The Master said, "Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Constant Mean! Rare for a long time has been its practice among the people."

25. THE HAPPY EFFECT OF LEARNING AND PROPRIETY COMBINED. 君子has here its lighter meaning,= 'the student of what is right and true'. The 之in 约之 we naturally refer to 文, but comparing IX.10,2—约我以礼,—we may assent to the observa. that 我指已身, 'I refer to the learner's own person'. See note on IV.23.畔, 'the boundary of a field'; then, 'to overstep that boundary'. 矣夫, as in V.26, but the force here is more 'ah', then 'alas!'

26. CONFUCIUS VINDICATES HIMSELF FOR VISITING THE UNWORTHY NAN-TSZE. Nantsze was the wife of the duke of Wei, and sister of prince Chaou, mentioned ch.14. Her lewd character was well known, and hence Tsze-loo was displeased, thinking an interview with her was disgraceful to the Master. Great pains are taken to explain the incident. 'Nan-tsze', says one, 'sought the interview from the stirrings of her natural conscience'. 'It was a rule,' says another, 'that officers in a state should visit the prince's wife.' 'Nan-tsze,' argues a third, 'had all influence with her husband, and Confucius wished to get currency by her means of his doctrine.' Whether 矢 is to be understood in the sense of 'to swear', =誓, or 'to make a declaration'=陈, is much debated. Evidently, the thing is an oath, or solemn protestation against the suspicions of Tsze-loo.

27. THE DEFECTIVE PRACTICE OF THE PEOPLE IN CONFUCIUS' TIMES. See 中庸, III.