right loyally. Two stately deputations of Chinese waited on Sir J. Bowring at the last moment of his departure and expressed the genuine esteem in which he was held among all classes of the native population, by presenting him with some magnificent testimonials including a mirror, a bronze vase, a porcelain bowl and a bale of satin which bore the names of 200 subscribers. The spontaneous character of these presentations was undoubted and did much to cheer the departing Governor's heart.
On his way home by S.S. Pekin, Sir J. Bowring had the misfortune of being shipwrecked in the Red Sea, but he reached England in safety. He, the advanced Liberal, received the thanks of a Conservative Ministry for his faithful and patient services in Hongkong, but he was, on the other hand, given the cold shoulder in the lobby of the House of Commons by some of his former political friends. After his retirement from the public service on a liberal pension, he lectured frequently on Oriental topics; wrote papers on social, economical and statistical questions; gave addresses at meetings of the Social Science Association, the British Association, the Devonshire and other Societies; studied Chinese and composed religious poems, some of which possess enduring value. Calmly looking back at the close of his life over all the varied events of his chequered history, and viewing his career in China as but a small portion of his life work, Sir J. Bowring penned, in his auto-biographical recollections, the following memorable words. 'My career in China belongs so much to history, that I do not feel it needful to record its vicissitudes. I have been severely blamed for the policy I pursued, yet that policy has been most beneficial to my country and to mankind at large. It is not fair or just to suppose that a course of action, which may be practicable or prudent at home, will always succeed abroad.' Sir J. Bowring died peacefully on 23rd November, 1872, having just completed his eightieth year.
