is a part of it to respect public opinion; but it does not oblige us to conform to public opinion in everything. "There are cases," he adds, "in which a man must go directly contrary to public opinion; and no one should comply with the customs of his country except so far as they are right." "Man," says Confucius, "is a being made to live in society; but there can be no society without government, no government without subordination, no subordination without superiority; and legitimate superiority can only be derived either from age or merit. The father and mother naturally rule their children; the elder, the younger; and, in the State, those men naturally rule who have a commanding mind, and know how to win the affections of their fellow-men." This high prerogative belongs to but few of the human race, and it consists wholly in a superior humanity. "To have more humanity than others is to be more of a man than they, and gives one a right to command!" Again and again Confucius says, "humanity is the foundation of all virtue, and is itself the first and noblest of the virtues."

He dwells much upon the loveliness and necessity of perfect sincerity. "It is this alone," he says, "which gives value to our actions and constitutes their merit; without it, that which appears virtue is only hypocrisy; which, however it may shine and dazzle the beholder, is only a transient flame which the breath of the lightest passion instantly extinguishes."

Of all the forms of humanity, the one which Confucius considers most important is filial piety. He calls it "the queen of all the virtues, the source of instruction, the eternal law of Heaven, the justice of the earth, the support of authority, the chief bond of society, and the test of all merit." Man, he assures us, is the noblest being in the universe, and filial piety is the grandest thing in man. It comprehends three great classes of duties: those which we owe to our parents; those which are due to the government; and those which are due to the Supreme Reason. It is as binding upon the emperor as upon the lowest of his subjects. "We owe to our prince," says Confucius, "the love which we have for our mother and the respect we feel for our father, because he is both the father and the mother of his subjects. It is filial piety also which obliges man to honor and

serve the celestial power, and this is to be done by the acquisition of virtue." "But," says the sage, "however great may be the love and obedience of a son toward his father, or a subject toward his king, it never ought to degenerate into servility; for there is a HIGHER LAW than that of either a father or a king, the law of the Supreme Reason.”

"Man," says Confucius, "is a being apart, in whom are united the qualities of all the other beings. He is the universe in miniature; endowed with intelligence and liberty, capable of improvement and social life, he can discern, compare, and act for a definite end, and can select the means necessary to arrive at that end. He can perfect himself or deprave himself, according to the good or bad use which he makes of his liberty. He knows what is wrong and what is right; he knows that he has duties to perform toward Heaven, himself, and his fellow-man. If he acquits himself of these different duties, he is virtuous, and worthy of reward; if he neglects them, he is guilty, and deserves punishment."

He divides men into five classes with regard to their moral worth.

The first and most numerous class comprehends the great mass of mankind, who are commendable for no particular excellence, who speak only for the sake of speaking, without considering whether they speak well or ill, or whether they ought to speak at all; who act only by instinct and routine; who have an understanding, like other men, but an understanding which does not go beyond the eyes, ears, and mouth. These are the

Vulgar."

The second class is composed of those who are instructed in science, in literature, and in the arts; who propose to themselves distinct objects, and know the different means by which they can be obtained; who, without having penetrated deeply into things, know enough of them to give instruction to others, and to live a life conformed to the established forms and usages. This class of men he styles "the Educated."

The third class are they who, in their words, their actions, and in the general conduct of their lives never depart from the line of strict rectitude; who do right because it is right; whose

passions are subdued; who attach themselves to nothing; who are always the same, both in adversity and prosperity; who speak when they ought to speak, and are silent when they ought to be silent, having firmness enough not to conceal their sentiments when it is proper to utter them, though they should lose thereby their fortunes or their lives; who despise no one, nor prefer themselves to others; who are not content to derive their knowledge from ordinary sources, but push their investigations to the fountain-head, so as to free their knowledge from all mixture of error; not discouraged when they fail, nor proud when they succeed. These are "the Philosophers."

