Mr. Davis on the Poetrij of the Chinese. 419 



Soong-pih tsang Loong tseng han shang ; 

 Woo-tong tan Foong woo yun peen. 



L'een td jin-tsing keae heo-wun ; 

 Tang ming she-koo ts'ee king-lun. 



Hih-hih yew she hwan shuh-shuh ; 

 Heen-heen taou te shing laou-laou. 



" From the Pine forest, the azure dragon ascends to the milky way : 



From the Dryandra cordata, the crimson phcenix aspires to the borders of the 

 variegated clouds."* 



" Experience and discernment of the human passions may both be called learning ; 

 Deep and clear insight into the ways of the world also constitute subtle genius. "t 



" Fame and ambition themselves must have their intervals of repose : 

 Retirement and leisure are, after all, preferable to labour and anxiety." 



PART 11. 



Thus much having been said concerning mere versification, or what 

 may be styled the outward form of Chinese poetry, we have next to con- 

 sider the spirit that animates it — and to ascertain, moreover, under what 

 separate classes this department of their literature may be properly 

 arranged, when viewed in relation to the divisions and nomenclature of 

 European criticism. 



It is here deemed necessary to premise, that such a mode of treating our 

 subject is not adopted with the desire, or indeed with much prospect, of 

 discovering any great correspondence or resemblance : but the process of 

 comparison, to whatever result it may lead, is always useful on such occa- 

 sions. It serves to methodize and give clearness to our conceptions of a 

 subject comparatively new, as the artist sometimes introduces into his 

 sketch a few objects of known and determinate dimensions, to assist in con- 



• The dragon and phoenix arc here typical of the prosperous man rising to high fame and 

 honours. 



f Intended to shew, tliat true scholarship and genius are not confined to the mere knowledge 

 of letters. 



