s gay rivals in the affections of the
duke still held their sway, and the recurrence of the great festival
failed to awaken his conscience even for the moment. Reluctantly
therefore Confucius resigned his post and left the capital.

But though thus disappointed of the hopes he entertained of the duke of
Loo, Confucius was by no means disposed to resign his role as the
reformer of the age. "If any one among the princes would employ me,"
said he, "I would effect something considerable in the course of twelve
months, and in three years the government would be perfected." But the
tendencies of the times were unfavorable to the Sage. The struggle for
supremacy which had been going on for centuries between the princes of
the various states was then at its height, and though there might be a
question whether it would finally result in the victory of Tsin, or of
Ts'oo, or of Ts'in, there could be no doubt that the sceptre had
already passed from the hands of the ruler of Chow. To men therefore who
were fighting over the possessions of a state which had ceased to live,
the idea of employing a minister whose principal object would have been
to breathe life into the dead bones of Chow, was ridiculous. This soon
became apparent to his disciples, who being even more concerned than
their master at his loss of office, and not taking so exalted a view as
he did of what he considered to be a heaven-sent mission, were inclined
to urge him to make concessions in harmony with the times. "Your
principles," said Tsze-kung to him, "are excellent, but they are
unacceptable in the empire, would it not be well therefore to bate them
a little?" "A good husbandman," replied the Sage, "can sow, but he
cannot secure a harvest. An artisan may excel in handicraft, but he
cannot provide a market for his goods. And in the same way a superior
man can cultivate his principles, but he cannot make them acceptable."

But Confucius was at least determined that no efforts on his part should
be wanting to discover the opening for which he longed, and on leaving
Loo he betook himself to the state of Wei. On arriving at the capital,
the reigning duke received him with distinction, but showed no desire to
employ him. Probably expecting, however, to gain some advantage from the
counsels of the Sage in the art of governing, he determined to attach
him to his court by the grant of an annual stipend of sixty thousand
measures of grain--that having been the value of th