who excel in anything and make allowance for those who are ignorant. Now, if we ourselves are really worthy, we should be tolerant to all men; but if we ourselves are not worthy, men will turn their backs upon us. How can we turn our backs upon

them?"

4. A disciple of Confucius remarked, "Even in any small and unimportant branch of an art or accomplishment, there is always something worthy of consideration; but if the attention to it is pushed too far, it is liable to degenerate into a hobby; for that reason a wise man never occupies himself with it."

5. The same disciple of Confucius remarked, "A man who from day to day knows exactly what he has yet to learn, and from month to month does not forget what he has learnt, will surely become a man of culture."

6. The same disciple remarked, "If you study extensively and are steadfast in your aim, investigate carefully what you learn and apply it to your own personal conduct; in that way, you cannot fail in attaining a moral life."

7. The same disciple remarked, "As workmen work in their workshops to learn their trade, so a scholar gives himself to study in order to get wisdom."

8. The same disciple remarked, "A fool always has an excuse ready when he does wrong."

9. The same disciple remarked, "A good and wise man appears different from three points of view. When you look at him from a distance he appears severe; when you approach him he is gracious; when you hear him speak, he is serious."

10. The same disciple remarked, "A wise man, as a ruler, first obtains the confidence of the people before he puts them to hard work-which otherwise would be regarded by the people as oppression. A wise man, as a public servant, first obtains the confidence of those whom he serves before he ventures to point out their errors; otherwise his superiors will only regard what he says as prompted by a desire to find fault."

11.

II. The same disciple remarked, "When a man can keep himself strictly within bounds where the major points of the principles of morality are concerned, he may be allowed to use his discretion in the minor points."

12. A disciple of Confucius, speaking of the pupils of another disciple, remarked, "Those young gentlemen are well enough in matters of manners and deportment, which are mere minor matters; but as

regards the foundation of a true education, they are as yet nowhere."

When the disciple whose pupils were thus animadverted upon, heard the remark, he said to the other disciple: "There you are wrong. In teaching men, what are the things which a good and wise man should consider it of first importance that he should teach; and what are the things which he should consider of secondary importance, and which he may allow himself to neglect? As in dealing with plants, so one must deal with pupils and class them according to their capabilities. A good and wise man in teaching, should not befool his students. For it is only the most holy men who can at once grasp the beginning and end of principles."

13. A disciple of Confucius remarked, "An officer who has exceptional abilities, more than sufficient to carry out his duties, should devote himself to study. A student who has exceptional abilities, more than sufficient to carry on his studies, should enter the public service."

14. A disciple of Confucius remarked, "In mourning, the only thing indispensable is heart-felt grief."

15. The same disciple, speaking of another disciple, remarked, "My friend can do things which nobody

else can do, but he is not quite perfect in his moral character."

16. Another disciple of Confucius, speaking of the same disciple alluded to above, remarked, "What a style that man carries about with him! It is really difficult to live out a moral life along with such a man!"

17. The same disciple remarked, "I have heard the Master say, 'Men often do not themselves know what is really in them until they have to mourn the death of their parents.""

18. The same disciple remarked, "I have heard the Master, speaking of the filial piety of a nobleman, say, "What other things he did on the occasion of the death of his father, other men can do. But what he did in keeping the old servants of his father, and in following out the policy of his father, men will find it difficult to do."

19. The Prime Minister in Confucius' native State having on one occasion appointed an officer to be Chief Criminal Judge, the officer came to a disciple of Confucius for advice. The disciple then said to the officer : "Rulers have long failed in their duties, and the people have long lived in a state of disorganisation. If you should discover enough evidence to convict a man,

feel pity and be merciful to him; do not feel glad at your discovery."

1986

20. A disciple of Confucius, speaking of an infamous emperor and tyrant of ancient times, remarked: "His wickedness was, after all, not so bad as tradition reports. Therefore a wise man will not persist in a low, disreputable life in defiance of what men may say: for otherwise, people will give him credit for all the wickednesses that are in the world."

21. The same disciple remarked, "The failings of a great man are eclipses of the sun and moon. When he fails, all men see it; but, when he recovers from his failing, all men look up to him as before.”

22. An officer of the Court in a certain State asked a disciple of Confucius, "From whom did Confucius learn the principles he taught?"

86 Welchen Weg musste nicht die Menschheit machen bis sie dahin gelangte, auch gegen Schuldige gelind, gegen Verbrecher schonend, gegen auch Unmenschlich menschlich, zu sein. Gewiss waren es Männer gottlicher Natur, die diess zuerst lehrten, die ihr Leben damit zu brachten, die Aüsübung mochlich zu machen, und zu beschleunigen. (What a long way mankind must travel before they arrive at the stage when they know how to be tender to evil-doers, considerate to law-breakers, and human even to the inhuman. Truly they were men of divine nature who first taught this and who gave up their lives in order to make the realisation of this possible and to hasten the practice of it.)-GOETHE, Wilhelm Meister.

People now speak of "Progress." Progress, according to GOETHE, here would seem to mean that mankind should "progress" towards being more and more human. Judged by this, China, two thousand years ago, seemed to have already made real progress in civilisation.