Page:A history of Chinese literature - Giles.djvu/83

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various sources. Again, he quotes sentences not to be found in the Tao-T-Ching. He illustrates such a simple saying as " To see small beginnings is clearness of sight," by drawing attention to a man who foresaw, when the tyrant Chou Hsin (who died B.C. 1122) took to ivory chopsticks, that the tide of luxury had set in, to bring licentiousness and cruelty in its train, and to end in downfall and death.

Lao Tzu said, " Leave all things to take their natural course." To this Han Fei Tzu adds, "A man spent three years in carving a leaf out of ivory, of such elegant and detailed workmanship that it would lie undetected among a heap of real leaves. But Lieh Tzu said, ' If God Almighty were to spend three years over every leaf, the trees would be badly off for foliage.'"

Lao Tzu said, " The wise man takes time by the fore- lock." Han Fei Tzu adds, "One day the Court physician said to Duke Huan, ' Your Grace is suffering from an affection of the muscular system. Take care, or it may become serious.' ' Oh no/ replied the Duke, ' I have nothing the matter with me ;' and when the physician was gone, he observed to his courtiers, ' Doctors dearly love to treat patients who are not ill, and then make capital out of the cure.' Ten days afterwards, the Court physician again remarked, ' Your Grace has an affection of the flesh. Take care, or it may become serious.' The Duke took no notice of this, but after ten days more the physician once more observed, ' Your Grace has an affection of the viscera. Take care, or it may become serious.' Again the Duke paid no heed ; and ten days later, when the physician came, he simply looked at his royal patient, and departed without saying anything. The Duke sent some one to inquire what