interior, they are not to be won by acts proving to both governinents that British subjects are not to be restrained by any regard to the obligations of Treaties or the authority of their own Sovereign; nor can any argument more unanswerable be adduced, to prove the impolicy of the one government gran ting, or the other claiming, larger privileges, than facts shewing the deliberate and habitual abuse of those already conceded. H. M.'s Consul would appeal to the good sense and good feeling of the British community generally to prevent the recurrence of acts so mischievous in their tendency and objectionable in every sense. But it is his duty also publicly to notify to all British subjects that he will take the most effective means to exonerate H M.'s government from all suspicion of tacitly sanctioning or conniving at similar violations of the provisions of the Treaty, and spare no exertion to ensure the conviction of any parties who may be found wilfully offending. To the British Community at Shanghái. RUTHERFORD ALCOCK, Consul. Diplomatic Department. GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION. His Excellency Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., is pleased to direct that the annexed Translation of a communication from the officiating Taoutae at Shanghai to Mr. Consul Alcock, intimating the sentences of the ten Tsingpoo criminals, be published for general information. By Order, Victoria, Hongkong, 12th June, 1848 No. 22. AR JOHNSTON Woo, holding by Imperial authority the rank of Salt Commissioner, and officiating as Superintendent of Maritime Customs for the Province of Keangnan, and Intendant of Circuit, &c., &c., &c.-makes this communication. On the 16th day of the 4th month of the present year, (18th May.) I received a communication from the Provincial Judge to the following effect: In the case of the the Englishmen who were assaulted and robbed at Tsing. poo by Wang-ming-foo and others. I the officiating judge have now had the criminals brought up before me and put them to a rigorous trial. Wangming-foo has confessed in his evidence that because the Englishmen did not give him any of the books that they were distributing, he with E-wanneen assaulted and beat them, and afterwards robbed them of various articles. (He affirmed) this to be the real truth, and on being confronted with E-wanneën, their evidence was found to agree. Wang-ming-foo has therefore, according to the law for "assault with robbery of property," been sentenced to receive 100 blows and be banished perpetually to a distance of 3000 le. E-wanneen has been sentenced to a lighter punishment of one degree, and will receive 100 blows and be transported for three years. With regard to the eight remaining men, Lew-yuh-fa, Sung-fang. and others, it appears from the evidence that they were only on the spot assisting the others, and will therefore be flogged as the law provides. Besides reporting these particulars for the information and consideration of the Viceroy and Lieut-Governor, in order that they may memorialize His Majesty on the subject, I the Judge have also to make you (the Intendant) acquainted with the same through the medium of this communication. Í the Intendant having received the above, consider it my duty to address you the honourable Consul on the subject, and therefore now make you this communication, and request that you will be pleased to examine into the same. A necessary communication: To Alcock, H. B. M.'s Consul at Shanghái. Taouk wang 28th year, 4th month, 17th day. (19th May, 1848) True translation, HARRY S. PARKES, Interpreter PUBLIC NOTICE. In consequence of instructions from His Excellency H. M's Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., the undersigned, H B. M.'s Officiating Cousul, has to request that British Merchants at this Port pay into the Imperial Customs all legal Duties and Tonnage as heretofore. ADAM W. ELMSLIE, British Consulate, Canton, Officiating H, B. M.'s Consul 15th May, 1848. By the kindness of a Chinese friend we have been furnished with the following account of a late robbery committed in Canton, with the punishments inflicted upon the criminals. If crimes and criminals abound in this country, no one certainly can complain for a want of severity in the administration of the penal code. On the 6th night of the 4th month beyond the Western gate, the Nganlai pawnbroker's shop in the I'minshi street was attacked by a band of robbers, above 300 in number, and plundered of more than 3000 taels of silver. On the 4th day of the 5th month eight of the culprits were decapitated at the T'ientsz' Mát'au execution ground. On the 6th day of the same month five