"Lavish living," he said, "renders men disorderly; miserliness makes
them hard. Better, however, the hard than the disorderly."
Again, "The man of superior mind is placidly composed; the small-minded
man is in a constant state of perturbation."
The Master was gentle, yet could be severe; had an over-awing presence,
yet was not violent; was deferential, yet easy.
[Footnote 16: In reference to his editing the six Classics of his time.]
[Footnote 17: This was one of his "beloved ancients," famous for what he
did in helping to found the dynasty of Chow, a man of great political
wisdom, a scholar also, and poet. It was the "dream" of Confucius's life
to restore the country to the condition in which the Duke of Chow left
it.]
[Footnote 18: These were six in number, viz.: Ceremonial, Music,
Archery, Horsemanship, Language, and Calculation.]
[Footnote 19: Lit., three forces. Each force consisted of 12,500 men,
and three of such forces were the equipment of a greater State.]
BOOK VIII
Sayings of Tsang--Sentences of the Master
Speaking of T'ai-pih the Master said that he might be pronounced a man
of the highest moral excellence; for he allowed the empire to pass by
him onwards to a third heir; while the people, in their ignorance of his
motives, were unable to admire him for so doing.
"Without the Proprieties," said the Master, "we have these results: for
deferential demeanor, a worried one; for calm attentiveness, awkward
bashfulness; for manly conduct, disorderliness; for straightforwardness,
perversity.
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