not being so privately manag'd but one of Limcum's Sons by his â—irst Wife came to the Knowledge of it this young Prince jealous of his Fathers Honour so highly resented it that he design'd to kill the Queen which he concealed not The cunning and guilty Princess who saw her self detected and who had a great Influence over her ancient Spouse alledg'd such plausible Reasons to make him believe her Innocency that this poor Prince shutting his Eyes against the Truth banish'd his Son But as Children are not culpable for their Fathers Crimes he kept Che with him He was the Son of this disgraced Prince Limcum died soon after The People recalled the Prince whom the Queens Debaucheries had banisht and he went to receive the Crown but his vicious Son oppos'd him alledging that his Father was a Parricide He rais'd Armies against him and was proclaim'd King by the People The Sons of a King of Cucho continues he follow'd not this way Behold a memorable Example This King whose History we shall relate in two Words had three Sons And as Fathers have sometimes more tenderness for their youngest Children than for the rest he had so much for the last which Heaven had given him that some days before his Death he appointed him for his Successor to thâ— Exclusion of his other Brothers This Procedure was so much the more extraordinary as it was contrary to the Laws of the Land The People thought after the King's Death that they might endeavour without any crime to advance the eldest of the Royal Family on the Throne This was executed as the People had projected it and this Action was generally approved There waâ— none but the new King who remembering his Fathers dying Words refused to consent This Generous Prince took the Crowâ— that was presented him put it on his younger Brothers Head and nobly declar'd that he renounc'd it and thought himself unworthy of it seeing that he had been excluded by his Fathers Will and thaâ— his Father could not retract what hâ— had done The Brother touch'd with such an Heroick Action conjur'd him the same moment not to oppose the Inclination of all the People who desir'd him to Reign over them He alledged that it was he alone that was the lawful Successor to the Crown which he contemned That their Father could not violate the Laws of the State That this Prince was overtaken with a too great Fondness and that in a word it in some measure belonged to the People to redress the Laws of their Kings when they were not just But nothing could perswade him to act contrary to his Fathers Will. Between these two Princes there was a laudable Contestation neither would accept the Crown And they seeing that this Contest would continue a long time withdrew from the Court and Vanquish'd and Victorious together they went to end their Days in the repose of a Solitude and left the Kingdom to their Brother These Princes adds he sought after Virtue but they sought iâ— not in vain for they found it He frequently relates short Histories of this Nature wherein an Heroick Genâ—rosity is every where seen to discover it self The Women amongst the People and even great Princesses are therein observ'd rather to châ—sâ— Death and â—hat with their own Hands than to be exposed to the Violences of their Ravishers The Magistrates are there seen to quit the greatest Employs to avoid the Disorders of thâ— Court Philosophers to censure Kings upon their Throne and Princes who makâ— no difficulty to die to appease the Anger of Heaven and procure Peacâ— to their People After this Confucius shews how thâ— Dâ—ad ought to be buried and as this was perform'd in his time with a greaâ— deal of Magnificence so in Funeral Pomps he blames whatever seems like Ostentation and reproves it after a severe manner Indeed one of his Disciples being dead and this Disciple being buried with the usual Magnificence he cryed out when he knew it When my Disciple was alive he respected me as his Father and I look'd upon him as my Son But can I now behold him as my Son since he has been buried like other Men He prohibits the bewailing the Dead with excess and if constrain'd by his own Grief he shed Tears for this very Disciple he confâ—ssed he â—orgot himself That in truth great Griefs have no Bounds but that the Wiseman ought not to be overcome with Grief That it is a Weakness 't is a Crime in him He gives great Praises to some of his Disciples who in the midst of the greatest Poverty were content with their Condition and accounted as great Riches the Natural Virtues they had received from Heaven He declaims against Pride Self-Love Indiscretion and against the ridiculous Vanity of those that affect to be Masters every where against those Self-Conceited Men who momentarily cite their own Actions and against great Talkers and drawing afterwards the Portraiture of the Wiseman in opposition to what he has discours'd he says that Humility Modesty Gravity and Neighbourly Affection are Virtues which he cannot one moment neglect without departing from his Character He says That a good Man never afflicts himself and fears nothing that he contemns Injuries