interesting fact I hear about the Chinese is one on
which we cannot arrive at clearness, but which excites endless curiosity
even in the dim state: this namely, that they do attempt to make their
Men of Letters their Governors! It would be rash to say, one understood
how this was done, or with what degree of success it was done. All
such things must be very unsuccessful; yet a small degree of success is
precious; the very attempt how precious! There does seem to be, all over
China, a more or less active search everywhere to discover the men of
talent that grow up in the young generation. Schools there are for
every one: a foolish sort of training, yet still a sort. The youths who
distinguish themselves in the lower school are promoted into
favorable stations in the higher, that they may still more distinguish
themselves,--forward and forward: it appears to be out of these that
the Official Persons, and incipient Governors, are taken. These are they
whom they _try_ first, whether they can govern or not. And surely with
the best hope: for they are the men that have already shown intellect.
Try them: they have not governed or administered as yet; perhaps they
cannot; but there is no doubt they _have_ some Understanding,--without
which no man can! Neither is Understanding a _tool_, as we are too apt
to figure; "it is a _hand_ which can handle any tool." Try these men:
they are of all others the best worth trying.--Surely there is no
kind of government, constitution, revolution, social apparatus or
arrangement, that I know of in this world, so promising to one's
scientific curiosity as this. The man of intellect at the top of
affairs: this is the aim of all constitutions and revolutions, if they
have any aim. For the man of true intellect, as I assert and believe
always, is the noble-hearted man withal, the true, just, humane and
valiant man. Get him for governor, all is got; fail to get him, though
you had Constitutions plentiful as blackberries, and a Parliament in
every village, there is nothing yet got--!

These things look strange, truly; and are not such as we commonly
speculate upon. But we are fallen into strange times; these things will
require to be speculated upon; to be rendered practicable, to be in some
way put in practice. These, and many others. On all hands of us, there
is the announcement, audible enough, that the old Empire of Routine
has ended; that to say a thing has long been, is no reason for its
cont