244 GOLDEN SENTENCES. [1697. 



Translators to give the name of Proverhs to, instead of that 

 of Sentences. 



As the Emperors of GMna, as well as the other Eastern 

 Monarchs, have made themselves absolute over their People, 

 from whom they have extorted a kind of Adoration, the Sages 

 have sometimes artfully oppos'd so pernicious a Doctrine, 

 and so contrary to Justice and Keason. The Author of 

 these Golden Sentences not only fulminates against Tyrants,^ 

 who imagining themselves form'd of other Matter than the 

 rest of Mankind, look upon them as Reptiles, whom they 

 may either spare or destroy, but also against all Governors 

 in general, whatever Titles they bear, providing they do not 

 at the hazard of their Lives, if occasion be, maintain, defend, 

 and make their subjects happy. He says, that the first 

 thing a Prince ought to do upon his ascending the Throne, 

 should be to inform himself diligently of the Condition of 

 his People, to the end he may be ready to relieve them 

 upon Necessity. He ranks Generosity, with Prudence and 

 Courage, among the Chiefest Virtues,^ that ought to adorn a 



1 In the divine classic of Nau-Hua, written by Chuang Tsze, the 

 Taoist philosopher, fourth century b.c. : " The men -who were princes 

 over the empire in the days of yore remained perfectly inactive, caring 

 for nothing but heavenly virtue. Speaking of nothing but Nature, the 

 princes of the empire were upright. Fulfilling their duties by the aid 

 of Nture, the virtue of both j^rinces and ministers became illustrious. 



.... It is by Nature that all created things progress Virtue 



embraces Nature ; and Nature embraces Heaven The world was 



prosperous in all respects .... the people were settled in tranquillity." 

 {The Nan-Hua of Cliuaug Tsze, Heaven and Earth, by F. H. Balfour, 

 p. 135.) 



" Chuang Tsze was the contemporary of Mencius. It is towards the 

 trivialities of life that his keen satire is principally directed. He is 

 the hero of the celebrated story in Sir John Davis's work on China, 

 known as the ' Philosopher and his Wife'." (Ibid., Pref. by F. H. 

 Balfour, 1881.) 



" Chuang Tzu, a most original thinker, whose writings are tabooed as 

 heterodox, an advanced exponent of the doctrines of Lao Tzii." (Giles, 

 Gems of Chinese Literature, p. 19.) 



'^ In orig. : " II met la Liheralite, avec la Prudence, & le Courage, au 



