DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25988#0263
1810-15,
Poona.
239
of symbols representing the principal simple ideas of which
the complex one is supposed to be made up.
‘ An Englishman may use the word “ king ” according to
his own notion—in Cromwell’s time for a “tyrant;” and in
William’s for a “ father of his country;” but if in China tlie
symbol which represents a king be made up of the signs for
“ power” and “ goodness,” and if all other characters relating
to public affairs be similarly composed (as they most probably
are under despotic government), it is plain that a Chinese
must change his language to change his political opinions ;
and, if it be considered that even among us the name often
makes more impression than the reality, it will be plain that
the very characters of the Chinese must be the foundation both
for obstinate prejudices and for all kinds of false definitions
and erroneous reasoning. Apply the same thing to medicine,
and you have a system in which every term is founded on some
of the errors usual in tlie infancy of an art, and it may easily
be imagined how permanent every mistake in the nice and
subtle science of metaphysics must be made by such a language.
‘ It is probable, after all, that even authors generally think
in the spoken language, in which case something will be gained
among so many inconveniences by the advantage of comparing
the written and spoken languages, and correcting by the one
the errors into which they are led by the other. The little
communication which the Chinese have had with other nations
nearly equal to themselves in civilisation must be another
cause of the pennanency of their opinions and measures, and
consequently of their government.
‘ Sir Gf. Staunton mentions a republican sect of philosophers
or politicians in China. If a succession of weak and indolent
Emperors were to relax the reins of government for a long
enough time to allow the people to pick up a little courage, it
would be strange to see the effect of the writings of these phi-
losophers on a people discontented with the bad government,
which must be the certain concomitant of an imbecile Emperor,
and feeling, as before, the evils of a vigilant and all-powerful
despotism.
Poona.
239
of symbols representing the principal simple ideas of which
the complex one is supposed to be made up.
‘ An Englishman may use the word “ king ” according to
his own notion—in Cromwell’s time for a “tyrant;” and in
William’s for a “ father of his country;” but if in China tlie
symbol which represents a king be made up of the signs for
“ power” and “ goodness,” and if all other characters relating
to public affairs be similarly composed (as they most probably
are under despotic government), it is plain that a Chinese
must change his language to change his political opinions ;
and, if it be considered that even among us the name often
makes more impression than the reality, it will be plain that
the very characters of the Chinese must be the foundation both
for obstinate prejudices and for all kinds of false definitions
and erroneous reasoning. Apply the same thing to medicine,
and you have a system in which every term is founded on some
of the errors usual in tlie infancy of an art, and it may easily
be imagined how permanent every mistake in the nice and
subtle science of metaphysics must be made by such a language.
‘ It is probable, after all, that even authors generally think
in the spoken language, in which case something will be gained
among so many inconveniences by the advantage of comparing
the written and spoken languages, and correcting by the one
the errors into which they are led by the other. The little
communication which the Chinese have had with other nations
nearly equal to themselves in civilisation must be another
cause of the pennanency of their opinions and measures, and
consequently of their government.
‘ Sir Gf. Staunton mentions a republican sect of philosophers
or politicians in China. If a succession of weak and indolent
Emperors were to relax the reins of government for a long
enough time to allow the people to pick up a little courage, it
would be strange to see the effect of the writings of these phi-
losophers on a people discontented with the bad government,
which must be the certain concomitant of an imbecile Emperor,
and feeling, as before, the evils of a vigilant and all-powerful
despotism.