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THE TEXTS OF TÂOISM.
BK. XI.
honouring it as he honours his own person, may have that government committed to him, and he who will administer it loving it as he loves his own person, may have it entrusted to him. Therefore, if the superior man will keep (the faculties lodged in) his five viscera unemployed, and not display his powers of seeing and hearing, while he is motionless as a representative of the dead, his dragon-like presence will be seen ; while he is profoundly silent, the thunder (of his words) will resound; while his movements are (unseen) like those of a spirit, all heavenly influences will follow them; while he is (thus) unconcerned and does nothing, his genial influence will attract and gather all things round him :what leisure has he to do anything more for the government of the world ?
3. Zhui Khü 2 asked Lâo Tan, saying, “If you do not govern the world, how can you make men's minds good ?' The reply was, 'Take care how you meddle with and disturb men's minds. The mind, if pushed about, gets depressed ; if helped forward, it gets exalted. Now exalted, now depressed, here it appears as a prisoner, and there as a wrathful fury. (At one time) it becomes pliable and soft, yielding to what is hard and strong; (at another), it is sharp as the sharpest corner, fit to carve or chisel (stone or jade). Now it is hot as a scorching fire, and anon it is cold as ice. It is so swift that while one is bending down and lifting up his head, it shall twice
1 A quotation, but without any indication that it is so, from the Tâo Teh King, ch. 13.
? Probably an imaginary personage.
