The Chinese: A General Description of the Empire of China and its Inhabitants. By John Francis Davis; The Stranger in China, or The Fan-qui's Visit to the Celestial Empire in 1836-1837. By C. Toogood Downing; China, its States and Prospects. By W. H. Medhurst [pp. 147-180]

THE
PRINCETON REVIEW.
APRIL 1839.
No. II.
ART. I. -1. The Chinese: ~1 General Description of the
Empire of China and its Inhabitants. By John Fran cis Davis, Esq. F. R. S., &c. In 2 vols. New York:
Harper & Brothers. 1836.
2. The Stranger in China; or, The Fan-qui's visit to
the Celestial Empire, in 1836-7. By C. Toogood Down ing, Esq., Mem. Roy. Coll. Surgeons. In 2 vols.
12mo. Philadelphia. 1838.
3. China; its State and Prospects, with especial refer ence to the spread of the gospel; containing allusions
to the antiquity, Extent, Population, Civilization,
Literature, and Religion of the Chinese. By W. H.
Medhurst, of the London Missionary Society. Boston.
1838.
THE empire of China has for the last three centuries been
drawing an increasing amount of attention from western nations. At the present time it is awakening universal interest among commercial and Christian people. It is by no
means surprising that it should. Even independently of the
commercial advantages which it presents, and the importance
of bringing it under Christian influence, it affords subjects of
inquiry well adapted to arouse the curiosity of the human
VOL. XI. NO. 2. 20