hold," concludes Cem-çu, "after what manner we ought to measure and regulate all our actions!"

And if a prince thus exercises himself, it will happen that all his subjects will be of one heart and one mind, and that he will rather be called their father than their lord and master. This will be the means to draw down the blessings and favours of Heaven, not to fear any thing, and to lead a quiet and peaceable life: for, in fine, virtue is the basis and foundation of an empire, and the source from whence flows whatever may render it flourishing. It was upon this consideration that an ambassador of the kingdom of Cu returned this excellent answer to a nobleman of the kingdom of Cin, who asked him whether in his master's kingdom there were great riches and precious stones:

Nothing is esteemed precious in the kingdom of Cu but virtue." A king of Ci returned almost the same answer. This prince treating of an alliance with the king of Guei, and the king of Guei demanding of him if in his kingdom there were precious stones, he answered, that there were none. "How!" replied this king, all in amaze, "is it possible that, though my kingdom be lesser than yours, yet there is found a carbuncle, whose brightness is so great, that it can enlighten space enough for twelve palanquins; and that in your kingdom, which is vaster than mine, there are none of these precious stones?" "I have four ministers," rejoins the king of Ci, "who with great prudence govern the provinces I have committed to them. Behold

my precious stones, they can enlighten a thousand stadia."

Nor were the men only of China famous for their esteem of virtue: there were women that have considered it as a jewel of infinite value, and preferable to all treasures. An illustrious queen, named Kiam, who reigned two hundred years before Confucius, reclaimed her husband from sensuality and debauchery, by an action which deserves to be immortalized. Seeing that this prince continually resorted to the pastimes of debauchery, and abandoned himself to all sorts of pleasures, she one day plucked her pendants from her ears, and laid aside all her jewels, and in this condition went to the king, and spake to him these words with a sensible emotion: "Sir, is it possible that luxury and debauchery are so very pleasing to you? You contemn virtue; but I esteem it infinitely more than the most precious stones." She afterwards enlarged upon this subject; and the action and discourse of this princess touched him so strongly, that he renounced his extravagancies, and gave himself up entirely to virtue and the care of his kingdom, which he governed thirteen years with great applause.

In fine, as the last article, Cem-çu represents to kings, that they ought not to oppress their people, either by impositions, or otherwise; that to avoid being forced thereto, it is necessary to choose wise, faithful, and virtuous ministers; and consequently not to admit into the management of affairs those

that are unworthy, and who by their cruelties, ambition, and avarice, can only bring a vast prejudice to the state. He shows them that they ought to lessen, as much as is possible, the number of their ministers, and of all those that live at the public expense; to endeavour to excite all to work, and so to order it, that those who manage and disburse the treasure, may do it with all the moderation imaginable. "Princes," adds he, "ought never to seek private interest; they ought only to look after the interests of their people: to be loved and faithfully served, they ought to convince their subjects, by their conduct, that they design only to make them happy; which they will never do, if they heartily follow their particular interests—if they oppress and impoverish them."

THE

MORALS OF CONFUCIUS.

BOOK II.

THIS second book of Confucius was published by his grandson Cu-su. It treats of divers things, but especially of that excellent mediocrity, which must be constantly observed in all things, between the too much and too little. Thus this book is entitled Chum-yum, that is to say, the Perpetual Mean, a mean constantly observed.

Confucius teaches at first, that all men ought to love this mediocrity, which they ought to search after with an extreme care. He says, that the perfect man always keeps a just mean, whatever he undertakes; but that the wicked always swerves therefrom-that he does too much, or not enough. "When the right reason sent from heaven," adds he, "has once shown a wise man the mean he ought to keep, he afterwards conforms all his actions thereunto, at all times, as well in adversity as prosperity; he continually watches over himself, over