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IT is a somewhat difficult
task, out of a mass of letters to disentangle the threads of Dr Legge's
multifarious activity from 1860 until his final departure from China in
1873. He stands revealed in these letters as a laborious student and writer,
a worker in public movements, a pastor to an English congregation, a
chaplain to the soldiers, a preacher in the Chinese jail, a visitor to the
sick and troubled, a friend to everyone, and above all, a large-minded
missionary.
The following letter
illustrates two of the phases of character referred to.
The Rev. S. Honeyman
Anderson, who was born in Mauritius, writes:—'At the end of the year 1867 I
was lying very ill with scarlet fever at Cheshunt College. I had just
returned from very arduous preaching work in the Salle Evangilique of the
Paris Exposition Universelle, and readily caught the disease which was then
affecting some of the inhabitants of Cheshunt.
'Dr Legge visited the
College, accompanied, I believe, by a Chinese dignitary. He found that a
shadow of sadness was cast over the loving brotherhood by the fact of the
grievous illness of one of the students. At family worship, in the large
dining-hall, he offered prayer. The Principal, Dr Reynolds, told me years
afterwards, how he could not forget the earnestness of that long pleading
with God for the recovery of the young man who was thousands of miles from
his home in Mauritius, as Dr Legge rose from praying he said, "He'll pull
through."
'By God's grace I did. That
was thirty-eight years ago.
'A pleasant reminiscence is
to be found in part of a speech made by a late Secretary of the London
Missionary Society in the old L. M. S. House. He related how he had been
shipwrecked, and reached Dr Legge's house in Hong Kong in a most helpless
condition. The hospitality of that house was never to be forgotten. The
Doctor opened chests of drawers and wardrobes before the distressed fellow
missionary, and said, "It is all yours, help yourself to what you want".
'When Dr Legge's turn came to
speak at the meeting he said, 'the Secretary had made a very telling
narrative, nevertheless, although he must not be accused of having invented
what he said about his host's hospitality in China, the host himself does
not remember anything of the kind.'
This beautiful
self-forgetfulness was a marked characteristic of Dr Legge's character. In
the early days of the China Inland Mission he often received, for many days
or weeks, those who were going out in connection with the mission founded by
Dr Hudson Taylor.
There was one break in these
years owing to a call to England on account of his wife's serious illness.
Her health had obliged her to leave China, and pressure of work had
prevented his accompanyng her. In 1870, however, he left her and their
children in Scotland and returned alone to Hong Kong for three years.
One day, before leaving
Scotland, he took his two small boys to the field of Bannockburn. No shrine
which he ever visited affected him so much as the mound on which the
standard of Scotland was reared on that eventful day. 'I took my shoes off
my feet upon it and told my boys that if ever they were found hereafter on
any side but that of freedom and truth, they would not be true Scotsmen.' He
used to say that if Scotland had lost that battle its after history would
probably have been similar to that of Ireland—perpetual revolt on one side,
repression on the other.
To return to Dr Legge's life
in Hong Kong, between 1860 and 1874. In 1861, the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir
Hercules Robinson, sent him a rough sketch scheme of the establishment of
certain cadetships asking him to alter all or any of the provisions as he
might think fit. He was delighted with the scheme as being calculated to
supply a great want in the matter of interpreters, and undertook to examine
the cadets and student-interpreters in Chinese at intervals of six months.
He wished greatly to see
railways in China. 'Think of Han-kow as the great centre, the grand junction
of railways to be. A line from Han-kow to Canton would be to the latter city
as life from the dead, and restore it to more than its former prosperity,
while the immense and unexplored provinces of Sze-chwan, Yun-nan, and Kwei-chow
would likewise be moved by it and their productions drawn towards the
sea-board. The real difficulty in the way is the Chinese Government'
In November 1865, he was
presented at Government House with a silver tea and coffee service from the
Government of Hong Kong 'for many valuable public services readily and
gratuitously rendered.' In his speech, thanking the Governor, he said—'There
have been many times indeed, when I have been very busy and the sight of a
letter "On Her Majesty's Service" has been very distasteful. But I have been
glad whenever by a little extra labour and self-denial I have been able to
be useful either to the Government or to individuals. I have been resident
in the Colony almost from its commencement. Three things struck me in the
beginning as greatly needed. First, that many of its public offices should
be filled by those who could speak the Chinese language, and this could only
be realised by having men out to qualify themselves by the study of it;
second, that the Government should assist education among the Chinese on a
generous, comprehensive, and far-reaching plan. For many years and to
successive governors I prepared and sometimes obtruded my views on those two
subjects, and at last I had the satisfaction to find them substantially
adopted, and successfully carried out under the incumbency of our late
excellent Governor, Sir Hercules Robinson. The third subject which pressed
itself on me was the desirableness of Christian instruction being given to
the heathen inmates of our prisons and given regularly and systematically.