more of the gang were arrested and delivered up. These were beaten 1000 blows with the rattan without the gate of the Nganlái pawnbroker's shop. They were moreover beaten some tens of blows with a cudgel until they were half dead. They were then made to wear the cangue and confined in a wooden cage until they died. On the 7th day four more of the culprits were delivered up and these were hacked to death with a knife. On the 8th day three more of the gang were arrested and brought in. These were taken beyond the Western gate to a place in the rear of the Sishán Temple and were burnt to death in the fire. From the Hongkong Register, June 23d. Regarding the Transport of Grain by sea from this port to Teen-tsin, noticed in last month's statement, it is reported, that of nearly eight hundred Junks that sailed from this port during the early part of the month, the far greater portion have not yet left the Yang-tsze-keang, being deterred by the dread of falling into the hands of pirates now lying in considerable numbers at Sha-wei-shan, to attack them. Four Junks laden with grain have already been captured by them, and a portion of their crews sent back here to arrange for a ransom, as appears by local proclamations. The Authorities have endeavoured to open a contribution among the Junk-owners and merchants, for a crusade against the pirates, but without much success, from a well-founded apprehension of the futility of the attempt, and misapplication of the funds. The New Crop of Silk, is reported to have sustained considerable injury from the unusual coldness of the season, and the protracted rains, that have prevailed in this and the neighbouring districts. British Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai, April 30th, 1848. On the 10th instant, a shoal was discovered from the Red Rover, in 19° 8' N. Lat., 113' 53 E. Long. Four casts of the lead gave 7 fathoms, 9 and 16, then no bottom, the vessel making about 4 knots at the time. The bottom consisting of white coral was distinctly visible.-Hongkong Register, June 13th Erratum-In the nautical observation recorded in our May number for 124.40 read 128.40. Died, at Victoria, on the 9th instant, the wife of the Rev. JOHN JOHNSON, of the American Baptist Missionary Union. Mrs. White, wife of the Rev. M. C Whte of the M E mission at Fuhchau, we are also informed, has recently deceased. THE CHINESE REPOSITORY. VOL. XVII-JULY, 1848.-No. 7. ART. I. An inquiry into the proper mode of rendering the word God in translating the Sacred Scriptures into the Chinese language. By W. H. MEDHURST (Continued from page 310.) We have shewn in the preceding pages, from Chinese lexicons and classical writers, from European sinologues, and from cognate languages, that Shin means spirit. We will now take the view of the word thus elicited to explain some things, which would otherwise appear unaccountable in the Chinese system. I. The cautions so frequently occurring in the Chinese classics against paying too much attention to the Shins and Kwei Shins while the regard due to Heaven or Shang-te, is never supposed by any possibility to be excessive. This, on the supposition of the former meaning simply spirits, and the latter the Divinity, is easily account. ed for; but if we look upon the Kwei Shins as the gods of China, we cannot conceive how the sages who inculcated the uninterrupted veneration of Heaven, should discourage the people from addicting themselves to the worship of the Shins. Thus in the Lun-yu, book 3, page 17, Confucius directs his disciples to " respect the Kwei Shins, (spirits) but to keep them at a distance." The Commentator on this passage says, that "to exert one's utmost strength in doing what is suitable in our intercourse with mankind, and not to be deluded by that which is inscrutable, regarding the Kwei Shins (spirits,) is the business of the wise." Another remarks on this subject, that for people to believe too much in the Kwei Shins (spirits) is a delusion." Again the paraphrase says, VOL XVII. NO VM 41 with regard to the Kwei Shins (spirits), respect them, but keep them at a distance; and neither flatter nor annoy them by your solicitations for happiness." Here we may observe, that if the Kwei Shins meant divinities, it would not be very likely that the great moralist of China, who uttered the sentiment above detailed, when inculcating the highest dictate of wisdom, would have exhorted his disciples to keep the gods at a distance. We never hear of his employing such phraseology with reference to Heaven, which he frequently requires his followers to venerate, but never to keep at a distance. Should it be argued that the keeping at a distance, here