estion the Master replied, "A hard thing
overcome, it may be considered. But as to the mutual good-will--I cannot
tell."

"Learned officials," said he, "who hanker after a home life, are not
worthy of being esteemed as such."

Again, "In a country under good government, speak boldly, act boldly.
When the land is ill-governed, though you act boldly, let your words be
moderate."

Again, "Men of virtue will needs be men of words--will speak out--but
men of words are not necessarily men of virtue. They who care for their
fellow-men will needs be bold, but the bold may not necessarily be such
as care for their fellow-men."

Nan-kung Kwoh, who was consulting Confucius, observed respecting I, the
skilful archer, and Ngau, who could propel a boat on dry land, that
neither of them died a natural death; while Yu and Tsih, who with their
own hands had labored at husbandry, came to wield imperial sway.

The Master gave him no reply. But when the speaker had gone out he
exclaimed, "A superior man, that! A man who values virtue, that!"

"There have been noble-minded men," said he, "who yet were wanting in
philanthropy; but never has there been a small-minded man who had
philanthropy in him."

He asked, "Can any one refuse to toil for those he loves? Can any one
refuse to exhort, who is true-hearted?"

Speaking of the preparation of Government Notifications in his day he
said, "P'i would draw up a rough sketch of what was to be said; the
Shishuh then looked it carefully through and put it into proper shape;
Tsz-yu next, who was master of the ceremonial of State intercourse,
improved and adorned its phrases; and Tsz-ch'an of Tung-li added his
scholarly embellishments thereto."

To some one who asked his opinion of the last-named, he said, "He was a
kind-hearted man." Asked what he thought of Tsz-si, he exclaimed, "Alas
for him! alas for him!"--Asked again about Kwan Chung, his answer was,
"As to him, he once seized the town of P'in with its three hundred
families from the Chief of the Pih clan, who, afterwards reduced to
living upon coarse rice, with all his teeth gone, never uttered a word
of complaint."

"It is no light thing," said he, "to endure poverty uncomplainingly; and
a difficult thing to bear wealth without becoming arrogant."

Respecting Mang Kung-ch'oh, he said that, while he was fitted for
something better than the post of chief officer in the Chau or Wei
families, he was not competent to act as minister in