East, one of
his friends remonstrated with the master and said, "They are low. How
can you go and live among them?" To which he gave for answer, "Nothing
that is low can survive where the virtuous and the good-mannered man
is."

After I returned from Wei to Lu I found the music had been reformed, and
that each song was given its proper place.

The master said, "To serve ministers and nobles when abroad, fathers and
elder brothers when at home, to avoid neglect in offerings of the dead,
and to be no slave to wine: to which of these have I attained?"

_CONFUCIUS AT HOME AND AT COURT_

In his own village Confucius looked homely and sincere, as if he had no
word to say; but in the ancestral temple and in the court he was full of
words, though careful in using them.

When waiting at court he talked with the lower officers frankly, but to
the higher officers more blandly and precisely. When the sovereign was
present he used to be respectful but easy, solemn yet self-possessed.
When the sovereign bade him receive visitors his countenance changed,
and his legs appeared to bend. Bowing to those beside him, he
straightened his robes in front and behind, hastening forward with his
elbows extended like a bird's wings. When the guest had retired he used
to report to the prince, saying, "The guest does not any more look
back." When he entered the palace gate he seemed to stoop as though it
were not high enough for him. Ascending the dais, lifting up his robes
with both hands, he held his breath as if he would cease breathing. As
he came down his face relaxed after the first step, and looked more at
ease. At the bottom of the steps he would hurry on, spreading out his
elbows like wings, and on gaining his seat he would sit intent as
previously.

He was never arrayed in deep purple or in puce-coloured garments. Even
at home he wore nothing of a red or reddish colour. In hot weather he
used to wear a single garment of fine texture, but always over an inner
garment. Over lambs' fur he wore a garment of black, over fawns' fur one
of white, and over foxes' fur one of yellow. His sleeping-dress was half
as long again as his body. On the first day of the month he always went
to court in court robes. On fast days he wore pale-hued garments,
changed his food, and made a change in his apartment.

He liked to have his rice carefully cleaned and his minced meat chopped
small. He did not eat rice that had been injured by heat or damp o