of the emperor, which was called "giving a report of office." It was the custom in the spring to examine the ploughing, and supply any deficiency of seed, and in autumn to examine the reaping, and assist where there was a deficiency of the crop. When the emperor entered the boundaries of a State, if the new ground was being reclaimed, and the old fields well cultivated; if the old were nourished and the worthy honored, and if men of distinguished talents were placed in office: then the prince was rewarded-rewarded with an addition to his territory. On the other hand, if, on entering a State, the ground was found left wild or overrun with weeds; if the old were neglected and the worthy unhonored, and if the offices were filled with hard tax-gatherers: then the prince was reprimanded. If a prince once omitted his attendance at court, he was punished by degradation of rank; if he did so a second time, he was deprived of a portion of his territory; if he did so a third time, the imperial forces were set in motion, and he was removed from his government. Thus the emperor commanded the punishment, but did not himself inflict it, while the princes inflicted the punishment, but did not command it.

CHAPTER II.

METAPHYSICS AND MORALS.

PASSION NATURE.

Kung-sun Ch'ow asked Mencius, saying, "Master, if you were to be appointed a high noble and the prime minister of Ts'e, so as to be able to carry your principles into practice, though you should thereupon raise the prince to the headship of all the other princes, or even to the imperial dignity, it would not be to be wondered at. In such a position would your mind be perturbed or not?" Mencius replied, "No. At forty, I attained to an unperturbed mind.” *

Kung-sun Ch'ow said, "May I venture to ask an explanation from you, Master, of how you maintain an unperturbed mind, and how the philosopher Kaou does the same?" Mencius answered, "Kaou says, 'What is not attained in words is not to be sought for in the

*The Chinese consider man at forty to be at his best physical and mental estate, and if at this age he has failed in the formation of a good character, they have henceforth no hope for him.

mind; what produces dissatisfaction in the mind, is not to be helped by passion effort.' This last-when there is unrest in the mind, not to seek for relief from passion effort-may be conceded. But not to seek in the mind for what is not attained in words, cannot be conceded. The will is the leader of the passion nature.

The passion

nature pervades and animates the body. The will is first and chief, and the passion nature is subordinate to it. Therefore, I say, maintain firm the will, and do no violence to the passion nature.”*

Ch'ow observed, "Since you say 'The will is chief, and the passion nature is subordinate,' how do you also say, 'Maintain firm the will, and do no violence to the passion nature?" Mencius replied, “ When it is the will alone which is active, it moves the passion nature. When it is the passion nature alone which is active, it moves the will. For instance, now, in the case of a man falling or running that it is from the passion nature, and yet it moves the mind."

"I venture to ask," said Chow again, "wherein you, Master, surpass Kaou." Mencius told him, "I understand words. I am skillful in nourishing my vast, flowing passion-nature."

Ch'ow pursued, "I venture to ask what you mean by your vast, flowing passion-nature?" The reply was, "It is difficult to describe it.

"This is the passion-nature: It is exceedingly great, and exceedingly strong. Being nourished by rectitude,

* "Passion nature" includes emotions, desires, appetites; these must be kept under control of the will, guided by an instructed

and sustaining no injury, it fills up all between heaven and earth.

"This is the passion-nature: It is the mate and assistant of righteousness and reason. Without it, man is

in a state of starvation.

"It is produced by the accumulation of righteous deeds; it is not to be obtained by incidental acts of righteousness. If the mind does not feel complacency in the conduct, the nature becomes starved. I therefore said, 'Kaou has never understood righteousness, because he makes it something external ! '

"There must be the constant practice of this righteousness, but without the object of thereby nourishing the passion-nature. Let not the mind forget its work, but let there be no assisting the growth of that nature. Let us not be like the man of Sung. There was a man of Sung, who was grieved that his growing corn was not longer, and so he pulled it up. Having done this, he returned home, looking very stupid, and said to his people, 'I am tired to-day. I have been helping the corn to grow long!' His son ran to look at it, and found the corn all withered. There are few in the world who do not deal with their passion-nature as if they were assisting the corn to grow long. Some indeed consider it of no benefit to them, and let it alone: they do not weed their corn. They who assist it to grow long pull out their corn. What they do is not only of no benefit to the nature, but it also injures it."

Kung-sun Ch'ow further asked, “What do you mean by saying that you understand whatever words you hear?" Mencius replied, "When words are one-sided, I know how the mind of the speaker is clouded over. When

words are extravagant, I know how the mind is fallen and sunk. When words are all-depraved, I know how the mind has departed from principle. When words are evasive, I know how the mind is at its wit's end. These evils growing in the mind, do injury to government, and, displayed in the government, are hurtful to the conduct of affairs. When a sage shall again arise, he will certainly follow my words."

On this, Cho'w observed, "Tsae Go and Tsze-Kung were skillful in speaking. Yen New, the disciple Min, and Yen Yuen, while their words were good, were distinguished for their virtuous conduct. Confucius united the qualities of the disciples in himself, but still he said, 'In the matter of speeches, I am not competent.' Then, Master, have you attained to be a sage?

Mencius said, "Oh! what words were these? Formerly, Tsze-Kung asked Confucius, saying, 'Master, are you a sage?' Confucius answered him, 'A sage is what I cannot rise to. I learn without satiety, and teach without being tired.' Tsze-Kung said, 'You learn without satiety that shows your wisdom. You teach without being tired: that shows your benevolence. Benevolent and wise: Master, you ARE a sage!' Now, since Confucius would not have himself regarded a sage, what words were those?"

:

Cho'w said, "Comparing Pih-e and E-yun with Confucius, are they to be placed in the same rank?" Mencius replied, "No. Since there were living men until now, there never was another Confucius."

Tsae Go said, " According to my view of our Master, he is far superior to Yaou and Shun.”

Tsze-Kung said, "By viewing the ceremonial ordi