For thirteen years by myself and my colleagues a Christian service has been
conducted on the Sabbath with the prisoners. We ought to do what we can to
see that they leave our jails, not only with the fear of man upon them, but
taught their duty also to fear God.'
No matter how fully his time
and brain were occupied, he set all aside whenever called upon to give
personal help to anyone in need. In 1866, the governor of the jail wrote to
him about some Chinamen lying under sentence of death, and he felt
constrained to visit them. Evidence came before him which led him to believe
one of the prisoners to be innocent. He writes, that though greatly burdened
by pressure of work, a necessity of conscience was laid on him to
investigate the matter. His following entries are: 'August 2nd. Every moment
from breakfast to dinner occupied in putting together a long statement to
the Colonial Secretary on this case.' 'August 3rd. Had a private note from
the acting Colonial Secretary that the man for whom I memorialised him was
not down to be hanged with the others.' ' August 8th. After an almost
sleepless night I was up this morning at half past four and over to the gaol
by five o'clock. Of the nine prisoners seven were then executed. The
remaining two have been reprieved.'
In 1866, occurred such a fire
as he had not seen in Hong Kong for many years. Some warehouses were full of
tubs of oil which blazed up with an intense heat. There were no orderly
arrangements, no force of police, no sufficient supply of water. In fact the
usual precaution of the Chinese against fire was to place on their roofs
large jars, which, containing rainwater, they supposed would be efficacious
if a fire broke out. At least a thousand people were rendered homeless, and
the loss of property was over half a million of dollars. The following week
Dr Legge and his co-pastor, Ho-tsun-sheen, prepared a paper in Chinese
addressed to the native merchants and shopkeepers, asking them to assist the
sufferers by the late conflagration. In one morning alone Dr Legge went into
between two and three hundred shops and places of business on this errand.
'I was astonished at the amount of wealth and extent of business manifest in
many of them. The owners and many of the employes were gentlemen, according
to the ways and training of China. For the most part I got a most cordial,
even flattering reception. Many knew me by sight; others knew me as "the
great scholar who was familiar with all their Classics." The occasion was
one which it would have been sinful in me to neglect I must give Friday
forenoon to complete the visitation.'
Dr Legge took great interest
in all public measures. 'I met the Governor to-day, he is full of anxiety as
his new ordinances are just coming into operation. He stopped his chair and
had a long talk to see if I could give him any comfort An ordinance
affecting the Chinese shipping is most vehemently opposed, and a hundred
junks and passage-boats have cleared out of the harbour in consequence of
it. Its most objectionable features have been modified owing, I believe, to
my known disapproval of them, and the government should now insist upon
carrying it out There will be difficulty, for the boats that bring our
provisions will keep away for a time.'
In 1868, Dr Legge received a
letter from the Inspector-General of Chinese customs which shows the
writer's opinion that when the Chinese people rise up in hostility against
foreigners it means that there is an order from the Government at the back
of it. 'Experience has shown that unless instigated by Mandarin agency, the
Chinese people usually evince a friendly bearing towards foreigners.'
On February 12, 1871 he
writes: 'To-day I have sent in to the acting governor here, a petition to
Lord Kimberley against the gambling-houses, signed by 318 names. I wrote the
petition on my birthday and the result has been obtained by the co-operation
of Welch, Crichton, Walker and Mr Smale. With Mr Hitchcock I moved the
Chamber of Commerce to get up a similar petition, and with Mr Turner the
Chinese to get up one, which has nearly 1000 signatures.'