credits not Reproaches and refuses even to â—ear Reports He maintains that Punishments arâ— too common that if the Magistrates were good Men the wicked would Conform their Life to theirs and that if Princes would only advance to Dignities Persons distinguish'd by their Honesty and exemplary Life every one would apply himself unto Virtue because that Graâ—deur being that which all Men Naturally Desire every one willing to possess it would endeavour to render himself worthy thereof He would have us avoid Idleness to be serious and not precipitate in our Answers and that setting our selves above every thing we should never be troubled either that we are contemn'd or not known in the World He compares Hypocrites to those lewd Villains who the better to conceal their Designs from the Eyes of Men do appear Wise and Modest in the Day timâ— and who by the favour of the Night do Rob Houses and commit the most Infamous Robberies He says That those that make their Belly their God never do any thing worthy of a Man that they are rather Brutes than Rational Creaturesâ— And râ—turning to the Conduct of the great Ones he very well Remarks That their Crimes are always greater than the Crimes of other Men. Zam the last Emperor of the Family of Cheu says Confucius on this occasion had a very irregular Conduct But how irregular soever his Conduct was the Disorderâ— of this Emperor were only the Disorders of his Age. Nevertheless when any Debauch'd Crimiâ—al and Infamous Action is mention'd they say it is The Crime of Zam The Reason whereof is this Zam was Wicked and an Emperor Confucius relates an infinite number of other Things of this Nature which concern the Conduct of all sorts of Men but most of the Things that he says
therefore the Lord and Master of the Dead wherefore then should I refuse him these last Offices of Piety But this is not all he had no sooner utter'd these Words but unstripping himself of his Royal Vestment he commanded it to be us'd instead of a Winding-Sheet to wrap up these Bones and Bury them according to the Manners and Custom of the Country which his Courtiers observing with Admiration they thus cry'd out If the Piety of our Prince is so great towards dry Bones how great will it not be towards Men that enjoy Life They made some other Reflections of this Nature Venvam's Charity had properly for its object all sorts of Persons but particularly ancient Persons Widows Orphans and the Poor whom he protected and nourish'd as if they had been his own Children It is believ'd that these Charitable Actions were the principal Cause of the Re-establishment of a Pious Custom of the first Emperors and of a Law which is still observed throughout China This Law enacts That in every City even in the least an Hundred poor Aged Persons shall be maintained at the Publick Charge But Venvam not satisfied with having given in his Life-time Instructions and Examples of Virtue when he felt himself near Death not sufficiently relying on the force of his preceding Instructions and Examples and knowing that the last Words of dying Persons do make a great Impression he likewise gave his Son Vuvam these three Admonitions 1. When you see any Virtuous Action done be not slack to practise it 2. When the Opportunity of doing a reasonable thing shall offer make use of it without hesitating 3. Cease not thy Endeavours to extirpate and suppress Vice These three Admonitions which I give you my Son adds he do comprehend whatever may produce an exact Probity and excellent Conduct Behold doubtless an Example which shews that in this Kings Life-time the Chineses had very Rational Sentiments and that Virtue as I may say was their Passion For in a word the People generally conform themselves to the Sentiments and Manners of their Kings Regis ad Exemplum totus componituâ— Orbis There is nothing that gives a greater Idea of the Virtue of the ancient Chineses than what they have Writ and Practis'd in respect of their Law Suits They Teach That Actions ought not to be commenc'd against one That Frauds Severities and Enmities which are the general Attendants and Consequences of Law Suits were unbecoming Men That the whole World ought to live in Unity and Concord and that to this end it behoved every one to use their utmost Endeavours either to prevent â—aw Suits from arising or to stifle them in their Birth by reconciling the Parties or inspiring them with the Love of Peace that is to say by engaging them to renew and improve their Reasons These are Cemçu's own Words But that which is most remarkable on this Subject is the extraordinary Precautions which the Judges took before any Cause was brought before their Tribunals They with the utmost Vigilance and Attention Examin'd the outside of the Plaintiff or him that began the Suit to the end that by this means they might know whether this Man was thereunto excited by good Motives whether he believ'd his Cause good or whether he acted Sincerely And for this purpose there were Five Rules By the First Rule They Examin'd the placing of his Words and manner of Speaking and this was called Cutim