the bear-skin head-pieces of the Guards, and recommending a wide-awake of pliable felt; and though his observations are full of good sense, yet when you are wanting to learn something of the Celestial Empire, it is not very satisfactory to be informed that the troops should cease to shave, and that a scarlet man is the best sort of target you can invent for the foe. We mention these drawbacks, because they are precisely such as will produce disappointment in a purchaser, who expects to have Chinese matter for his money, and in a reader who looks for Chinese information in return for the expenditure of his time. But having said thus much, let us thank the author for a treatise which has been the result of much careful observation, and of much conscientious thought. We give the fullest credit to his assertion when he states that there is in the present volume not a single 'statement as to facts connected with Chinese political history, 'or Chinese philosophy, that I have not verified, on various 'original works of acknowledged authority; of which I brought 'upwards of three hundred volumes home with me for that 'purpose.'

The

Mr. Meadows, we believe, was the first foreigner who succeeded in penetrating to the seat of war and opening a communication with the chiefs of the rebel' armies, of whose proceedings we have heard so much. This step was eminently adventurous, and therefore the most attractive portion of the work to a reader will probably be that which describes his visit to the insurgent camp. In a country where so little information can be obtained respecting the affairs of the interior, even in times of profound peace, it is not surprising that the intelligence which reached the British barbarians respecting the movements of the malcontents should be meagre and distorted. Imperialist authorities were particularly anxious that the foreign 'devils' who had such a knack of fighting, and such a propensity to interfere in other people's affairs, should know as little as possible of the progress of the commotion. But as matters grew worse, and the rebellion rolled on towards Nanking, the Intendant at Shanghae, where Mr. Meadows was then located, bethought him of applying to the English for help. Like a true Celestial, fearful of compromising the dignity of the Government, Woo-that was his name-couched his request in careful terms. The foreigners had a sloop, the Lily, at the Shanghae Station if they had no objection he would hire her Majesty's vessel for a foray up the Great River? He was politely informed that Queen Victoria kept no hack ships in her service. Well, then, would they be kind enough to lend him the Lily for a time: it should be punctually returned, with many thanks?

Visit to the Insurgent Camp.

49

This proposal was also declined, doubtless much to the Intend ant's surprise, for, if official hauteur had permitted, Woo would have thought nothing of engaging an active English admiral to fight the insurgents at so much per month or so much per battle, or he might even have asked for the loan of the British Lion to frighten the rebels with his gratuitous roars.

Concluding, however, from the anxiety of the Intendant to obtain barbarian assistance that there was more pressure in the case than the authorities were disposed to admit, the English determined to obtain some information for themselves. If the insurrection was likely to march on Shanghae-and it was certainly moving along the Great River, at whose mouth this city is located-it would become necessary to ascertain the feelings of the Tae-pings with regard to foreigners. Mr. Meadows offered to make the attempt. His first excursion of inquiry (in April, 1853) was along the Grand Canal which communicates with the Great River at Chin Keang; but owing to the prevailing panic, and the scruples of the boatmen, who were seized with a strong affection for their wives and children as they neared the theatre of danger, he was compelled to return to Shanghae in the hope that a voyage up the Great River itself might be more successful. Enough, however, was gathered to assure him that the revolt was no vulgar commonplace outbreak, but an insurrection worked upon moral rather than upon political principles; and that now a strange and novel power was developing itself in the heart of an empire which had weathered the storms of four thousand years without permitting itself to be seriously ruffled for a day. It was startling to an Englishman to learn that in this land of stereotyped usages the rebellion had a new creed and a new religion; that it possessed its Bible-a sacred book,' supposed to have been sent down from Heaven; that its armies knelt before their meals, and recited portions of this holy volume; that it destroyed the idols of the Buddhists and required the priests to worship a worthier God; that its morals were so high as to punish rape with death even in the sack of cities, and so stern that the soldier who smoked tobacco was bambooed, and he who smoked opium beheaded.

On receipt of this intelligence Sir George Bonham, the Plenipotentiary, resolved to pay the insurgents a visit in Her Majesty's sloop Hermes, taking Mr. Meadows' boat in tow. Circumstances had now rendered such a step almost imperative. Chang, Prefect of the Department of Chang-chow, had issued a proclamation coolly intimating, upon the authority of Intendant Woo, that divers ships of the barbarians had been engaged with their terrible guns for the purpose of sweeping the rebels from

the waters. Chang even went so far as to affirm that, in their anxiety to exterminate the insurgent vermin, the warlike foreigners had agreed to find their own provisions for the campaign. And Chang, too, so far forgot the majesty of the empire, and the invincible reputation of the imperial troops, that he held out this imaginary promise on the part of the strangers as the reason why all loyal subjects should calm their apprehensions and consider the rebels to be virtually extinct.

