naturally and easily, as meaning of its own native force the spirit of XE Wan wing, and nothing else. If a foreigner, writing in English, were to use the word spirit as the appellative for God, and on coming to the phrase, "Israel offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac," were, in order to prevent misunderstanding, to employ the circumlocutory phrase, the spirit who protected his father Isaac; we should tell him that the difficulties arose from his using the word spirit in a wrong sense, and that all danger of misapprehension would be obviated by his using the term which we employ for God by way of eminence.

The allusion to the practice adopted in my former version (where Shangti was employed for God), of rendering "the God of our fathers," the "Shángti whom our fathers worshiped," is not to the point, unless Dr. Boone could show that such circumlocution was still intended to be employed. Much study has of late been directed towards this subject; and it is more than probable that the views of the different parties on some things have been modified, as their acquaintance with the topic under discussion has enlarged. This is the case with regard to the passage just quoted, and others of a similar character. We now see, that no circumlocution is necessary or warrantable; that the term, or terms, chosen by us to translate

may be retained throughout, and need no periphrasis to guard or to explain them; as they are established by native authority in every sense in which we propose to employ them. If Dr. Boone thinks that the term he has chosen does need a circumlocution to remove all danger of misunderstanding, then it is evident, that he has selected a term which in the sense in which he employs it is not warranted by native authority, and would, if used alone, according to the usus loquendi of the Chinese, be misunderstood.

Dr. Boone then passes on to state the reasons which forbid him to use Ti as a translation of Elohim and sog. The chief reason, he says, is that T is not the appellative name of God in Chinese, nor the name of any class of beings; but a title given to men, as well as to invisible beings, who are the objects of religious worship.

To establish this assertion, he brings forward two ancient and concise dictionaries which give to Ti the meaning of ruler and judge; respecting which see our remarks in the Inquiry, page 68. To what has been there advanced we have little at present to add, but merely wish to remark, that while Dr. Boone has quoted native dictionaries largely, in order to combat the arguments of the abettors of Ti, he has carefully abstained from referring to them, to

establish his views of Shin. In our estimation none of these authorities give any sanction to the idea that Shin is the appellative name for God, while all concur in stating that Shin means spirit. On the other hand, the Imperial Dictionary states specifically that Ti is the name of the Divinity as far as the Chinese are acquainted with him, and that it is also used for a variety of invisible beings superior to man, who have an agency in the government of the world.

Having referred to the Imperial Dictionary, we will now proceed to examine what Dr. Boone has advanced from that work, point out the parts in which his translation differs from our own, and defend the latter where necessary.

First, with regard to our translation of the quotation from the Peh-hú-tung, which we have rendered “he who in virtue is united to Heaven is called a Ti" this has been translated by Dr. Boone "he whose power corresponds to heaven is designated a T." In a note, he says, we have translated the word tih, power, and not virtue, as this latter word, being generally used for a moral quality, would mislead the English reader." He then says, "that tih means power, influence &c.;" and as a proof of the assertion quotes Morrison who gives two classes of meanings, first virtue, commonly in a good sense; and secondly, power, force, &c. Also the dictionary published by myself, wherein the same ideas are set forth, viz. virtue and goodness; with vigor and energy. According to these statements, therefore, two meanings may be assigned to tih, viz., virtue and power. Dr. Boone says, that to employ the former here would mislead the English reader; he therefore prefers the latter.

Now when a word is said to be capable of two meanings, the way to decide upon the one which the writer intended should be put upon it, is to consult the context, or to refer to such definitions of the term as he himself has given. If we examine the immediate context we shall find, that the lexicographer refers to Yáu's intelligence and accomplishments; upon which the commentator remarks, that Heaven (or the Divinity) is called Ti, because of his justice as the moral governor of the universe; while Yáu, and the rest of the ancient emperors, were called by the same name, because in their

táu, right principles, they assimilated to this standard. Here it is evident, that moral qualities are intended, because the word táu is employed; which, when connected with tik, never imparts power and influence. On referring to the preface to the

Shu King, from which the above quotation is made by Kánghi, we find that the monarchs who succeeded Yau and Shun could not come up to their predecessors in virtue, and therefore they were called wáng, kings, only. Their power was fully equal to that of their predecessors, but their goodness was deficient ; hence they were less esteemed.

Should any further evidence be necessary, to prove that

tih is here to be understood in the sense of virtue, we may refer to Morrison's Dictionary, Vol. II, page 128, where he speaks of (AL

tih pei Yau Shun) virtue equal to the ancient sovereigns Yau and Shun; and Vol. I, page 522, where Dr. Morrison quotes Confucius, as saying, "Only Heaven is great, and only Yau imitated it;" upon which the commentator says, "of emperors and kings mentioned in books, there never was any whose virtues were more abundant than those of Yáu; and of all the praises bestowed on the virtues of Yau, there never was any more complete than this." Who can doubt after this, that and not power and influence.

