54 SUEGEON-GENERAL C. A. GORDON, M.D., C.B., Q.H.P., ETC., 



with pleasure ; and bad discourse, if it eiiter into the ear of 

 a young scholar remains all his life after in his heart.* 



On the subject of education of young men the principles 

 laid down in "the Book of Rites" are to the following effect, 

 namely, " AVhen able to talk, lads must be taught to answer 

 in a quick bold tone, and girls in a slow gentle one. At the 

 age of seven boys should be taught to count and name the 

 cardinal points. At eight they must be taught to wait for 

 their superiors, and to prefei- others to themselves. At ten 

 they must be sent abroad to private tutors, and there remain 

 day and night, studying writing and arithmetic, wearing 

 plain apparel, learning to demean themselves in a manner 

 becoming their age, and acting with shicerity of purpose. 

 At thirteen they must attend to music and poetry. At 

 fifteen they are to practice archery and charioteering. At 

 the age of" twenty they are hi due form to be admitted to 

 the rank of manhood, and learn additional rules of propriety ; 

 be careful in the performance of filial and fraternal duties, 

 and though they possess extensive knowledge they must 

 not affect to teach others. At thirty they may marr}^, and 

 begin the management of business. At forty they may 

 enter the service of the State, and if their prince maintain 

 the reign of reason they must serye him, but otliej-wise not. 

 At fifty they may be promoted to the rank of ministers; and 

 at seventy they must retire from public life." 



And what are the results assigned to the system of educa- 

 tion in China 1 That the general prosperity and peace of that 

 vast country have been very much promoted thereby. Il is 

 especially deserving of notice that among the hundreds of 

 millions who constitute that empire almost every man can 

 read and write siifficiently for the ordinary purposes of life. 



So sensible are the people of the advantages of education 

 that their language is full of maxims in reference to it, such as 

 '' Bend the mulberry tree when it is young." " Without educa- 

 tion in famihes, how are governors for the people to be ob- 

 tained," and so on. Every town has its public place of instruc- 

 tion, and wealthy famihes have private tutors. Education is 

 made as general as possible, that which is moral being put far 

 beyond what is merely physical, although the latter is by 

 no means neglected. 



Coming down to almost the present day, it may "be 

 interesting in this place to advert to the principles of 



* Da Jlalde, vul. i, p. 383. 



