Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 414

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Defense of an Essay, &c.

JULY,

t'ien tí, heaven and earth; c. g. in the Yih King we read, under the 乾 kien diagram, 大哉乾元萬物資始“ how great is the

originating virtue of heaven; all things receive their commencement

from it !” And again, under the 坤 diagram, 至哉坤元萬物 資生“ how great is the originating virtue of earth; all things receive

their birth (or consummation) from it!" On these two sentences, M. Visdelou thus remarks: "Hence it is that Heaven is called by the Chinese the Father of all things, who gives the commencement to all;

在陰陽之中。而非在陰陽之外也 今以大中 訓之。又以乾坤未判大衍未分之時論之恐 未安也。形而上者謂之道。形而下者謂之器。 今論太極。而日其物謂之神。又以天地未分 元氣合而為一者言之。亦恐未安也

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10. « If it be inquired what is meant when we rcad in the Book of Re- cords, such sentences as the following, viz, that Shangtí confers the virtuous nature on the people ;' that ' Heaven is about to impose great duties on man ;' that, Heaven to protect the people makes for them princes;' that, 'Heaven having produced things treats them according to their capacity;' that, upon those who do good it sends down a hundred felicities, and upon those who do ill it sends down a hundred calamities;' that, when Heaven is about to send down some uncommon calamity, it first produces an uncoinmon man to deter- mine it' in expressions of this kind, is it meant that above the azure heavens, there really is a Ruler who acts thus? or is it that Heaven has no mind? (i. e. no controlling mind so that things happen by chance?) or is it merely, if we seek the origin (or cause) that according to the principle (law) of order (14) it is thus? I answer, these three points have but one meaning, viz., according to the principle of order (lf) i. e. the eternal fitness of things-destiny, fate-it is thus. In the revolutions of the primordial substance hitherto, fulness has always been succeeded by decline, and after a period of decline there has been one of fulness, just as if things were caused to go round in a circle. There never has been a period of decline that was not followed by one of fulness."

問上帝降衷於民。天將降大任於人。天祐 民。作之君。天生物因其材而篤作善降之百 祥。作不善降之百殃天將降非常之禍於此 世必預出非常之人以疑之。凡此等類是蒼 蒼在上者。具有主宰如是耶抑夫無心。只是 推原其理如此日此三段。只一意這箇也只 是理如此。氣運從來一盛了又一衰。一衰了 又一盛只管恁地循環去無有衰而不盛者