The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-18 00:00:00

MEMOIRS OF CONFUCIUS.

The family of Confucius, which still exists and
flourishes in China, may be regarded as probably the
most ancient and illustrious of which the records can be
traced, since it can show a descent of more than 4,000
years, always more or less honourable from its first
founder to the present time. It counts Princes, Kings,
and Emperors in its ranks; and notwithstanding the re-
volutions which have more than once overwhelmed the
empire during the course of this long series of years, it
has always enjoyed some hereditary title, to which
honorary distinctions have been added, so as to console
it in some degree for the misfortunes of the times.
Sie, up to whom the family has been traced with cer-
tainty, himself descended from Hoang-te, according to
the testimony of all historians. Towards the year 2257
8.C., he was placed in the ministry by Shun, the imme-
diate successor of Yaou, who, one hundred years before,
that is to say, in the year 2357, had himself ascended
the throne, and, under whose reign happened that ter-
rible inundation which made such dreadful ravages
throughout the empire of China. He was specially
charged with regulating the ceremonies and watching
morals. His integrity, his wisdom, and his good con-
duct altogether, engaged his sovereign to recompense
him in a manner proportioned to the important services
which he had rendered the State ; he presented him,
among other gifts, with the district of Shang in Honan,
which was erected into a principality.
Thirteen of his descendants successively governed this
little State, down to Ching-tang, whom the unanimous
voice, as well of the grandees as of the people and the
feudatories, placed, as it were, in despite of himself, at
the head of the empire, 1766 B.C.—Pidding's Chinese
Olio.

A STORY WITHOUT END.—The Peishwah had a
beautiful daughter, as fair as Bhowanee, and as graceful
in form as young acacia; but the King, her father, loved
her the more, perhaps, that she was his only daughter;
and, although she was surrounded by suitors, he declared
that none should win her to his harem but he who could
tell a story without end, and those who failed should expiate
their presumption by the sword, and their heads should
adorn the battlements of the fort. Many tales were told;
and though for many hours the courtiers listened, and
the king frowned and quaffed his kusumba drought, still,
as did the smoke from the hookah of the prince, the tales
of the suitors ceased, and many heads crowned the royal
tower ; until, at length, a young and handsome youth,
blooming as Crishna, knelt before the king, and, from the
outer edge of the carpet of respect, craved his attention.
"May it please your Highness, said the stranger, "a great
merchant had a field of grain, and he built a storehouse
to secure it, but the rats get in, some thieves also, and
both stole and devoured the grain. The merchant built
another, like the topes (burial places) of Secunder's
(Alexander's) chiefs ; it was of stone, with walls to
the skies, and only a little holo at the top to look in
at ; and the merchant yielded up his heart to joy,
for he thought himself secure. But a flight of locusts
came, and flew in at the little hole, and they began to de-
vour his grain ; so the merchant sent for the nakaras,
tomtoms, and sittars, and placed the musicians round
the walls, to frighten out the locusts ; (" Well,"
said the king), and the musicians played loudly,
and louder still, and, at length, a locust flew out.
(" Well ?" inquired the king) and soon another
(" Well, well, proceed ;") and, again, one more ; and
the youth continued his list of locusts, until the cup-
bearer fell asleep, and the kaliuns of the courtiers
dropped from their hands ; the king had slept, was
awake again, yet still the tale of the handsome youth
ceased not ; when, at length, the king, starting from his
cushions, exclaimed, " Cease, cease ! take my daughter,
and let us rest, for traly the story hath no end."—
Asiatic Journal.