ang, his celebrated general, was beheaded,
permission being given to him at his own request that he might first
write his autobiography. One cannot but feel that it would have been an
act of policy as well as of clemency had the Emperor spared the life of
this noble fellow Chung Wang, more especially as the so-called Heavenly
King had committed suicide. As long as he was alive Chung Wang showed a
loyalty to him that was worthy of a better cause. He might easily have
escaped with his life but that he was anxious to save the life of the
son of the Heavenly King, a worthless individual, with all the faults
of his father and none of his ability. Chung Wang gave up his
fleet-footed horse to the young man, who did not even know how to make
use of the chance thus given him. The loyalty Chung Wang displayed to
the rebel chief might easily have been transferred to the Emperor.
Governor Li we shall hear of again, for when Gordon revisited China in
1880 he found his old friend still alive and active. There can be no
doubt that Gordon's personal influence over this man was considerable,
and when we next hear of him it is as standing almost alone among his
countrymen, pleading for a peaceable policy. The latter part of the
following letter, which he wrote to Gordon when in the Soudan, shows
that he had imbibed a good deal of that public spiritedness which made
Gordon so willing to sacrifice himself for the good of others. The
letter was dated March 22, 1879. Li Hung said:--

"I am right glad to hear from you. It is now fourteen years since
we parted from each other. Although I have not written to you, I
often speak of you, and remember you with very great interest. The
benefit you have conferred on China does not disappear with your
person, but is felt throughout the regions in which you played so
important and active a part. All these people bless you for the
blessings of peace and prosperity which they now enjoy. Your
achievements in Egypt are well known throughout the civilised
world. I see often in the papers of your noble works on the upper
Nile. You are a man of ample resources, with which you suit
yourself to any kind of emergency. My hope is that you may long be
spared to improve the condition of the people among whom your lot
is cast. I am striving hard to advance my people to a higher state
of development, and to unite both this and all other nations within
the fo