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GOVKRNMKNT SCHOOLS. 43higher schools ;each of them remains practically whatit was five or six years ago, and as these schools havebeen the best known of all the parts of the system, manyhave formed incorrect opinions ns to the present condition of Government education.The history of these higher schools reveals facts,many of which are encouraging and others more or lessdisappointing. The work of Tientsin University, previous to 1900, was the most advanced in foreign subjectsof any Government Institution. Its graduates are nowrilling many places of great responsibility. For the pastfew years this Institution has continued to do goodwork both in Tientsin and in its branch at Paotingfn.The Nanyang College, which required a very thoroughknowledge of Chinese language and literature for admission, soon became very popular among the youngliterary men of Central China. At one examination forthe possible admission of sixty candidates more than onethousand young men presented themselves Previousto its change of name into the Imperial PolytechnicCollege, it had sent a large number of its advancedpupils to foreign countries for further study. TheProvincial College of Shantung has a fine equipment andhas been doing good work. The Normal School atNanking, founded by H. K. Chang Chih-tung for thetraining of teachers for the three Provinces associatedtogether under the Nanking Viceroy, has one of the bestequipments in buildings of any school in China, and hasbeen attended by a large number of students. TheProvincial College at Taiyuenfu, which has been underthe joint directorship of a distinguished missionary, isunique in its character, and can scarcely be placed incomparison with other Provincial Schools. These institutions which I have mentioned are the largest andbest known of those founded in the Provinces. Theyare all supposed to be feeders to the Peking University.This central University has, up to the present, had moreor less of a chequered career, due largely to the Inck of