EXACT COPYISTS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 25, 21 June 1890, Page 19

EXACT COPYISTS.

The Chinese are essentially imitative. If they once learn to do a piece of work, they are sure to perform it again in exactly the same manner, even if that manner could be vastly improved. A teacher in a Chinese Sunday-school owns to being equally amused and provoked at the patient exactitude with which her grown-up ‘ boys ’ follow her instructions. , ’ ,ne ,' la .Y’ "h el } a faithful but backward pupil had some difficulty in reading the sentence, ‘He laughed aloud,'she said, somewhat impatiently, pointing to the verb, ‘ Now listen to me, — laughed.' Once more the docile scholar attempted the difficult task ot pronunciation, and this time he read with ill-concealed pride m his success, ‘ He note listen to me laughed aloud.’ n another occasion the same pupil came to a word which ie could not pronounce, and as the teacher was busy at the moment, she said : ‘ Spell it !’ He was so slow in doing it, however, that she looked over ms shoulder, and said, encouragingly, ‘ Man.’ that was enough for the imitative Chinaman, and he ma" ■ rea ' - aloud the whole phrase, ‘ A great ami spell it