reduced taxes.

Now, there are fixed tariffs governing all cases connected with the payment of duties by barbarian traders moving to and fro, and in this regard all the nations of Europe are upon the same footing. Just as it would not do at the present time to charge the ships of thy country any excess over the tariff because they happen to be the most numerous, so is it inexpedient to make an exception in favour of thy country by reducing the duties payable by it alone. The only course is to charge a just levy in accordance with the existing practice, and on the same footing as the other countries. Henceforth the barbarian merchants of thy state proceeding with their produce to Macao must receive every attention as before, in order to manifest due commiseration for them.

6. They next apply that the ships of thy kingdom may pay duties in accordance with a tariff. Now, the Hoppo of Canton in levying tonnage dues has hitherto acted under a fixed tariff; and, as it has now been declared inexpedient to establish trading hongs at any other seaports, it follows that duties must be paid as before, in accordance with precedent, to the Hoppo of Canton, and that there is no necessity for any further notification on the subject. As to the Teaching of the Lord of Heaven' cultivated by thy kingdom, this is simply the teaching which has up to this time been cultivated by the different nations of Europe. The Sacred Emperors and Illustrious Kings of the Celestial Court have, ever since the creation of the world, handed down the teachings which they have instituted from time to time; the earth's millions have a standing guide provided for them to follow herein, and would not venture to befool themselves with outlandish doctrines. So far as the European men who have accepted service in the metropolis are concerned, they reside in the Hall, and are not allowed to form connections with the people of China, or to wantonly propagate their faith. The distinction between Chinese and barbarian is strictly maintained. The desire which thine envoys now express is that barbarian men may be allowed to preach their faith as they list, which is even more impossible to grant than anything else.

6

The above categorical homily is forthcoming in consequence of the wanton suggestions made by thine envoys. Thou, King, maybe, hast not been able to thoroughly comprehend the political principles of the Celestial Court, and hadst no idea of wanton intrusion thyself. In all cases where tributary kingdoms with honest heart turn towards civilisation, We invariably display our commiseration, in order

Probably this refers to re-exports or unsold cargoes. The Emperor, like all Chinese, shows acuteness in evading the main point and betaking himself to generalities.

Ships' materials' are the actual words used, but a single extra dot (probably accidentally omitted) transforms these into 'ships' dues.'

This term is now usually confined to the Roman Catholic faith; Jesus teach ing' is the common expression for 'Protestants.*

to make manifest our tender affection. Should they crave any matters from us which do not conflict with our political principles, in all cases We go out of our way to grant their requests. Moreover, in thy case, O King, residing as thou dost in an obscure spot across the oceans, having protested thine earnestness and paid thy tribute, We have conferred upon thee rich favours in double the measure of other countries. But the requests now submitted by thine envoys not only seriously concern the statutory rules of the Celestial Court, but are all quite futile and impracticable even in thine own interests. We now once more set forth our meaning for thine instruction, O King, who shouldst enter into our views and for ever render obedience, thus enjoying thy due share of the blessings of peace. If, after this clear declaration, thou, King, shouldst peradventure lend misguided ear to the words of the men under thee, and allow barbarian merchants to go with their trading ships to Chêh Kiang, Tientsin, &c., and seek to land there for purposes of trade, know thou that the statutory rules of the Celestial Court are very strict, and that the civil and military officers in charge of each place will do their duty faithfully, and will not allow any ships of thy kingdom proceeding thither to remain there, but will positively have to drive them away at once to sea, so that the barbarian merchants of thy kingdom will have all their trouble in vain. Say not thou wast not warned! Tremble and obey, without negligence, this further command!'

'Jên-yin (day).10-Rescript to the Cabinet Council :

'Chukwei11 has sent up a memorial reporting that England has submitted an address with tribute. As certain tribute envoys in previous years had arrived in the metropolis and received handsome rewards from us, the King in question has specially prepared an address, with articles of local origin as tribute, for submission to us. His heartfelt sincerity is sufficiently manifest, and although no special envoy has come to Canton for the above purpose, on what ground should there be any difficulty about vouchsafing acceptance ?

'An imperial order 12 is also issued commanding him in the following words:

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Thy kingdom lying far away as it does across repeated oceans, last year thou sentest envoys to reverentially bear an address with tribute, to cross the seas, and pray for our happiness. We, observing thy heartfelt earnestness, O King, ordered our ministers to admit them to the privilege of audience, bestowed a banquet upon them, and con

1o Jên-yin is the 24th day after the kalends of the 12th moon in the 60th year of the Emperor K'ien-lung; five days later he abdicated. This would be early in February 1796.

"Chukwei must be a Manchu, and viceroy at Canton.

12 This Emperor often drafted the replies which his officers were to send, and even told them to say 'We dare not trouble the Emperor about this matter.'

ferred rewards in bounteous abundance. We issued a formal decree of commands for them to take home with them, and presented thee, O King, with patterned silks and valuable curiosities, in order to make manifest our tender affection. Now, O King, thou hast once more prepared a submissive address with local articles, which thou hast sent by barbarian ship to Canton for submission to us. The honesty

of thy reverent submission is sufficiently obvious. The Celestial Court holds in conciliatory possession all the states of the world. We reck not of the gifts of jewels which come to our Court: what We value is the senders' honesty of purpose. We have, however, commanded our viceregal authorities to admit the objects in question, in order to allow free scope to thy devout respect.

