188 SURGEON-GENERAL C. A. GORDON. 
B.C. 530, are examples:—‘“ Crime is due simply to the 
measures taken for its repression ; immorality is an invention 
of moralists; if all laws were abrogated crime must neces- 
sarily cease; if weights and measures were abolished the 
people could not cheat each other in the exchange of commo- 
dities.” Is it subject of wonder that the advocates of such doc- 
trines were in those days described as charlatans ! As opposed 
to the doctrines of so-called “ Reason” thus presented, those 
taught by Conructius inculcated reverence to the gods (autho- 
rities of the land); the discharge of duty to all mankind, and 
to relations in particular. He taught men “to treat others 
according to the treatment they would themselves desire at 
their hands” ; also to guard their secret thoughts as the sources 
and origin of action : all of which maxims are, in theory at least, 
observed by millions of Chinese at the present day, nearly 
2,500 years after the time when they were first enunciated. 
Ultimately conditions arose under which the great dynasty 
of Cuow came to an end. During several reigns prior to that 
in which the final catastrophe occurred, timidity and inaction 
were observed in administration ; then followed the imposition 
on the people of taxes and other burthens which they were 
unable to bear; maladministration which led to the with- 
drawal of allegiance by tributary princes, and, finally, to 
intestine war and general tumult. 
In vain did Muncrvus (Munarzu, B.C. 371-288), successor of 
Conrvctus, follow up the endeavours of the former to check 
the prevailing vice and immorality of the time. It is inte- 
resting to observe that in early youth this sage was by no 
means an ardent student, a circumstance which led his anxious 
mother to address him thus :—‘‘ Without diligence and effort,” 
such were her words of advice, at the same time that, as to 
give her expressions due emphasis, she rent asunder the 
material she was weaving at the time,— without diligence 
and effort,” attendance at school ‘‘ would be as useless to pro- 
gress in learning as her beginning a web and destroying it 
when half done would be” for the purposes of clothing. ‘lhe 
principal maxims expressed by Muncius himself in subsequent 
years had reference to the prevailing spirit of avarice at the 
time in which he lived. ‘‘ From avarice,” so he spoke, “ mu- 
tual strife and anarchy must result. Benevolence is all in all. 
The hearts of the people are the only legitimate foundations 
of empire, or of permanent rule. He who subdues men by 
force is a tyrant; he who subdues them by philanthropy is a 
king.’ ‘There are employments,” Mencius further added, 
“proper to men of superior station, as well as to those of 
inferior conditions. Some labour with their minds; some 
