1. A youth of the village of K'eue?h was employed by Confucius to carry the messages between him and his visitors. Some one asked about him, saying, "I suppose he has made great progress."

2. The Master said, "I observe that he is fond of occupying the seat of a full-grown man; I observe that he walks shoulder to shoulder with his elders. He is not one who is seeking to make progress in learning. He wishes quickly to become a man."

46. CONFUCIUS' CONDUCT TO AN UNMANNERLY OLD MAN OF HIS ACQUAINTANCE. Yuen Jang was an old acquaintance of Confucius, but had adopted the principles of Laou-tsze, and gave himself extraordinary license in his behaviour. —See an instance in the Le-ke, II. Pt. II. iii. 24. 夷俟,—the dict. explains the two words together by 展足箕坐, but that is the meaning of 夷 alone, and 俟=待, 'to wait for'. So, the commentators, old and new. The use of 夷in this sense is thus explained:—'The 鸱鸟 is fond of squatting, and is therefore called the squatting ch'e (蹲鸱), but it is called by some the ch'e a (鸱夷), and hence 夷 is used for 蹲, to squat!' See 集证, in loc. 孙, for 逊, and 弟 for 悌. 贼,—in the sense of 贼害,=our 'pest', rather than 'thief'. The address of Conf. might be translated in the 2d person, but it is perhaps better to keep to the 3d, leaving the application to be understood.

47. CONFUCIUS' EMPLOYMENT OF A FORWARD YOUTH. 1. 阙党,—there is a tradition that Confucius lived and taught in 阙里, but it is much disputed. 将命谓传宾主之言, '将命 means to convey the messages between visitors and the host'. 益者与,—the inquirer supposed that Conf. employment of the lad was to distinguish him for the progress which he had made. 2. According to the rules of ceremony, a youth must sit in the corner, the body of the room being reserved for fullgrown men. See the Le-ke, II. Pt. I. i. 17. In walking with a elder, a youth was required to keep a little behind him. See the Le-ke, III. v. 15. Confucius' employment of the lad, therefore, was to teach him the courtesies required by his years.