in social life, religion or politics; a House of Lords which--like Upper Houses elsewhere--may at times have opposed real progress and useful reform, but which perhaps far oftener has saved the nation from the consequences of its own excesses by exercising a sacred right of veto of which no Lower House has the least desire to deprive it: a veto which is none the less effective, none the less binding on living men, through being exercised by a silent crowd of viewless ghosts. FOOTNOTES: [301] "The Religion of China," in _Religious Systems of the World_ (8th ed.), pp. 61 _seq._ [302] _Quarterly Review_, October 1907, p. 374. [303] _The Evolution of Religion_ (3rd ed.), vol. i. p. 40. [304] _The Dragon, Image and Demon_, pp. 77 and 88. [305] _The Middle Kingdom_ (1883 ed.), vol. ii. p. 253-4. [306] _Chinese Characteristics_ (5th ed.), p. 185. [307] _The Lore of Cathay_, p. 275. [308] None perhaps more pitiful than that which is related in the _Revue des Deux Mondes_ of September 15, 1900. I forbear to quote this story, as it would not be fair to do so without hearing "the other side." [309] _The Spectator_, August 22, 1908, p. 267. [310] _Religion in China_ (1893 ed.), p. 153. [311] For brief accounts of this celebrated episode, see Prof. Parker's _China and Religion_, pp. 197-203; Williams's _Middle Kingdom_ (1883 ed.), vol. ii. pp. 299 _seq._, and Max Müller's _Last Essays_ (Second Series), pp. 314-18. [312] Parker, _op. cit._ p. 202. [313] "Considering," writes Sir Charles Eliot, "what would have been the probable fate of Chinamen in Rome who publicly contradicted the Pope on matters of doctrine, it is hardly surprising if K'ang Hsi dealt severely with the rebellious foreign religion." (_Quarterly Review_ October 1907, p. 375.) [314] _The Middle Kingdom_ (1883 ed.), vol. ii. p. 253. [315] Evidence of these things may be found _passim_ in such journals as _China's Millions_. Some typical cases are mentioned by Arthur Davenport in his interesting work _China from Within_. He also quotes in full the case referred to on p. 332 (footnote 3).