Our Book Table. For the Western Scholar, the Gram- | adjective of that final clause is mar of the Modern Written Style* is the gate by which he can gain the most profitable introduction to the Japanese language; and for the resident in Japan, who has learned to speak the language, it is equally necessary before he can comprehend the grammatical forms used in newspapers and books. Our author has we think greatly enhanced the value of his work, by limiting himself to this one definite purpose. By carefully excluding all obsolete forms, he has rendered important aid to the scholar who is simply seeking acquaintance with the modern forms of the language; and by leaving the widely divergent colloquial forms for separate treatment, he has avoided much confusion. He builds upon the foundations laid by previous grammarians, and, in his preface, gives special praise to Mr. Aston, who he says brought "light and order" into every part of Japanese Grammar. He has, however, introduced some changes in the names by which the forms of the adjective and verb are designated, and in the methods by which these forms are presented to the eye and impressed on the memory. He gains much in the method of presentation by making a larger use of paradigms in regular tabular form. Of special interest is his paradigm of the adjective, with forms corresponding to nearly all the moods and tenses of the verb. What Mr. Aston sometimes calls the root form of the verb and sometimes the adverbial form, our author has well designated the indefinite form; for in its most frequent use "it stands at the end of each member of a set of clauses excepting the final member; and the tense or mood by which it should be rendered, can only be known when the verb or * reached." He calls attention to the fact that the so-called present and future tenses of the Japanese verb may be used to express action in the past, present, or future; and that the latter "indicates not SO much futurity as uncertainty." Such being the case, would it not be better to abandon the misleading nomenclature, and call one the dubitative, and the other the indubitative form of the verb? It still remains for some grammatical genius to show how far distinctions of time are indicated in the Japanese language, and by what methods such distinctions are made. Another problem on which light is much needed for the guidance of beginners is the method of determining the subject of the verb. There are many ways in which the person of the verb may be revealed to the Japanese reader, which are not at all apparent to the uninitiated; and the writers on Japanese grammar have as yet done little to unravel this class of puzzles for the student. Again our author tells us that the same form of the verb may be used to express the passive voice, the potential mood, or respect for the person who is the subject of the verb; but he gives no indication as to how one is to determine which of these meanings is intended in any given case. He does not even raise the question as to whether the different particles used throw any light on the subject. These desiderata are referred to simply as an indication that there are problems waiting a solution from any scholar who has time and skill to explore. Two deficiencies of the book, greatly impairing its usefulness, are the lack of a Table of Contents, and A Simplified Grammar of the Japanese Language (Modern Written Style) by Basil Hall Chamberlain of the Imperial Naval Department, Tokyo. London, Trubner & Co.; Yokohama, Kelly & Walsh. Foot Binding is a small pamphlet by Rev. Bau Kwang Hie of Ningpo. The pastor is evidently a very pious man; and his paper, which is well written, is an argument against the practice of foot binding, more especially for Church members. He says, "The body was wonderfully made and completed. But some, during the Tang dynasty considered that it needed improvement; and lacing themselves, their waists became very small." They took long bandages and bound their feet to resemble those of sheep." The description Mr. Bau gives of the pain and cries of a girl having her feet bound is extremely pitiable. Three of the greatest evils attending foot binding are I. Injuring God's workmanship; II. Ruining the conscience; III. Rousing men's vicious passions. We would recommend the wide distribution of this little book both among native Christians and also among intelligent outsiders. J. W. Fifty pages of The China Review for March and April are filled with an article by Mr. H. A. Giles on the Remains of Lao Tzu, in which he argues against the authenticity of the Tao Têh King, pronouncing it "beyond all doubt a forgery." We need hardly say that Mr. Giles is very aggressive in his criticisms on previous western translators and commentators on the book. The Editor of the China Review, in a note, does not give in his adhesion to the new theory, and announces "Dr. that, Chalmers declines making any reply to Mr. Giles' strictures." Mr. E. H. Parker gives us another article on "Chinese Relations with Tartar Tribes ;" Mr. G. Taylor gives further interesting facts about the "Aborigines of Formosa ;" and Dr. D. J. Macgowan gives additional items regarding " Volcanic Phenomena." Dr. Legge advertises new edition of the first and second volumes of "The Chinese Classics," and asks friends and Sinologists to "kindly send to him notes of passages which they think should be corrected or may be altered with advantage." a We notice with pleasure