that occasionally passages will occur, one part of which may appear to belong to one chapter, the other part to another chapter; but considering the object we have had in view, our friends amongst the Chinese critics will forgive this seeming violence done to the text.

BOOK I.

THE LUN YU, OR CONFUCIAN ANALECTS.

As arranged in the Four Books in the Chinese, the Lun Yu is the third in order, between the Chung Yung and Mencius; but we see no important objection to following here the order chosen by Dr. Legge in his translation.

The Analects are discourses and dialogues; that is, discourses and discussions of Confucius with his disciples and others on various topics, and his replies to their inquiries. There are, however, in the book many sayings of the disciples themselves.

The account given of this book is, that after the death of the sage his disciples collected together, and compared the memoranda of his conversations which they had severally preserved, and then digested and arranged them, and gave them the title of Lun Yu, or Digested Conversations.

CHAPTER I.

WHAT THE DISCIPLES OF CONFUCIUS SAY OF THEIR MASTER.

Tsze-k'in asked Tsze-kung, saying, "When our Master comes to any country, he does not fail to learn all about its Government. Does he ask his information, or is it given to him ?"

Tsze-kung said, "Our Master is benign, upright, courteous, temperate, and complaisant, and thus he gets his information. The Master's mode of asking information! Is it not different from that of other men ?"

Some one said, "Who will say that the son of the man of Tsow knows the rules of propriety? He has entered the grand temple, and asks about everything."

The Master heard the remark, and said, "There is a rule of propriety."

When the Master was in Ch'in, he said,

turn!

"Let me re

my

school

Let me return! The little children of are ambitious and too hasty. They are accomplished and complete so far, but they do not know how to restrict and shape themselves."*

When the Master was unoccupied with business, his manner was easy, and he looked pleased.

* Confucius was thrice in Ch'in. It must have been the third time, when he thus expressed himself. He was then over sixty years, and being convinced that he was not to see for himself the triumph of his principles, he became the more anxious about their transmission.

When the Master was eating by the side of a mourner, he never ate to the full.

He did not sing on the same day in which he had been weeping.

The things in reference to which the Master exercised the greatest caution were—fasting, war, and sickness.

The Master's frequent themes of discourse were— -the odes, the history, and the maintenance of the rules of propriety. On all these he frequently discoursed.

The subjects on which the Master did not talk were -extraordinary things, feats of strength, disorder, and spiritual beings.

The Master said, "Heaven produced the virtue that is in me. Hwan T'uy-what can he do to me?"

"Do you think, my disciples, that I have any concealments? I conceal nothing from you. There is nothing which I do that is not shown to you, my disciples;—that is my way."

There were four things which the Master taught-letters, ethics, devotion of soul, and truthfulness.

When the Master was in company with a person who was singing, if he sang well he would make him repeat the song, while he accompanied it with his own voice.

The Master said, "The sage and the man of perfect virtue;-how dare I rank myself with him? It may simply be said of me, that I strive to become such without satiety, and teach others without weariness." Kung-se Hwa said, "This is just what we, the disciples, cannot imitate you in."

The Master being very sick, Tsze-loo asked leave to pray for him. He said, "May such a thing be done?" Tsze-loo replied, "It may. In the prayers it is said,

'Prayer has been made to the spirits of the upper and The Master said, "My praying has

lower worlds.'"

been for a long time."

The Master was mild, and yet dignified; majestic, and yet not fierce; respectful, and yet easy.

The subjects of which the Master seldom spoke were -profitableness, and also the appointments of Heaven, and perfect virtue.

A man of the village of Tă-heang said, “Great indeed is the philosopher K'ung! His learning is extensive, and yet he does not render his name famous by any particular thing."

There were four things from which the Master was entirely free. He had no foregone conclusions, no arbitrary predeterminations, no obstinacy, and no egotism.

When the Master saw a person in a mourning dress, or any one with the cap and upper and lower garments of full dress, or a blind person, on observing them approaching, though they were younger than himself, he would rise up, and if he had to pass by them, he would do so hastily.*

Shuh-sun Woo-shuh having spoken revilingly of Chungne,† Tsze-Kung said, "It is of no use doing so. Chung-ne cannot be reviled. The talents and virtues of other men are hillocks and mounds, which may be stept over. Chung-ne is the sun or moon, which it is not possible to step over. Although a man may wish to cut himself off from the sage, what harm can he do to the sun or

*Such consideration did he show to those who were in mourning, and suffering misfortunes.

† Chung-ne was the marriage name of Confucius.

moon? He only shows that he does not know his own capacity.”*

"Our Master cannot be attained to, just in the same way as the heavens cannot be gone up to by the steps of a stair."

"Were our Master in the position of the prince of a State, or the chief of a Family, we should find verified the description which has been given of a sage's rule :—he would plant the people, and forthwith they would be established; he would lead them on, and forthwith they would follow him; he would make them happy, and forthwith multitudes would resort to his dominions; he would stimulate them, and forthwith they would be harmonious. While he lived, he would be glorious. When he died, he would be bitterly lamented. How is it possible for him to be attained to?"

Formerly, when Confucius died, after three years had elapsed, his disciples collected their baggage, and prepared to return to their several homes. But on entering to take their leave of Tsze-kung, as they looked towards one another, they wailed, till they all lost their voices. After this they returned to their homes, but Tsze-kung went back, and built a house for himself on the altarground, where he lived alone other three years, before he returned home.

WHAT CONFUCIUS SAYS OF HIMSELF.

The Master said, "I will not be afflicted at men's not

*Confucius is like the sun or moon, high above the reach of depreciation.