On Sundays Dr Legge visited
the gaol, accompanied by one or more native Chinese converts who spoke to
the Chinese prisoners after he had addressed them, and distributed tracts.
He was much pleased once at receiving an application for baptism from a man
in good worldly circumstances living at a village some distance off. On
enquiry as to how he had heard of the religion of Christ, it turned out that
he had been led to the knowledge of Christianity by means of one of the
convicts of the gaol who had attained his discharge.
For many years he conducted a
service on the Lord's day with the prisoners, amounting generally to more
than 200 souls. One morning early he was sent for to one of them who had
been attacked with cholera. While it was yet dark he stood by the man's bed.
'I am sorry,' he said, 'to find you in such suffering.' 'Pastor,' replied
the convict, 'be of good cheer, I am relying on Christ' This man had been
completely changed by hearing the word of God, and had been remarkable for
his quickness of understanding and earnest work among his fellow prisoners.
In the afternoon Dr Legge visited him again before he died. Some of the
other prisoners followed him to the sick ward, and seeing their friend in
great pain and exhaustion, began to weep. 'Tell my brethren,' he said, 'not
to mourn. We should all give glory to God. I am escaped from sin and chains
to heaven. Tell them to pray for God's help that they may glorify the
Saviour here in the prison.'
He writes in 1870: 'I
accepted the appointment to act as Presbyterian chaplain, and I think it
will increase my influence with the soldiers. I visit the military hospital
once a week, and I have a service in the school-room in the barracks at five
o'clock on Wednesdays. On Thursdays I go from five to seven to the vestry to
meet with any who wish to talk with me on religious topics. On Sunday at
2.30 I go to the gaol and give the English prisoners an address. Very
attentive they are, and very glad apparently to see me.' Through the summer
weather he held, by their own wish, a service specially for the soldiers at
6.30 on Sunday mornings. That gave him five services every Sunday.
A significant testimony to
his influence over the soldiers was given by a Colonel who called on him
some days after Christmas. '1 came to thank you, Dr Legge,' he said, 'for
achieving what I had not dared to expect. Owing to your exhortations and
personal influence, Christmas has come and gone without a single case of
drunkenness among the soldiers.'
In 1871 four soldiers came to
him at the barracks and asked him to begin a weekly Bible Class, which he
accordingly did. When the regiment left for the Cape the members of the
Bible Class brought him a large photograph of themselves. The nine men who
had formed the choir wrote to him, 'If we dared, we would endeavour to tell
you the very warm feelings of regard towards you experienced by ourselves
and our comrades—not only for your masterly lectures, but also for your
affectionate ministration to our sick.'
In 1863 a meeting was held in
Union Chapel on the question of erecting a new and larger edifice. Through
the liberality of the community Dr Legge collected by the end of 1863
twenty-one thousand dollars, and the building was begun. In 1865 Mrs Legge
writes:—' I have been into the new Chapel. Its architecture is lofty and
light. I did feel proud of my dear husband to have achieved so much. The
tesselated aisles have come from England. The windows are stained glass. The
ship bringing its iron gates is lost, we fear; it has not been heard of for
eight months. There is a stone verandah all round, and I have learnt to know
that there is no such effectual protection from the heat as a stone wall.'
Faithfully did Dr Legge minister to the English congregation, and many
grateful letters did he receive. One friend wrote from Ceylon in 1873: 'I
cannot let you say farewell to China and the East without a line from me to
express my gratitude to you for all that you did, as much indirectly as
directly, for us young men in Hong Kong. Your Sabbath services I indeed
found most refreshing—I look back with great pleasure to the old
Chapel—verily it was to me a Sabbath home. For more than two and a half
years I had the pleasure of worshipping with you every Sunday. After
returning home from service I used to delight in putting down on paper the
heads of your discourses. At tiffin and at dinner on Sundays we, that is
Guild and I, used to talk over the sermon, and indeed all the week through
it was more or less a subject of conversation, especially if Walker or Bain
came to see us. And then both Mrs Legge and you were so extremely kind to us
all' Another man writes: '1 am about to leave this Colony, and I cannot go
without giving you my humble testimony to the goodness of God. I have been
led under your ministry and the teaching of the Holy Spirit to see the way
wherein I ought to go, and my peace has become as a river. Your labours have
not been in vain in the Lord.'
