With kind regards,

Yours truly,

W. A. P. MARTIN.

Imperial College, Peking.

MY DEAR SIR: I have much pleasure in replying to yours on the subject of the style in which foreign Chinese books of a scientific and literary nature, should be rendered so as to make them interesting and intelligible to native readers.

Great care is required in matters of this kind, both in the translation that is made and in the language in which it is conveyed. We are apt to anglicise the work too much by extreme literal conformity to the original on the one hand, and on the other by the adoption of a style which scholars and others fail to appreciate or understand.

If the work that is done is original and the various ideas are expressed as they occur to the author-based of course on the book he is translating, or it may be otherwise-a closer adaptation may thereby be accomplished to the instincts of the Chinese mind on the part of an experienced writer, though a slavish translation is easier of execution.

As to the style of translation there can reasonably be no difference of opinion. There need be no contention about high and low styles. What one wants is to make the work clearly intelligible, and the native readers will be at no loss when it is done in as plain. and simple language as possible, except it may be from the nature of the subject itself. It is so in regard to well written books at home, and any attempt to launch into a high flown or profound style will be sure to bring its own disadvantages.

I speak in this way with reference to the so-called Wen-li, which I assume to be the proper style in the case intended, so much so indeed that my remarks may appear mere platitudes, but there is reason for insisting on it in view of many publications that have appeared at the hands of foreign missionaries, the style more than the subject of which has been most unsatisfactory to the Chinese. A simple, plain Wên-li version of a book has its counterpart in many native writings, and though making no pretension as to style will attract and be commended by scholars as the proper course to be taken in the communication of the knowledge that is sought to

be conveyed. It is the style most adapted for general use, and by means of it the knowledge in question can be conveyed throughout the whole land. Any other style is sure to meet with disrespect and contempt.

Of course there are difficulties in the way from the ignorance of the Chinese on most elementary scientific subjects. This can be met most easily and satisfactorily by the adoption of a system of Primers, in which the simplest information is at first imparted, and the gradus ad Parnassum is employed to train the native mind to higher attainments in the matter. Give them the same style, which is everywhere t'ung yung, but let there be all the variety of theme and thesis in the education that is imparted from the letters of the alphabet to Newton's principia.

I had written thus far when without looking again in your letter the thought occurred to me, Does the question asked bear on instruction in English or merely in relation to literary and local styles in Chinese? Allow me to say a few words in reference to these two points.

For general use I have no hesitation in giving my decided opinion in favour of the Chinese language instead of confining one's teaching to English. By all means let there be those to whom a certain amount of English instruction shall be given as obtains in the case of other languages to students at home, but the great requirement is the so-called vernacular in the sense already given to meet the necessities and attainments of a people like the Chinese. There are millions of intelligent readers fully qualified to understand the scientific teachings, which it is in our power to give, and only wait to have it imparted to them in the right way. In this respect they are widely distinguished from countries like India, and it is the duty of foreign scientific teachers to take advantage of it.

In reference to mission schools and elementary works I have equally no hesitation in saying that the very rudiments of education may well be conveyed in mandarin or the local patois. I do not mean that even these works should be published in such a style beyond, it may be, for the most local use, that is, for the smallest grade of scholars, who as soon as possible should be introduced into the higher style. I approve of such information being given at first in a form which the children and others can understand, but would make use of the more educating style as soon as possible, and I presume that the question before us has specially to do with the form best adopted for general information among the Chinese at large. In that case the views expressed appear to me the most suitable in the circumstances in which we are placed, and the

preparation and wide diffusion of such works, carefully selected and made, would be a means of great benefit to this country.

I can only wish you much encouragement in the work you have on hand, and hope that you and your coadjutors in the Educational Association will be able in some measure to rise to the demand for the enlightenment and elevation of this vast people.

I am,

My Dear Sir,

Yours very truly,

WM. MUIRHEAD.

London Mission, Shanghai.

