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    882 THE LEADER. [Saturday ,

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    HISTORY OF THE CHINESE REBELLION. IS Ins...

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    " To This Group Of Plants Belong The Cur...

    wish to imply that the writer does not mean what he says , we only censure the bad taste which does not see how inappropriate are Christianity and sewage . It is not enough that Hygiene should be recommended , forcibly , on its own merits , but we must be told that the Gospel depends on it for its realization ! Let us beg the editor of the London Quarterly ( and , indeed , of all other quarterlies ) to consider whether it would not be better to keep theology to its special articles , and not allow it to be thrown in as a

    condiment to science . The next article is a long and vicious one on Secularism—vicious , we mean , from its abiding and irritable unfairness , its thoroughly unchristian and sophisticate spirit ; it is an article meant for temporary triumph , but which will be read with pain by all impartial persons . The three concluding articles are Public Education , XJltramontanism , and India under the English . Thus , it will be seen , the contents of this new Review are varied , and promise a new and important accession to our periodical literature .

    In looking over the magazines left unnoticed last week , we find little demanding special comment . Our old and agreeable friend Fraser is not so sprightly and amusing this month , though there is a tragedy , in one act , on the subject of Dante ' s Madonna Pia , well worth reading . Dante , with his usual energetic concision , makes the unhappy Madonna Pia say :

    " Sienna me fece , disfece la Maremma , " and , out of this and the two following lines , the Marquis de Belloy made a tragedy , in one act , which , after a successful performance at the Theatre Francais , was suddenly and without intelligible reason , prohibited . It has been freely and finely rendered by the English adapter . In the Dublin University Magazine there is an interesting paper on The Flowers of the Affections , and one on Popular Geology . The curious series on Irish JRivers is continued—this month devoted to the Suir .

    882 The Leader. [Saturday ,

    882 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,

    History Of The Chinese Rebellion. Is Ins...

    HISTORY OF THE CHINESE REBELLION . IS Insurrection en Chine ; depuis son origine jusqv ? a la prise de Nankin . Par MM . Gallery et Yvan . London : W . Jeffa History of the Insurrection in China ; with notices of the Christianity , Creed , and Proclamations of the Insurgents . By MM . Callery and Yvan . Translated from the French ; with a supplementary Chapter , narrating the most recent Events . By John Oxenford . Smith , Elder , and Co , An insurrection which kas for three years been steadily advancing towards its goal—the destruction of a reigning dynasty , —cannot be without interest even to the idle " general reader ; " and when this insurrection is nothing less than a revolutionizing of the Chinese Empire , the overthrow of the Mantcliou dynasty , the destruction of Buddhist and other idolatries , and the enthronement of Christianity , there is something

    more than , an interest for the general reader—something more than a topic for . politicians . Such an insurrection is chronicled in the work before us . The work is written by Dr . Yvan , whose former work on China . ( Voyages et Merits ) was noticed by us on its appearance , and by M . Callery , interpreter to the French . Embassy . Although undisguisedly in favour of the revolutionary party , the statements arc confirmed by documents printed in onr Parliamentary papers . It is an animated , picturesque , amusing story . It has been very well translated by Mr . Oxenford , who lias added several brief explanatory notes , and two supplementary chapters , bringing the narrative clown to the 7 th of July last ; and-Jn spite of the want of European interest in Chinese affairs , no one will begin this book , and leave it unread . We select a few of the passages marked for extract : —

    ITOW THEY MADE AN EMPEEOK . " The second Emperor of the dynasty of Tsin , Tsin-che-houang , being already old and infirm , sent his son Fou-sou , the heir to the throne , into the north of China , to superintend the defensive works , which three hundred thousand men were constructing on the Tartarian frontier . He gave the young prince for his guide and guardian the celebrated Mong-tien , an experienced general , and the most illustrious warrior of his time . While the imperial prince and his three hundred thousand men were working at that great wall of China , which travellers have so much lengthened in their narratives , tho old Emperor Tsin-che-houang took it into his head to perform a pilgrimage into the southern provinces , to visit the tombs of his predecessors Chuen and Yu . The latter is the Deucalion of Chineso mythology , and his memory is held in high veneration .

