112 SUEGEON-GENERAL SIR C. A. GORDON, M.D., K.C.B., ON 



According to wliat may be called the musical theory of 

 pathology, the body, by means of the nerves, muscles, veins, 

 and arteries, is like a kind of lute or musical instrument, the 

 different parts of Avhich emit vari(.)us sounds, proper for each, 

 and suited to their figure, situation, and particular uses, and 

 that its different pulses, which resemble the different tones 

 and notes of those instruments, enable one to judge infallibly 

 of their situation and state in the same manner as a cord 

 more or less tense touched in one place or in another, 

 in a stronger or gentler manner, sends forth different sounds, 

 and discovers whether it be too much stretched or too 

 much relaxed.* 



Under the reign of the twenty-third emperor of this line,t 

 Confucius was born (b.o. 552) of whom let it suffice here to 

 Bay that in a vicious age he desired to teach the people and 

 their rulers " the art " of becoming virtuous, and the princi- 

 ples of good government, Avith the result to himself that he 

 became an object of scorn to many, who hated his rigid 

 principles, puritanic as they would be called in our own 

 advanced and progressive day. 



Contemporary with, but senior to him, was Laotze,J the 

 primary object of whose teaching was to refine human nature, 

 and so lead it to the utmost perfection. But it is said of him 

 that he was too abstruse, and moreover, so wedded to this 

 mortal life that he endeavoured to find out the liquor which 

 confers immortality. Nor has he been without his proselytes 

 to that ex:tent even within very modern times. 



Mencius also belongs to this period. § In his teachings he 

 condemned self-interest and war, inculcated care of the 

 aged and the poor. " He feared lest a system of general 

 philanthropy sliould do away with innate love of kindred." 

 He declared that "the bent of the human mind towards 

 virtue is as strong as the law of gravitation,^'\i the expres- 

 sion so employed by the Chinese philosopher preceding the 



* Description of China, by Abbe Grosier, vol. ii, p. 481. 



t Ling Wang, who ascended the throne B.C. 570. See Sketch of Chinese 

 History, Gutslatf, vol. i, p. 189 et seq. Contemporary with Ling Wang was 

 the era of Craesus, Solon and ^'Esop. 



X Id., p. 201. The date of birth of Laotze is said to have been 14th 

 August, 604 B.C. Herodotus, born b.c. 484 ; died b.c. 413. 



J:^ To the reign of Li Wang, 31st emperor, b.c. 375-368. 



I'l Chinese History, by Gutslaff, vol. i, 208. See Note 4. 



