?"

Once the Master remarked, "I have conversed with Hwui the whole day
long, and he has controverted nothing that I have said, as if he were
without wits. But when his back was turned, and I looked attentively
at his conduct apart from me, I found it satisfactory in all its
issues. No, indeed! Hwui is not without his wits."

Other observations of the Master:--

"If you observe what things people (usually) take in hand, watch their
motives, and note particularly what it is that gives them
satisfaction, shall they be able to conceal from you what they are?
Conceal themselves, indeed!

"Be versed in ancient lore, and familiarize yourself with the modern;
then may you become teachers.

"The great man is not a mere receptacle."

In reply to Tsz-kung respecting the great man:---

"What he first says, as a result of his experience, he afterwards
follows up.

"The great man is catholic-minded, and not one-sided. The common man
is the reverse.

"Learning, without thought, is a snare; thought, without learning, is
a danger.

"Where the mind is set much upon heterodox principles--there truly and
indeed is harm."

To the disciple of Tsz-lu the Master said, "Shall I give you a lesson
about knowledge? When you know a thing, maintain that you know it; and
when you do not, acknowledge your ignorance. This is characteristic of
knowledge."

Tsz-chang was studying with an eye to official income. The Master
addressed him thus: "Of the many things you hear hold aloof from those
that are doubtful, and speak guardedly with reference to the rest;
your mistakes will then be few. Also, of the many courses you see
adopted, hold aloof from those that are risky, and carefully follow
the others; you will then seldom have occasion for regret. Thus, being
seldom mistaken in your utterances, and having few occasions for
regret in the line you take, you are on the high road to your
preferment."

To a question put to him by Duke Ngai[2] as to what should be done in
order to render the people submissive to authority, Confucius replied,
"Promote the straightforward, and reject those whose courses are
crooked, and the thing will be effected. Promote the crooked and
reject the straightforward, and the effect will be the reverse."

When Ki K[']ang[3] asked of him how the people could be induced to
show respect, loyalty, and willingness to be led, the Master answered,
"Let there be grave dignity in him who has the oversight of them, and
t