The master inquired, " How can heaven hold
discourse?" What is the answer to be given?
Sometimes the most common-place truisms,
having the authority of a great name, are
proposed, and are required to be reproduced in other
forms, to be versified, explained, or commented
on. The master said, " Knowing is to know:
not knowing is not to know. This is knowledge."
It is obvious that such a dictum opens
the whole field of inquiry as to what is meant
by knowledge.

These subjects are taken from a Kwang-tung
examination. In the province of Kiang-soo,
where ten thousand candidates are generally
gathered together, the first text given was,
"They had mastered the Five Classics." It is a
passage from an obscure author, Wang-tsung,
who lived in the first century of the Christian
era, and of whose works scarcely a copy was to
be found. Those that were discovered sold
immediately, at extravagant prices. The next was
from a distinguished philosopher of the third
century: " The sage nourishes the source"—
meaning the emperor. Then came a demand
for a poetical commentary on a verse of a poet
of the fourth century, in stanzas of seven
characters to a line: " To music and study my
soul is devoted." And last, to produce a poem,
taking for a model an ancient versifier:"
Imitate Luh-Keen-nan's headings to the portraits
of the Eighteen Scholars." To the students who
were the least advanced, the subject given was:
"When the drizzling rain of spring falls upon
the flags, the swallows fly low."

One of the prize poems of the Canton
examination will illustrate the general character of the
favoured compositions. The author begins by
complimenting the Hioh-tai (literary examiner)
thus:

"Your official communications in their
elegance resemble harmonious music. They are
beautifully intelligible, and clear as the clouds
in the calm atmosphere of spring."

He then calls the attention of the examiner to
the fact that in the Canton river a thousand
foreign ships are brought by merchants from a
distance of ten thousand miles, but if ministers
do their duty they will be thoroughly searched
and scrutinised.

"If the people run after gaieties and luxuries,
how can they accumulate wealth? But when
the sick and the poor are cared for, plenteous
years will come.

"Inhabitants of the remotest isles will be
grateful, and happy scholars will arrange their
plans.

"Make good laws, and the outer tribes will
respect the flowery land."

The references to the English are many.

"Trample on the hoar-frost, you will harden
it to ice; but if you nourish and support a tiger,
woe is yours should you tread on his tail.

"How can we allow the ugly race (foreigners)
to flourish and increase like the grass?
"Even a victorious army could not transform
these vile insects into men.

"They talk about heaven; they know not
what is correct; they circulate strange
doctrines.

"But we must not therefore forsake right
principle, and our dignity must guard us against
the depraved.

"Lamentable it is that the minds of the
intelligent should be darkened by what is not,
but only seems to be good. So is truth
perverted, and the simple and ignorant are deluded.

"But we must hold to our doctrines and
strengthen our national spirit, and diligently
follow our established rules, and press them
close to our hearts.

"In ancient days, the compositions of the
sages were beautiful; our officials should still
guide us by correct teachings."

Then follow quotations from the sacred
books. .

"When rulers are right-principled the people
are virtuous and obedient.

"By caution, integrity, and justice, the people
are easily managed.

Excellent are the counsels of Kwo-yin and
Keang-tung: "Blame not the dog though he
should carry away the bones from the sepulchre.
Be not angry with the silkworm when it eats
the leaves in the desert. The crafty rabbit
contrives to have many a hole. Even the stupid
dove can find some empty nest."

"Foreigners long to see the imperial palace
gate of precious stones. Let us not be complacent
with them, though they give a golden goblet
for a bow's length of land." (Alluding to the
concession of Hong-Kong.) "Listen not to
their unmeaning and pragmatical falsehoods.
Yet must we try to instruct before we can
conscientiously imprison them. We must proclaim
the emperor glorious, rich, and cause his habitation
to be honoured. So shall his splendid light
illumine the Eastern sea. As the dawning day
bursts into the upper chambers, and the cloudy
spectres hide themselves in the sky as the
autumnal waves are becalmed when they pass
over the palace of the ocean dragon. Let
scholars, by the diffusion of right principles, help
to tranquillise the people. Seize the handle of
the plough, and the people will be grateful to
the enlightened prince. Pleasure shall dwell
with the cottage, though within there be only
coarse food and water. And beneath every
roof of the hospitable nation perfect tranquillity
shall reign. '

The political allusions in this composition,
which are quite the reflection of the national
mind, recommended it no doubt to the approval
of the imperial examiner, and would be likely to
obtain for the author the favour of the court.

The highest literary title is that of Chwang-
yuen, or president of the Han-lin College. We
had the honour of holding some intercourse
with the last person elected to this distinction.
He was the son of a man who kept a small
stationery shop in an obscure street at Ningpo.
The whole town and neighbourhood was in a
state of bewildered joy when the great news of
his nomination arrived. Processions, illuminations,
public rejoicing, universal visitings, occupied