" The Master was
gratified.
"Good principles are making no progress," once exclaimed the Master. "If
I were to take a raft, and drift about on the sea, would Tsz-lu, I
wonder, be my follower there?" That disciple was delighted at hearing
the suggestion; whereupon the Master continued, "He surpasses me in his
love of deeds of daring. But he does not in the least grasp the pith of
my remark."
In reply to a question put to him by Mang Wu respecting Tsz-lu--as to
whether he might be called good-natured towards others, the Master said,
"I cannot tell"; but, on the question being put again, he answered,
"Well, in an important State [10] he might be intrusted with the
management of the military levies; but I cannot answer for his good
nature."
"What say you then of Yen Yu?"
"As for Yen," he replied, "in a city of a thousand families, or in a
secondary fief, [11] he might be charged with the governorship; but I
cannot answer for his good-naturedness."
"Take Tsz-hwa, then; what of him?"
"Tsz-hwa," said he, "with a cincture girt upon him, standing as
attendant at Court, might be charged with the addressing of visitors and
guests; but as to his good-naturedness I cannot answer."
Addressing Tsz-kung, the Master said, "Which of the two is ahead of the
other--yourself or Hwui?" "How shall I dare," he replied, "even to look
at Hwui? Only let him hear one particular, and from that he knows ten;
whereas I, if I hear one, may from it know two.
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