China and the West

Boswell, James. The life of Samuel Johnson [ID D27046].
Anekdote von Samuel Johnson über die Übersetzung von Du Halde's Description von Edward Cave : "Green and Guthrie, an Irishman and a Scotchman, undertook a translation of Du Halde's History of China. Green said of Guthrie, that he knew no English, and Guthrie of Green, that he knew no French ; and these two undertook to translate Du Halde's History of China. In this translation there was found 'the twenty-sixth day of the new moon'. Now as the whole age of the moon is but twenty-eight days, the moon instead of being new, was nearly as old as it could be. Their blunder arose from their mistaking the word, 'neuvième', ninth, for 'nouvelle' or 'neuve', new."

"He [Johnson] talked with an uncommon animation of travelling into distant countries; that the mind was enlarged by it, and that an acquisition of dignity of character was derived from it. He expressed a particular enthusiasm with respect to visiting the wall of China. I catched it for the moment, and said I really believed I should go and see the wall of China had I not children, of whom it was my duty to take care. " "Sir, (said he,) by doing so, you would do what would be of importance in raising your children to eminence. There would be a lustre reflected upon them from your spirit and curiosity. They would be at all times regarded as the children of a man who had gone to view the wall of China. I am serious, Sir."

"Murphy is to have his Orphan of China acted next month; and is therefore, I suppose, happy. I wish I could tell you of any great good to which I was approaching, but at present my prospects do not much delight me; however, I am always pleased when I find that you, dear Sir, remember, your affectionate, humble servant, Sam Johnson".

"At this time I think he had published nothing with his name, though it was pretty generally known that one Dr. Goldsmith was the authour of An Enquiry into the present State of polite Learning in Europe, and of The Citizen of the World, a series of letters supposed to be written from London by a Chinese."

Johnson called the East-Indians barbarians. Boswell : "You will except the Chinese, Sir". Johnson : "No, Sir." Boswell : "Have they not arts ?" Johnson : "They have pottery". Boswell : "What do you say to the written characters of their language ?" Johnson : "Sir, they have not an alphabet. They have not been able to form what all other nations have formed." Boswell : "There is more learning in their language than in any other, from the immense number of their characters." Johnson : "It is only more difficult from its rudeness ; as there is more labour in hewing down a tree with a stone than with an axe."