anting, centuries and dynasties ago.

What was this new-fangled aristocratic man, he asked, but the ideal of
Confucius, the superior person, "the son of the King"? There you had the
very essence of Benham, the idea of self-examination, self-preparation
under a vague Theocracy. ("Vaguer," said Benham, "for the Confucian
Heaven could punish and reward.") Even the elaborate sham modesty of the
two dreams was the same. Benham interrupted and protested with heat. And
this Confucian idea of the son of the King, Prothero insisted, had been
the cause of China's paralysis. "My idea of nobility is not traditional
but expectant," said Benham. "After all, Confucianism has held together
a great pacific state far longer than any other polity has ever lasted.
I'll accept your Confucianism. I've not the slightest objection to
finding China nearer salvation than any other land. Do but turn it round
so that it looks to the future and not to the past, and it will be the
best social and political culture in the world. That, indeed, is what
is happening. Mix Chinese culture with American enterprise and you will
have made a new lead for mankind."

From that Benham drove on to discoveries. "When a man thinks of the past
he concentrates on self; when he thinks of the future he radiates from
self. Call me a neo-Confucian; with the cone opening forward away from
me, instead of focussing on me...."

"You make me think of an extinguisher," said Prothero.

"You know I am thinking of a focus," said Benham. "But all your thought
now has become caricature.... You have stopped thinking. You are
fighting after making up your mind...."

Prothero was a little disconcerted by Benham's prompt endorsement of his
Chinese identification. He had hoped it would be exasperating. He tried
to barb his offence. He amplified the indictment. All cultures must
be judged by their reaction and fatigue products, and Confucianism had
produced formalism, priggishness, humbug.... No doubt its ideals had had
their successes; they had unified China, stamped the idea of universal
peace and good manners upon the greatest mass of population in the
world, paved the way for much beautiful art and literature and living.
"But in the end, all your stern orderliness, Benham," said Prothero,
"only leads to me. The human spirit rebels against this everlasting
armour on the soul. After Han came T'ang. Have you never read Ling Po?
There's scraps of him in English in that little book yo