. The awakening of China . ty in flight? A helplessfugitive, how could she conceive that fortune held inreserve for her brighter days than she had everexperienced? Accepting the situation and returning with theEmperor, the Empire and the world have accepted her,and, taught by experience, she is now engaged in thecongenial task of renovating the Chinese people. Ad-vancing years, consciousness of power, and willing con-formity to the freer usages of European courts, allconspire to lead her to throw aside the veil and toappear openly as the chief actor on this imperialstage. Two years ago her sev
. The awakening of China . ty in flight? A helplessfugitive, how could she conceive that fortune held inreserve for her brighter days than she had everexperienced? Accepting the situation and returning with theEmperor, the Empire and the world have accepted her,and, taught by experience, she is now engaged in thecongenial task of renovating the Chinese people. Ad-vancing years, consciousness of power, and willing con-formity to the freer usages of European courts, allconspire to lead her to throw aside the veil and toappear openly as the chief actor on this imperialstage. Two years ago her seventieth birthday was cele-brated with great pomp, although she had forbiddenher people to be too lavish in their loyalty. AtWuchang, Tuan Fang, who was acting viceroy, gave abanquet at which he asked me to make a speech in theDo^^agers honour. The task was a delicate one fora man who had borne the hardships of a siege in 1900;but I accepted it, and excused the Dowager on theprinciple of British law, that The king can do no. i%±^^MJ^ THE COURT I>f MASQUERADEDu\v:iger lis Goddess of Mercy THE MANCHUS 275 wrong. Throwing the blame on her ministers, Ipronounced a eulo^ on her talents and her publicservices. The question arises, do we know her in person andcharacter? Have we not seen her in that splendidportrait executed by Miss Carl, and exhibited at If we suspect the artist of flattery, have wenot a gallery of photographs, in which she shows her-self in many a majestic pose? Is flattery possible toa sunbeam? We certainly see her as truly as we seeotirselves in a mirror! As to character, it is too soon to express an et mutahile semper femina. To pencil and sunbeam add word-pictures by menand women from whose critical eyes she has not con-cealed herself; and we may confidently affirm thatwe know her personal appearance as well as we knowthat of any lady who occupies or shares a Europeanthrone. A trifle under the average height of Europeanladies, so perfe
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