time abroad. At thirty, they may marry, and commence the management of business, and while they will now have but a few opportunities for extending their knowledge, they should respect the wishes of their friends, and strive to accommodate them. At forty, they may enter into the service of the State, where they will have to bring their knowledge into frequent use; and if the prince maintains the reign of reason, they must serve him; but otherwise not. At fifty, they may be promoted to the rank of chief minister of State, and engage in the management of the general government. And at seventy, they may resign and retire from public duties.

"Girls, after they are ten years of age, must not leave their apartments. Placed under governesses they must be taught to be mild both in language and deportment; they must learn to spin, wind off thread, and to weave cloth and silken stuffs; and thus perform those duties which properly belong to women in providing clothes for their families. They may see to the preparations for the sacrifices; and arrange the vessels and the offerings of wine, and vegetables, and thus aid in the sacrificial rites. At the age of fifteen, they are in due form to be admitted to the rank of womanhood. And at twenty, they may be married, unless by death of parent they have been called to mourning, in which case marriage must be deferred three years. When they are received with the prescribed ceremonies, they then become wives; but otherwise, they are regarded as concubines."

The Book of Rites contains this precept: "Let children always be taught to speak the simple truth; to stand upright, and in their proper places; and to listen with respectful attention."

While their father and mother are living, children must not presume to do as they please; nor dare to regard any property as their own: thus showing the people the difference between superiors and inferiors. So long as their father and mother are alive, things to the value of a carriage or a horse must not be given away to their friends, or be presented to their superiors by the children in this way the people are taught that they must not presume to do as they please.

When the father calls, his son must answer promptly and without delay; he must drop whatever work he has in hand; or if he is eating and has food in his mouth, he must spit it out and run quickly. If the son, who has aged parents, goes away from the house, it must not be now to this place and then to that; nor must he delay his return beyond the proper time; nor retain an undisturbed countenance, when his parents are afflicted with sickness.

In the Book of Rites it is said, "Duty to parents requires that they be remonstrated with in secret, but not opposed; always and everywhere attended on, and assiduously served even unto death, and then deeply mourned for during three years. Duty to a prince requires that he be opposed, and not remonstrated with in secret; always in the proper place attended on, and assiduously served even unto death, and then mourned for during three years. Duty to a teacher requires that he be admonished neither with open remonstrance nor in secret; always and everywhere attended on, and assiduously served even unto death, and then mourned for in heart during three years."

In the records of learning (a section of the Book of

Rites) it is stated that, " For the purposes of education, among the ancients, villages had their schools; districts their academies; departments their colleges; and the provinces (or principalities) their universities."

According to the Book of Rites, the literary chancellor provides the inhabitants of the village with the means of education in three distinct departments; and in order to give instruction to all the people, those who are the most worthy are honored and promoted. The first department includes the six virtues, wisdom, benevolence, prudence, justice, faithfulness, and gentleness; the second. embraces the six actions, filial obedience, fraternal kindness, kindred attachment, relative affection, true friendship, and tender compassion; the third comprehends the six arts, viz: the ceremonies, music, archery, directing the chariot, writing, and arithmetic. In like manner, by villages, he regulates all the people by enforcing the eight kinds of punishment; the first, for disobedience to parents; second, for abandoning kindred; third, for hatred of relatives; fourth, for the want of fraternal affection; fifth, for breach of friendship; sixth, for not exercising compassion; seventh, for tale-bearing; and eighth, for exciting rebellion.

The royal statutes, contained in the Book of Rites, require the directors of learning to promote the four fine arts, namely, poetry, history, ceremonies, and music; and to establish four terms in which they shall be respectively taught therein following the example of the ancient kings for training up literary men. Ceremonies and music should be taught during spring and autumn; and poetry and history in the summer and winter.

Commence in poetry. Be established in ceremonies. Become complete in music.

Ceremonies and music can never for a moment be laid

aside.

RULES OF ETIQUETTE.*

In the Domestic Rules it is said, "Men in serving their parents, at the first cock-crowing must all wash their hands; rinse their mouth; comb their hair; bind it together with a net; fasten it with a bodkin; forming it into a tuft; brush off the dust; put on the hat, tying the strings, ornamented with tassels; also the waistcoat, frock and girdle, with the note-sticks placed in it, and the indispensables attached on the right and left; bind on the greaves; and put on the shoes, tying up the strings. Wives must serve their husband's father and mother as their own; at the first cock-crowing they must wash their hands; rinse their mouth; comb their hair; bind it to

*

[From the Siau Hok, or Juvenile Instructor.]

There are many treatises for the guidance of teachers and parents in the nurture of children and youth. The principal of these is the Siau Hok, which has exerted a powerful influence in forming and stereotyping the character of this most wonderful people. In perusing the selections which we give, the reader will perceive the source from which the Chinese derive their notions of order and industry, and will understand how it comes about that the Chinese lads employed amongst us as servants so soon make themselves useful in the house; being generally neat, orderly, respectful, and industrious.

We quote from the Chinese Repository, Vol. V.