how. It was on this account that Yih,
E Yin, and the duke of Chow did not obtain the kingdom.

"E Yin assisted T[']ang so that he became sovereign of the kingdom.
After the demise of T[']ang, T[']ae-ting having died without being
appointed in his place, Wae-ping reigned two years, and Chung-jin
four. T[']ae-Keah then was turning upside down the canons and examples
of T[']ang, and E Yin placed him in T[']ung for three years. There he
repented of his errors, was contrite, and reformed himself. In T[']ung
he came to dwell in benevolence and moved towards righteousness,
during those three years listening to the lessons given to him by E
Yin, after which that minister again returned with him to Poh.

"The duke of Chow's not getting the kingdom was like that of Yih's not
getting the throne of Hea, or E Yin's that of Yin.

"Confucius said, 'T[']ang and Yu resigned the throne to the worthiest;
the founders of the Hea, Yin, and Chow dynasties transmitted it to
their sons. The principle of righteousness was the same in all the
cases.'"

Wan Chang asked Mencius, saying, "People say that E Yin sought an
introduction to T[']ang by his knowledge of cookery; was it so?" Mencius
replied, "No, it was not so. E Yin was farming in the lands of the State
of Sin, delighting in the principles of Yaou and Shun. In any matter
contrary to the righteousness which they prescribed, or to the course
which they enjoined, though he had been salaried with the empire, he
would not have regarded it; though there had been yoked for him a
thousand teams, he would not have looked at them. In any matter contrary
to the righteousness which they prescribed, or to the course which they
enjoined, he would not have given nor taken even a single straw.

"T[']ang sent persons with presents of silk to ask him to enter his
service. With an air of indifference and self-satisfaction, he said,
'What can I do with these silks with which T[']ang invites me? Is it
not best for me to abide in these channeled fields, and therein
delight myself with the principles of Yaou and Shun?'

"T[']ang thrice sent persons thus to invite him. After this, with the
change of purpose displayed in his countenance, he spoke in a
different style, saying, 'Instead of abiding in the channeled fields,
and therein delighting myself with the principles of Yaou and Shun,
had I not better make this ruler one after the style of Yaou and Shun?
had I not better make this people like the people o