"That is a very great question," replied Confucius, "but in the art used in social usages it is better to be simple than to be expensive; in rituals for the dead, it is better that there should be heartfelt grief than minute attention to observances."

5. Confucius remarked, "The heathen hordes of the North and East, even, acknowledge the authority of their chiefs, whereas now in China respect for authority no longer exists anywhere." "

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6. The head of the powerful family of nobles mentioned in section 1 of this chapter was going to offer sacrifice on the top of the Great T'ai Mountain [an Imperial prerogative]. Confucius then said to a disciple who was in the service of the noble, "Can you not do anything to save him from this?" "No," replied the disciple, "I cannot." "Ah, then," answered Confucius, "it is useless to say anything more. But, really, do you think that the Spirit of the Great Mountain is not as Lin-fang?" 10

The watchword of Chinese chivalry is

(Honour the king and

break the heathen). These four words, taken in their true sense and not in their common vulgar sense, have created the modern Japan of to-day.

TENNYSON, interpreting the chivalry of Europe in the dialect of Europe, makes his knights of chivalry swear:-" To reverence the king as if he were their conscience, and their conscience as their king. To break the heathen and uphold the Christ."

10 The name of the disciple who asked the question in section 4 of this chapter. The point in the reference in this last sentence, we confess, we do not understand,

7. Confucius remarked, "A gentleman never competes in anything he does,-except perhaps in archery. But even then, when he wins he courteously makes his bow before he advances to take his place among the winners; and, when he has lost he walks down and drinks his cup of forfeit. Thus, even in this case of competition, he shows himself to be a gentleman."

8. A disciple asked Confucius for the meaning of the following verse :

Her coquettish smiles,

How dimpling they are;

Her beautiful eyes,

How beaming they are;

O fairest is she

Who is simple and plain.

"In painting," answered Confucius, "ornamentation and colour are matters of secondary importance compared with the groundwork."

"Then art itself," said the disciple, "is a matter of "secondary consideration ?"

"My friend," replied Confucius, "You have given me an idea. Now I can talk of poetry with you." 11

"Beauty unadorned is adorned the most; the last line in Chinese is an exact translation of Horace's "simplex munditiis." The English student may here remember Tom Moore's lines :

"Lesbia has a beaming eye,

But no one knows on whom it beameth."

9. Confucius remarked to a disciple, "I can tell you of the state of the arts and civilisation during the Hsia dynasty [say the Greek civilisation]; 12 but the modern State of Ts'i [say modern Greece] cannot furnish sufficient evidence to prove what I say. I can tell you of the state of the arts and civilisation during the Yin dynasty [say Roman civilisation]; but the modern state of Sung [say Italy] cannot furnish sufficient evidence to prove what say. The reason is because the literary monuments extant are too meagre,―otherwise I could prove to you what I say."

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10. Confucius remarked, "At the service of the great Ti sacrifice [the 'Mass' in ancient China], I always make it a point to leave as soon as the pouring of the libation on the ground is over."

11. Somebody asked Confucius for the meaning of the great Ti sacrifice mentioned above.

"I do not know," answered Confucius. "One who understands its significance will find it as easy to rule the world as to look at this-thus:" pointing to the palm of his hand.

12. Confucius worshipped the dead as if he actually felt the presence of the departed ones. He

12 See Note, Chapter II, Section 23.

worshipped the Spiritual Powers as if he actually felt the presence of the Powers.

He once remarked, "If I cannot give up heart and soul when I am worshipping, I always consider as if I have not worshipped."

13. An officer in a certain State asked Confucius, saying, "What is meant by the common saying 'It is better to pray to the God of the Hearth than to the God of the House?""

"Not so," replied Confucius, "a man who has sinned against God,-it is useless for him to pray anywhere at all."

14. Confucius remarked, "The civilisation of the present Chou dynasty is founded on the civilisations of the two preceding dynasties. How splendidly rich it is in all the arts! I prefer the present Chou civilisation."

15. When Confucius first attended the service at the State Cathedral (Ancestral Temple of the reigning prince), he enquired as to what he should do at every stage of the service. Somebody thereupon remarked, "Who tells me that the son of the plebeian of Ts'ow 13 is a man who knows the correct forms ?"

13 A district where Confucius' father had been Chief Magistrate.

When Confucius heard of the remark, he said, "That is the correct form."

16. Confucius remarked, "In archery, putting the arrow through the target should not count as points, because the competitors cannot all be expected to be equal in mere physical strength. At least, that was the old rule."

17. A disciple wanted to dispense with the sheep offered in sacrifice in the religious ceremony held at the beginning of every month.

"What you would save," said Confucius to him, "is the cost of the sheep; what I would save is the principle of the rite."

18. Confucius remarked, "Men now account it servile to pay to their prince all the honours due to him." 14

19. The reigning prince of Confucius' native State asked Confucius how a prince should treat his public servant and how a public servant should behave to his prince.

"Let the prince," answered Confucius, "treat his public servant with honour. The public servant must serve the prince, his master, with loyalty."

14 See Note, Section 5 of this Chapter.