    " Tsin-che-houang performed this long journey , accompanied by his second son , llou-hai , and Tcha-kao , chief of the eunuchs . Tho old Emperor could not support tho fatigues of the journey . He fell ill at a great distance from his capital , and feeling tho approach of death , wrote to hia eldest son to quit the frontier , and proceed with all haste to the capital of tho empire , there to receive the news of his decease , and to celebrate his funeral when his body should be brought thither by his faithful servants . The chief of tho eunuchs , whose office it was to place the imperial seal on this despatch and send it to the crown-prince of the empire , fabricated another despatch , and boldly substituted it for that of tho dying emperor . In this document , which had all the marks of authenticity , Tsin-che-houang ordered tho prince hia « m , and tho illustrious warrior who accompanied him , to kill themselves , by way of expiating their transgressions .

    " On the day after the perpetration of tins fraud , the Emperor died . The infamous Tchu-kao then persuaded the second son l , o take possession of tho throne ; but to effect this usurpation ,, it was necessary t <> conceal tho death of tho Emperor fora certain time , in order I hat the high functionaries , and tho young princes , who had remained in tho capital , might not ; of their own accord proclaim tho heir , alread y appointed by the deceased monarch . " The eunuch therefore contrived this stratagem . The body , wrapped in sumptuous raiment , and in tho same attitude as during life , was placed in a litter hurrounded by a light ; trellis-work , and concealed by silken curtains . A foiv initiated persons could alone , approach it , and tho eunuch proclaimed 'throughout tho route that t . ho Kmperor , wishing to hasten bin return , would tvavel day and night without alighting from his litter . At meal times , tho procession stopped for u moment to take in tho food , which avus consumed by a man placed in a litter by tho nido of tho corpse ; but oven tho uio » t curioua eye could not detect anything behind tho thick fulkou curtajuati

    " Unfortunately this took place during the most intense heat of summer , and fli corpse soon began to send forth a most intolerable stench , which would ' hav vealed the terrible truth , had not the eunuch contrived a new expedient . H G Pe * in advance of the procession an ante-dated edict , professedly issued by the EinDe ^ which declared that the said Emperor , for the interest of commerce , allowed th * carts of vendors of oysters to take the same route as his cortege . Formerly th had been severely prohibited on account of the offensive nature of the wares . Th oysters , which in Chinese are called pao-yu , are the enormous shell fish to * whj \ naturalists give the name of spondyles , and were then , as now , largely consumed b the people . ^ " The oyster-dealers took advantage of the permission which was granted them and consequently cart-loads of spondyles preceded and followed the . hnperial proces ' sion , sending forth effluvia which defied the most sensitive nose to detect the putrid exhalations of the corpse among-the alkaline exhalations which surrounded it . j n this manner the imperial litter reached the capital amid the sound of gon ^ -s j the acclamations of the multitude .

    " Prince Hou-hai and the eunuch , took their measures at once . Having gained over the high functionaries anfl the soldiers , they announced the death of f sin-chehouang , and proclaimed the new Emperor . While all this was going on at Ping , yuen , Fou-sou and Mong-tien received with astonishment the imperial edict which commanded them to kill themselves . The old general observed to his pupil that it was contrary to tbe rules of sound policy to order generals who commanded 300 , 000 men to die by their own hands , without providing successors , aud he was therefore of opinion that the imperial edict was a forgery . However , Fou-sou made the heroic reply that filial piety required him to obey , without examination or < lis . cussion , an order bearing his father ' s seal , and stabbed himself without hesitation .

    " The accession of Hien-foung was not attended by such disastrous circumstances , though his father had not appointed him in the express terms to which the Chinese , ' who are formalists by nature , attach great importance . He mounted the throne without opposition , and if we have related the catastrophe of Prince Fou-sou , it is only for the purpose of showing the reader how easily the most audacious crimes may be perpetrated in a country where an almost invisible sovereign is surrounded by persons who , at any given moment , can conspire together to violate without a struggle the law of succession to the throne . The new Emperor , according to custorn , abandoned the name he had hitherto borne , and took that of Hien-foung , which signifies * Complete Abundance . '" This Hien-foung is the present reigning Emperor , the antagonist of Tien-te , the Pretender . Their portraits are thus sketched : —

