The _Shu-King_ tells us further that having appointed a man skilled in
music to teach that art to the children of the great ones of his kingdom,
Chung said to him: "See that your pupils are sincere and polite, ready to
make allowances for others, obliging and sedate; teach them to be firm
without being cruel; inculcate discernment, but take care that they do not
become conceited." He appointed a censor to preside over public meetings
where speeches were made, saying to him: "I have an extreme aversion for
those who use inflammatory language; their harangues sow discord, and do
much to injure the work of those who endeavour to do good; the excitement
and the fears they arouse lead to public disorders."
Would it not be well for a similar formula to be pasted up in every place
of public meeting at the present day?
Every three years Chung instituted an inquiry into the conduct of the
officials in his dominions, recompensing those who had done well, and
punishing those who had done ill. Few other sovereigns have merited the
eulogy pronounced on Chung by one of his ministers: "His virtues, said the
critic, are not tarnished by faults. In the care he takes of his subjects,
he shows great moderation, and in his government his grandeur of soul
is manifest If he has to punish, _the punishment does not descend from
parents to children;_ but if he has to give a reward, the benefit extends
to the descendants of those recompensed. With regard to involuntary
errors, he pardons them without inquiring whether they are great or small.
Voluntary faults, however apparently trivial, he punishes. In doubtful
cases the penalty inflicted is light, but if a service rendered is in
question, the reward is great. He would rather run the risk of letting
a criminal escape the legal punishment than of putting an innocent
person to death." The same minister thus defines a fortunate man: "He
is one who knows how to combine prudence with indulgence, determination
with integrity, reserve with frankness, humility with great talents,
consistency with complaisance, justice and accuracy with gentleness,
moderation with discernment, a high spirit with docility, and power with
equity."
[Illustration: FIG. 12.--A NAUGHTY PUPIL.]
[Sidenote: A BOASTFUL ENGINEER]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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