208 SURGEON-GENERAL C. A. GORDON. 
THE AUTHOR’S REPLY. 
I would express my thanks to so high an authority as Professor 
Legge for his remarks upon my paper. With respect to certain 
objections which he has brought forward, I would briefly observe 
as follows :— 
I. Name of China, “ Chin-tan, as signifying the Dawn.” See 
Williams’s Middle Kingdom. Ona merely abstract question such as 
this opinions differ so greatly that it becomes equally difficult to 
assert positively which of them are erroneous, which correct. 
II. “Quotation from Baron Bunsen.” See authority quoted in 
foot-note, page 174. It does not appear to me that the circum- 
stance that the modern Chinese do not call their land Sin necessarily 
implies that the immediate descendants of the early immigrants 
did not do so. - 
Ill. “ The origin of the Chinese people.” The authors quoted 
in my paper evidently bestowed much attention upon the work of 
formulating a theory from sources other than Chinese history, 
regarding their ethnology. 
IV. “ Origin of Chinese written characters.” From the interesting 
and valuable comments made on this subject, the fact is made very 
evident that authorities who have studied the question are divided 
among themselves with regard to it. This is not to be wondered at 
considering its complexity and obscurity. 
A careful comparison of views contained in the remarks of the 
several men who have done me the honour to comment upon my 
paper suffice to indicate the difficulties attending the task I set 
myself in the preparation of my paper. 