"As to the punitory expedition which the Celestial Court some time ago despatched against the Ghoorkas, the generalissimo commanding-in-chief penetrated deeply into their country at the time, capturing successive strong points. The Ghoorkas, awe-stricken before our military might, came cringing in to offer submission, and it was then first that the generalissimo reported the condition of affairs to us. 13 The benevolent goodness of the Celestial Court extends far away over both China and Abroad in equal measure. Unwilling that the poor folk of that region should one and all come to annihilation, We for this reason consented to receive their submission. At that time it is true the generalissimo did allude in his report to the fact that thou, King, hadst sent an envoy to Tibet to proffer a petition, stating that thou hadst exhorted the Ghoorkas to make their submission. But the great results of our victory had then already been achieved, nor was there ever any need to trouble the military power of thy kingdom. In thy present address, O King, it is stated that this affair occurred after the last envoys had started on their journey hither, and that therefore they had not been able to report it to us; but it is evident thou art ill acquainted with the sequence of events. Still, as thou, O King, appearest able to understand the principles of right, and art reverently submissive to the Celestial Court, We readily accord our commendation and approval, and now make thee, O King, special formal gifts of embroidered satins, &c. On thy part, O King, make further efforts in devoted loyalty, and ever merit our imperial favour, thus giving effect to our high desire that even the most distant may participate in the soothing influence of our benevolence."

'When Chukwei shall have received the above document, he will

13 The Annals of the Manchu Wars distinctly states that 'in 1795, when the English envoy came to Peking [inaccurate, of course] with tribute, he said: Last year but one, your general led his troops into the Timi country south-west of Tibet, and on that occasion we aided you with gunboats. Should you hereafter desire the use of European troops, we offer you our services." It was only then that the Emperor became aware that, when the Ghoorkas submitted, it was because they were menaced also on the south.'

at once proceed to deliver it to the taipan 14 Brown belonging to the said country for further transmission by him back to his country, so that the King in question may be still further filled with grateful obligation and reverent submission, and our affectionate tenderness be thus made manifest.

'The rule is that officials of the Celestial Court may not have any truck with outer barbarians. Chukwei therefore did right to give him orders to take back the objects presented to the former viceroy and the Hoppo.'

N.B.—In all the above papers there are words which do not admit of exact translation. For instance, the word translated 'barbarian' cannot possibly be accurately rendered: it is rather 'outlandish' or 'strange,' having in it at the same time that suspicion of inferiority which is wrapped up in the vague English word 'natives' as opposed to genuine white men, or in the American expression 'coloured folk.' The use of thou' denotes unmistakable inferiority. Such words as 'order,' 'submissive address,' 'policy,' 'etiquette,' ‘commiseration,' civilisation,'' devout respect,'' imperial commands,' and tender affection' are susceptible of many turns and shades in translation. However, the rendering is word for word and literal throughout, so far as the Chinese language admits of it.

E. H. PARKER.

14 Taipan is a Cantonese word meaning 'partner' or 'head of a commercial house,' but referring solely to Europeans. The Hoppo—a ‘pidgin-English' word—is the Comptroller of Customs.

THE BAB AND BABISM

IN 1845, in the city of Shiraz, the seat of learning, as the Persians say-of rose-gardens and of nightingales, as I would call it a young Persian began to preach. He had made the pilgrimage to Mecca, and came back full of ideas of his own-mystic and enthusiastic ideas, which evade definition and perplex the downright Anglo-Saxon understanding. However, he made it quite clear that, in his opinion, the people in general, and the priests in particular, had departed widely from the cardinal doctrines of Muhammadanism, and that the priests, in their lives, were far from practising what they did more or less erroneously preach. Now my readers will say that this is very vague; but I will make bold to say that Bab was at first as vague as myself, but his mystic hints and unintelligible suggestions were taken for the significant, if not for the magnificent. Let anyone who has studied Eastern writings on religion deny, if he can, that to get anything definite out of them is as difficult as the proverbial extraction of a needle from a bundle of hay. However, the young man called himself the Gate of Heaven-the 'Bab;' and it is said that he possessed a handsome appearance, engaging manners, and an eloquent tongue-powerful agents at all times for the accomplishment of any ends. A little later, and the Gate of Heaven represented himself as an emanation from the Divinity itself, and then assumed the title of 'Highness,' by which, also, Jesus, the son of Mary, or Miriam, is habitually known amongst Muhammadans. Next he gathered about him eighteen apostles, not that he might have half as many again as had his Highness Jesus, but because a peculiar sanctity, in his opinion, attached to the number nineteen. He, the prophet of God, the latest revelation, was the central point, round which revolved eighteen satellites, and, like the French Revolutionists, he would have renumbered and renamed everything, only with him everything would have had reference to the whole, or to the component parts of the mystic number.

Among his disciples were several persons of courage, eloquence,

This article was written before the assassination of the late Shah of Persia.ED. Nineteenth Century