that is to say The Obsâ—rvation of the Words By the Second They consider'd the Air of his Countenance and the Motion of his Lips and this was called Setim that is to say The Observation of the Face By the Third They observ'd his manner of Breathing when he propos'd his Cause this Rule was called Kitim that is to say The Observation of the Respiration By the Fourth They remark'd whether his Reply was quick whether he gave not intricate ill-grounded uncertain Answers or whether he spake of any other thing than that in question or whether his Words were not ambiguous and this was called Vlhtâ—m that is to say The Observation of the Answers Lastly By the Fifth The Judges were carefully to weigh the Considerations and Respect to see whether there was no Trouble Digression or Confusion if there appeared not any sign of a Lye and Fraud and this last Rule was called Motim that is to say The Observation of the Eyes 'T was by these exteriour Marks that this Ancient Arâ—opagite discovered the most hidden Thoughts of the Heart render'd an exact Justice diverted a great many Persons from Law-Suits and Frauds and inspir'd in them the love of Equity and Concord But aâ— present these Rules are ignor'd in China or at least wholly neglected To returâ— to Conâ—ucius's Doctrine illustrated with the Commentaries of Cemçu This Disciple set a high value upon a Maxim which he had frequently heard his Master repeat and which himself also very strongly inculcated ' â—was this Always behave thy self with the same Precaution and Discretion as you would do if you were observ'd by Tâ—n Eyes and pointed at by so many Hands To render Virtue yet more commendable and more easily to inspire the Sentiments thereof the same Disciple demonstrates That whatever is honest and advantagious being amiable we are obliged to love Virtue because it includes both these Qualities that moreover Virtue is an Ornament which embellishes as I may say the whole Person of him that possesses it his Interiour and Exteriour that to the Mind it communicates inexpressible Beauties and Perfections that as to the Body it there produces very sensible Delights that it affords a certain Physiognomy certain Transports certain ways which infinitely please and as it is the Property of Virtue to becalm the Heart and keep Peace there so this inward Tranquillity and secret Joy do produce a certain Serenity in the Countenance a certain Joy and Air of Goodness Kindness and Reason which attracts the Heart and Esteem of the whole World After which he concludes that the principal Business of a Man is to rectifie his Mind and so well to rule his Heart that his Passions might always be calm and if it happen that they be excited he ought to be mov'd no farther than is necessary in a word that he may regulate them according to right Reason For as for instance adds he if we suffer our selves to be transported with excessive Anger that is to say if we fall into a Rage without any cause or more than we ought when we have reason we may thence conclude that our Mind has not the Rectitude it ought to have If we contemn and mortally hate a Person by reason of certain Defects that we observe in him and render not Justice to his good and excellent Qualities if endow'd therewith if we permit our selves to be troubled by a too great â—ear if we abandon our selves to an immoderate Joy or to an excessive Sorrow it cannot be said that our Mind is in the state wherein it
correspond with the Wisest associatâ— with the best Men. LV. To Sin and not to Repent is properly to Sin LVI 'T is good to Fast somâ— times to give thy Mind to Meditation and to the Study of Virtue The Wise Man is taken up with other Cares than with the continual Cares of his Nourishment The best cultivated Earth frustrates the hopes of the Labourer when the Seasons are Irregular All the Rules of Husbandry could not secure him from Death in the time of a hard Famine but Virtue is never fruitless LVII The Wise Man must learn to know the Heart of Man to the end â—hat taking every one according to his own Inclination he may not labour in Vain when he shall discourse to him of Virtue All Men ought not to be instruâ—ted after the same way There are divers Paths that lead to Virtue the Wise Man ought not to ignore them LVIII Combat Night and Day against thy Viâ—es aâ—d if by thy Cares and Vigilance thou gainst the Victory over thy self couragiously attack the Vices of others but attack them not before this be done There is nothing more Ridiculous than to complain of others defecâ—â— when we have the very same LIX The good Man Sins sometimes weakness is Natural to him But he ought to watch so diligently over himself that he never fall twice into the same Crime LX. We have three Friends that are Useful to us a Sincere Friend a Faithful Friend a Friend that Hears every Thing that Examines what is told him and that Speaks little But we have three also whose Friendship is pernicious a Hypocrite a Flattâ—rer and a great Talker LXI He that applies himself to Virtue has three Enemies to conflict which he must subdue Incontinence when he is