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Secondly, What are they? They are our brethren, and, like ourselves, some of them are taught, and some are not; but, generally speaking, they are expert, quick, inquisitive, gentle, willing to be led, and often abundantly learned. As 'to their moral sense, it is either blunted or altogether lost, since it depends on their religious belief, which, among the educated, is a kind of esoteric worship, based on ancient writings and codes of morals; while among the common people it is only a system of gross, and, to them, unmeaning rites.
But even the wise among them, as the holy Apostle says, "by wisdom know not God." Confucius, for instance (Sh. Lun. iv. 1), not knowing what to think of "Shin"—"puh yu kwae, li, Iwan, Shin"—spoke of it no more than of magic, fighting, or revolt. And yet, constrained by the irresistible "law written in his heart," he says (ibid. ii. 1), "Tse joo tsae! Tse Shin joo Shin tsae!" "Worship (or sacrifice) as if it were a reality; worship 'Shin,' as if 'Shin' were present!" Mencius, on the other hand, declares, that we receive no good from any one but ourselves, "puh wai," and says (Sh. Mang. iii. 6), that "man has in himself the four principles of good." While Plato (Phæd. c. 78), seems to give it up in despair, when (saying, "It is most difficult, if not altogether impossible for us to know in this life, τὸ σαφές, the truth, on which we may rely and be safe") he adds, "We must either find out wherein it lies; or, if that be impossible, we must follow the best opinions of men, and risk upon
