g up of the Roman empire in
Europe, when the kingdom of China fell into disorder and decrepitude
this one great teacher stepped forward to save the precious record of
historic fact, philosophical thought, and of legislation as well as
poetry, from being swept away by the deluge of revolution. Confucius
showed his wisdom by the high value he set upon the poetry of his
native land, and his name must be set side by side with that of the
astute tyrant of Athens who collected the poems of Homer and preserved
them as a precious heritage to the Greek world. Confucius has given us
his opinion with regard to the poems of the Shi-King. No man, he says,
is worth speaking to who has not mastered the poems of an anthology,
the perusal of which elevates the mind and purifies it from all
corrupt thoughts. Thanks to the work of modern scholarship, English
readers can now verify this dictum for themselves.

E. W.

_PART I.--LESSONS FROM THE STATES_

BOOK I

_The Odes of Chow and the South_

CELEBRATING THE VIRTUE OF KING WAN'S BRIDE

Hark! from the islet in the stream the voice
Of the fish-hawks that o'er their nests rejoice!
From them our thoughts to that young lady go,
Modest and virtuous, loth herself to show.
Where could be found to share our prince's state,
So fair, so virtuous, and so fit a mate?

See how the duckweed's stalks, or short or long,
Sway left and right, as moves the current strong!
So hard it was for him the maid to find!
By day, by night, our prince with constant mind
Sought for her long, but all his search was vain.
Awake, asleep, he ever felt the pain
Of longing thought, as when on restless bed,
Tossing about, one turns his fevered head.

Here long, there short, afloat the duckweed lies;
But caught at last, we seize the longed-for prize.
The maiden modest, virtuous, coy, is found;
Strike every lute, and joyous welcome sound.
Ours now, the duckweed from the stream we bear,
And cook to use with other viands rare.
He has the maiden, modest, virtuous, bright;
Let bells and drums proclaim our great delight.

CELEBRATING THE INDUSTRY OF KING WAN'S QUEEN

Sweet was the scene. The spreading dolichos
Extended far, down to the valley's depths,
With leaves luxuriant. The orioles
Fluttered around, and on the bushy trees
In t