After studying at the Highbury Theological College, London, he went in 1839 as a missionary to China, but remained at Malacca three years, in charge of the Anglo-Chinese College there.
In 1853 he became the manager of the printing establishment of the Anglo-Chinese College operated by the London Mission under Dr. James Legge for some ten years.
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On July 29, 1839, he left for China, accompanied by James Legge and Dr. Benjamin Hobson;they landed in Macao on December 18.
Early reference to the tradition of putting a screen wall at the gate is found in the Analects, 3:22: therein, it is mentioned as a trivial ritual norm ("The princes of States have a screen intercepting the view at their gates". 邦君樹塞門, trans. by James Legge).