A note in Dr Legge's hand
says: '1 received to-day a note from a young man named Young. It contained
an order for 100 rupees for the Chapel "because he had often been built up
and refreshed within its walls."'
To Dr Legge as a friend in
trouble or difficulty came appeals from all sorts and conditions of men. The
following letter, written in 1861, was the beginning of a long friendship.
'Victoria, Hong Kong, October
14, 1861.
'Reverend Sir,
'I beg most respectfully that
you will favour me with an interview for the purpose of religious enquiry.I
am a Roman Catholic and have always yielded the most implicit belief in the
doctrines of the Roman Church. Nevertheless I consider it my duty, as it is
the duty of every man who attains the use of reason, to investigate for
myself the great truths of the Christian religion, and, in a spirit of
humility and faith, convince myself that that which I before believed, on
the authority of my parents and teachers, is founded upon reason and the
gospel.
'To you, as the minister in
this island of that Church which represents the spirit of the Reformation
and which is opposed in doctrines and ceremonies to the Church of Rome, I
apply for assistance in the task I have imposed upon myself. With the
doctrines of my own church I am well acquainted. With the doctrines of the
Reformed Churches, and with the reasons that influenced the reformers in
their separation from the See of Rome, I am acquainted only through the
writings of Roman Catholics. These may not be altogether free from
misrepresentation or prejudice. And therefore is it that I presume to
address myself to you; and I cannot believe that one who is so faithful a
servant of his Divine Master will refuse to grant me an opportunity of
obeying that divine command, and receiving the fulfilment of that gracious
promise: "Seek, and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you."
The writer remained a Roman
Catholic, as is shown by another letter from him written twenty-five years
later (1886), but the affection and gratitude expressed in it, justify a
quotation from it
'My Dear Dr Legge,
'I have no words to thank you
for your very great kindness. If it had not been for you I must have gone
under. . . . That I am now prosperous and happy I owe entirely, under God,
to you. I feel more and more every day how great is the debt of gratitude I
owe you. I congratulate you on your age, seventy, on your good health and on
your ability and readiness to work at that age, but you were always a
wonderful worker, and you will work, I do not doubt, to the end. You will be
glad to hear that His Holiness the Pope has just made me a Knight of St
Gregory the Great, and I hope shortly to write myself Q.C.'
In midst of missionary
labours and literary labours Dr Legge had to help and write letters on
behalf of many folk in trouble, both English and Chinese— for one Chinaman,
for instance, whose child had been kidnapped, while he was away in
Australia. The child was recovered after much labour, anxiety, and a payment
of sixty dollars. Dr Legge wrote:— 'Such a thing could not well occur in a
well-governed country.' In one letter he draws a dark picture of life around
him. 'Many cases of distress there are, waifs cast ashore on the island,
reduced to misery almost invariably by their own drunkenness and other
misconduct; among them many scions of good families, well-educated ne'er-do-weels,
who now and then make a rally and then fall into the slough again. I have
had to do with some specimens of Irish poor, but worse were English and
especially Scotch destitutes, men capable of better things and of rising in
society, but lost, utterly lost, through various vices.' In his notes are
many details of 'strange and eventful histories' related to him by men
seeking help and counsel. Still more frequently do entries occur of visits
to sick and dying men and women. He writes :—4 Cases of suffering and misery
come before me every day. A family here is in absolute want. I resolved to
raise between two and three hundred dollars to keep them going until he can
get a situation. I have got in less than two hours' visiting 170
dollars—all, except ten dollars, from Scotsmen, and not in large sums.'
But in nothing did Dr Legge's
innate courtesy manifest itself more strongly than in the trouble he took in
answering letters. Not only to those who wrote asking for details concerning
the illness and last days of relations who had died in Hong Kong, but to all
who asked for information on any point, his replies were not merely adequate
but minute. Truly even to the end of his life the saying of the Chinese
Master might have been applied to Dr Legge 'From the man bringing the
bundles of dried flax upwards, I have never refused instruction to anyone.'
