founded guard, and marched into Paris under the monarch's guidance.

By this time Gneisenau had gone through his training as a hero, and henceforth trained heroes. How he did so, we hope to be able to tell when another volume of this charming biog. raphy appears.

The Leisure Hour.

THE PEKING GAZETTE.

brings forth a "ridiculous mouse." It is made up in book-form, the pages measuring nine by four inches, of which each issue contains from fifteen to twenty, some of them occasionally six inches broad; the paper being of thin bamboo manufacture, not much thicker than tissue paper, but tougher, of a dingy yellow tint, and printed on one side, as is usual in all Chinese publications, with the leaves cut at the back instead of at the edge, as in our books. The cover is printed in red or blue ink. In the centre In most books upon China, and news- is a literary mandarin dressed in the anpaper accounts about the events that cient garb of learned men, dating as far transpire in that country, we frequently back as the days of Confucius, who lived find The Peking Gazette mentioned as B.C. five hundred and fifty years. He an authority for any remarkable occur- holds in his hands a scroll from the works rences, or political and social events con- of that great Chinese moralist and lawnected with the State, which may be giver; from which he is supposed to be quoted or referred to in the text. Be- discoursing, as indicated by the characyond these casual notices, generally taken ter within the circle above his head, sig at second-hand from local journals pub- nifying "said," from the verb "to say." lished at Shanghai and Hongkong, the To his right and left on the border are two English public know very little concern- representations of the Imperial Dragon, ing that curious example of newspaper the emblem of celestial power given to publication. Moreover, we question the emperor from on high, according to whether many British journalists or lit- Chinese theology; while below is a jumerary men have seen a copy of this "Gov-ble of figures supposed to represent the ernment Organ" of an empire containing earth, and an equally confused design at a population of four hundred and four- the top, representing the heavens. In teen millions; inasmuch as even the Li- the heading of the newspaper are two brary of the British Museum possessed large characters, pronounced KING PAOU; no copy until a gentleman from China the first signifying "metropolis," and the recently presented a file of three months' second the verb "to report; so that, if issue to it. Under these circumstances, freely translated into the idiom of our some account of this extraordinary Chi-language, we should name it The Metronese newspaper, by one* who has official-politan Reporter. However, for all purly pored over its strange characters in poses its ordinary English title at the the country where it circulates, will not head of this article is the most appropri be unacceptable to our numerous readers. ate. Following these two large charac Those who have seen the London Ga-ters are a number of smaller ones, which zette may possibly imagine that its Peking contemporary is of similar dimensions, in proportion to the population and the immense empire to which its contents relate; while others may probably suppose The Peking Gazette to be a daily broad sheet like The Times, measuring twelve by sixteen feet superficies, or large enough to paper a small bed-room. If so, their conceptions are as wide of the mark as a mole-hill is to a mountain, where that mountain, in its literary upheavings, daily

read from top to bottom of the page, beginning on the right hand, which announce the name of the emperor, TUNG CHEE, signifying "Union in the cause of Law and Order;" the year of his reign, and the date of issue, being the 1st moon, 4th and 5th days-February 2d and 3d of our calendar.

About twenty years ago The Peking Gazette was named King Chaou, meaning "Transcript from the Metropolis," as at that time it was a collection of extracts, copied by hand from the decrees issued at Peking and posted on the walls to the late editor of the North China Herald, of the great court for the information of Shanghai.

We are indebted for this communication

the public. These were officially circu

pence each. So much for the outward form of the paper; let us now glance at the character of its contents.