    " Strange to say , the chief competitors in this greafc ^ struggle are two young men scarcely-out of their boyhood . The Emperor Hien-foung is only twenty-two years of age . He is of a middle height , and his form indicates great aptitude for bodily exercises . He is slender and muscular . His face , which indicates a certain degree of resolution , is chiefly characterized by a very high forehead , and by an almost defective obliquity of the eyes . His cheek bones are very prominent , and strongly marked . The space between the eyes is large and flat , like ^ the forehead of a buflalo . Hien-foung is of a stubborn and credulous disposition . In the midst of the most effeminate luxury he affects severity of morals , and , notwithstanding his youth , he is already married . The Empress is a Tartar princess , with large feet , totally devoid of that delicacy and fragile gracefulness which belong to the smallfooted Chinese women . The Emperor loves to see her perform the violent exercises which are the delight of the women of her nation , and she often gallops about with

    him in the extensive gardens of the palace . " Tien-te , the chief of the insurrection , is not above twenty-three years of ngo ; bufc study and want of rest have made him prematurely old . He is grave and melancholy , leads a very retired life , and only communicates with those about him when he gives his orders . His face is expressivo of mildness , but it is a mildness peculiar to certain ascetics , and which neither excludes firmness nor that obstinacy belonging to persons of strong religious convictions . His complexion , which horders on the colour of saffron , is that of the Chinese of tho southern provinces . In

    staturo he is taller than Hien-foung ; but he appears less robust . Both of them have been influenced by their education ; and their moral are indicated by their physical qualities . Tho young Emperor , easy in his movements , and with firmness in his glance , has an aspect of haughty command , and requires blind obedience . Tien-te , on tho other hand , has a fixed gaze , which seems to penetrate into tno depths of the human soul , and to unmask all its designs . He commands rather by suggestions than by directly giving orders . In a word , he has the taciturn reserve of a man who has long reflected before he has made any one the confidant

    of his projects . Tien-te was accompanied by a mysterious councillor , who , from Mr . Oxenford ' s supplementary chapter , there is reason to believe , was tho primo mover of tho scheme , and is now the actual chief—tho pretender being dead . There is , however , great diflk-ulty in knowing any fads 01 tho case . Whether under Tien-te , or another , the revolutionary W'y lias gradually increased , passing from victory to victory , subduing ] " ' j vince after province ; and has , at tho present date , captured JNanki" »»< Amoy . Success is certain . Tho Tartar dynasty must be looked upon jib lost . Two more extracts will uuflieo to show the variety of tho contents :- "

    ItOIUUNG- A MANDAUIN . j " Ho camo on his way to a deep and rapid stream , which could only l > ° croS ! j l 0 by a swinging bridge of bamhoos . Part of tho escort ; had already crossed to ^ opposite bank ; Sin stopped his chair , and ordered the coolies to proceed w ^ j and cautiously . They obeyed , but had no sooner reached tho middle of tho hn' ^ j than a sudden shock precipitated them and their burdens into the stn-iuri , » a moment of terrible disorder ensued . Tho military chest was at tho hoi < of tho rivor , and tho unfort . unnto coolies were struggling against the c " ^ uttering lamentable cries ; while Sin , enraged , beat the edge of bis chair wit > ^ fan . Fortunately the coolies swam like fishes , and easily gained tho bank . ^ Viceroy would willingly huvp given them tho bastinado , but ho reserve * ^ luxury for another time , and ordered tho-luekle . su wretches , who wcro siiH 1 MI 1 ^ and trembling , to fish up the precious chest , without delay , threat cuing tlu >»» *

    tho most terrible chastisement ; if they did not recover it . ri , |( . , " Tho coolies threw oil" their clothoH , and courageously p lunged into J '"' ^^ y They wcro skilful divers , and having duly explored tho bottom of tlM \ n , ° ij |() ,, £ li succeeded , after many oflbrtH , in bringing asboro tho precious client , which , . ^ wot ; and covered with mud , hud received no damngo . tfiu lost »<> time " ' ^ y it placed on the shoulders of two other coolies , and gave orders to renew iiw J ° ^ m fctonio daya afterwards , whon ho had roue-hod Chad-King , oho of hi » ## ** '

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 10, 1853, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_10091853/page/18/