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June 13, 1857.] THE LEADIEIl. __ 571
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LATTER-DAY POETRY. A vast accumulation o...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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A Visit To China. A Residence Among The ...
nrovince of that name , which had been for several years in a state of grea t disorder In 1850 , three years before the time of -which I write , a memorial , presented to the mjrernment by a number of gentlemen in the province , shows that fully two-thirds of it was overran by robbers , who committed great violence upon the inhabitants : " At the time the petition was written hundreds and thousands of fields were lying uncultivated ; the communications were in the hands of the outlaws , so that the supplies of the government could not travel . " Commissioner Lin -was summoned from Fokien to endeavour to put down the insurrection , but he died on the way . ' Other high officers were sent on the same duty , but failed ; and the insui-gents made rapid progress until they stormed . N " ankin in March , 1853 : —
When the news of the success of the rebels at Nanking and Chinkiang reached Shang hae , the alarm amongst all classes was very great . Some persons were of opijiion that the march straight upon Slianghae was attracted thither by the reported wealth of the foreign merchants ; and while the butter informed did not apprehend much danger from this source , nearly all agreed in the propriety of taking some precautionary measures for the protection of the settlement . Meetings were held at the British Consulate , parties of sailors and marines were landed from our men-of-war , some rude fortifications were hastily thrown up , and every precaution was taken to prevent surprise . It turned out afterwards that , however prudent these measures were at the time , they were quite uncalled for , as it do « s not seem to have been the intention of the insurgents to molest foreigners in any way whatever .
Mr . Fortune then gives facts which show that the insurgents , without being the devils they have been painted , shared the usual arrogance of the Chinese , and actually pretended to sovereignty and lordship over the whole world on the strength of their successes against the mandarins . They required the English to acknowledge their supremacy , and were with difficulty persuaded that we had a prejudice in favour of independence . As to their religious opinions , it appears certain that they read the Bible with eagerness ; but whether they understood or were influenced in any way by it , seems as yet doubtful . The ' Eastern Prince , ' who falls into a trance and has direct communication with the Supreme Being , reminds us strongly of Joe Smith . However , we must not decide such questions on slight information . Let us see what Mr . Fortune reports of the rebels from personal , experience . We must premise that rumours of sin insurrection against the authority of the emperor , and a constant attack on the part of the rebels , had for some time been rife in the city of Shanghae : —
The morning of the 7 th of September being the day on which the mandarins usually pay their visit to sacrifice in the temple of Confucius , was chosen by the rebels for the attack upon the city . Without knowing anjtMng about then- plans , I happened to pay a visit to the city soon after daybreak . On entering at the north gate I observed a number of men looking earnestly at some object in . the guard-house , and saw at a glance that something of an unusual nature hadtaken place . Ascending the . steps of the guard-room with the Chinese , I was horror-struck at finding the mats and pillows belonging to the guard saturated with human-blood . Upon inquiry , it appeared that a band of men , believed to be composed chiefly of the members of the secret society already noticed and called the ' Small-sword Society , ' had entered the
-city and were then on their way to the houses of the chief mandarins , namely , the Taoutae and Che-heen . They had met with some feeble resistance from the guards , whom they soon overpowered , and made themselves masters of the gate . When the xebels reached the centre of the city , they divided themselves into two divisions , one of which marched to the Che-heeh ' s office , and the other to the Taoutae ' s . 'Ihe guard at the Che-heen ' s , consisting of about forty men , fled without makmg the -slightest resistance , and are supposed to have been in league with the rebels . Some one ran to inform the magistrate that his house was uttacked , and the old man came out and endeavoured to pacify the mob with a fow fair words and promises for the future . He was told , however , that such promises ivere now too late , upbraided for
his former conduct , and barbarously murdered on tho spot . The division which marched to the Taoutae ' a was equally successful , and met with no resistance . Report says this officer—who was tho Jiighest in Shanghae—behaved very bravely on this trying occasion . HaVing been informed of the intended attack a minute or two before it took place , he dres .-ed himself in his official robes and came out to meet the rebels . Most of his attendants had fled , and seeing that the few men who remained true were a very unequal match for the rebels , he prevented them from offering any resistance . u If you want my life , " said he , " you have the power to take it—see , I am unarmed and defenceless . " The reiel chief replied that they did . not want his life , but that ho must forthwith hand over tho official seals , and take an oath not to molest those wl » o were now the masters of the city . lie immediately gave up the seals , and retired to hia hia own apartment , wliure he was allowed to remain unmolested -while the other parts of tho building wcro i lundorcd or gutted .
