and unified and reformed the whole empire; and
the people, even to this day, reap benefit from what he did. Had it not
been for him we should have been going about with locks unkempt and
buttoning our jackets (like barbarians) on the left. Would you suppose
that he should show the same sort of attachment as exists between a poor
yokel and his one wife--that he would asphyxiate himself in some sewer,
leaving no one the wiser?"

Kung-shuh Wan's steward, who became the high officer Sien, went up
accompanied by Wan to the prince's hall of audience.

When Confucius heard of this he remarked, "He may well be esteemed a
'Wan,'"

The Master having made some reference to the lawless ways of Duke Ling
of Wei, Ki K'ang said to him, "If he be like that, how is it he does not
ruin his position?"

Confucius answered, "The Chung-shuh, Yu, is charged with the
entertainment of visitors and strangers; the priest T'o has charge of
the ancestral temple; and Wang-sun Kia has the control of the army and
its divisions:--with men such as those, how should he come to ruin?"

He once remarked, "He who is unblushing in his words will with
difficulty substantiate them."

Ch'in Shing had slain Duke Kien. Hearing of this, Confucius, after
performing his ablutions, went to Court and announced the news to Duke
Ngai, saying, "Ch'in Hang has slain his prince. May I request that you
proceed against him?"

"Inform the Chiefs of the Three Families," said the duke.

Soliloquizing upon this, Confucius said, "Since he uses me to back his
ministers, [30] I did not dare not to announce the matter to him; and
now he says, 'Inform the Three Chiefs.'"

He went to the Three Chiefs and informed them, but nothing could be
done. Whereupon again he said, "Since he uses me to back his ministers,
I did not dare not to announce the matter."

Tsz-lu was questioning him as to how he should serve his prince.
"Deceive him not, but reprove him," he answered.

"The minds of superior men," he observed, "trend upwards; those of
inferior men trend downwards."

Again, "Students of old fixed their eyes upon themselves: now they learn
with their eyes upon others."

Kue Pih-yuh despatched a man with a message to Confucius. Confucius gave
him a seat, and among other inquiries he asked, "How is your master
managing?" "My master," he replied, "has a great wish to be seldom at
fault, and as yet he cannot manage it."

"What a messenger!" exclaimed he admiringly, when the