Page:Kidnapped in London.djvu/132

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128
Kidnapped in London.

Sir Halliday Macartney's remarks about my going under various aliases, is no doubt intended to cast a slur upon my character; but Sir Halliday knows, no one better, that every Chinaman has four names at least to which he is entitled. 1st, the name one's parents bestow on their child. 2nd, the name given by the schoolmaster. 3rd, the name a young man wishes to be known by when he goes out into society. 4th, the name he takes when he is married. The only constant part of the name is the first syllable—the surname, really the family name; the other part of the name varies according as it is the parent, the schoolmaster, etc., chooses. Whilst upon this subject it may not be without interest to know that my accuser has various aliases by which he is known to the Chinese. In addition to the name Ma-Ta-Yen, which means Macartney, His Excellency, he is also known as Ma-Ka-Ni, and as Ma-Tsing-