GEORGE F. SEWARD. * * * * * [Extract from the Shanghai Courier of Friday, January 30, 1880.] _Foreign education for the Chinese._ A greater knowledge of western civilization than is now possessed is essential to the progress of the Middle Kingdom. To individual Chinese, foreign education is something of a fortune, and is the surest capital with which they can be invested. The saying that "knowledge is power" is well borne out in this case, for foreign knowledge is almost certain to obtain for a Chinaman a lucrative appointment and an improved social position. Parents are now realizing this fact, and many of the well-to-do Chinese are anxious to send their sons to Europe or America to be educated. The advantage of such an education can hardly be overestimated in the case of those who have before them official or public careers. At the same time there are considerable drawbacks to going abroad, and it may be questioned whether, in many instances, equally good results could not be secured without incurring so great a loss of time and expense--a loss so considerable as to prevent the benefit from being enjoyed by all but the wealthy or those supported by other than the family funds. For of course the sons of even what may be called the middle classes cannot afford to leave their country in order to be educated, and, unless they can receive foreign instruction in China, will not receive it at all. It cannot be denied that residence abroad possesses some advantages which cannot be obtained in China; yet, except in rare cases, those particular advantages are not the most needed.