Ch. XX.] LITEEAEY EXAIMINATIONS. 341 



year could be tolerated in the West. Extortion on the 

 part of officials, peculation in every grade of official hfe, the 

 grossest inhumanity, contempt of hfe, a venal justice, inse- 

 curity of property among the middle classes, and of position 

 among the higher Mandarins, who are liable at any time 

 to be disgraced, even though well-intentioned, by the occur- 

 rence of a mere accident — all these blots deface the Chinese 

 system. How comes it then that the Empire has been so 

 long and so firmly established? The iuculcation of filial 

 piety, and the habit induced by strict education through a 

 series of generations, of giving honour not only to living 

 parents but also to their progenitors who have long since 

 ceased to live, except iu the shrines of their surviving pos- 

 terity, are doubtless most salutary, and have had something 

 to do with the remarkable phenomenon. But this patriarchal 

 government alone is not sufficient to account for it. The 

 real secret Hes in the system of literary examinations, and 

 their fruits. Every man in China is aware that his talents, if 

 duly improved, will lead him to office and power ; and it is 

 open to every one of them — ^not as in America to be President 

 — ^but to rise to important and lucrative posts in the Empire, 

 if they distinguish themselves in the examinations, to which 

 all classes of Chinese periodically crowd. These examina- 

 tions are conducted with such a rigid regard to impartiality, 

 that although perhaps the only part of their system which 

 is not rotten at the core, none but the best men carry off 

 the highest prizes — and these are the men of talent, who 

 are not lost sight of in the distribution of posts. None but 

 these are advanced to important offices, or governmental 

 departments — they are looked upon as the wise men of the 

 land — they are the talented, to other than whom it would 

 be foUy to intrust the offices of state. This principle is 



