a man," said he again, "has not the proper feelings due from one
man to another, how will he stand as regards the Rules of Propriety? And
in such a case, what shall we say of his sense of harmony?"

On a question being put to him by Lin Fang, a disciple, as to what was
the radical idea upon which the Rules of Propriety were based, the
Master exclaimed, "Ah! that is a large question. As to some rules,
where there is likelihood of extravagance, they would rather demand
economy; in those which relate to mourning, and where there is
likelihood of being easily satisfied, what is wanted is real sorrow."

Speaking of the disorder of the times he remarked that while the
barbarians on the North and East had their Chieftains, we here in this
great country had nothing to compare with them in that respect:--we
had lost these distinctions!

Alluding to the matter of the Chief of the Ki family worshipping on
T[']ai-shan,[7] the Master said to Yen Yu, "Cannot you save him from
this?" He replied, "It is beyond my power." "Alas, alas!" exclaimed
the Master, "are we to say that the spirits of T[']ai-shan have not as
much discernment as Lin Fang?"

Of "the superior man," the Master observed, "In him there is no
contentiousness. Say even that he does certainly contend with others,
as in archery competitions; yet mark, in that case, how courteously he
will bow and go up for the forfeit-cup, and come down again and give
it to his competitor. In his very contest he is still the superior man."

Tsz-hia once inquired what inference might be drawn from the lines--

"Dimples playing in witching smile,
Beautiful eyes, so dark, so bright!
Oh, and her face may be thought the while
Colored by art, red rose on white!"

"Coloring," replied the Master, "requires a pure and clear
background." "Then," said the other, "rules of ceremony require to
have a background!" "Ah!" exclaimed the Master, "you are the man to
catch the drift of my thought. Such as you may well introduce a
discussion on the Odes."

Said the Master, "As regards the ceremonial adopted and enforced by
the Hia dynasty, I am able to describe it, although their own
descendants in the State of Ki can adduce no adequate testimony in
favor of its use there. So, too, I am able to describe the ceremonial
of the Yin dynasty, although no more can the Sung people show
sufficient reason for its continuance amongst themselves. And why
cannot they do so? Because they have