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CHAPTER VIII.

Facts and opinions favoring our plan, from China.

THE facts and opinions we design to present in relation to China may, perhaps, be appropriately commenced by an extract from a letter to the author from Rev. Mr. Gutzlaff, dated Macao, March 1836. A bird's-eye view of some of the details of the plan, had previously been communicated to that missionary. His opinion is as fol'lows: "Your plan of forming young men for the service appears to me most excellent, and I have scarcely to add another suggestion. If there is any possibility of following it up, strain every nerve to realize it." In another part of the same communication the following sentiment is expressed, and should it meet the eye of any young men willing to prepare for labor in the interesting regions to which it refers, a direct correspondence with Mr. Gutzlaff might be commenced by such persons. "Since long" continues Mr. G. " my mind has been deeply impressed with the necessity of forming a missionary station in China Proper itself, or at least upon one of the Islands. My heart bleeds when I turn my eyes towards Japan and Korea and the Loochoo Islands. As long as we had no certain conveyance to those countries, it would have been in vain to expatiate upon the necessity of either forming a missionary colony or founding a station. But as there is now some hope of seeing out a missionary

ship, I am the more urgent to press it upon your mind to advocate your plan and educate pupils purposely."

We will now continue the notice of facts from the same source, but which have not been the result of direct correspondence with the author. In a letter to P. Perit, Esq. of New York he gives sketches from his journal kept on a tour to distant places in China. "At Hwan-oa. Disease preys every where upon the inhabitants. Much arises from their unclean habits, but various diseases are epidemical. They are excellent patients, for they take medicine faithfully how nauseous soever, and their natures are strong enough to bear a strong dose. Moreover, diseases are seldom complicated, and they therefore soon recover, and but few will die under the hands of an European physician."

"At Lo-Kang. It was now high time to do something also for the body, and the applicants for medicines were rather clamorous, as some former patients had found their way hither, and given good testimony to my healing art.

.. If the sick people were not too boisterous, and only would wait till every one was regularly served, I should perhaps assist a great many; but whilst I make choice of the worst, the others wont give me time, and keep pulling me about till I have directed my attention to their wants, etc."

"At Yingling. Here I am well known, and the sick people range themselves along the streets, as soon as the alarm of my arrival is given. Every one has his tale, his kind word and salutation."

"Whilst standing under a tree, I commenced my medical operations. Many an individual was profuse in his

gratitude, and some offered small presents which I refused to accept. A numerous train accompanied me to the boat, and it was very lucky that she did not sink, for the crowd around it, who waded up to the neck through the water, was very great."

"In visiting village by village, hamlet by hamlet, I met with the most affectionate reception. There was not a hovel, where we were not invited to stay over breakfast, and partake of their homely fare."

"The scene, as we approached Teen-tsin, became very lively. Great numbers of boats and junks, almost blocking up the passage, and crowds of people on shore, bespoke a place of considerable trade. After experiencing much difficulty from the vessels which thronged us on every side, we, at length, came to anchor in the suburbs of the city, in a line with several junks lately arrived from Soakah, and were saluted with the merry peals of the gong. I had been accustomed to consider myself quite a stranger among these people, and was therefore surprised to see the eyes of many of them immediately fixed on me. My skill as a physician was soon put in requisition. The next day, while passing the junk on my way to the shore, I was hailed by a number of voices, as the seensang" teacher," or "doctor ;" and, on looking around me, I saw many smiling faces, and numerous hands stretched out to invite me to sit down. These people proved to be some of my old friends, who, a long time before, had received medicines and books,-for which they still seemed very grateful.”—Gutzlaff's China, p. 104.

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My patients had now become so numerous as to engross all my attention; from very early in the morning

till late at night, I was constantly beset by them, and often severely tried. Yet I had frequent opportunities of making known to them the doctrines of the Gospel, and of pointing out the way of eternal life."-Ibid. p. 108.

"In a few days, moreover, the whole stock of medicines I had with me was exhausted, and I had to send away with regret, those poor wretches, who really stood in want of assistance."-Ibid. p. 109.

"At Ta-koo we were delayed several days, waiting for our captain and one of the passengers, who were left behind. While at this place I was invited by the port master to dine with him on shore, but was prevented by the inclemency of the weather; several physicians, also, came on board, to consult with me concerning difficult cases, and received my instructions with much docility." -Ibid. p. 117.

"It was a long time after we arived at Kin-chow before we could go on shore on account of the high sea. It became generally known among the inhabitants, ere I had left the junk, that I was a physician, and anxious to do good and I was, therefore, very politely invited to take up my residence in one of the principal mercantile houses. It was midnight when we arrived on shore, and found a rich entertainment and good lodgings provided. The next morning crowds thronged to see me; and patients were more numerous than I had any where else found them, and this because they have among themselves no doctors of any note. I went immediately to work, and gained their confidence in a very high degree.-Ibid. p. 118.

"It very soon appeared that I was known here as a missionary, as well as in Siam; and hence I thought it

my duty to act boldly, but at the same time with prudence. Some captains and pilots, afflicted either with diseased eyes, or with rheumatism, were my first patients. They lived in a miserable hovel near the banks of the river, and were preparing to smoke the "delicious drug," when I entered, and upbraided them sharply for their licentiousness. From my severe remarks on their conduct, they concluded, that I had some remedy for the use of the drug, and intimated their opinion to others. The success of my first practice gained me the esteem and friendship of a whole clan or tribe of the Chinese, who never ceased to importune me to cure their natural or imaginary physical defects. The diseases of the poorer classes, here, seemed as numerous as in any part of India. They generally complained of the unskilfulness of their doctors, whose blunders I had frequently to corChinese doctors are, usually, unsuccessful literati, or persons fond of study. They claim the title of doctor as soon as they have read a number of books on the subject of medicine, without showing by practice that they are entitled to the appellation. Their minute examination of the pulse, which is frequently very correct, gives them some claim to the title of able practitioners. Anatomy, a correct knowledge of which, must be gained from dissection, the Chinese regard as founded on metaphysical speculations, and not in truth. Their materia medica is confined chiefly to herbs, which are the principal ingredients of their prescriptions. They have some very excellent plants, but injure and weaken their effect by mixing them up as they do,-often sixty or seventy in one dose. They generally fortell the precise time of the

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