DEAR MR. FERGUSON: In answer to your circular as to the best medium in which to convey science to the Chinese I reply that it is a question not easy to decide. The use of Wên-li makes the book usable all over China, but I have felt for a long time that for the smaller and middle class boys the use of Wên-li puts them at a very great disadvantage. The mere language is so difficult that the acquisition of the truth sought to be conveyed becomes an unnecessarily burdensome task. I would greatly prefer if it were possible to have the primary books in the colloquial Mandarin, where Mandarin is spoken; and the local dialects in other places: and yet the extra trouble and expense of publishing different editions of the same book would seem to put this out of the question entirely. Of course even Mandarin is much easier to understand, say here in Suchow, than Wên-li, and primary science books published in Mandarin would be better than in Wên-li; but I understand this is not the case further south in Foochow, Canton, etc. On the whole perhaps the best plan will be to make the Wên-li as easy as possible, punctuate it carefully, divide the lessons into sections and paragraphs, print subjects and important points in different type, etc., all of which will be of very great assistance to the student in acquiring a knowledge of the subject.

Yours truly,

A. P. PARKER.

Methodist Episcopal (South) Mission, Soochow.

Rev. J. C. FERGUSON.

DEAR BROTHER: With regard to books on any subject my opinion is that for general as opposed to local use Wên-li is the best medium.

With regard to mathematics I consider that, though the use of Western notation and symbols has disadvantages, yet on the whole the advantages of their use counterbalance the disadvantages.

Believe me,

Yours truly,

J. C. HOARE.

Ningpo, Church Missionary Society.

Rev. J. C. FERGUSON.

DEAR BROTHER: In reply to your inquiry-"In your opinion what is the best medium of conveying scientific and mathematical truth in our text-books, whether by Wên-li, Mandarin or other colloquial dialects or the Romanized?" I would, without hesitation, say For use in Canton and the region round about Easy Wen-li. Yours sincerely,

Presbyterian Mission, Canton.

Rev. J. C. FERGUSON.

HENRY V. NOYES.

DEAR SIR: For advanced pupils I think that "Scientific and Mathematical Truth" can best be conveyed in Wên-li. My experience, however, has been that pupils are in some instances ready for some of the higher branches (algebra and physical geography, etc.) before sufficiently advanced in classic Chinese to be able to read readily text-books in Wên-li. It seems to me that all the lower branches, viz., arithmetic, physical and descriptive geography, algebra and the first lessons in physics and chemistry should be written in the colloquial of the district where used. Advanced branches should be written in Wên-li. The terminology of the text-books would be the same whether the books were written in colloquial or Wên-li; so that the change could be readily made when the pupil is sufficiently advanced in his Chinese classics.

Respectfully,

F. E. MEIGS.

Foreign Christian Missionary Society, Nanking.

MY DEAR MR. FERGUSON: In answer to your inquiry as to what style of text-books should be used in our schools I should say, for myself, very decidedly, that they should be in Wên-li. This has so many advantages over Mandarin, as for instance conciseness, power of expressing abstract thought, as well as being a universal medium

of communication, as in my opinion makes it eminently fitted, above all colloquial dialects for teaching purposes. Romanized should not be thought of. I should as soon think of using Sanscrit as Romanized Chinese. I may say that I think for primary schools. a series of simple scientific text-books in Mandarin, as well as some good Readers, would be very useful. We possess no good Readers, and they are very urgently needed. A book like the "Seven Sisters" for instance in Mandarin would be excellent.

Yours sincerely,

Methodist Episcopal Mission, Kiukiang.

JAS. JACKSON.

MY DEAR FERGUSON: I send a brief reply to the question you propound.

I hold that the boys who come to our schools should immediate ly begin the study of the natural sciences.

A few years ago in England and America a lad's education while in school consisted principally in acquiring a knowledge of Greek, Latin and mathematics, and the study of astronomy, chemistry, physics, etc., was deferred until his college course. The result was that the power of observation was but slightly developed, and that he went through life with the merest smattering of scientific knowledge.

Now thanks to the general reform that has taken place in education all that is changed. The boy from the very start takes the study of the sciences, at least in a rudimentary way. In China. our aim is of course to introduce the best methods of education, not the old fashioned ones, and so our students should commence at once to enquire into and investigate the meaning of things that present themselves hourly to their senses.

If we desire our boys to take up the natural sciences thus early in their course we must have Rudimentary Text-books and Science Primers, and these books must be in Mandarin for Mandarin-speaking districts, and in the vernacular dialects for other places.

At first they cannot understand the simplest Wêu-li, and so during the stage we must make use of vernacular and mandarin books.

Of course the time will come when they can study a Wên-li book with intelligence, and then it is time to drop the vernacular and Mandarin and take up translations in Easy Wên-li.

When they can understand them let us use the Easy Wên-li books by all means. The style is less diffusive and the meaning more accurately expressed.