Ch. XX.] THE PEKEN MEMOEIAL. 347 



intelligence, to the men of the West, and if students (in the 

 sciences of astronomy, mathematics, natural history, manu- 

 factures, mechanical appliances, and the prediction of the 

 future) will so earnestly apply themselves as to hecome 

 possessed of all secrets, China will then be strong in her 

 own strength." 



This is indeed a new era in Chinese history, and this is 

 one of the most interesting and important documents which 

 has ever been spontaneously issued by Chinese officials, 

 since foreign intercourse has become an object of political 

 importance. No pressure has been applied from without, 

 but the influence of the Western representatives at the 

 court of PeMn has ia a great measure brought about this 

 consummation, which its promoters defend argumentatively; 

 and the fact that the memorialists risk unpopularity by 

 taking such a step proves that they are convinced of the 

 importance of Western civilisation, and are not entirely 

 dead to progress and regeneration. There is but one para- 

 graph in the memorial which can be otherwise than pleasing 

 and satisfactory, and that perhaps is but of slight conse- 

 quence — ^it states that "the germ of the Western sciences is 

 originally borrowed from the Heaven-sent elements of 

 Chinese knowledge. The eyes of Western philosophers 

 having been turned towards the East, and the genius of 

 these men being minutely painstaking and apt for diligent 

 thought, they have succeeded in pursuing study to new 

 results. For in reality the methods of their philosophy are 

 Chinese methods — China has originated the method, which 

 Europeans have received as an inheritance." This vain- 

 glorious boast will correct itself as Western science becomes 

 instilled into the minds of the more intelligent Chinese ; 

 but the main fact to be remembered is that henceforth no 



