THE EPISTLE

at last original: "tandem" he will declare him that Prince, whom he had hitherto longed to see with such great zeal, though in vain. For since that extraordinary man [Confucius] had sketched in his books an exceptional Emperor—one whom he had formed in his mind—and yet had been unable to find anyone among the ancient Princes of the Empire truly equal to his ideals, in whom all those royal virtues united and who reflected that perfect form and idea of the most absolute Prince in every respect, he then broke forth into these words: Tái Kî Gîn original: "Tái Kî Gîn." A Romanization of Chinese, likely referring to the "Great Sage" or "Great Man."

If he were only to return to life and behold You, GREAT KING, would he not recognize You as that very person he had foreseen in his mind? Would he not, overflowing with incredible joy, exclaim that his prayer had been granted? Would he not set before all kings your wisdom in governing a most vast Realm, and seek examples from your character and laws from your decrees? Finally, would he not wish that your piety, mercy, equity, and that steady serenity and presence of mind and countenance—maintained amidst such a heavy burden of great affairs and business, and joined with such great Majesty—should serve as the norm and rule for all Princes?

But because that most wise Philosopher had recognized, by the light of nature and reason alone, that nothing should be more fundamental original: "antiquius," literally "more ancient," but used here to mean of higher priority or importance. to man than religion, he directed his own teaching and discipline toward this one goal: that mortals should arrange their whole lives according to the laws and precepts of the Supreme Deity original: "supremi Numinis". Therefore, nothing was more important or preferable to him than that the sects and fore-