lated among the provinces, and cost so much that none but the wealthy could purchase them. Sometimes they were printed by an ingenious method of stere- In the first place, these are obtained by otype, formed by a coating of wax upon permission of government from a board a block of wood, upon which the charac- in the imperial palace at Peking, as beters were scratched with a point, and fore mentioned, where they are placarded then the wax was scraped away, leaving for the information of the mandarins and their forms raised sufficiently to take an the scribes who copy them for publicaimpression from them in Chinese ink, by tion daily. The matter contained in these gently rubbing the thin paper, through placards is a report of the deliberations. which they appear like a press-copy of a of the Supreme Council of the empire, letter. This is the reason why all Chi- including the ministers of state. The nese publications are printed on one side proceedings are analogous to those of only, as the characters are not cut the her Majesty's Privy Council, only the reverse way. At the period above men- emperor is not present. This council tioned the demand for the Gazette in- meets early every morning, when they creased so much that enough copies could decide upon questions brought before not be written or printed by the slow them chiefly in the name of the emperor, process described; so that those who had who has examined them the evening becopies lent them out to read, especially fore. Extracts from the report of these in the provinces far distant from the cap- meetings not only form the material of ital, whence it took from sixty to ninety The Peking Gazette, but it is from their days to reach Canton. This demand en- contents that the annals of the governcouraged some enterprising booksellers ment are recorded, and materials for the at Peking to have sets of movable wooden history of the empire are drawn, which types to publish the daily news, which the Court of Records preserves in its the government officials introduced into archives. Thus, although there is a great their copying department; and since then disparity between the appearance of the this exponent of the court is set up in a Chinese and English Gazettes, yet a resimilar manner for printing to that in use markable similarity is apparent in the in Europe since the days, of Caxton. nature of their contents. And as these That the Chinese are the earliest invent- consist almost wholly of what transpires ors of printing from stereotyped wooden in the innermost circles of this purely aublocks is an undeniable fact; but how far tocratic government, it is not the less retheir claims go to the use of movable markable than it is true, that through the types anterior to Western nations we are medium of this unique journal the subnot prepared to say. The general opin- jects of the emperor obtain a knowledge ion is in favor of Europe; and that this not only of the events that transpire at improvement was introduced by the court and the deliberations of the SuJesuit Fathers into China. preme Council, but the opinions and feelIn whatever manner The Peking Ga-ings of the emperor himself on the topics zette has been transcribed or printed, there have been, from time immemorial, always two editions of it: one issued daily for the sole use of high officials, and containing edicts of a secret character, or such information as would be considered in Europe private and confidential dispatches; and the other published every two days, from which these are expunged. For obvious reasons, the issue which forms the subject of this article is the latter edition, containing the metropolitan reports of two days; and, as they do not count by weeks, or have any days of rest in China, there are sometimes four a week issued at about the price of two

of the day. As an exponent, therefore, of the regal power of this mighty realm, it is far more explicit than any Court Journal or London Gazette. Indeed, so minute and circumstantial are the details given of the views entertained on political and social questions by his Imperial Majesty, the monarch of one third of the human race, that they frequently partake more of the character given by the President of America to his annual explanatory message, than the curt generalization, without assigning reasons, of an Order in Council, or a Queen's Speech in Parliament.

A still more remarkable feature in

emperor is the father of his people." At one time he mourns with some tribes in the far west of his dominions near Thibet who have suffered by a landslip which has buried their flocks and many of their people, and relieves the survivors from all taxes during their lives; at another time he rejoices with the hus

very large an extent, must have no little | of European governments, and issued in bearing and influence upon the customs the name of the emperor, as ours are in and tone of society. Our civil and mili- the name of the queen. But while in tary officers respectively have their posts this country this is only a fiction of the to fill; but if night be turned into day, law, in China, when a talented emperor and every duty be performed with irreg occupies the throne, many of these edicts ularity, what probability is there that are the bona fide production of the monthe affairs of State can be conducted as arch, who frequently gives vent, through they should be, with vigor and prompt- the pages of The Peking Gazette, to his ness? Our literati have to put forward hopes and fears, his joys and sorrows, every effort in colleges and classes, grad- respecting the social as well as the poually rising until they appear on the roll litical state of his subjects. Notwithof men competent to occupy official posts. standing a vast deal of grandiloquism But if the educational elements are al- and insincerity which clothes these prolowed to grow recklessly and wildly, ductions of the "vermilion pencil," as where is the hope of converting such into they are characterized from other writgood material? Our soldiers, to be men ings, there is something grand in the of pluck in the army, ought to be thor-patriarchal meaning they bear that the oughly expert in warfare; but if their energy flags and becomes feeble, and their skill in arms falls into disuse, will it be possible for them to keep their places in battle array and overpower a strong enemy? Now, just as we are instructing our officers to be vigilant in their respective duties and in reforming our soldiery, why should they be allow-bandmen in the rice provinces that there ed to tyrannize over themselves, or to abandon themselves to ruin, for want of further and distinct prohibitions as to the indulgence complained of? Accordingly, we prescribe henceforth (without interfering with the commonalty availing themselves of the altered code on this score) that our officers, scholars, and troops shall continue under the same prohibition heretofore existing as to opium-smoking; and we require that the heads of the civil, military, and educational departments do keep strict watch on this head. Any offenders must be immediately punished with severity and reported for degradation; and, in hope that by strenuous efforts we may revive the declining morals of the day, no indulgence shall be granted to connivance in any shape; and thus we shall maintain our dignity and majesty. Respect this!" We may remark, en passant, that the great Napoleon issued a similar decree relative to the excessive tobaccosmoking among the civil and military departments of the State.

