FIR-FLOWER TABLETS. 83 



to a full appreciation of Chinese poetry and Mrs. Ayscough 

 should have given even fuller explanations than Waley. 

 But Mrs. Ayscough has given many things which neither 

 of her two predecessors has furnished and her Introduction 

 is in reality Part I of the book with the Poems as Part II 

 and the Notes as Part III. The Introduction could be en- 

 larged into a book by itself treating of the Principles of 

 Chinese Poetry, and it would be very valuable. 



The notes are rich but hard to use on account of the 

 curious system of numbering which provides no connection 

 with the pages on which the poems can be found. Would 

 it not be much better to indicate at the bottom of page 12 

 that there is a note on this poem on page 181 and after the 

 name of the poem in the notes to add the number of the 

 page on which the poem can be found. This method would 

 call attention to the Notes which are a mine of information 

 necessary to the text while at the same time it would faci- 

 litate their fullest use. 



Of small errors of translation or of typesetting no 

 mention need be made. The authors will be the first to 

 detect these and will remember them longest. The frank- 

 ness of statement in the Preface, the charming scholarship 

 of the Introduction, the truly poetic versions of the poems 



and the full information supplied in the Notes these are 



the outstanding features of a book which forms a strong new 

 link between the cultures of the East and West. 



To the Editor NC.B.R.A.S. Sir: When Dr. Ferguson 

 wrote his delightfully appreciative, and most helpful review 

 of "Fir-Flower Tablets" he very courteously sent me a copy. 

 May I therefore, write a line in regard to it, 



"Ch'ang Kan" p. 28; How far the translation of Chinese 

 names should be carried is a matter of disagreement, there 

 is however one point upon which unanimmity exists, i.e. 

 If' Chinese names are kept they should be correct. In using 

 "Ch'ang Sha" Mr. Bynner suggests that the place reterred 

 to is the Treaty Port in Hunan, whereas Ch'ang Feng Sua 

 -S M. » Long Wind Sands, as it appears in the poem, 

 ^at Chi Chou i& ffl, $«in Anhui, seven hundred It 



from Nanking. rr -, , 



"Moon Night" p. 118; This was written during JM *u s 

 captivity, while his family lived at Fu Chou. The Com- 

 mentary states "The poet thinks of his wife and children 



"A Beautiful Woman etc." p. 14. The words Jade 

 Chopsticks" are a well-known allusion explained in the 

 Notes. Fearing that it might escape the reader the Com- 

 mentator inserts ''jade chop-sticks are tears. HHa 



Florence Ayscough. 



