Western China : a .Tourney to the Great Buddhist Centre
of Mount Omei. By the Rev. Virgil Hart. (Ticknor and Co., Boston, U.S.A.)—This is a well-written and very interesting book. The author started from Hankow, and went by way of Ichang and Kwei-chu to Chung-king. This city was the scene of the great riot of 1882. Mr. Hart gives some interesting details about it, and prints the proclamation of the Governor of the district, a very curious document, which makes great profession of good-will and charity, but means less than it says. The object of the journey was to make a missionary settlement in Chung-king ; and it was an after-thought to go on to Chenton, the *capital of the province, and thence to the great Buddhist establishment of Omei. The marvels which the travellers saw, marvels both of Nature and Art,. supply the materials for some very remarkable descriptions. For these the reader must go to Mr. Hart's work. He will cer- tainly find his trouble well repaid. There are some noteworthy remarks about various Chinese affairs. Mr. Hart has no doubt about the ruinous effect of opium. He adds the weight of his own observation to the opinion expressed many years ago by the Abbe Hue. " With the exception of some rare smokers who —thanks to quite exceptional organisations—are able to restrain themselves within the bounds of moderation, all others advance rapidly towards death, after having passed through the successive stages of idleness, debauchery, poverty, the ruin of their physical strength, and the complete prostration of their intellectual and moral faculties." Of course he has something to say about missions. The Roman Catholic missions are not, he thinks, pros- pering. The number of baptisms is considerable ; but then, special attention is given to the work of baptising children in danger of death. In 1844, 16,743 out of 24,381 died in the year of their baptism. The Church seeks, Mr. Hart thinks, to establish an imperium in imperio, and "will not be trusted beyond its own membership." He has some words of wisdom about the men who should be sent out. They will have to encounter ancient systems of religion and philosophy, a large learned class, and a people that "reverences to idolatry all that belongs to their great past." "The field demands great heads and noble hearts." We must not forget to say that the reception which the travellers met with from the Buddhist priests was very kind and hospitable, something quite different from the usual treatment accorded in China to the "foreign devil."
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