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Sketch at the Life of Confucius
Arg.
apostle, when speaking of the iniquities of pagan nations: "Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in thei that do them.” Tholuck nas drawn a striking sketch of the charac- teristics of heathen philosophy and morals among the ancients of southern Europe, and exhibited the consequences of some of the prin- ciples taught by their sages, in the vile depravity of the people, both drawn from the histories and other writings of those nations them- selves; which show most strikingly the justice of these declarations. A similar examination and comparison of the writings of the Chinese sages with the practice of the people, would undoubtedly lead to the same results. We have already made a few reflections upon this point in a former number, when speaking of Luhchau's Female In- structor, and it is not our present object to pursue this train of thought any farther than to suggest this topic to some of the students of Chinese as one to which their attention might be profitably di- rected.
Among the persons who have been distinguished among men for their writings on moral subjects, Confucius, so far as reverence for his name, and obedience to his instructions and dogmas is concerned, stands beyond all comparison in the first place. Even the trifling and jejune expressions found in his writings, the trivial incidents of his life as narrated in the memoir by his pupil Tsz' tsz', as well as his more weighty and remarkable sayings and doings, are surrounded with interest, when we remember the influence they have had upon so large a portion of mankind. This influence has permeated the mind of the Chinese, and from the people extended itself by degrees through the whole structure of the government of the country, and there can be no doubt has proved one of the principal causes of the uniformity of the Chinese character and writings for the last two thou- sand years.
As some curiosity naturally arises to know something of the personal history of one whose writings have had such an influ- ence upon the thoughts of his fellow-men, we have collected a few notices concerning him, from the last two volumes of the Shing Miáu Sz'tien Tð káu,* or Sacrificial Ritual of the temple of Sages, which contain drawings and annexed descriptions of the principal events in his life.
The father of Confucius was a district magistrate of the city of Tsau in the petty kingdom of Lú (now Shantung province) and hav- ing no son by his wife or concubine who could succeed him, sought For a farther notice of this work see vol. II. page 236