394 
CHINESE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. 
“ He who sincerely serves his country, leaves the fragrance of a good 
name to a hundred ages ; he who does not, leaves a name that stinks for tens 
of thousands of years. 
“ The utmost limit of man’s life, is not more than an hundred years. 
What hearts have those, who, being engaged in the service of their Sovereign, 
but destitute of talent, yet choose to enjoy the sweets of office, and carelessly 
spend their days ! 
“ The means used by the sages, to perfect their virtue, is expressed in one 
word, “ Sincerity.” Sincerity ! or, in other words, Truth and Uprightness. 
Let my servants (the officers of the Empire) examine themselves, whether or 
not they can be sincere ; whether or not they can be upright ? I fear they 
will give but a poor account. 
“ The virtue of the common People, is like the waving grain, (it bends 
with every wind that blows). If superiors have little truth or sincerity in 
their hearts, the disorderly intentions of the People will certainly be numerous. 
Small in the beginning, and not affecting the mass of the People, they gra- 
dually increase, till at last the bludgeon is seized, and rebellion and anarchy 
ensue. 
“ In ancient times, the heads of rebellion, styled themselves Wang and 
Te, Kings and Emperors * ; but it was never heard in ancient times, that 
any assumed the name of San hwang, (or the King of Heaven, the King of 
Earth, and the King of Men t). The hearts of the men of this age are daily 
degenerating. 
“ As we are the Superiors of this People, shall we bear not to exert our 
hearts and strength to the utmost? — shall we not bend under the labour even 
to lassitude, if we may thereby save a ten-thousandth part ? 
“ If in coming forward, or in retiring, the sole object be personal gain ; 
does a man not lower himself thereby to the common mass ; nay, sink low as 
the filth of the age ? Think, what kind of men will future ages describe you ! 
Will they not engrave infamy on your back ? 
“ For every portion of sincerity exerted by the officers of Government, 
the Nation receives a portion of felicity, and the People are spared a portion 
of misery. The Prince and the People alike depend on the officers of 
* By this it would appear, that some person had recently assumed this title, 
f Alluding to the fabulous ages of Chinese History. 
