2

Can I that suitor's form forget,

Who for me in the hall did wait?
That I held off I now regret.

3 I'm here, my broidered upper robe
Concealed beneath a garment plain.
As lovely is my lower robe,

With the same guard 'gainst travel-stain.
O Sir, O Sir, come and me hence convey;
Your waiting chariot I shall not delay!

4 I'm here, my broidered lower robe
Concealed beneath a garment plain.
As lovely is my upper robe,

With the same guard 'gainst travel-stain.
O Sir, O Sir, if you would only come,

At once your chariot should convey me home!

XV.

The Tung mun che shen; narrative. A WOMAN THINKS OF HER LOVER'S RESIDENCE, AND COMPLAINS THAT HE DOES NOT COME TO HER.

1 By th' eastern gate, flat lies the ground,
And madder there grows on the slope.
Hard by my lover's house is found;-
He keeps away, and mocks my hope.

2 Where chestnuts grow, near th' eastern gate,
There stands a row, where is your home.
My heart turns aye to you, its mate,
But ah! to me you never come!

XVI.

The Fung yu; narrative. A WIFE IS CONSOLED, IN CIRCUMSTANCES

OF GLOOM, BY THE ARRIVAL OF HER HUSBAND.

1 Cold is the wind, fast falls the rain,
The cock aye shrilly crows.

But I have seen my lord again ;—
Now must my heart repose.

2 Whistles the wind, patters the rain,
The cock's crow far resounds.
But I have seen my lord again,

And healed are my heart's wounds.
3 All's dark amid the wind and rain,
Ceaseless the cock's clear voice!
But I have seen my lord again;—
Should not my heart rejoice?

XVII.

The Tsze k'in; narrative. A LADY MOURNS THE INDIFFERENCE AND ABSENCE OF HER STUDENT LOVER.

Up to the present dynasty, students wore a blue collar, and the phrase "Blue collar" is a designation of a graduate of the first degree.

1 You student, with the collar blue,

Long pines my heart with anxious pain.
Although I do not go to you,

Why from all word do you refrain?

2 O you, with girdle strings of blue,
My thoughts to you for ever roam !
Although I do not go to you,

Yet why to me should you not come ?
3 How reckless you, how light and wild,
There by the tower upon the wall!
One day, from sight of you exiled,
As long as three long months I call.

XVIII.

The Yang che shwuy; allusive. ONE PARTY ASSERTS GOOD FAITH

TO ANOTHER, AND PROTESTS AGAINST PEOPLE WHO WOULD MAKE THEM DOUBT EACH OTHER.

1

Fretted its waters seem,

Yet gently flows the stream:

A bundle of thorns 'twill not bear.

Our brethren are so few ;

There are but I and you :

Let nothing our friendship impair.

VOL. III.

9

2

People's words don't believe;
They are meant to deceive :-
Their purpose is but to ensnare.

Fretted its waters seem,
Yet gently flows the stream:-
A bundle of wood 'twill not bear.
Our brethren are so few ;
There are only we two:-
Let nothing our friendship impair.
Trust not the people's breath;
They don't deserve your faith:
Their purpose is but to ensnare.

XIX.

:

A MAN'S PRAISE OF HIS OWN

The Ch'uh k'e tung mun; narrative.
POOR WIFE, CONTRASTED WITH FLAUNTING BEAUTIES.

1 My path forth from the east gate lay,
Where cloud-like moved the girls at play.
Numerous are they, as clouds so bright,

But not on them my heart's thoughts light.
Dressed in a thin white silk, with coiffure gray,
Is she, my wife, my joy in life's low way.

2 Forth by the covering wall's high tower,
I went, and saw, like rush in flower,
Each flaunting girl. Brilliant are they,
But not with them my heart's thoughts stay.
In thin white silk, with head-dress madder-dyed,
Is she, my sole delight, 'foretime my bride.

XX.

A LADY REJOICES

The Yay yën man ts'aou; narrative and allusive.
IN AN UNLAWFUL CONNEXION WHICH SHE HAD FORMED.

1 On the moor, where thickly grew
Creeping grass, bent down with dew,
There a handsome man drew nigh,
'Neath whose forehead, broad and high,
Gleamed his clear and piercing eye.
'Twas by accident we met;
Glad was I my wish to get.

2 Where the grass creeps o'er the moor,
With the dew all covered 'o'er,
There the finest man found I,
'Bove whose clear and piercing eye,
Rose his forehead, broad and high.
Chance gave us a meeting rare,
And we both were happy there.

XXI.

The Tsin Wei; narrative. A FESTIVITY OF CH'ING, AND ADVAN

TAGE TAKEN OF IT FOR LICENTIOUS ASSIGNATIONS.

Tsin and Wei were two rivers in Ch'ing, which joined at a certain point, and flowed afterwards in a common stream.

1 Of the Tsin and the Wei

Onward the broad stream pours.
Women and men go by,

With valerian flowers.

To gentleman a lady says,

"Have you been there to see the plays?"
"I've been," he says, and she replies,
"Let's go again, and feast our eyes.
The ground beyond the Wei you'll find
Large, and for pleasure well designed."
So gentlemen and ladies wend

Their way, in sport the day to spend,
And to each other oft small peonies extend.

2 Of Tsin and Wei along

The lucid waters flow,

And on their banks a throng

Of men and women go.

To gentleman a lady says,

"Have you been there to see the plays?" "I've been," says he, and she replies, "Let's go again and feast our eyes. The ground beyond the Wei you'll find Large, and for pleasure well designed." So gentlemen and ladies wend Their way, in sport the day to spend, And to each other oft small peonies extend.

BOOK VIII.

THE ODES OF TS'E.

On the over

TS'E was one of the great fiefs of the kingdom of Chow. throw of the Shang dynasty, king Woo appointed Shang-foo, one of his principal ministers, known also as "Grandfather Hope," marquis of Ts'e, with his capital at Ying-k'ëw ;-in the present district of Lin-tsze, department T'sing-chow, Shan-tung. The State greatly increased in population and territory, having the Ho on the west, the sea on the east, and Loo on the south.

Shang-foo claimed to be descended from Yaou's chief minister, hence the family surname was Keang. Sometimes we find the surname Leu taking the place of Keang, from a State so called in the Shang dynasty, of which his ancestors had been chiefs. The Këangs continued in Ts'e for about six centuries and a half. Their last representative died in B.C. 378.

I.

The Ke ming; narrative. A MODEL MARCHIONESS STIMULATING HER HUSBAND TO RISE EARLY, AND ATTEND TO HIS DUTIES AT COURT.

1 His lady to the marquis says,

"The cock has crowed; 'tis late.
Get up, my lord, and haste to court.
"Tis full; for you they wait."

She did not hear the cock's shrill sound,
Only the blue flies buzzing round.

2 Again she wakes him with the words,
"The east, my lord, is bright.

A crowded court your presence seeks;
Get up, and hail the light."

'Twas not the dawning light which shone,
But that which by the moon was thrown.

3 He sleeping still, once more she says,
"The flies are buzzing loud.
To lie and dream here by your side
Were pleasant, but the crowd
Of officers will soon retire;

Draw not on you and me their ire! "