From the foregoing it will be observed that, excepting the reference to the censor as the source of information, the general tenor of a Chinese imperial edict is similar to the decrees and ordinances

has been an abundant harvest, enjoining them to return thanks in the temples for the mercies showered upon them; again, he issues his maledictions against the Taiping rebels, who have devastated the most fertile provinces of his dominions, reducing their industrious inhabitants to want and misery, and rescinds all taxes to be levied on them, until prosperity shall again bless the land; and, lastly, he rewards his brave soldiers who have overcome the insurrectionists that laid waste the country, as in the following translation of a recent extract from The Peking Gazette, issued after the capture of the ancient city of Nanking:

"The San Mêng Mongolian Cavalry, from the time they were first led against the insurgents by San-ko-lin-sin to the present day, have constantly been in action, and their efforts have in all cases been crowned with success. For very many years the exploits of these troops have been very noble, and thus honor was acquired in several provinces. In the broiling heat of summer and the chilling cold of winter they alike exerted themselves: yet the above-mentioned high officer has recommended extremely few of the men and officers under his command for posts of importance. This,

doubtless, resulted from the extreme | deaths from this cause among the foreign care he took to avoid the slightest mis- community at Shanghai, where he was representation. Now that Nanking has resident, filled many a heart with feelbeen taken, we are anxious to bestowings of dread and sorrow: our marks of approbation on every private soldier. They are most certainly, therefore, entitled to the highest reward, and to have the cup of favor filled to overflowing. Moreover, as to the mandarins employed in San-ko-lin-sin's camp, we request him carefully to pick out the most distinguished and recommend them for promotion, waiting for our orders as to the marks of distinction to be bestowed. To the soldiers in the camp the sum of ten thousand taels is granted, to be distributed by the commissariat officers, in order to show our approbation and sympathy. To sum up, when the empire is completely pacified, we shall be at a loss to find adequate rewards to shower on our devoted follow ers. Respect this!"

"We have come to the throne of this great empire, and have received authority over it. We respectfully receive the assistance of the gracious empresses dowager, who attend the deliberation on public affairs. We have diligently sought the proper mode of rule, and have been assisted by the great princes of the court. The present times and affairs are full of difficulty, and all officials are anxious that the best men should be appointed to fill offices in the State, and are arduously exerting themselves to govern rightly, and bring down Heaven's favor. Now, on the 15th day of the 7th moon, at night, there were seen many stars darting towards the southwest, and on the 25th there was seen a comet in the northwest. These appearances in the heavens did not come for nothing, and for two months the city has been over

The reigning emperor, Tung Chee, being a minor, as already stated, and now in his thirteenth year only, attend-run by cholera. Though we are still ing to his studies under the wisest tutors of the realm, the decrees quoted are not the production of his juvenile vermilion pencil. They emanate from the Court of Regency, consisting of Prince Kung, his uncle, the empress, his mother, and the empress dowager, the first wife of his father without issue. The prince is a man of high attainments and liberal principles, as may be perceived by the tone of the edicts; still, he is bound to interpret the "signs of the times," according to the superstitious antecedents of Chinese history. We finish our extracts of The Peking Gazette with a characteristic decree illustrative of the whole fabric of Chinese ethics, framed, no doubt, under the supervision of the ladies and some sage censor, which maintains the superstitions of the darkest ages in Europe, and reads like a literary production of the remotest antiquity suddenly vivified in the middle of this matter-of-fact scientific nineteenth century. The appearance of the comet, and the prevalence of cholera, referred to, occurred during the residence of the writer in China, when the awful devastation caused by the latter scourge was well qualified to give the mysterious edict all the effect intended among the native population; and the number of sudden

youthful, we are deeply afraid, and have received from the dowagers their united opinions, that these frightful occurrences in the heavens and amongst the people must be caused by some defect in our government. All the officials are alike in fear, and examine their conduct in order to rectify their faults. Since our accession we have ever sought good advice, and have taken care to extract good advice from other officials of the empire when they have had occasion to memorialize us. But we fear that, in the multitude of our affairs, and the great extent of our empire, there may be some defect that has escaped our notice, and of which the court has not heard, that the officers, in memorializing, have been deterred from speaking their mind from fear of giving offence, and have not told the facts of the case. Therefore we on purpose issue an edict ordering that all officials, great and small, should with their whole heart consider whether there be any shortcomings in the great and important affairs of our government; should honestly expose them, and not hide them; should not keep back anything as unimportant or trivial, and should obey Heaven in reality and not in name only. At present we are in painful anxiety as to the many troubles.