r, as
a result of very keen and subtle intellectual searching, and many
well-selected sacrifices, it was conveyed by means of a dream that
one very ingenious yet simple way was possible. The renowned and
universally-admired writings of the distinguished Lo Kuan for the most
part take their action within a few dynasties of their creator's
own time: all that remained for this inventive person to accomplish,
therefore, was to trace out the entire matter, making the words and
speeches to proceed from the mouths of those who existed in still
earlier periods. By this crafty method it would at once appear as though
the not-too-original Lo Kuan had been indebted to one who came before
him for all his most subtle thoughts, and, in consequence, his tomb
would become dishonoured and his memory execrated. Without any delay
this person cheerfully set himself to the somewhat laborious task
before him. Lo Kuan's well-known exclamation of the Emperor Tsing on the
battlefield of Shih-ho, 'A sedan-chair! a sedan-chair! This person will
unhesitatingly exchange his entire and well-regulated Empire for such an
article,' was attributed to an Emperor who lived several thousand years
before the treacherous and unpopular Tsing. The new matter of a no less
frequently quoted portion ran: 'O nobly intentioned but nevertheless
exceedingly morose Tung-shin, the object before you is your
distinguished and evilly-disposed-of father's honourably-inspired
demon,' the change of a name effecting whatever alteration was
necessary; while the delicately-imagined speech beginning 'The person
who becomes amused at matters resulting from double-edged knives has
assuredly never felt the effect of a well-directed blow himself' was
taken from the mouth of one person and placed in that of one of his
remote ancestors. In such a manner, without in any great degree altering
the matter of Lo Kuan's works, all the scenes and persons introduced
were transferred to much earlier dynasties than those affected by the
incomparable writer himself, the final effect being to give an air of
extreme unoriginality to his really undoubtedly genuine conceptions.

"Satisfied with his accomplishment, and followed by a hired person
of low class bearing the writings, which, by nature of the research
necessary in fixing the various dates and places so that even the wary
should be deceived, had occupied the greater part of a year, this now
fully confident story-teller--unmindful of the wel