Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Wang Keaou Lwan Pih Neen Chang Han, or the Lasting Resentment of Miss. Keaou Lwan Wang: A Chinese Tale Founded on Fact
That the foreign missionaries who resided at Peking possessed every facility for studying the language and literature of the country that the most educated natives themselves possessed - I believe to heme case - that we who live in Canton - stand upon a very much more favorable footing for prosecuting our researches, than the forlorn student confined to his own chamber in Paris or Berlin, with no one to whom he can look for assistance - I very readily admit - still is our situation not quite so favorable as the learned and able sinologue seems to think it. We are not surrounded by the gens de Iettres as were the missionaries at Peking, we have not free access to their stores of knowledge as these able men had, nor are we looked up to with that profound respect. Which they, for a season at least, exacted from the Throne itself. Oh no! Our Chinese associates are Hong merchants, Linguists, Compradores and Coolies, people who make no pretensions to literary merit, people who cannot if they would, and who dare not if they could, convey to us any literary instruction - and who, while they eat our bread, most commonly hate and despise usl Such is the case less or more of every foreigner who sets his foot in China! The writer during a residence of nearly five years, has only three times (and that by mere accident) conversed with persons who can properly be called by profession literary men (tettres Chinois.) Two of these occasions being upon business, no familiar conversation was permit ted: the third occasion was at a Hong merchants', where a Han lin (academz'cien) was visiting as a friend. This Iettre Chinois condescend cd to ask a few questions, but smiled with incredulity on being told that the English had their poetry as well as the Chinese had their's, and appeared actually to sicken with disgust, when assured that it was quite possible in our barbarous tongue to compose a War: chang (thesis or homily.) It is worthy of note, that this gentleman - ou meeting the writer - gave himself out as a merchant, most probably from the idea that itwas beneath the dignity of a Iettre to pollute his lips by versing familiarly with a despised foreigner E In one word then (and the truth must be told even tho' with a blush) the Chinese men of letters look upon us, upon our pursuits, and upon every thing connected with us, with the most utter contempt!
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