IN THE DAYS OF THE TAIPINGS THE TRIADS AT SHANGHAI 15 14 fore,though unworthily,I am a Shengyuen and of the ninth habits of application,and the retentive memory giyen me by civil rank.” our Chinese education,I made rapid progress,and devoted to "You are young to have the degree,and must be a my English studies every hour that I could spare. profound scholar;what is your honoured age?" Two hours in the afternoon were devoted to reading the "I was born under the Serpent,"I replied;but he did not Classics with Mr.Bates.This was a real pleasure;but how understand,and I had to state clearly that I was in my different from the same reading with my Chinese tutor in twenty-first year. Soochow!Then there was no questioning;the sacred text We then talked over the lessons to be given and it was and the commentaries were all in all.Now every sentence arranged that I should go to him for two hours in the morn- was punctuated by Mr.Bates'eager questions,"Why so?"he ing for my instruction in English,and for two hours in the would ask;and when I had silenced him with the dictum of evening,when he was to read our Chinese Classics with me; the commentator,it was "Why not?"I had never'been so but on one day in every seven there were no lessons,as that bothered in all my life.At first it made me angry,that any was the Holy Day of the Christians.He demurred to receiv- one should dare to question the accepted interpretation;but ing any payment for the lessons. in time I entered into the spirit of the game and began to "You will be giving me,young Sir,as much as you will be as critical as Mr.Bates.I may say we both enjoyed these receive,and the correct accent I shall gain from you,and the readings. knowledge of your Classics,will be of great value in my For two hours before sunset,if the weather was fine,I work of bringing the Chinese people to look with favouring went on the water:At first I tried the short lumpish mind on our Christian religion." Shanghai sampan,which I learned to yuloh by its single oar I could not accept such a favour from him,nor could I at the stern;but that was not satisfactory.Then I got a allow it to be thought that I was assisting him in his mission slipper-boat from home,and that was better.But one day I work,which,in so far as it was in accord with the precepts saw a young foreigner in a.narrow,sharp-bowed boat,rowing of our Holy Sage,was superfluous,and,in so far as it was in with his two arms,and sitting facing the stern.I thought contradiction,was obnoxious;and I prevailed on him to it looked ridiculous,but soon I noticed that his boat went accept such a monthly payment as 'would be paid for a through the water at a good pace,and he seemed to row with Chinese child to his tutor. a long and graceful swing.Through Tzetang I made the And so I settled down to a routine of study,which brought acquaintance of an Englishman who taught me this style of back to my mind my early schooling.Rising early,as is our rowing,and then I bought a foreign boat and after that I Chinese custom,I went out for exercise;a walk through the took my exercise in that way.When I felt idle,I would fields,heavy,according to the season,with rice or cotton, row lazily past the ships moored in the river,the Chinese cabbages or colza;or a row on the river;or,on a rainy day, junks in serried ranks abreast the riverside suburb,the huge practising with foreign implements,to which Mr.Bates in- foreign ships of the foreign quarter above Putung Point; troduced me and which he called dumb bells and Indian and I never failed to admire the stately residences lining clubs.Then after breakfast I went to Mr.Bates for my the Bund from the Yangkingpang to the Soochow Creek. lesson in English;but how different from my old "Three- Very curious these houses seemed to my eyes:no formal word Classic"which I learned without,at the time,much gateways;no inner courtyards;all the windows looking idea of the meaning.At first I thought the twenty-six outwards,as if inviting the world to inspect the life going letters of the alphabet ridiculously easy,but very stupid; on within;and all having a frank and open aspect which,.I but as I advanced to reading "I see a cat,"I began to realize was afterwards to learn,characterized their inmates. Truly that I had a master key to open the language;and with my they were eurious people,these foreigners!