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mon talk of the people, including the uneducated men and the women of all classes, Chinese expressions which may be counted by thousands. This striking fact clearly shows the effect of schools in modifying popular speech.
In accounting for this remarkable adoption of Chinese words and phrases the aid of Buddhism must not be overlooked. Religion is always a powerful factor in modifying language. For three centuries the Go on, the pronunciation of Chinese words common among the Buddhist monks, prevailed exclusively in Japan. Early in the seventh century Japanese students were sent to the Chinese capital, in the province of Shensi, to study the Chinese language more thoroughly and to bring back books and information bearing on the Confucian religion. The Japanese at that time were so enamoured of every thing Chinese that they adopted it in the most wholesale manner, and never thought of an alphabet for themselves till late in the eighth century. There was no one to undertake to alter the Japanese language and the attempt was never made. When at last the alphabet was invented, its chief use was to aid pupils in learning the sense of the Chinese books and the sounds of the characters. As, however, most pupils never learned Chinese thoroughly, a mixed written language grew up, resulting in the native literature which has since come into existence.
To foresee what, if left to themselves, would be done by the Japanese in regard to English is not difficult. They would treat English books as they have been accustomed to treat Chinese books. They would introduce the kana into English works to assist students. The native order of words would still be retained and an immense number of new words would be added to the vocabulary.
This course, so highly to be deprecated, they may be induced to avoid. The advice, example and reasoning of foreign teachers, may persuade them to learn English in a more enlightened way, and more thoroughly than they have learned Chinese. In schools where English is taught a mastery of the grammar and the pronunciation should be made a sine quâ non. No vicious pronunciation or erron-