as yet in the vigour of his Age and the Blood boils in his Veins Contests and Disputes when he is arriv'd at a mature Age and Covetousness when he is old LXII There are three Things that the Wise Man ought to Reverence the Laws of Heaven Great Men and the Words of Good Men. LXIII We may have an Aversion for an Enemy without desiring Revenge The Motions of Nature are not always Criminal LXIV Distrust a Flatterer a Man affected in his Discourses and who every where boasts of his Eloquence This is not the Character of true Virtue LXV Silence is absolutely necessary to the Wise Man Great Discourses elaborate Discourses pieces of Eloquence ought to be a Language unknown to him his Actions ought to be his Language As for me I would never Speak more Heaven Speaks but what Language does it use to preach to Men that there is a Sovereign Principle from whence all things depend a Soveraign Principle which makes them to Act and Move It s Motion is its Language it reduces the Seasons to their Time it agitates Nature it makes it produce This Silence is Eloquent LXVI The Wise Man ought to hate several sorts of Men. He ought to hate those that divulge the defects of others and take delight in discoursing therein He ought to hate those that being adorn'd only with very mean Qualities and who being moreover of a low Birth do revâ—â—e and temerariously murmur against tâ—ose that are promoted to Dignities of State He ought to hate a Valiant Man when his Valour is not accompanied with Civility nor Prudence He ought to haâ—â— those sorts of Men that are puff'◠〈◊〉 with Self-Love who being always Conceited of their own Merit and Idolaters of their own Opinions do assault all deride all and never consult Reason He ought to hate those who having very small Illuminations do presume to censure what others do He ought to hate proud Men. In a word he ought to hate those who make it a Custom to spie out others Defects to publish them LXVII It is very difficult to associate with the Populace These sort of Men grow familiar and insolent when we have too much Correspondence with them And because they imagine they are slighted when never so little neglected we draw their Aversion upon us LXVIII He that is arriv'd at the Fortieth Year of his Age and who has hitherto been a Slave to some Criminal Habit is not in a conditioâ— to subdue it I hold his Malady incurable he will persevere in his Crime unâ—il Death LXIX Afflict not thy self at the Death of a Brother Death and Life are in the Power of Heaven to which the Wise Man is bound to submit Moreover all the Men of the Earth are thy Brethren why then shouldst thou weep for â—ne at a time when so many others remain alive LXX The Natural Light is only a perpetual Conformity of our Soul with the Laws of Heaven Men can never lose this Light It is true that the Heart of Man being inconstant and wavering it is sometimes covered over with so many Clouds that it seems wholly extinguish'd The Wise Man experiences it himself â—or he may fall into small Errors and commit light Offences Yet the Wise Man cannot be Virtuous whilst he is in this state it would be a Contradiction to say it LXXI It is very difficult when Poor not to hate Poverty But it is possible to be Rich without being Proud LXXII The Men of the first Ages applied themselves to Learning and Knowledge only for themselves that is to say to become Virtuous This was all the praise they expected from their Labours and Lucubrations But Men at present do only seek praise they study only out of Vanity and to pass for Learned in the esteem of Men. LXXIII The Wise Man seeks the cause of his Defects in himself But the Fool avoiding himself seeks it in all others besides himself LXXIV The Wise Man ought to have a severe Gravity but it ought not to be fierce and untractable He ought to love Society but to avoid great Assemblies LXXV The Love of Hatred of People ought not to be the Rule of thy Love or Hatred Examine whether they have Reason LXXVI Contract Friendship with a Man whose Heart is upright and sincere with a Man that loves to learn and who can teach thee something in his turn Other Men are unworthy of thy Friendship LXXVII He that has Faults and strives not to amend them ought at least to do his endeavour to conceal them The Wise Man's Defects are like the Eclipses of the Sun they come to every ones Knowledge The Wise Man ought upon this account to endeavour to cover himself with a Cloud I say the same thing of Princes LXXVIII Readily abandon thy Country when Virtue is there depress'd and Vice encourag'd But if thou designest not to renounce the Maxims of the Age in thy retreat and exile remain in thy miserable Country for what Reasoâ— shouldst thou leave it LXXIX When thy Countries Safety is concern'd stand not to consult but exposâ— thy sâ—lf LXXX Heaven shortens not the Life of Man 't is Man that does it by his own Crimes Thou mayst avoid the Calamities that come from Heaven but thou canst never escape those which thou drawest upon thy self by thy Crimes FINIS * Voyez le Traitte de Morale de l'Autheur de la Recheâ—che de la Verité