Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 576

1841.

Poo Nang Che stằng sin.⠀⠀

559

immerged in water, appeared all legible; and the author of the deceit was severly punished.

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Amurder had been committed, but the real author of it could not be found out: Though there were a number of criminals in the prison, upon whom suspicion fell, the horrible deed could be brought home to nobody. In this emergency the offices invited all the prisoners to a repast, and had their fetters knocked off." Wher'all had risen from their meal; they returned to their dungeons and only one man was kept back! He; with a frightened Countenance asked for the reason' of"not 'being "allowed" to "go with his fellows, and was told, that he was the murderer. On inquiring farther for the proof of this assertion, he was informed," that he had taken the chopsticks in his left hand, and the murdered man having been wounded in his right side, he therefore must be the assassin. Though, in our humble opinion, this is a non-sequitur, the culprit was actually convicted on the proof thus adduced by the wary officer; doelt dru lemnisng on

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Of the wisdom of bravery we have an instance in a general, who was sent against the Huns. After having inveigled them into securi ty, he suddenly attacked them with fire and sword and cut off the heads of more than one hundred individuals. By this surprise and an act of treachery, he so frightened the enemy, that they willingly surrendered. Of this wisdom both Yang Fung and Yihshan, have given proofs, but they did not succeed so fully, and therefore deserve no place in this book.

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From the chapter of artful wisdom (a term that might also be tran· slated low cunning), a great deal might be quoted, because it is babi- tual to all sons of the Han. Proofs of this propensity, however, being of daily' récurrence, we refrain quoting instances from ancient lore. Of ready wisdom there are sundry examples. The heir to the im- perial crown was approaching a first rate archer, and would certainly have been killed, if he had not attended to the exclamation of a mi- mister to throw himself down instantly: The promptness, with which the admonition was obeyed, saved his life. Another courtier having ascertained, "that" a minister had some treasonable designs against his sovereign, saw himself powerless in his hand, without being able

render any assistance to his master.

He therefore managed to have all the bridges destroyed, by which the soldiers would ad- vance, and thus procured time for his prince to advance upon the capital.

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An emperor asked his minister what books he was accustomed to read at home: "The statesman was liiglily surprised at this question,