From tho fact that iUr . Fortune , immediately after these occurrences , moved in safety about the city , and frequently came in contact with tho rebels , we may infer that , after all , they wero not very dangerous people . They seem to have hud the same wholesome hatred of theft which distinguishes tho French revolutionist . Pilferers were put to death by mob-justice just as if they had been cnught on the Carrousel ; and no property was touched but Government property . Mr . Fortune , though he trios to be quite just to these rebels , speak of them with the constrained horror of a mild Conservative '•—Leaving tho offices of tho magistrate , wo now proceeded to tho residence of tho Taoutae , or the highest civil officer of tho city . 11 ore a seono of a different kind , but scarcely less common , was proecnted to us . This place has been made tho headquarters of thorobols , and wo found the door striotly guarded by their men . lie guardB allowed us to pass without quoation , and walking up a straight path to the furthest end of tho buildingswe found a largo hall filled with men , engaged in
ar-, ranging some matters connected with their food and wages . A more blackguard or unruly-looking collection of beings I had never before soon . Some wore armed with . short sworde , othors with muskets and pistols , and a , number with rusty-looking spears of all forms and sixes . Hero and thero wo obsorvod some busily engaged in grinding thoir swords , and every now and then feeling thoir edge , liko a butcher About to slay an animal for his stall . Tho greater number were taking part in o hot discussion which was than going on with their leaders , all talking at tho same time , and apparently in tho greatest disorder ; but as this is Chinese custom , it gave Us but little surprise or ooncorn . The uniform worn by this motley band was most varied in its character , but each man wove a disthitfuishlnjf badge of some kind either round his hoad or as a sash round hia body or hia broast . Tho l'okion bunds had Konerallv a red band tied round thoir hoad , while tho Canton men had a white one , paid to be a badge of mourning for tho Ming dynwty-tholr ancient kings Having eoen enough of those unruly spirits , wo loft them talltlng , and walked quietly homeward )* through the streets of tho city . Every plaoo was perfectly quiet , sorao of tho
shops were open , and the people generally seemed to be looking oa with Chinese indifference . Mr . Fortune gives an animated narrative of the occupation of Shanghae by the rebels , and of their final expulsion by the Imperialists , assisted by the French , who -were once bravely repulsed in an assault , and afterwards contented themselves with a murderous bombardment . We can only regret that he surfers himself occasionally to be led away into speaking with undue severity of the rebels because of the strong measures they were obliged to take for their own interest during the siege and of the ruin which naturally overtook the city during so protracted an operation . ' Thieves and pirates " are hardly fair expressions to . apply to persons who scrupulously protected private property as long as they were able . However , as we have already saidMr . Fortune tries to be impartial ; and has produced a volume which
, we can scarcely expect for some time to be surpassed in value as far as regards freshness and novelty of statement . It is by the constant efforts of such patient explorers as he that the truth on this Great Empire , so long overhung by the fog of mystery , will ultimately be made known . Then we shall askfbr some philosopher to narrate facts in order , and compress what is worth knowing about China within reasonable limits . The threatened China library will extend at first beyond the power of human reading . After all we cannot afford much time to people whose names end in ' ko' and ' winw . ' There must be some proportion between the size of books and the relatfvo importance of their subjects . Volumes that treat of distant places should diminish as their distance increases—just as objects seem to do . But for the present we must have patience , and even receive with welcome the dozens of octavo volumes that will rapidly crowd to our shelves .
June 13, 1857.] The Leadieil. __ 571
June 13 , 1857 . ] THE LEADIEIl . __ 571
Latter-Day Poetry. A Vast Accumulation O...
