Tsêng Kuo-fan

“ For no matter whether the times may be at peace or in rebellion, your family rich or poor, if you can adhere to the eight words of your grandfather and to the eight fundamental principles which I have laid down, you cannot possibly fail to be a man of the highest order. ”

“ Personally, I am in good health; and although the men's pay is four months in arrear, their moral has not seriously weakened. I think we can hold out, but it is impossible to say. The family must not give way to anxiety. ”

“ I fear that the dogs of rebels have come down from Huang-chou [6] to attack An-ch'ing, [7] and brother Yüan’s troops have been sent to join Pao’s troops in bringing aid to the north bank. On the various ranges in the neighbourhood of Ch'i-mên, [8] the rebels managed, on the 23rd inst. to capture two positions, so that for several months past there has not been much leisure for supporting operations. Dangers have frequently broken out; the foreign devils have been giving trouble in all directions, and there is even talk of their threatening Ch'i-mên. ”