The following, for instance,
is merely part of a long letter addressed (in 1863) to a stranger who had
written to tell him that certain Chinese porcelain seals had been dug up in
Ireland, and asking how they might have got there. Not content with
replying—'The question as to how the seals found in Ireland found their way
there, will probably ever remain a problem not easily solved. It was during
the Ming dynasty that such articles came to be "the rage" in China and it
was at the same time that European commerce with the Empire commenced. Queen
Elizabeth sent an envoy to the Emperor in 1596. Some of the earliest
visitors from England and Ireland must have taken the seals back with them
from China'—he enlarged further upon the subject as follows—*Porcelain seals
were first made during the Sung dynasty, a.d. 975-1279. No mention of them
can be found before that time. Previous to the Ts'in dynasty (b.c. 220)
seals were made of jade and other precious stones, and also of silver. Under
the Han dynasty (b.c. 201) seals cast of brass came into vogue and were long
used9 till towards the end of the Yuen dynasty (a.d. 1367) they were in a
great measure superseded by soapstone seals. Under the Sung dynasty,
however, porcelain seals had been made.
'The name of a pottery where
many were produced between the years 1111 and 1118 a.d. is still famous. But
it was under the Ming dynasty, immediately preceding the present, that these
seals were most in vogue. "The Green Kiln" with more than 300 furnaces was
constantly at work in the last quarter of the fourteenth century, producing
all sorts of small articles. Since the Ming dynasty porcelain seals have
very much fallen into disuse.'
In 1866 a Chinese bell was
sent to him by another stranger asking its age, and his answer is as
follows:—
'The bell belonged to the
Buddhist temple or monastery of Tae-shan (so named after a famous mountain
in Shan-tung) in Ning-po, and was cast in the 7th year of Kia-K'ing,
corresponding to our 1802. This is commemorated in the inscription, with the
name of the then abbot, and of the maker. There were four collecting books
to get the funds for the undertaking together. The names of the collectors
are given and of the subscribers also. Some of the collectors were ladies,
and of the subscribers about three-fourths were women; so true is it that
everywhere they are the most forward in all religious works. The highest
donation appears to have been 12,000 cash.'
Missionary duties, as ever,
lay nearest his heart. In 1861, when the first and second volumes of the
Classics were coming out, he writes:—'I had occasion last week to visit two
or three spots where there was hardly a house two years ago, and I found
thronging multitudes. My soul was saddened at the sight of so many sheep
without a shepherd, and I felt as if I ought to go home and burn all my
dictionaries and classics, and give every hour to the preaching of the
gospel to those thousands perishing for lack of knowledge.'
It was the opinion of Dr
Legge that though Taoism in its popular aspect is a system of debased
superstition, yet, when its votaries confine themselves to the study of its
ancient books and cultivate the self-denial and humility there so strongly
enforced, they are far more receptive and sympathetic to Christian truth
than the Confucian literati. For the Confucian idea fosters pride, while
Taoism exalts humility.
A certain Taoist dignitary,
eighty years of age, came to visit him at Hong Kong. He said that he had
studied the writings of Lao-tze for fifty years but felt that he had not
power to attain the ideal life inculcated by that sage. It was beyond his
reach. He was in despair, yearning for some truth which his human soul could
live by, when some Christian tracts were brought to his monastery on the Lo-fow
mountain. He read them and found the light and teaching he needed. 'Of all
whom I knew in my long missionary experience,' said Dr Legge, 'he was the
one most prepared for belief in the gospel.'
Another most interesting
convert was a Taoist 'wise woman.' Her occupation as a priestess had
sharpened her faculties. She became a wonderfully useful member of the
Chinese Church in Hong Kong, and was welcomed by the Chinese into their
houses where she constantly visited and talked to them of the truths of the
Bible. She fell very ill, and Dr Legge entered her house one morning to find
her married daughter clothing her in her best garments. He knew by this that
the end must be near. The dying woman looked at him, but, unable to speak,
turned her eyes upward and pointed towards heaven, and in this attitude she
passed away.
At the end of 1863 Dr Legge
wrote the following short report of the labours of Liong Man-shing, employed
as a colporteur among the Cantonese-speaking population of Hong Kong during
1863.