LATTER-DAY POETRY . A vast accumulation of volumes of verse , lying upon our table and waxing day by day , warns us to fetch up arrears , and to despatch several in rather summary fashion . Inspired , therefore , with a lofty courage , commensurate with the demands made upon it ( for it is no light task to grapple with a dead weight of Parnassian platitude ) , and tempering severe justice with due compassion , we dash boldly at the heap before us , and are lucky in singling out for our first subject the production of a man who is certainly superior to the ordinary run of Latter-day Poets , and who has earned the good feeling of all by some genuine qualities . The volume which we hold in our hand is
entitled—Under Green Leaves . By Charles Mackay . ( Routledge . )—All the old characteristics of Mr . Mackay ' s verses are to be found repeated in these pa ^ es . Our readers already know our estimation of those characteristics ; and we see , on the present occasion , neither advance nor retrogression to induce us to modify our pi-evidusly expressed opinion . Again , as of old , we find the strong lyrical feeling of the writer finding vent in bright and varied measures , comprehensible to the popular understanding , and yet possessing a certain charm for the cultivated ear : again we find a generous sympathy with humanity and with all that can ennoble it ; a rough contempt of whatever is mean or false ; pleasant bits of description of country life , mixed with a good deal that is weak and common-place ; a manly respect for labour , unaccompanied by anything fawning or pretentious ; and a strain of somewhat obvious moralising . The pretty title of the book expresses its character—a vein of tranquil thoughtfulness pursued under the cheerful influences of Nature .
Of a higher mood is The Chain of Lilies , and Other Poems . By William Bri ^ hty liauds . ( Knight and Son . )—The first of these poems represents the wild , wayward course of a lover ' passion , analyzing his various emotions , his capricious thoughts , his feverish um-est and final calm , with a quaint richness of fancy and delicacy of feeling which remind us of Mr . Coventry Patmore ' s Angel in ihe House , though Mr . Rands has less intellectual subtlety and range of thought than that remarkable poem exhibits . A very few pa ^ es are occupied by this Chain of Lilies , and the \ vhole might be read in ten minutes ; but the effect of the stanzas on the mind is abiding in its sweet gentleness and fantastic beauty . The other productions in the volume arc not cqunl to the first , being somewhat vague and indistinct ; but we welcome Mr . Hands as possessing the true instincts of a poet , and we hope to hear of him ngain . .. _ .. _ _ ,., ith Other JohStuart
Lays and Legends of Ancient Greece , w Toems . By n Blaekie , Professor of Greek in the University of Edinburgh . ( Sutherland and Knox . )—A union of sing-song and heavinoss is apparent in the greater number of tlio Professor ' s pages , which , though commencing with the invocation , " Muse of old Hollas , wake again ! " arc so destitute of Attic taste ( unless when obviously Homeric epithets are reproduced ) as to leave very little doubt on the reader ' s mind that tho said Muso has refused to hem-ken to tho call . If there be any sense of Athens in Mr . Blackio ' a verses , it is of the modern Athena . Tho music is not that of the Creole lyre but of tho Scotch bngpipes ~ a heavy and wearisome drone . What does the reader think of the divine dreams of antiquity being invoked from their graves by enchantment such as this , spoken of Jphigema t—She stretched her hunils to the standors by ,
And tondorly bosonght them j With shafts of pity from her oye , Tho lovoly maiden smoto thorn . O I liko a picture to bo aeon Was she , so ehaato and beautiful , And to hor father ' s will had been In ull bo moek and dutiful . In a word , tho writing is too much that of a professor . Wo could fancy many of tho poems being delivered in lectures to classes of pupils , and wo almost expect to find questions for examination at tho end . Professor Blackio is tho gentleman who some months ago asserted the vast superiority of Scotchmen over Englishmen ; but ho does not object to ' oke out ins imperfections with the thoughts' of English poets . Within tho compass ot h , low pngos we find— ' Blow , winds , nnd crack your chocks I' ( Shaksnoaro ); the human face divino' ( Milton ) rand ? the leafy month of Juno ( Ooloriilgo ) : nil unacknowledged . Tw 6 or three of the poems w this volume nso
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), June 13, 1857, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_13061857/page/19/
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