tih here means moral virtue, Further, if we refer to those

definitions of the terms which the lexicographer himself gives, we shall see that this is the precise idea to be attached to

tih. In

the Inquiry, page 11, we have subjoined, in a note, a translation of all that Kánghi says on the term, in which there is not one word about physical force, power, or influence. It is not necessary to add anything to what is there detailed, but merely to adduce Morrison's idea of the meaning of tih hing,-the first definition given by Kánghi,-which he calls" a course of splendid virtuous actions." Bearing in mind Kánghi's definitions of the word tih, we now turn to Dr. Boone's explanation of the sentence first quoted from the lexicographer, viz. "he whose (tih) power corresponds to Heaven is designated a Ti," which he says means, "he who rules over the whole empire, which is styled by Chinese magniloquence

Tien hiá, all under heaven, as Heaven rules over all things that are under it, is styled Ti, Ruler." We feel no hesitation in appealing to any one acquainted with Chinese, who will examine the context in which the word is found, to judge whether such a sense as this can be extracted from the passage before us; if it can, we must confess that we have yet to learn what Chinese sentences mean.

With the translations given by Dr. Boone of the extract from the Shú King (Essay, page 75), we have no fault to find. This is far from being the case, however, with his translation of the com

mentary thereon. We have given a rendering of the passage on page 6 of the Inquiry, which we submit to the consideration of Chinese students in general. Let them also examine Dr. Boone's version of the same passage, and judge of the general correctness of the two. Our business now, however, is with those parts of his translation which affect the present controversy. The first in importance is the rendering of the word ming, which we call name, and which in Dr. Boone's estimation means title, but as he has reserved the discussion on this term till all the cases in which it occurs come before us, we shall in our reply do the same.

On the quotation from a writer in the Chun-Tsiú we have nothing to remark, but on that from Kwántsz' which follows, we would observe, that the words tau und ih in the two members of the sentence, serve to illustrate each other; as is frequently the case in Chinese parallelisms. The word tau has been rendered by Dr. Boone "principles," and tth, "the powers and capacities of things." Táu, according to Morrison, in its primary signification, is a way, a principle; when applied to human conduct, it refers to "correct virtuous principles and course of action," and when connected with tih, it means virtue, virtuous. The sentence, as translated by Dr. Boone, would suit the description of a natural philosopher rather than a judge, or ruler of mankind; which he maintains is the original signification of the word Ti. Hence he suggests, that "the fanciful distinctions" referred to exist only in the mind of the writer; whereas, if we suppose tau and tih to refer to human conduct, the inference is natural, and the meaning of the writer by no means obscure. In a note on page 76, Dr. Boone refers to Tí Chí 帝摯 a prince who is said to have proceeded to unlimited dissipation; and argues from it that Ti was a mere title conferred on any one who might sit on the imperial throne, without reference to his moral qualities. To this we reply that ancient emperors were called Ti, on two different grounds, viz., properly and improperly. Persons were properly called Ti (according to the ideas of the Chinese), when in virtue they were supposed to be united with Heaven, or the Divinity; as was the case with the five ancient emperors. These did not receive the empire by right of inheritance from their ancestors, nor bequeath it to their posterity, but left it to the most virtuous; hence they were called Ti. Those were improperly called Ti, who came into power only by the right of succession, without the possession of any moral qualities, these were

endured for a time, and afterwards put out of the list, as was the case with Ti Che, just referred to; who, according to the ritual of the present dynasty, is excluded from the list of those emperors sacrificed to at the vernal and antumnal equinoxes; much stress, however, can not be laid upon the circumstance of unworthy persons being at that time called Ti, as Chú fútsz' says, "it is impos sible to give entire credence to the traditions of those remote ages." In the same note Dr. Boone says, that during the three dynas ties Hia, Shaug, and Chau (namely, from B. c. 2170 to 243), the word Ti, as applied to human rulers, fell into disuse. The reason of this is given in the preface to the Shú King, according to which, the monarchs of the three dynasties, being inferior to their predecessors in virtue, and bequeathing the empire to their immediate descendants, instead of the most virtuous, were not considered worthy of the name of Ti. About the period last specified,

Tsin Chí-hwáng, having engrossed the power of the contending states, and constituted himself sole monarch of China, usurped the title of Hwangtí, since which time the emperors of China have always been thus designated; and the phrase, having been einployed in this sense from age to age, has come into general use, most probably without reference to its original meaning. When analyzed, it is found to consist of two terms, the one meaning august, great, &c., and the other, ruler or judge, with especial reference to the Ruler of all. There can be no doubt that the word 7% is used by the Chinese for God by way of eminence, and for invisible beings, who have some agency in the management of nature. The Imperial Dictionary tells us, that such is the principal, if not the original, sense in which the term was used. It has been employed also for human beings who were supposed to resemble the Divine in moral qualities. Taking these terms together, therefore, it might seem that the combination resulting therefrom would indicate something very grand and exalted. Dr. Boone suggests that, on the supposition that we use Ti for God, we must admit the phrase Hwangti to mean august God. This, however, does not necessarily follow. Instances occur of words which, when separated mean something very great, but in combination convey different or perhaps inferior ideas; such is with us the epithet godfather. If the two words constituting this term were separated, one would mean the Supreme Being, the Author of all, and the other a progenitor; joined together the term imports merely the sponsor for a child at baptism. Custom has, however, sanctioned the usage, and no one,