Mr. Giles' Glossary of Reference,t a copy having just been sent us by the author. The Preface informs us shibboleth of Anglo-Chinese Society that, "It is partly as a key to the that this Glossary has been prepared." In its first edition it was a useful book to persons newly arrived in these parts of the world, and this second edition is still more extended and readable. It is difficult to see on what principle many words and subjects are expounded while others are omitted; but many it is safe to say that there is a great deal of information, alphabetically arranged, in these two hundred and eight-three pages, which is very helpful even to one long resident in the East. A minute examination would reveal a number of points regarding which there might be differences of opinion, yet we cannot but think this one of the most creditable and useful products of Mr. Giles' discursive pen-not excepting his last criticism on the authenticity of the Tao Têh King in the last China Review! *American Presbyterian Mission Press Shanghai. Price 25 cents for 50 copies. † A Glossary of Reference on Subjects connected with the Far East, by Herbert A. Giles, H. B. M. Vice Consul, Shanghai. Second Edition. Shanghai: Kelly and Walsh; 1886. Editorial Notes and Missionary News. NOTES OF THE MONTH. On the 4th of June, the Boarding School connected with the Am. erican Methodist Mission at Peking, held its closing exercises. A correspondent of the North China Daily News thus reports:- "The course of study, consists of a primary department of three years, a preparatory department of four years, and a collegiate department of four years; and in connection with this is a training school for native preachers, and a medical school. A reference library in both English and Chinese, and a museum giving the natural history of China and other countries, and apparatus for illustrating the sciences, have been projected." We hope in a future number to give our readers a notice of Dr. Legge's translation of the Li-ki or the Book of Ceremonies, worthy of the author and the book. It appears as the twenty-eighth volume of Max Muller's Sacred Books of The East. only one of the eleven who saved his boat in the naval fight at Foochow. He afterward ran the blockade from the mainland to Formosa, landing 20,000 Chinese troops there, and thus saving the island for China. But he is sentenced to three years banishment." "Mr. W. Young was born at Batavia and was employed so far back as 1828, by Dr. Medhurst, as a catechist in connection with the London Missionary Society. worked for some years under the above Society in Batavia and the Straits. On the opening up of China he went to Amoy, where he did good service in translating English hymns into the Colloquial (some of which are still in use) and in introducing the Romanized After several years of labor there, system, and also in School work. he was compelled, through the illhealth of his wife, to leave Amoy for Australia, where he lived and labored in the mission field till about twelve years ago, when he returned to Singapore, where he was employed by government in teaching Chinese to cadets and others. After the death of the Rev. B. P. Keasberry, in 1875, he took up his work in the Mission From a correspondent in Kalgan chapel in Punsip Street (now the we learn that there are twenty Chinese Baba chapel of the Presbybanished Chinese officials there. terian Church of England) and One of them recently gave a hand-carried it on gratuitously till he some donation toward the mission left for Jersey about a year ago. Chapel and is a constant attendant He died very suddenly in London on public worship. Among these on the 10th of April last." Singapore officials is Capt Lew Buah, "The Free Press. Seventy-two baptisms of native converts have taken place in Ping Yang Fu, Shansi, in connection with the China Inland Mission, as the result of labors of Chinese not supported by foreign mission money. Rev. Mark Williams writes from Kalgan:-"Miss Dr. Murdock has bought a new Dispensary in a good position, and has numerous patients. For the last two years we have been disturbed at this time of the year by war rumours, but all is tranquil this year." From the secular papers we learn of the dedication at Nanking, on the 27th of May, of the Philander Smith Medical Hospital, when a number of high Mandarins were present, and the newly-arrived American Minister, Col. Denby, made a happy address. This is an auspicious termination of much labor and anxiety on the part of the Methodist Mission under the superintendence of Rev. C. V. Hart; and we warmly congratulate Dr. Beebee on the grand prospect of usefulness before him. THE TROUBLES AT KWAI PING. The Rev. H. V. Noyes kindly sends us the following:-Mr. Fulton and his family have returned from Kwai Ping having been driven away by a mob. They lost everything they had at the station, and the houses occupied by them were burned. A new hospital not yet completed was also destroyed and all the material carried away. The disturbance occurred at the time of the literary examinations and the literati were probably the fomentors of it. Placards had been posted in the city several days previous, naming May 7th as the day for the looting and burning. The outbreak was however one day earlier. Soldiers who had been sent from the city, and were near to Mr. Fulton's residence, to meet the Tonquin Boundary Commission on their return down the West River, began quite early in