Bright Celestials, By John Coming Chinaman. (T. Fisher Unwin.)—Mr. Archibald
Lamont, who signs the preface, and makes various acknowledgments of assistance and co-operation, describes his book as "a story of Chinese life at home and abroad in relation to Christian missionary enterprise " ; he adds, " Its, unique characteristic is that it is written from the Chinese point of view." We must acknowledge that much of it is quite out of our region of knowledge. The experiences of a Chinese coolie in a Dutch plantation, the proceedings of Chinese secret societies, the marriage negotiations that this singular people carry on, and
other matters, numerous beyond mention, that concern their ways of living and thinking, are not within the cognisance of an ordinary critic. But there is an air of truthfulness about the whole, while it leaves the impression of being the work of a thoroughly well informed person. One never reads about the Chinese without finding out that something which has been thought a novelty in Europe is a perfectly familiar institution among them. Here is the "missing word" competition. "There is issued at frequent intervals a verse of poetry, complete excepting two characters, which those taking part in the game are meant to fill in the lucky persons get valuable prizes, and the large profit percentage fills the pockets of the State officials "
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