On December the 8th, Dr Giles reached the age of eighty and The China Journal of Science & Arts extends to him its congratulations. It is not often that persons reach this period of life in the full possession of such good health and mental vitality as Dr. Giles continues to have. Two years ago he published The Travels of Fa-hsien" and also " Some Truths about Opium ;" last year it was " Chaos in China" and during this autumn, letters to The TiinC8. His bow abides in strength and still the antagonist who comes to a clash with him must reckon with the accuracy of his aim and his promptness of release. Dr. Giles retired from China in 1893, six years after my arrival, and I have never met him. He was expounding Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu when I first began to read his vigorous English. I remember to have wondered at the time whether his interest in exposing the fallacies of other commentators was not greater than in explaining these ancient texts. Then came his Dictionary, which in its Second Edition still remains indispensable to all foreign students of Chinese. In literature, philosophy, history, poetry, he has made many excursions; but perhaps his most notable work has been that of making the study of the Chinese language and literature easier for students. In this he has had no rival among all westerners who have ever lived in China. We are all his debtors and this is a fitting occasion to acknowledge the fact. In doing so I am sure that I can consider myself as representing all English-speaking students of the Chinese language and literature.
unless otherwise indicated