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by the sovereign of his native state, as magistrate of a small district. Here he instructed the people to nourish their parents while living, and to inter them suitably when dead; he directed the elder and younger to eat separately, and men and women to take different sides of the road; no one picked up what was dropped in the street, and all needless ornament was abolished. Three or four years afterwards Confucius was raised to the rank of prime minister of Loo. Some improvements took place under his rule; when the prince of a neighbouring state, fearing lest Confucius should acquire too great an influence, sent a band of female musicians to the Loo country, on the acceptance of which by his sovereign, the sage resigned, and left his native province. From this period he wandered from one petty kingdom to another, frequently exposed to the secret machinations and open attacks of foes. During these peregrinations, he taught his disciples under the shade of some tree; and, hurrying about from place to place, was sometimes deprived of the necessaries of life. At length the prince of Tsoo, a southern state, hearing that Confucius was in the neighbourhood, wished to engage him; but one of his own officers remonstrated, saying, that Confucius would never sanction their ambitious views; and that, therefore, it was not for the interests of Tsoo, that he should be retained. The prince listened to him, and declined the services of the sage. From thence Confucius retired to his native state, where he did not again solicit office, but employed himself in discoursing on ceremonies, correcting the odes, and adjusting music. He finally turned his attention to the diagrams, and read the book of changes so frequently, that he thrice renewed the leathern thong with