r improvement: he wants to be a man all at once."

[Footnote 30: Confucius had now retired from office, and this incident
occurred only two years before his death.]

[Footnote 31: It is a habit with the Chinese, when a number are out
walking together, for the eldest to go first, the others pairing off
according to their age. It is a custom much older than the time of
Confucius.]

BOOK XV

_Practical Wisdom--Reciprocity the Rule of Life_

Duke Ling of Wei was consulting Confucius about army arrangements. His
answer was, "Had you asked me about such things as temple requisites,
I have learnt that business, but I have not yet studied military
matters." And he followed up this reply by leaving on the following day.

After this, during his residence in the State of Ch[']in, his
followers, owing to a stoppage of food supply, became so weak and ill
that not one of them could stand. Tsz-lu, with indignation pictured on
his countenance, exclaimed, "And is a gentleman to suffer starvation?"

"A gentleman," replied the Master, "will endure it unmoved, but a
common person breaks out into excesses under it."

Addressing Tsz-kung, the Master said, "You regard me as one who
studies and stores up in his mind a multiplicity of things--do you
not?"--"I do," he replied; "is it not so?"--"Not at all. I have one
idea--one cord on which to string all."

To Tsz-lu he remarked, "They who know Virtue are rare."

"If you would know one who without effort ruled well, was not Shun
such a one? What did he indeed do? He bore himself with reverent
dignity and undeviatingly 'faced the south,' and that was all."

Tsz-chang was consulting him about making way in life. He answered,
"Be true and honest in all you say, and seriously earnest in all you
do, and then, even if your country be one inhabited by barbarians,
South or North, you will make your way. If you do not show yourself
thus in word and deed how should you succeed, even in your own
district or neighborhood?--When you are afoot, let these two counsels
be two companions preceding you, yourself viewing them from behind;
when you drive, have them in view as on the yoke of your carriage.
Then may you make your way."

Tsz-chang wrote them on the two ends of his cincture.

"Straight was the course of the Annalist Yu," said the Master--"aye,
straight as an arrow flies; were the country well governed or ill
governed, his was an arrow-like course.

"A man of masterly mind, too,