Such are the sentiments of a man, who, besides his voluminous religious compositions, has written the history of China; corrected her classics: written innumerable works upon civil administration and foreign arts and sciences, and who has nevertheless been designated in England as an "_ignorant_ impostor and coolie." The British public must indeed have been "green and greasy" (as Sir James Brooke once observed) to take in all the secretary and under-secretary's reports, and swallow the bullock, horns and all.
[30] In this opinion Dr. Bridgeman is also wrong; even his fellow-voyageur X.Y.Z. thought differently, and wrote: "The titles applied to these kings are no doubt _mere empty names_, without any specific meaning, and are not necessarily to be understood as implying a claim to super-earthly dignity."
The Sz-wang's Domestic Life.--Approach to Nankin.--Interior of Nankin.--A Ti-ping Banquet.--Maou-lin, the Chung-wang's Son.--The Chung-wang's Palace.--The Chung-Wang's Levee.--Ti-ping Chiefs.--Chung-wang's appearance.--Council of War.--The Review.--Cum-ho.--The March.--The Ti-ping Army.--Its Organization.--Selection of Officers.--Equipment of the Army.--Its Formation.--The Enemy in View.--Their Retreat.--Preparations for Attack.--A Night Attack.--A Stockade carried.--Charge of Manchoo Cavalry.--The Repulse.--The Enemy retreat.--The Pursuit.--Complete Rout of the Manchoos.--Maou-lin's Bravery.--Return to Nankin.
When I found the lorcha so effectually driven off, I instantly landed, both to thank the chief in charge, and let him know who I was, and what I wanted. I went ashore with my friend, and found that the high official in charge of all the forts, batteries, and suburbs of Nankin, was the Sz-wang. We were received by him in his official dwelling with much civility, which changed into the greatest kindness directly he saw my commission, and found that we were aiders and abettors of the Ti-ping cause.
The Sz-wang was an elderly dignified man, and had formerly been a high mandarin at Hankow; but when the Ti-pings first captured that city, he had joined them with all his family. He entertained us very comfortably to a rather luxurious dinner, consisting of _bêche-de-mer_, bird's-nest soup, &c.; after which, the ladies and little Sz-wangs were introduced with the wine,--just at the time they would have been retiring from the table if in Europe. I was quite surprised with their appearance, it was in such direct opposition to the strict seclusion in which the women are kept amongst the Chinese. I afterwards found that the free intercourse and elevated position of their women was one of the innumerable innovations which marked the Ti-pings' superiority to the Imperialists. A little son of the Sz-wang--the eldest of two--was put into my arms, and, to my astonishment, commenced prattling the Lord's Prayer in Chinese, although certainly not more than four years old. The Sz-wang's wife, his two daughters, and several other ladies of his household, all took part in a free and general conversation, quite unlike anything ever seen amongst the Chinese elsewhere. About ten in the evening, after family prayers, they retired for the night. The prayers were commenced by the Sz-wang reading a chapter from the Bible; after which a hymn was sung, every one standing; and then he dismissed us all with a short extempore prayer. I returned on board highly pleased with my first night at Nankin.