[Footnote 24:  Since white was, as it is still, the mourning color.]

[Footnote 25:  The act of “grace,” before eating.]

BOOK XI

Comparative Worth of His Disciples

“The first to make progress in the Proprieties and in Music,” said the Master, “are plain countrymen; after them, the men of higher standing.  If I had to employ any of them, I should stand by the former.”

“Of those,” said he, “who were about me when I was in the Ch’in and Ts’ai States, not one now is left to approach my door.”

“As for Hwui,” [26] said the Master, “he is not one to help me on:  there is nothing I say but he is not well satisfied with.”

“What a dutiful son was Min Tsz-k’ien!” he exclaimed.  “No one finds occasion to differ from what his parents and brothers have said of him.”

Nan Yung used to repeat three times over the lines in the Odes about the white sceptre.  Confucius caused his own elder brother’s daughter to be given in marriage to him.

When Ki K’ang inquired which of the disciples were fond of learning, Confucius answered him, “There was one Yen Hwui who was fond of it; but unfortunately his allotted time was short, and he died; and now his like is not to be found.”

When Yen Yuen died, his father, Yen Lu, begged for the Master’s carriage in order to get a shell for his coffin.  “Ability or no ability,” said the Master, “every father still speaks of ‘my son.’  When my own son Li died, and the coffin for him had no shell to it, I know I did not go on foot to get him one; but that was because I was, though retired, in the wake of the ministers, and could not therefore well do so.”

On the death of Yen Yuen the Master exclaimed, “Ah me!  Heaven is ruining me, Heaven is ruining me!”

On the same occasion, his wailing for that disciple becoming excessive, those who were about him said, “Sir, this is too much!”—­“Too much?” said he; “if I am not to do so for him, then—­for whom else?”

The disciples then wished for the deceased a grand funeral.  The Master could not on his part consent to this.  They nevertheless gave him one.  Upon this he remarked, “He used to look upon me as if I were his father.  I could never, however, look on him as a son.  Twas not my mistake, but yours, my children.”

Tsz-lu propounded a question about ministering to the spirits of the departed.  The Master replied, “Where there is scarcely the ability to minister to living men, how shall there be ability to minister to the spirits?” On his venturing to put a question concerning death, he answered, “Where there is scarcely any knowledge about life, how shall there be any about death?”

The disciple Min was by his side, looking affable and bland; Tsz-lu also, looking careless and intrepid; and Yen Yu and Tsz-kung, firm and precise.  The Master was cheery.  “One like Tsz-lu there,” said he, “does not come to a natural end.”