rtunate of all.
Their system of divination is rather complicated, but, as I understand
it, it appears to be that Noah, or some one who lived about his time,
discovered eight symbols on the back of a tortoise. These, multiplied
into themselves, make sixty-four, which constituted the Book of Fate.
It appears that my lot is the first of the eight, and therefore the
best that can be got!

[Sidenote: Ningpo.]

_Ningpo.--March 18th._--We arrived here yesterday, and I have been
walking both days about the town with Mr. Meadows, the author, who is
vice-consul here. I am disappointed with the city, of which I had
heard a great deal. But the people are even more amiable than at any
other place I have visited. Oliphant has rejoined us in high spirits,
after his visit to Soochow. I cross-examined a Church of England
clergyman about his converts. When pressed, he could only name one who
seemed to be conscious of the want which we believe to be supplied by
the Atonement. About 100, however, including children, attend churches
in Ningpo, of whom thirty have been baptized.

Ningpo was one of the places which had been treated with more than ordinary
severity in the last war. It was also one of the places in which the
natives showed the most friendly disposition towards foreigners. To the
resident traders the inference was obvious: the severity was the cause of
the friendly disposition, and it had only to be applied elsewhere to
produce the like results. With evident satisfaction Lord Elgin sets
himself, in an official despatch, to refute this reasoning. After observing
that the natives showed rather an exaggeration than a defect of the desire
to live peaceably with foreigners, he proceeds:--

The state of Ningpo in this respect furnishes their favourite and,
perhaps, most plausible argument, to that class of persons who
advocate what is styled a vigorous policy in China; in other words, a
policy which consists in resorting to the most violent measures of
coercion and repression on the slenderest provocations. They say,
'Remember what happened at Ningpo during the last war, and observe the
consideration and respect which is evinced towards you there. Treat
other towns in China likewise, and the result will be the same.' I
question the soundness of this inference. Ningpo is situated on the
south-eastern verge of the mighty valley of