Concerning a desire to expatiate upon subjects of
philosophical importance and its no accomplishment. Three
examples of the mental concavity sunk into by these
barbarians. An involved episode which had the outward
appearance of being otherwise than what it was.
Venerated Sire (whose genial liberality on all necessary occasions
is well remembered by this person in his sacrifices, with the titles
“Benevolent” and “Open-sleeved”),--
I had it in my head at one time to tell you somewhat of the Classics
most reverenced in this country, of the philosophical opinions which
prevail, and to enlighten you generally upon certain other subjects of
distinguished eminence. As the deities arranged, however, it chanced
that upon my way to a reputable quarter of the city where the actuality
of these matters can be learnt with the least evasion, my footsteps were
drawn aside by an incident which now permeates my truth-laden brush to
the exclusion of all else.
But in the first place, if it be permitted for a thoroughly
untrustworthy son to take so presumptuous a liberty with an unvaryingly
sagacious father, let this one entreat you to regard everything he
writes in a very wide-headed spirit of looking at the matter from all
round. My former letters will have readily convinced you that much that
takes place here, even among those who can afford long finger-nails,
would not be tolerated in Yuen-ping, and in order to avoid the suspicion
that I am suffering from a serious injury to the head, or have become
a prey to a conflicting demon, it will be necessary to continue an
even more highly-sustained tolerant alertness. This person himself has
frequently suffered the ill effects of rashly assuming that because he
is conducting the adventure in a prepossessing spirit his efforts will
be honourably received, as when he courteously inquired the ages of a
company of maidens into whose presence he was led, and complimented the
one whom he was desirous of especially gratifying by assuring her that
she had every appearance of being at least twice the nine-and-twenty
years to which she modestly laid claim.
Upon another occasion I entered a barber’s stall, and finding it
oppressively hot within, I commanded the attendant to carry a reclining
stool into the street and there shave my lower limbs and anoint my head.
As he hesitated to obey--doubtless on account of the trivial labour
involved--I repeated my words in a tone of fuller authority, holding out
the inducement of a just payment when he complied, and assuring him that
he would certainly be dragged before the nearest mandarin and tortured
if he held his joints stiffly. At this he evidently understood his
danger, for obsequiously protesting that he was only a barber of very
mean attainments, and that his deformed utensils were quite inadequate
for the case, he very courteously directed me in inquire for a public
chariot bound for a quarter called Colney Hatch (the place of commerce,
it is reasonable to infer, of the higher class barbers), and, seating
myself in it, instruct the attendant to put me down at the large gates,
where they possessed every requisite appliance, and also would, if
desirable, shave my head also. Here the incident assumes a more doubtful
guise, for, notwithstanding the admitted politeness of the one who
spoke, each of those to whom I subsequently addressed myself on the
subject, presented to me a face quite devoid of encouragement. While
none actually pointed out the vehicle I sought, many passed on in a
state of inward contemplation without replying, and some--chiefly the
attendants of other chariots of a similar kind--replied in what I deemed
to be a spirit of elusive metaphor, as he who asserted that such a
conveyance must be sought for at a point known intimately as the Aldgate
Pump, whence it started daily at half-past the thirteenth gong-stroke;
and another, who maintained that I had no prospect of reaching the
desired spot until I secured the services of one of a class of female
attendants who wear flowing blue robes in order to indicate that they
are prepared to encounter and vanquish any emergency in life. To make no
elaborate pretence in the matter this person may definitely admit that
he never did reach the place in question, nor--in spite of a diligent
search in which he has encountered much obloquy--has he yet found any
barber sufficiently well equipped to undertake the detail.
Even more recently I suffered the unmerited rebuke of the superficial
through performing an act of deferential politeness. Learning that the
enlightened and magnanimous sovereign of this country was setting out on
a journey I stationed myself in the forefront of those who stood before
his palace, intending to watch such parts of the procession as might be
fitly witnessed by one of my condition. When these had passed, and the
chariot of the greatest approached, I respectfully turned my back to
the road with a propitiatory gesture, as of one who did not deem himself
worthy even to look upon a being of such majestic rank and acknowledged
excellence. This delicate action, by some incredible process of mental
obliquity, was held by those around to be a deliberate insult, if not
even a preconcerted signal, of open treachery, and had not a heaven-sent
breeze at that moment carried the hat of a very dignified bystander into
the upper branches of an opportune tree, and successfully turned aside
the attention of the assembly into a most immoderate exhibition of utter
loss of gravity, I should undoubtedly have been publicly tortured, if
not actually torn to pieces.
But the incident first alluded to was of an even more
elaborately-contrived density than these, and some of the details are
still unrolled before the keenest edge of this one’s inner perception.
