"
On one occasion the Master exclaimed, "Ah, 'tis hopeless! I have not yet
seen the man who can see his errors, so as inwardly to accuse himself."
"In a small cluster of houses there may well be," said he, "some whose
integrity and sincerity may compare with mine; but I yield to none in
point of love of learning."
[Footnote 10: Lit., a State of 1,000 war chariots.]
[Footnote 11: Lit., a House of 100 war chariots.]
[Footnote 12: A great statesman of Confucius's time.]
[Footnote 13: A familiar way of speaking of his disciples in their
hearing.]
BOOK VI
More Characteristics--Wisdom--Philanthropy
Of Yen Yung, a disciple, the Master said, "Yung might indeed do for a
prince!"
On being asked by this Yen Yung his opinion of a certain individual, the
Master replied, "He is passable. Impetuous, though."
"But," argued the disciple, "if a man habituate himself to a reverent
regard for duty--even while in his way of doing things he is
impetuous--in the oversight of the people committed to his charge, is he
not passable? If, on the other hand, he habituate himself to impetuosity
of mind, and show it also in his way of doing things, is he not then
over-impetuous?"
"You are right," said the Master.
When the Duke Ngai inquired which of the disciples were devoted to
learning, Confucius answered him, "There was one Yen Hwui who loved
it--a man whose angry feelings towards any particular person he did not
suffer to visit upon another; a man who would never fall into the same
error twice.
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