the morning, to behave very impudently. They even went so far as to pile up fagots against the house, as if intending to burn it. Other rough looking characters made their appearance, encouraged by well dressed men, apparently students. About the middle of the forenoon Mr. Fulton went into the city to ask for protection. Before he reached the Yamen he was followed by a large crowd and stoned. He was detained at the Yamen, the officials saying he would be killed if he went again on the streets, and promising to send at once for his family. After an hour medical assistant appeared, saying or more of anxious suspense the that the ladies had been driven from their residence and were sur rounded by a great erowd and unprotected, Mr. Fulton was still detained but three or four soldiers were sent with the medical assistant who returned with the ladies to the Yamen, just three hours after Mr. Fulton's arrival there. Chinese who saw what was done say that all the furniture and goods were deliberately carried out of the houses before the burning-that some of the goods were carried to neighboring villages, but by far the greater part, were put in boats lying near. Several wounded soldiers, under treatment, were rudely dragged from the small hospital where they were lying, their beds stolen and the building fired, while they lay suffering on the bare ground. Up till nine o'clock at night the looters were still carrying away the wood and bricks of the new hospital. After remaining one day at the Yamen, Mr. Fulton and his family returned to Canton in boats sent by the officials, where they arrived several days later. RULES OF CHINESE ETIQUETTE. One of our "Mothers in Israel," makes unnecessary apologies for troubling us, as she calls it, with the following valuable remarks: "For some time I have been convinced of the desirability of having the ordinary rules of Chinese Etiquette written and printed in a form accessible to new missionaries, so that they may be learned at the the Emperor's palace have Christian service on Sabbath within its walls. The facts of the case were briefly given in The Recorder for 1885, page 271. Rev. R. Swallow made an address that seems to have been very well received at the Annual Meeting of the Missionary Society of the asme denomination. same time the language is acquired. | wife of Prince Kung has been In a port like Shanghai, where baptized, and that several ladies in there are many Europeans, and where the natives learn to some extent to conform to foreign ways, this may not be of great importance, but in the interior, one's influence depends considerably upon the manner in which he approaches the people at the beginning. We are sufficiently unlovable to the Chinese at best, and why should we increase it tenfold by a disregard or ignorance of their ordinary rules for polite intercourse? A few days ago I heard an intelligent native Christian, in addressing a body of brethren, urge them to a kind, conciliating manner towards each other and towards the heathen. Naming a certain missionary, not residing here, he said, 'Why, the very way he bows when he meets you, captures you immediately-you would then listen to anything he has to say.' A neglect or ignorance of even such small things as a bow, where it is expected, sometimes produces a dislike that requires years of kindness to remove." LONDON MAY ANNIVERSARIES. By the kindness of a friend we have received reports of some of the Missionary Anniversaries of May in London. The Rev. W. Scarborough spoke at the Annual Meeting of the Wesleyan Missionary Society. He claimed that there are, reckoning communicants and adherents, something like 60,000 or 70,000 persons connected with Christian Missions in China. Rev. E. Jenkins, whose visit to China two years ago is remembered here with interest, speaking against starting new missions, said, "China and India are new fields." Rev. C. H. Spurgeon preached the Annual Sermon. Mrs. Swallow read a vigorous paper before the United Methodist Free Churches' Missionary Conference, which was followed by an interesting debate. We regret the mistaken statement that the At the forty-first Annual Meeting of the Young Men's Christian Association, Messrs Orr Ewing, Dr. J. Stewart, J. S. GrahamBrown, E. E. Sares, and A. Wright (whose arrival here we announce in our Journal") received each from the Chairman, a present of a Chinese New Testament, and Mr. Orr Ewing made an address on "The Claims of Christ," which had special significance coming from one who has given up so much for Christ and the foreign missionary cause. THE BOOK AND TRACT SOCIETY OF CHINA. The Report of this Society for the year ending December 31st, 1885, with the Proceedings at the Annual Meetings of Members held on the 10th of March, 1886, tells of having raised a little more than £1,106. Of this sum £520 were spent for Printing Press &c; £98 for Printed Matter, Printing and Advertising; £117 for Wages, Travelling etc; £260 for Literature for Women and Children; £50 Remitted to Dr. Williamson; £53 for Sundries, Freight, etc. The Constitution adopted December 8th, 1884, at the Annual Meeting, March 10th, 1886, received further important modifications, which, we understand to be final. The importance of these changes will be gathered from the 7th Section of Article VI. The Board of Directors shall have power "To carry out the objects of the Society by making grants of money, books, pamphlets, periodicals, tracts or leaflets |