Page:Pekinese Rhymes (G. Vitale, 1896).djvu/15



I bring for the first time to light a collection of Pekinese children-rhymes with the conviction that the reader may gather from the lecture these benefits.

1°. The acquirement of a small treasure of words and phrases hardly to be met with elsewhere.

2°. A clearer insight into scenes and details of Chinese common life.

3°. The notion that some true poetry may be found in chinese popular songs.

These rhymes have no known authors; some of them are perhaps composed by mothers watching at children's bedside, others may be composed by naughty school-boys when the teacher is having his nap over a page of the great philosopher. At all events they are like wild flowers which spring up nobody knows how and when and fade and die in the same way.