'Liong Man-shing had brought
me a regular journal of his proceedings from day to day. The volumes given
away by him amount to 667 copies of the New Testament. They might be many
more but I have charged him to force the Scriptures on no one, and never to
give a volume where he had not some evidence that it would be read. I have
received into the Christian Church two men first awakened by him to think
about their souls, and there are several others who appear to be seriously
seeking the way of salvation'
In the following year he
again reports:—'I am happy to bear testimony again to the diligence and
faithfulness of the colporteur Liong Man-shing. At least four of those whom
I have baptised during the year were first stimulated by him to think about
their spiritual condition. He distributed this year 1842 volumes.'
In 1864 Dr Legge engaged to
print at the mission press an edition of 5000 copies of the entire
Scriptures in large type, and a pocket edition of 5000 copies of the New
Testament. Among the existing versions of the Scriptures of the Chinese
language, he considered the 'Delegate's Version' very much superior to any
of the others.
In 1865 a Chinaman, indignant
at the exactions of a Mandarin in his own neighbourhood, came to Hong Kong
and there became a convert to Christianity. The following summer he went
back to his own home, taking with him tracts and copies of the New
Testament. One of the tracts fell into the hands of a Chinese officer
connected with the Salt Department and so arrested his attention that he
came to Hong Kong to learn more fully of the Christian religion, and gave
such proofs of his sincerity that Dr Legge, after three months, felt
justified in baptising him.
Nothing gave Dr Legge more
joy than to preach in Chinese. In 1866 he writes:—'I went down to Wan-tsye
to preach. Mr Macgowan went with me. We took a boat there and back. The
congregation was immense, so that there was no room left for the people to
stand. Macgowan was surprised at the order which I was able to maintain with
such a crowd and the length of time for which I could compel their
attention. He had never seen anything like it. It is true that to preach in
Chinese always soothes and gratifies my own mind.'
Again in 1867:—'In my Chinese
services I find the greatest freedom and the largest measure of enjoy-merit.
Last Sunday my sermon was followed by an interesting conversation with many
of my hearers.'
The following remark
demonstrates his belief in mission work. 'I often think of a sentence I read
about the little wisdom with which the world is governed. It really is so
both in civil and military affairs. Here in Hong Kong have millions of
dollars been squandered which might all have been saved by foresight and
discreet management. People talk of the little result obtained for our
missionary expenditure. I believe that ten times the result is got for it
than any equivalent expenditure realises in the department of government and
war. This might be made good by anyone who would take the trouble to make
the calculations, and should do something to stop the mouth of gainsayers.'
Twice, during three years and
a half that he was away from his family, did he sustain a serious accident.
The first occasion happened on the voyage out when he fell into a hatchway
which had been opened for a short time and happened to be just opposite his
cabin. Instinctively he threw his arms out and was brought up with a
tremendous thud. His left side struck the hatchway, and he was pulled up by
the stewards. He thought at first that his arms were wrenched out of their
sockets and that all the ribs on his left side were broken. Mercifully he
had escaped with severe bruising and shaking.
The second accident seemed a
more serious one. In July 1872, when he was living alone in Hong Kong, he
retired to rest one evening after working on the Chinese Classics until long
after midnight About three o'clock he woke and walked into the verandah to
look out into the night. He remembered nothing more until he came to himself
in bed next morning and saw a doctor bending over him. A Chinese policeman
reported that at about three o'clock, when passing the house, he heard the
noise of a fall inside, succeeded by a sound of moaning. Coming round to the
back he found the servants astir, and on going inside they saw Dr Legge
lying unconscious on the stairs, bleeding from the head. They carried him up
to his bed and actually left him there alone, insensible and bleeding for
over three hours.. About seven o'clock the Chinese boy went in with the
usual cup of tea and found his master still insensible, the pillow covered
with blood and his left arm swollen from wrist to elbow. Even then they had
no thought of fetching a doctor, but one of them went up the hill to the
house of Dr Legge's married daughter and informed her that they did not know
whether their master was alive or dead. Yet, on the following Sunday, five
days later, he preached once, with his arm in a sling, and after a few more
days felt quite recovered.
