Confucius said, "Those who are born with the possession of knowledge are the highest class of men. Those who learn, and so, readily, get possession of knowledge, are the next.

8. CONTRAST OF THE SUPERIOR AND THE MEAN MAN IN REGARD TO THE THREE THINGS OF WHICH THE FORMER STANDS IN AWE. 天命, according to Choo He, means the moral nature of man, conferred by Heaven. High above the nature of other creatures, it lays him under great responsibility to cherish and cultivate him. The old interpr. take the phrase to indicate Heaven's moral administration by rewards and punishments. The 'great man' are men high in position and great in wisdom and virtue, the royal instructors, who have been raised up by Heaven for the training and ruling of mankind. So, the commentators; but the 狎 suggests at once a more general and a lower view of the phrase.

9. FOUR CLASSES OF MEN IN RELATION TO KNOWLEDGE. On the 1st clause, see on VII. 19, where Conf. disclaims for himself being ranked in the first of the classes here mentioned. The modern commentators say, that men are differenced here by the difference of their 气质, or 气秉, on which see Morrison's dict., part, II. vol I. char. 质困, in the dict., and by commentators, old and new, is explained by不通, 'not thoroughly understanding'. It is not to be joined with 学, as if the meaning were—'they learn with painful effort, although such effort will be required in the case of the 困'.

Those who are dull and stupid, and yet compass the learning are another class next to these. As to those who are dull and stupid and yet do not learn;—they are the lowest of the people."