Nevertheless, all is now set down in unbroken exactness for your
impartial judgment.
At the time of this exploit I had only ventured out on a few occasions,
and then, save those recorded, to no considerable extent; for it had
already become obvious that the enterprises in which I persistently
became involved never contributed to my material prosperity, and the
disappointment of finding that even when I could remember nine words
of a sentence in their language none of the barbarians could understand
even so much as a tenth of my own, further cast down my enthusiasm.
On the day which has been the object of this person’s narration from
the first, he set out to become more fully instructed in the subjects
already indicated, and proceeding in a direction of which he had no
actual knowledge, he soon found himself in a populous and degraded
quarter of the city. Presently, to his reasonable astonishment, he saw
before him at a point where two ill-constructed thoroughfares met, a
spacious and important building, many-storied in height, ornamented
with a profusion of gold and crystal, marble and precious stones,
and displaying from a tall pole the three-hued emblem of undeniable
authority. A never-ending stream of people passed in and out by the
numerous doors; the strains of expertly wielded instruments could be
distinctly heard inside, and the warm odour of a most prepossessing
spiced incense permeated the surroundings. “Assuredly,” thought the
person who is now recording the incident, “this is one of the Temples
of barbarian worship”; and to set all further doubt at rest he saw in
letters of gilt splendour a variety of praiseworthy and appropriate
inscriptions, among which he read and understood, “Excellent,” “Fine
Old,” “Well Matured,” “Spirits only of the choicest quality within,”
together with many other invocations from which he could not wrest the
hidden significance, as “Old Vatted,” “Barclay’s Entire,” “An Ordinary
at One,” and the like.
By this time an impressive gathering had drawn around, and from its
manner of behaving conveyed the suspicion that an entertainment or
manifestation of some kind was confidently awaited. To disperse so
outrageous a misconception this person was on the point of withdrawing
himself when he chanced to see, over the principal door of the Temple,
a solid gold figure of colossal magnitude, represented as crowned with
leaves and tendrils, and holding in his outstretched hands a gigantic,
and doubtless symbolic, bunch of grapes. “This,” I said to myself, “is
evidently the tutelary deity of the place, so displayed to receive the
worship of the passer-by.” With the discovery a thought of the most
irreproachable benevolence possessed me. “Why should not this person,” I
reflected, “gain the unstinted approbation of those barbarians” (who by
this time completely encircled me in) “by doing obeisance towards their
deity, and by the same act delicately and inoffensively rebuke them for
their own too-frequent intolerable attitude towards the susceptibilities
of others? As an unprejudiced follower, in his own land, of the systems
of Confucius, Lao-tse, and Buddha, this person already recognises the
claims of seventeen thousand nine hundred and thirty-three deities of
various grades, so that the addition of one more to that number can be
a heresy of very trivial expiation.” Inspired by these honourable
sentiments, therefore, I at once prostrated myself on the ground, and,
amid a silence of really illimitable expectation, I began to kow-tow
repeatedly with ceremonious precision.
At this display of charitable broadmindedness an approving shout went
up on all sides. Thus encouraged I proceeded to kow-tow with even more
unceasing assiduousness, and presently words of definite encouragement
mingled with the shout. “Do not flag in your amiable disinterestedness,
Kong Ho,” I whispered in my ear, “and out of your well-sustained
endurance may perchance arise a cordial understanding, and ultimately
a remunerative alliance between two distinguished nations.” Filled with
this patriotic hope I did not suffer my neck to stiffen, and doubtless I
would have continued the undertaking as long as the sympathetic persons
who hemmed me in signified their refined approval, when suddenly the cry
was raised, “Look out, here comes the coppers!”
This, O my venerable-headed father, I at once guessed to be the
announcement heralding the collecting-bowl which some over-zealous
bystander was preparing to pass round on my behalf, doubtless under the
impression--so obtuse in grasping the true relationship of events are
many of the barbarians--that I was a wandering monk, displaying my
reverence for the purpose of mendicancy. Not wishing to profit by this
offensive misapprehension, I was preparing to rise, when a hand was
unceremoniously laid upon my shoulder, and turning round I saw behind me
one of the official watch--a class of men so powerful that at a gesture
from their uplifted hands even the fiercest untamed horse will not
infrequently stand upon its hind legs in mute submission.
“Early morning salutations,” I said pleasantly, though somewhat involved
in speech by my exertion (for these persons are ever to be treated
with discriminating courtesy). “Prosperity to your house, O energetic
street-watcher, and a thousand grandsons to worship their illustrious
ancestor.”
“Thanks,” he replied concisely. “I’m a single man. As yet. Now then,
will you make a way there? Can you stand?”