Hong Kong was startled one
day in January 1867 by an event which he described in a letter. 'While I was
calling on Mr and Mrs Cairns the windows of the room were suddenly blown in
upon us, and the glass all smashed to shivers by a tremendous convulsion in
the atmosphere, accompanied by a horrid noise of some explosion and a
rumbling underground movement which was very frightful. Was it an
earthquake? Was it preliminary to some general rising of the Chinese? Mrs
Cairns disappeared instantly. Her instinct had carried her to her baby.
Cairns turned pale and jumped about the room. We soon discovered what had
happened.
Anchored near Stonecutter's
Island was a hulk in which merchants stored their powder and which had on
board some eighty tons. A schooner was alongside taking powder from it; and
somehow —how, will never be known—the whole ignited and blew up. When we ran
out on the terrace, nothing was to be seen but an immense dense cloud of
black smoke brooding on the water. Gradually it rose up in the air, and
spread out a sulphurous pall, stretching from Stonecutter's Island to Mount
Davis, heavy, gloomy, grand and terrible. Below, nothing was to be seen. Of
the two vessels and two junks that had been near, not a fragment could be
discovered. The sea was moved and one mighty wave was driven till it broke
over the praya, when the waters subsided to their former placidity. I don't
suppose there is one house in the place which has not sustained some damage.
My study door, opening on to the verandah, was locked, but so forcibly had
the air been driven against it that the nut in which the bolt slides was
bent and the large screens torn an inch out of the wood. Most melancholy is
the loss of life.'
He was much delighted by
meeting Mr Seward, President Lincoln's Secretary of State, at dinner one
evening. 'He has been visiting Japan and China and came on to Hong Kong last
week. I sat next him on his right. At first sight one is surprised that so
old and shattered a man should venture so far away from home. One attempt,
at least, was made, you know, to assassinate him. The consequence is that
his legs and arms are of comparatively little use to him, and it is with an
awkward difficulty that he is able to feed himself. He is a little man but
with a wonderful vivacity in work and action. The head is well shaped and
the whole face indicative of strength of character. His jaw was broken and
had healed, it seemed to me, so as to give a development to the lower part
of the face on one side that does not deform, but intensifies the natural
show of determination. How he does talk, and how well,— roundly, rapidly,
eloquently. Of course controversial subjects were avoided, but we had up
Freemasonry, Gambling, Mormonism, Women's Rights, and the Divine Decrees and
Responsibility, and on all those subjects he expressed himself admirably. He
discussed, I held forth a little now and then; the others queried, suggested
doubts, seemed astonished at the play of intellect, and got thoughts on
which they might chew the cud of ordinary lumbering English intellect. The
impression on my mind was that I was for once brought into contact with a
man of large discourse of mind—a clear intellect and resolute will, such as
God gives, to fit men to be kings and rulers among their fellows—powers, for
good or for evil according to the channels into which their energies flow.'
A glimpse into Dr Legge's
study is afforded by an entry of July I, 1871. 'It is a delicious morning
—the thermometer in my verandah stands at 87 and in the course of the day it
will no doubt rise to 90 and more, but in the meantime there is a gentle
breeze coming in through the windows, and at intervals fluttering the light
leaves of the Chinese volumes that lie open all about over the room.'
The following letter to the
Marquis d'Hervey St
Denys, written on Jan. 14,
1873, foreshadows the retirement of the scholar-missionary from the field of
his labours in China :—
'I had the honour, a few days
ago, to receive your letter of the 30th October, informing me that you had
received, through M. Stanislas Julien, the copy which I asked him to hand to
you of the fourth volume of my work on the Chinese Classics.
'By the mail steamer which
leaves here on the 16th, I intend sending to M. Julien a copy of the fifth
volume, and will enclose a copy for you, of which I venture to beg your
acceptance.
'Allow me to congratulate you
on your appointment to succeed M. Julien in the Chair of Chinese Literature
in the College of France. You will worthily maintain the character which the
astonishing and indefatigable labours of our friend have given to the Chair
for so many years.
I am much flattered by the
opinion which you are pleased to express of my labours in the Chinese field,
and will feel honoured to receive a copy of your translation of a most
important part of the great work of Men Twan-sen. I intend leaving China in
a few months.' |
