The Chinese Language and How to Learn It: A manual for beginners (sixth edition)

London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co.. Very Good. 1921. Hardcover. Green cloth, all ends rubbed, f.o., name neatly penned on ffep. vii,297 pages. Tidy marginalia along with laid in notes add history. Hillier was a British diplomat, academic, author, Sinologist and Professor of Chinese at King's College London. From 1908–1910 Hillier served as an adviser to the Chinese government, prior to this he was attached to the Legation in Peking as special political officer for Chinese affairs with the rank of acting First Secretary in the Diplomatic Service. He was disturbed at the grossly inadequate language skills of Army Officers, young businessmen and Missionaries, to whom this book was especially intended. From the Preface: "...intended to meet the wants of those who think they would like to learn Chinese but are discouraged by the sight of the formidable text-books. The exercises... with a total (of) one thousand words, with the many combinations, ...will (be able to) make his ordinary wants known." Contents: The Written Language, The Spoken Language; Table of Sounds; Progressive Exercises; Chinese Text of Exercises; The Radicals; A list of One Thousand Characters; Index of Characters Arranged Unde Their Radicals. .