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II. _HE lIFE AND TIMES OF CONFUCIUS. 29
That there are occasional adumbrations of that honour
which is associated with Christian ideals is only to be
expected, but he dwelt in an earlier and darker age and
deserves the greater consideration. Perhaps his most
serious offence against higher morals was the breaking
of an oath taken under compulsion. When travelling
towards Wei, caught by an officer in rebellion against
that State, he took a solemn oath not to proceed further,
but regaining his freedom he did not hesitate to pursue
his journey to Wei. Being asked by a disciple whether
it was right to break such an oath he replied," It was
a forced oath. The spirits do not hear such."
There are two other recorded instances, one of approval
for a brave man, who covered his gallantry in
bringing up the rear in a sauve qzli 2)cztt by saying his
horse refused to move; and another when he declined,
on the score of sickness to see a visitor,--probably an
old scholar who had misbehaved,--and yet played his
harpsichord as the visitor departed to let him know he
was not really sick. That such laxity on the part of
China's noblest Exemplar has fostered that disregard for
truth for which this nation is so notorious, can hardly be
denied, and we may justifiably condemn and deplore it, but
there are spots even in the sun, and Confucius, malgre the
exaggerated notions of the Chinese, waa only a man with
human frailties.
Nevertheless, the student who through the following
pages spends a few months in his company, will find that
he is associating with a man whose general moral integrity,
conscientious probity, methodical carefulness, con-