THE COLLEGE OF THE WHITE DEEE. 527 



on the Classics, from a Christian standpoint. The learned man saw the beauty 

 of the printing, and bowed his acknowledgments. Then ensued a scramble 

 anion" the students for the remaining books. One fine-looking fellow secured 

 a large volumed commentary on St. Mark and St. Luke, and three or four 

 others chased him to his room in the attempt to get it from him. 



We left the scholar and his students earnestly poring over the books, and 

 went out of the compound. By the banks of a sparkling brook we spread 

 our luncheon, and while talking over the experiences of the day, a messenger 

 arrived from the professor. He was instructed to say that the books were much 

 appreciated, that it was most kind of us to bring them; and might he ask that 

 we bring another instalment, especially the Commentary on the Classics? We 

 assured the messenger that in two weeks or so books could be secured from 

 Shanghai and would gladly be sent. 



Two years ago some ladies who accompanied a party of gentlemen 

 from Killing on a visit to the college were not allowed to enter the 

 Confucian temple, and the gentlemen were required to remove their 

 spectacles; but on our visit in August, 190-f, not only were our glasses 

 allowed to remain before our eyes, but the ladies of our party were 

 granted ready entrance to this holy of holies. The real difficulty was 

 rather that things were too free and easy and the long robed but rather 

 youthful students too pert, even from a Chinese point of view. Evi- 

 dence was not wanting of the shiftlessness resulting from Chii Fu Tsz's 

 provision of free tuition and support of each student. Had it cost 

 them more to gain this classical learning, they might have been more 

 diligent in its acquisition and more earnest in making it bear fruit in 

 helpful service to their fellows. 



Without a competent head or organized faculty, without a govern- 

 ing board or scarcely a janitor, the students are a law unto themselves. 

 They bring their own furniture and cooking utensils and build little 

 hearths for private use, or perhaps in clubs. The dilapidated condition 

 of many sections of the buildings no doubt results from a lack of other 

 ready fuel. Some parts of the roof are crushed in and weeds flourish 

 in several rooms. Many of the memorial tablets have fallen down, 

 and altogether the place has become nothing more than a sleepy and 

 degenerate cloister, where about twenty students, free from the dis- 

 turbances of home life and the new spirit of change spreading over 

 the land, can better prosecute their antiquated studies. As typically 

 representative of China's ancient educational system, the College of 

 the White Deer Grotto has upon it the mildew of decline, while in 

 many places throughout the empire schools of the newer learning under 

 foreign and native auspices are preparing the alert of China's youth to 

 lead in the strong and masterful civilization which she is destined to 

 attain. 



