er in
the negative he looked somewhat blank, but when I added that I came to
consult with him as to the means which I must take in order to acquire
the Chinese language he brightened up. 'You must get a grammar,' said
he, rubbing his hands. 'Have you not one?' said I. 'No,' he replied,
'but any bookseller can procure you one.' As I was taking my departure,
he told me that as he was about to leave the neighbourhood, the bowl at
the window, which bore the inscription, besides some other pieces of
porcelain of a similar description, were at my service provided I chose
to purchase them. I consented, and two or three days afterwards took
from off his hands all the china in his possession which bore
inscriptions, paying what he demanded. Had I waited till the sale of his
effects, which occurred within a few weeks, I could probably have
procured it for a fifth part of the sum which I paid, the other pieces
realising very little. I did not, however, grudge the poor fellow what
he got from me, as I considered myself to be somewhat in his debt for the
information he had afforded me.

"As for the rest of my story, it may be briefly told. I followed the
advice of the shopkeeper, and applied to a bookseller, who wrote to his
correspondent in London. After a long interval, I was informed that if I
wished to learn Chinese, I must do so through the medium of French; there
being neither Chinese grammar nor dictionary in our language. I was at
first very much disheartened. I determined, however, at last to gratify
my desire of learning Chinese, even at the expense of learning French. I
procured the books, and in order to qualify myself to turn them to
account, took lessons in French from a little Swiss, the usher of a
neighbouring boarding-school. I was very stupid in acquiring French;
perseverance, however, enabled me to acquire a knowledge sufficient for
the object I had in view. In about two years I began to study Chinese by
myself, through the medium of the French."

"Well," said I, "and how did you get on with the study of Chinese?"

And then the old man proceeded to inform me how he got on with the study
of Chinese, enumerating all the difficulties he had had to encounter;
dilating upon his frequent despondency of mind, and occasionally his
utter despair of ever mastering Chinese. He told me that more than once
he had determined upon giving up the study, but then the misery in his
head forthwith returned, to escape