Starting therefore on the 22nd of April, 1853, the British functionary proceeded up the Great River to assure the Tae-pings that England was, and would remain, perfectly neutral in the fray. On landing at Silver Island, below Ching Keang, Mr. Meadows discovered decided proofs of the peculiar character of the rebel movement. At this spot there is a Buddhist settlement—a warren of enormous idols and indolent priests. But the idols had been shattered by the insurgents, and now lay on the floors, mere sightless lumps of clay; and the priests had been so scared that they permitted their hair to grow all over their heads instead of shaving them rigorously as the Tartar usage required. Here therefore was strong confirmation of the assurance Mr. Meadows had received whilst foraging for intelligence on the Grand Canal, respecting the anti-pagan spirit of the insurrection. Passing on, the Hermes had to run the gauntlet of rebel artillery, for fire was opened on her from junks, and lorchas, and stockades, on both sides of the stream, under the impression that she was the leader of the flotilla whose advent had been announced by Prefect Chang. Not a shot, however, was returned. The vessel quietly pursued her way to Nanking, then in the occupation of the insurgents, and Mr. Meadows was sent on shore to put himself in communication with the authorities of the place. After about an hour's walk his conductors stopped before a house in the northern suburb, where the attendants ranged themselves in a living avenue ten or fifteen yards long, reaching from the door to the spot at which he stood. Two men, clothed in yellow silk gowns and hoods, then made their appearance on the threshold. That these were personages of the highest importance there could be no doubt, for yellow is the imperial hue in China, and the soldiers in waiting called upon the Englishmen to kneel. But John Bull never prostrates himself before a fellow-mortal, whatever may be the colour of his vestments. Advancing with head uncovered, Mr. Meadows followed the great men into the house, and opened his mission without any introductory parleying. This unceremonious proceeding seemed to excite some indignation, for some scuffling and angry shouting arose at the door, and two or three of the attendants began to

Interview with the Rebel Princes.

51

belabour the man who had been most prominent in guiding the party to the place. However,

'One of the chiefs, whom I subsequently ascertained to be known as the Northern Prince, then asked if I worshipped 'God the Heavenly Father.' I replied that the English had done so for eight or nine hundred years. On this he exchanged a glance of consultation with his companion (the Assistant Prince), and then ordered seats to be brought. After I and my companion had seated ourselves, a conversation of considerable length ensued between myself and the Northern Prince, the first in rank of the two; the other, the Assistant Prince, listening and observing attentively, but saying nothing to me directly, and only making a short remark when looked to or addressed by his superordinate. The conversation on my part was turned chiefly on the number and relative rank of the insurgent chiefs, and on the circumstances under which they would be prepared to meet Sir George Bonham; but I also explained, as authorized, the simple object of his visit-viz., to notify the desire of the British Government to remain perfectly neutral in the struggle between them and the Manchoos, and to learn their feelings towards us and their intentions in the event of their forces advancing on Shanghae. I explained to him that we had no concern with the square-rigged vessels, lorchas, and other craft that followed the Hermes into Chin-Keang; also that the proclamations of the Manchoo officials, stating that they had engaged the services of a number of foreign steamers, were false in so far as British vessels were included; and that though we could not prevent the sale of English craft, private property, more than the sale of manufactures generally, such craft, after sale, were not entitled to the use of the national colours.

'To all this the Northern Prince listened, but made little or no rejoinder; the conversation, in so far as directed by him, consisting mainly of inquiries as to our religious beliefs and expositions of their own. He stated that as children and worshippers of one God we were all brethren; and after receiving my assurance that such had long been our view also, inquired if I knew the 'Heavenly Rules' (Teen teaou). I replied that I was most likely acquainted with them, though unable to recognise them under that name; and, after a moment's thought, asked if they were ten in number. He answered eagerly in the affirmative. I then began repeating the substance of the first of the Ten Commandments, but had not proceeded far before he laid his hand on my shoulder in a friendly way, and exclaimed, 'The same as ourselves! the same as ourselves!' while the simply observant expression on the face of his companion disappeared before one of satisfaction as the two exchanged glances. He then stated, with reference to my previous inquiry, as to their feelings and intentions towards the British, that not merely might peace exist between us, but that we might be intimate friends. He added we might now, - at Nanking, land and walk about where we pleased. He recurred

again and again, with an appearance of much gratitude, to the circumstance that he and his companions in arms had enjoyed the special protection and aid of God, without which they could never have been able to do what they had done against superior numbers and resources; and alluding to our declaration of neutrality and non-assistance to the Manchoos, said, with a quiet air of thorough conviction, 'It would be wrong for you to help them; and what is more, it would be of no use. Our Heavenly Father helps us, and no one can fight with Him.''

Full, however, of those supercilious notions with regard to foreigners, which seem to be so thoroughly ingrained in the Chinese intellect that neither bayonets nor cannon can correct the delusion, the Princes were not willing to meet the Plenipotentiary on terms of equality. However high his rank might be, they intimated, it could not be so exalted as their own. In the plenitude of their simplicity, they asserted that their leader, Tae-ping Wang, the True Lord, was not merely Lord of China, but Lord of the whole earth; the Lord of John Bull as well as of the insurgent Chinese. When, therefore, they communicated their decision respecting the proposed interview, it was conveyed in the form of a Mandate.' The brethren from afar' were informed that all persons who wished to appear at the Court of the redoubtable Lord must yield obedience to the rules of ceremony prescribed for the purpose, and must prepare due representations, stating who they were and whence they came, before a formal audience could be accorded. Obey these commands,' said the modest document, as if it were addressed to a deputation of timorous schoolboys by the loftiest of pedagogues.

The mandate was followed in a few days by a Special Decree' for the information of all men, issued by Yang, the Eastern Prince, Lord Healer of Diseases, First Minister and Commander of the Chief Army, and by Seaou, the Western Prince, Assistant Minister and Second Commander of the Chief Army. In this the English were enjoined to set their minds at rest. Having come from such a vast distance to tender their allegiance to the Tae-ping Sovereign, Yang and Seaou assured them that this loyal step had not only given great delight to the insurgent armies, but that it would be regarded with intense satisfaction in the Heavens above. In return for this act of homage, the two princes graciously granted permission to the English chief and his brethren to pursue their commercial avocations, and to aid the new Sovereign in the extermination of his foes, who are bluntly described as demons, or children of the devil.

Perceiving from this document, which was written on a long piece of silk of the imperial hue, that the Tae-pings would