The fourth class consists of men who never depart from the just medium, who have fixed rules of conduct and manners from which they never depart; who fulfil with perfect exactness and a constancy always equal the least of their duties; who repress their passions and watch over all their words and acts; who fear neither labor nor pain in bringing back to their duty those who have wandered from it, in instructing the ignorant, aud in rendering to all men any services in their power without distinction of poor or rich, expecting no reward, and not even asking the gratitude of those whom they have served. These are" the Virtuous."

The fifth class is composed of the few men who, besides being virtuous, are endowed by nature with extraordinary and beautiful gifts; who are lovely in their persons and manners as in their conduct; who have acquired by long practice the habit of fulfilling, without any effort and even with joy, all the duties which nature and morality impose; who bless every creature within their reach, and, like heaven and earth, never discontinue their beneficent labors, but go on their course imperturbable and unvarying, like the sun and moon. These men, precious, but few in number, are "the Perfect."

"Marriage," says Confucius, "is the proper condition of man, and the means by which he fulfils his destiny upon earth. Man is the head, he should command; woman is the subject, she ought to obey. Husband and wife should be like heaven and earth, which concur equally in the production and support of all things. Mutual tenderness, mutual confidence, mutual respect,

purity, and propriety should be the base of their conduct." He permits divorce for any one of seven reasons: "When a woman cannot live in peace with her father-in-law or mother-in-law; when she cannot bear children; when she is unfaithful; when, by the utterance of calumnies or indiscreet words, she disturbs the peace of the house; when her husband has for her an unconquerable repugnance; when she is an inveterate scold; when she steals anything from her husband's house;" in any of these cases her husband may put her away.

"Government," he says, "is only an extension of the paternal authority, and the great object of government is the promotion of that private virtue which is the great source of all happiness and good." "Nowhere," says a Chinese scholar, "are the rights and duties of kings and peoples taught in a manner so elevated and reasonable as in the writings of the Chinese philosopher, who everywhere maintains that the welfare of the people is the Supreme Law."

Toward the close of his life, one of his disciples asked him if there was not some one maxim which would guide a man aright in all circumstances, and which could be regarded as the essence or summary of all morals. The sage said there was, and gave it thus:

"DO TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE OTHERS DO TO YOU." Such are some of the leading ideas and opinions of Confucius. If any one should ask why the Chinese, who have for twentyfour centuries possessed his writings, should be no better than they are, I would reply by asking another question: Why are we no better, who have enjoyed more numerous and parer lights?

THE TWO CATOS.

IN the history of Rome we find eleven persons of some note who are called Cato, two of whom were men of very great eminence. The word Cato, however, was only a surname, derived from a Latin word which signifies wise, and which, being applied to the founder of the family, was adopted by his descendants for many generations. The first and greatest of the Catos was really named Marcus Porcius, and to distinguish him from his descendants, he is sometimes called Cato the First, or the Ancient, sometimes Cato Major, but, most commonly, Cato the Censor, from the title of the office in which he was most distinguished. It is especially necessary not to confound this ancient Cato with his grandson, Cato "the Philosopher," who put an end to his own existence after the death of his commander, Pompey, and who is the hero of Addison's "Tragedy of Cato."

Cato the Censor was born two hundred and thirty-two years before Christ. While confessing that his ancestors were of no rank in the State, he boasts that his grandfather had five horses killed under him in battle, and that his father was also a brave and excellent soldier. Having inherited from his father a farm and some slaves, he labored with them in cultivating his land, and lived so frugally and austerely as to attract the notice and win the respect of his neighbors. When he was seventeen years of age, Hannibal was in Italy with his triumphant army, threatening Rome itself, and young Cato joined the forces, who, under the prudent command of Fabius, were opposing and tiring out the impetuous Carthaginians. In the army he distinguished himself as much by the severity of his manners as by his valor in battle. He always marched on foot, carried his own arms, and was attended but by one servant laden with provisions. His