spoken of, is a mode of shewing extraordinary respect to the Kwei Shins, we can only refer to the 9th section of the Lun-y, 9th page, where Confucius says, It is difficult to know how to treat women and inferiors; if you bring them too near, they become unsubmissive, and if you remove them to a distance, they hate you." It is evident, that the removing to a distance here, does not mean the treating of them with additional respect, else why should they hate one? Chingtsze says, that to put too much confidence is spirits, is a delusion: do they ever say the same with regard to Heaven? The more men reverence Heaven, according to the Chinese the better; and their feelings are very much shocked when it is suggested to them, that they must keep Heaven at a distance, or not place too much reliance on Heaven. Heaven in their estimation is Supreme, and the will of the Supreme is decisive of our fate: we are therefore to above. wei shen e t'hing ming, do good and wait for the result from In the Le-ke, 9th section, 44th page, Confucius speaks of the inen of the Hea dynasty, who honoured the decree of Heaven, and while they served the Kwei Shins (spirits) with respect, kept them at a distance. The rulers of the Yin dynasty, on the contrary, honoured the Shins (spirits,) and regarded the Kweis more than ceremonics. The rulers of Chow, unlike these, honoured ceremonies, and after serving the Kwei Shins, kept them at a distance upon which the Commentator remarks," that the men of Yin honoured the Kwei Shins (spirits), which were beyond their comprehension, and disregarded ceremonies which were easy to be understood; hence the dissoluteness and unquietness manifested by the people, as the result of an excessive veneration for spirits. In the Shoo-king, book 3, page 36, with reference to a too frequent repetition of ceremonies in the service of the Shins (spirits) a commentator remarks, The customs of the Shang dynasty, at that time, led men to shang kwei, over-esteem the spirits; and the reigning monarch could not extricate himself from the bondage of custom, hence in the ceremonies used in the service of the Shins (spirits) he was apt to fall into error." The parahrase says, that “in the service of the Shins (spirits,) to respect and keep them at a distance, is the height of intelligence.' In the Shoo-king, section 6, page 29, "Shun directed his officers to cut off the connection between earth and heaven, that there might be no (pretended) descents and approaches (of the spirits): after which both princes and people understood intelligent virtue, and aided in the maintenance of invariable principles." A commentator remarks, that in a well-regulated age, the principles of justice are clearly developed; those who do good obtain happiness, and those who do evil fall into trouble. But during the oppressive reign of the Meaouites, the people became involved in crime, and consequent calamity, and having no persons to whom they could appeal for redress, they had recourse to Shins (spirits), and sacrificed to inanes, in an improper manner. From this arose marvellous and lying stories, and men's ninds fell into incorrectness." It appears, that in the decline of the reign of Shaou-haou, the nine tributary princes (spoken of by Amiot) threw the constant virtues into confusion, and thus the affairs of men and spirits were mingled together, so that every family had its conjurer, and the people profaned the sacrificial implements. Notwithstanding Chuen-heŭh had put these things to rights, and assigned to men and spirits their proper limits, the Meaouites again threw things into confusion. Chang-she observes on this point, that "according to history, when a country is about to flourish, attention is paid to the people, and when a country is about to perish, attention is paid to spirits." Leu-she says, Leu-she says, "In a well-regulated age, 神怪 Shin kwae, sprites and elves do not appear simply because the distinction between virtue and vice is clearly apparent, and people of course do not pray to the spirits: but in times of confusion, these distinctions are not manifest, and the people consequently are much given up to talking about Shin, sprites, and kwae, elves, while they speak of necromancers and fortune-telling without end." Another says, that this result was to be ascribed to the princes of the court, who displayed the principles of enlightened virtue, that people might not be perverted by superstitious and idle fancies; thus the minds of men would be free from delusions, and they would no Jonger seek for happiness from the spirits for men are apt to err from correct principles, when they become deluded by Shin, sprites, |