The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-03-19

Chinese k1eofatuf0.
The works cf Confucius, tho celebrated
Chinese philosopher, about whom every
one has heard, and of whom so few really
know anything about, will probably become
more familiar to the reading world through
the "Chinese Classics, with q translatiori
critical and exegetical notes." edited by
James Leggee, D. d., of the London Mis-.
sionary Society, and published last year II.
Hong Kong. The work, to be completed
in five volumes, will contain the books now
recognized as Of the highest authority BY
the Chinese themselves. They are the Yeh,
or the book of changes the Shoe, or tn
book of history; the She, or the book Of
poetry the LIE He, or record Of rites the
Chun Tsew, or spring and autumn the
Lun Yu, or digested conversations between
Confucius and his disciples; So Heo, or
learning, commonly attributed to one Of his
disciples, the Chung Sung; the doctrine 0!
tho Mearr, by the grandson Of Confucius,
and the works Of Mencius, who died 28s
years, B. z. OF all these writers our read
ers have probably only heard Of Contucius.
This philosopher every Chinese writer.
agrees in praising. His grandson says Of
him:
"He may be compared to heaven and
earth in their supporting and containing,
their overshadowing and containing all
things; he may be compared to the four
seasons in their alternating progress, and to
the sun and moon in their successive shin
ing. Quick in apprehension, clear in dis:
cernment, of far reaching intellect and all
embracing knowledge, he was fitted to ex-
ercisc rule; magnanimouS, generous, be;
nign and staid, he was fitted to exercise
forbearance; impulsive, energetic, firm and
enduring; he was fitted to maintain Arm
hold, selfadjussed, grave never swerving
from the mean and correct, he was fitted to
command reverence; accomplished, dis
tinctive, concentrative and searching he
was fitted to exercise discrimination. All
embracing and vast, he was like heaven
deep and active as fountain, he was like
the abyss. Therefore his fame oversprcads
the Middle Kingdom and extends to all bar.
barous tribes. Wherever ships and car!
riages reach, wherever the heaven overshad-
Ow and the earth sustains, wherever the
sun and moon shine, wherever frost and
dews fall, all who have blood and breath.
unfeignedly honor and love him. Hence it
is said-he is the equal Of heaven"
Confucius died 1889 years ago, yet his
impress is clearly disccrnable in the nation:
al character of the largest empire in Asia.
His philosophy is often condensed into terse
proverbs, which are held in great veneration
in China, if their precepts are not always
obeyed. He says: "To see what is right
and not to do it, is cowardicc." He says Of
knowledge: "When you know thing to
hold that you know it; and when you do
not know thing, to allow that you do not
know it this is knowledge His version
of the Golden Rule was: "What would
not wish men to do to me, also wish not
to do to them" but he thought that to feel
thus honestly required a degree Of rtue
almost unattanable. Of death he tel s this
parable:
Ke Loo asked about serving the spirits of
the dead. The Master said, "While you
are not able to serve man, how can you
serve their spirits?" Ke Loo added, IL
venture to ask about death" He was an
swered, "While you do not know life, how
can you know about death ?'
Here is the very idea expressed in the
stanza Of Addison's celebrated and familiar
hymn:
''What though in solemn silence ALL" &c.
The Master said, II would prefer not
spe aking."
Tsze Kung said, "If you, Master, do not
speak, what shall we, your disciples, have
to record?''
The Master said: "Does Heaven speak
The four seasons pursue their courses, and
all things are continually being produced;
but does Heaven say anything?"