Dr. Milne's Account of a Secret Association in China. 249 



but it is impossible to ascertain whether something else may not be intended, 

 as they are susceptible of as many meanings as arrangements. This version, 

 however, agrees with the general views of this dangerous fraternity. 



Characters within the oblong square. 



61, 62. Yun shing ,- supposed to be the name of the chief of the fraternity, 

 some think the fou?ider, but, the character being written, and in i/ellow ink, 

 It IS more likely to be the chief for the time being, at whose death the blank 

 space ni seals subsequently issued could be filled up with the name of his 

 successors ; whereas the name of the founder, never changing, would be more 

 likely to be printed, in some permanent form. 



MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS. 



If any weight be due to the scattered hints that have been given above, 

 there wiU appear to be a striking resemblance in some points between the 

 San ho hwuy, and the Society of Free-Masons. The writer would not be 

 understood, by so saying, to trace this resemblance in any of the dangerous 

 principles of the San ho hwuy, for he believes that the Society of British 

 Free-masons (and of others he knows nothing) constitutes a highly re- 

 spectable body of men, whose principles and conduct are friendly to social 

 order, regular government, and the peace of society. The points of resem- 

 blance, then, between the two societies, appear to the writer to be the 

 tbllowing : — 



1. In their pretensions to great antiquity, the San ho hwuy profess to 

 carry their origin back to the remotest antiquity. * Tsze ijeu chung Kwo, 

 t.e. "from the first settlement of China;" and their former name, viz.— 

 " Ozlesto.terrestrial Society r may indicate that the body took its rise from 

 the creation of heaven and earth ; and it is known that some Free-masons 

 affirm that their society "had a being ever since symmetry and harmony 

 began," though others are more moderate in their pretensions to antiquity. 



• See Plate II, No. 3. 



