y should I refuse such gifts when needed? At
Hsieh I was in some personal danger and needed help to procure the means
of self-defence. The gifts were to enable me to procure arms. Why should
I have refused such needed help? But at Chi I needed no money, and
therefore refused it when offered, for to accept money when it is not
needed is to accept a bribe. Why should I take such money?"

_WRONG CONDUCT SHOULD BE ENDED AT ONCE_

A distinguished officer of Sung, called Tai Ying-chib, called upon
Mencius and said, "I am unable as yet to dispense with the tax on goods
and the duties charged at the frontier passes and in the markets, though
this is a right and proper thing to do. But it is my intention, until
the next year, to lighten the tax and the duties, and then next year I
shall remove them altogether." The philosopher replied, "Here is a man
who daily steals a score of his neighbour's fowls. Someone remonstrates,
and, feeling that he is guilty of acting dishonestly, he says, 'I know
that this stealing is wrong, but in the future I shall be content with
stealing one fowl a month. But next year I will stop stealing fowls
altogether.' If," continued Mencius, "this task and these duties are, as
you admit, wrong, end them at once. Why should you wait a year?"

_THE INHERENT GOODNESS OF HUMAN NATURE_

Kao Tzu said to Mencius, "Human nature resembles running water, which
flows east or west according as it can find an outlet. So human nature
is inclined equally to what is good and to what is bad." "It is true,"
answered Mencius, "that water will flow indifferently to the east or to
the west. But it will not flow indifferently up or down; it can only
flow down. The tendency of human nature is towards what is good, as that
of water is to flow downwards. One may, indeed, by splashing water, make
it spurt upwards, but that is forcing it against its true character.
Even so, when a man becomes prone to what is evil it is because his
Heaven-implanted nature has been diverted from its true bent."

_PEOPLE FIRST, KINGS LAST_

"The people," said Mencius, "are first in importance; next come the
gods. The kings are last and least."

_EVERY MAN SHOULD ACCEPT HIS LOT_

Mencius said, "Every man's lot is fixed for him, and it is a proof of
wisdom to accept it uncomplainingly. He who does this faces misfortune
and even death unmoved."

_WHAT THE GOOD KING DELIGHTS IN MOST_

"The virtuous king," said Mencius, "is g