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This little book is the outcome of talks with Mrs. Bishopover some of the photographs which were taken by her inone or other of her journeys into and across China. Someof the photographs have already appeared in her publishedworks, “The Yangtze Valley and Beyond” and “Koreaand Her Neighbourhood” (2 vols., Murray). The noteswere, in substance, dictated by Mrs. Bishop. It is hopedthey contain some real information on the people, theirsurroundings, and habits which, though slight in form, maybe helpful to a better understanding of a very difficultproblem.

According to our newspaper press to-day, the Chineseare simply cruel barbarians. According to Mrs. Bishop,when you know them they are a likeable people—and shehas formed this opinion in spite of the fact that, in theirdeeply-rooted hatred of the foreigners, they twice attackedher with violence. A real understanding of the people isfor us, with our different modes of thought, most difficultto arrive at; but we shall not advance towards it byaccepting all the evil reports and shutting our ears to thegood ones. That the problem of China is, and will forsome time continue to be, the most interesting question tothe rest of the world is certain. The future of its peopleis all unknown, but there are in it possibilities which makeit a terror to all other nations.

The illustrations on p. 79 and p. 81 have beentransposed. The former represents “The Tablet ofConfucius,” the latter, “The Altar of Heaven.”

Chinese Pictures.

[Transcriber’s Note: this error has been corrected.]