E.W. THE SAYINGS OF MENCIUS BOOK I KING HWUY OF LËANG Part I Mencius went to see King Hwuy of Lëang.

Mencius replied, "Why must your Majesty used that word 'profit'?

Let your Majesty likewise make benevolence and righteousness your only themesWhy must you speak of profit?" When Mencius, another day, was seeing King Hwuy of Lëang, the King went and stood with him by a pond, and, looking round on the wild geese and deer, large and small, said, "Do wise and good princes also take pleasure in these things?"

Mencius replied, "Being wise and good, they then have pleasure in these things.

And yet the people of the neighboring kings do not decrease, nor do my people increasehow is this?" Mencius replied, "Your Majesty loves war; allow me to take an illustration from war.

Mencius said, "Since your Majesty knows this you have no ground to expect that your people will become more numerous than those of the neighboring kingdoms.

" Mencius replied, "Is there any difference between killing a man with a stick and with a sword?"

Mencius continued, "Is there any difference between doing it with a sword and with governmental measures?"

Mencius then said, "In your stalls there are fat beasts; in your stables there are fat horses.

What course is to be pursued to accomplish this?" Mencius replied, "With a territory only a hundred li square it has been possible to obtain the Royal dignity.

" Mencius had an interview with King Sëang of Lëang.

" Mencius replied, "There were none of the disciples of Chung-ne who spoke about the affairs of Hwan and Wan, and therefore they have not been transmitted to these after-ages; your servant has not heard of them.

Mencius said, "If he loves and protects the people, it is impossible to prevent him from attaining it.

"I have heard," said Mencius, "from Hoo Heih the following incident:'The king,' said he, 'was sitting aloft in the hall, when some people appeared leading a bull past below it.

" Mencius said, "Let not your Majesty deem it strange that the people should think you grudged the animal.

" Mencius said, "There is no harm in their saying so.

But how is it that this heart has in it what is equal to the attainment of the Royal sway?" Mencius said, "Suppose a man were to make this statement to your Majesty, 'My strength is sufficient to lift three thousand catties, but is not sufficient to lift one feather; my eyesight is sharp enough to examine the point of an autumn hair, but I do not see a wagon-load of fagots,' would your Majesty allow what he said?"

"No," was the king's remark, and Mencius proceeded, "Now here is kindness sufficient to reach to animals, and yet no benefits are extended from it to the peoplehow is this? is an exception to be made here?

" Mencius said, "May I hear from you what it is that your Majesty greatly desires?"

Mencius resumed, "Are you led to desire it because you have not enough of rich and sweet food for your mouth?

Mencius observed, "Then what your Majesty greatly desires can be known.

Mencius replied, "If the people of Tsow were fighting with the people of Ts'oo, which of them does your Majesty think would conquer?"

"The people of Ts'oo would conquer," was the answer, and Mencius pursued, "So then, a small State cannot contend with a great, few cannot contend with many, nor can the weak contend with the strong.

" Mencius replied, "They are only men of education, who, without a certain livelihood, are able to maintain a fixed heart.

The interview here recorded seems to have taken place immediately after Hih's accession, and Mencius, it is said, was so disappointed by it that he soon after left the country.