“Stand?” repeated this person, at once recognising one of the important
words of inner meaning concerning which he had been initiated by the
versatile Quang-Tsun. “Certainly this person will not hesitate to
establish his footing if the exaction is thought to be desirable.
Let us, therefore, bend our steps in the direction of a tea-house of
unquestionable propriety.”
“You’ve bent your steps into quite enough tea-houses, as you call them,
for one day,” replied the official with evasive meaning, at the same
time assisting me to rise (for it need not be denied that the restrained
position had made me for the moment incapable of a self-sustaining
effort). “Look what you’ve done.”
At the direction of his glance I cast my eyes along the street, east and
west, and for the first time I became aware that what I had last seen as
a reasonable gathering had now taken the proportions of an innumerable
multitude which filled the entire space of the thoroughfare, while
others covered the roofs above and protruded themselves from every
available window. In our own land the interspersal of umbrellas, musical
instruments, and banners, with an occasional firework, would have given
a greater animation to the scene; but with this exception I have never
taken part in a more impressive and well-extended procession. Even
while I looked, the helmets of other official watchers appeared in the
distance, as immature junks upon the storm-tossed Whang-Hai, apparently
striving fruitlessly to reach us.
As I was by no means sure what attitude was expected of me, I smiled
with an all-embracing approval, and signified to the one at my side, by
way of passing the time pleasurably together, that the likelihood of his
nimble-witted friends reaching us with unruffled garments was remote in
the extreme.
“Don’t you let that worry you, Li Hung Chang,” he said, in a tone that
had the appearance of being outside itself around a deeper and more
bitter significance; “if we get out again with any garments at all it
won’t be your fault. Why, you--well, YOU ought to have been put on the
Black List long ago, by rights.”
This, exalted one, although I have not yet been able to learn the exact
dignity of it from any of the books of civil honours, is undoubtedly
a mark of signal attainment, conferred upon the few for distinguishing
themselves by some particular capacity; as our Double Dragon, for
instance. Anxious to learn something of the privileges of the rank from
one who evidently was not without influence in the bestowal, and not
unwilling to show him that I was by no means of low-caste descent, I
said to the official, “In his own country one of this person’s ancestors
wore the Decoration of the Yellow Scabbard, which entitled him to be
carried in his chair up to the gate of the Forbidden Palace before
descending to touch the ground. Is this Order of the Black List of a
like purport?”
“You’re right,” he said, “it is. In this country it entitles you to be
carried right inside the door at Bow Street without ever touching the
ground. Look out! Now we shall not--”
At that moment what this person at first assumed to be a floral tribute,
until he saw that not only the entire plant, but the earthenware jar
also were attached, struck the official upon the helmet, whereupon,
drawing a concealed club, he ceased speaking.
How the entertainment was conducted to such a development this person is
totally inadequate to express; but in an incredibly short space of time
the scene became one of most entrancing variety. From every visible
point around the air became filled with commodities which--though
doubtless without set intention--fittingly represented the arts,
manufactures, and natural history of this resourceful country, all cast
in prolific abundance at the feet of the official and myself, although
the greater part inevitably struck our heads and bodies before reaching
them. Beyond our immediate circle, as it may be expressed, the crowd
never ceased to press forward with resistless activity, and among
it could be seen occasionally the official watchmen advancing
self-reliantly, though frequently without helmets, and, not less often,
the helmets advancing without the official watchmen. To add to the
acknowledged interest, every person present was proclaiming his views
freely on a diversity of subjects, and above all could be heard the
clear notes of the musical instruments by which the officials sought
to encourage one another in their extremity, and to deaden the cries of
those whom they outclubbed.
Despite this person’s repeated protests that the distinction was too
excessive, he was plucked from hand to hand irresistibly among those
around, losing a portion of his ill-made attire at each step, so
agreeably anxious were all to detain him. Just when the exploit seemed
likely to have a disagreeable ending, however, he was thrust heavily
against a door which yielded, and at once barring it behind him, he
passed across the open space into which it led, along a passage between
two walls, and thence through an involved labyrinth and beneath the
waters of a canal into a wood of attractive seclusion. Here this person
remained, spending the time in a profitable meditation, until the light
withdrew and the great sky lantern had ascended. Then he cautiously
crept forth, and after some further trivial episodes which chiefly
concern the obstinate-headed slave guarding the outer door of a
tea-house, an unintelligent maiden in the employment of one vending
silk-embroidered raiment, the mercenary controller of a two-wheeled
chariot and the sympathetic and opportune arrival of a person seated
upon a funeral car, he succeeded in reaching the place of his abode.
With unalterable affection and a material request that an unstinted
adequacy of new garments may be sent by a sure and speedy hand.