202 REVIEWS OF RECEXT BOOKS 



remains to be seen. There are many books on China, but we fear 

 that Mr. Werner's learning has drawn him aside from the popular 

 aim, and his book will not compare with Doolittle, or even Douglas. 



The author says "I have endeavoured, first, to describe the 

 national Chinese life in its earlier phase— its birth,, childhood, adole- 

 scence and coming of age — and then to indicate the changes which that 

 life underwent during the second phase — its full-grown and fully 

 expanded manhood which continued until the nation decided to reform 

 its life as hitherto lived." Mr. Werner criticizes previous histories 

 with discretion, but it is well-known that a prcper history of China is 

 practically now impossible. The acreage to be covered is so immense, 

 that the ordinary reader would weary of any proportionate history, 

 even though it should be written by John Richard Green. Our author 

 well points out that most Chinese Histories have invariably been 

 treated from the point of view of foreign relations, and the consequence 

 is that the previous millenniums receive scanty attention. But, what 

 more would you have ? 



The contents of the work are as follows : — 



1. — Environment and character. 



2. — Political History. 



3. — Domestic Institutions, marital — filial. 



4. — Ceremonial Institutions. 



5. — Political Institutions. 



6. — Ecclesiastical Institutions. 



7. — Sentiments, aesthetic and moral. 



8. — Ideas of religion. 



9. — Language. 

 10. — Products. 

 The Author claims that he has treated his subject in a more 

 scientific manner than any hitherto attempted, which indeed may be 

 at once granted, although we are not quite sure that the result is a 

 readable book. The Author also frequently introduces peculiar parti- 

 cular views of his own on various points, and then argues in favour of 

 these views, a course of treatment which is hardly in keeping with a 

 popular series of books. Thus he deals with infanticide at great 

 length — also with foot binding. The chapter on the aesthetical side 

 of Chinese nature, will be a surprise to some, and is well wrought out. 



As to religious ideas, the author contends that the original religion 

 of China, was purely ancestral worship. 



He gives one more guess as to the origin of Chinese tones, a subject 

 which we fear is wrapt in the mists of antiquity, never more to be 

 revealed to human ken. He claims that Chinese was originally poly- 

 syllabic, in this, going contrary to other great authorities, such aa 



