1812
Sketch of the Life of Confucius
411
ART. II. Sketch of the life of Confucius, the Chinese moralist. It would be a subject worthy of the attention of a scholar, who was thoroughly acquainted with the theories of the most distinguished Greek and Roman teachers of ethics, and able to give a digest of their several systems of morals, to draw a careful comparison between them and those most popular among the chief Asiatic nations. We think a very instructive volume might thus be made upon this sub- ject, forming a sort of harmony of heathen ethics. By bringing into one view the most prominent features of the Vedas, and the writings of such men as Plato, Socrates, Seneca, Cicero, Aristotle, Zoroaster, Confucius, Mencius, and Láutsz', and exhibiting under proper heads, the distinctive notions of these distinguished men upon the great principles of human action, we should possess a work alike interest- ing and instructive. We suspect that a remarkable similarity would be found between the instructions of the European and Asiatic teachers regarding the conduct of a man, and how he ought to act in the different relations and duties of life; we should see, too, that, however much they might differ in their theories with regard to his origin and end, they would concur in recommending him to live temperately, honestly and peacefully. We would also have the author of such a synopsis of morals well acquainted with the Bible, heartily loving and reverencing it as a divine book, that he might show his readers what degree of correspondence existed between its pure doc- trines and those of these philosophers. The result of such an inves- tigation, (and we are not aware that it has ever been made in just this form,) would, we think prove in a most conspicuous manner, the truth of the apostle's declaration: "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing wit- ness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another."
it would probably show that heathen moralists have laid down many rules for the guidance of their fellow-men in conso- nance with the perfect law of God, and these teachers have always set up a higher standard of action than has been followed by themselves or their disciples. The comparison between the principles they have laid down, and their own practice and that of the people would also conclusively show how true is another declaration of the same