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1841.
Illustration of Men and Things in China.
51
15. To be washed by the rain, and combed by the wind,' is a figure for the hard toil of those who are exposed to the weather.
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16. To be busy without a purpose is like the clouds driven about without a thought; i. e. such a man is at the mercy of circumstances,
as the clouds are driven by the wind.
17. A benevolence which extends to all around is likened to the vivifying spring having legs; i. e. its diffusive goodness is like the heat of spring upon vegetation.
18. When one makes a present to another to show his respect, hẹ
says,
[In giving this] I have the simplicity of the man who presum-
ed to teach his betters to sun themselves.'
19. When one engages another to be his advocate, he [politely] says, "I wish to put my case upon a strength able to turn heaven.'
In the Sung dynasty, there was a clodpole sunning himself one day; and, being ignorant that the empire contained large palaces with deep apartments, or that peo- ple wore silks and furs, he said to his wife, 'people do not know that the sun is warm to their backs; I will go and report it to the king, and he will certainly givė me a large reward.'—"To turn heaven' refers to a talented statesman of the Sung dynasty, who by his wise counsels turned the purposes of the emperor, and saved the country from disaster.
20. The kindness which moves one to save another from death
is termed a second creation.
21. The affection which induces one to rescue another from death is called a 'second heaven.'
22. He whose power easily vanishes (i. e. depends on the whim of the sovereign) is called 'an ice hill.'
23. The morning stars resemble wise and good men who are neglected and forgotten.
24. The echo of thunder resembles different accounts agreeing. 25. The man who frets himself exceedingly to no use, how does he differ from the man of Ke who feared the sky would fall on him?
This man of Ke was so afraid lest the sky should fall on him, and he be able to find no place to escape to that he could hardly eat or sleep. One told him that the sky was made of solid ether, and would not fall. 'If so,' he replied, the heavenly bodies ought not fall down (i. e. set).' They are merely the bright spots of ether, and do not injure when they fall.' On hearing this, he was appeased.
靠
26. He who undertakes an affair for which he is not capable nowise differs from Kwafoo who chased the sun.
27. When Confucius finished the Chun Tsew and Heaou
King,
the rainbow was changed to pearls.
28. The Hyades desire wind, Sagittarius desires rain; they are like two people whose thoughts and wishes cannot agree.