rvives　the　death　of　him　who　is　the　embodiment　of　it；　living　on　unharmed　for　ever。
  17
  Those　of　pre？minent　wisdom　and　purity　knew　＇this　TAO＇　intuitively　from　their　birth；　and　so　possessed　it。　Those　of　the　second　rank梩he　men　of　virtue梐pproached　it　nearly；　and　eulogised　it。　Those　of　the　third　rank梬ho　were　still　above　the　commonalty梥tood　in　awe　of　it。　Those　of　the　lowest　rank　held　it　in　light　esteem。　Their　belief　in　it　was　superficial；　or　imperfect；　while　there　were　even　some　who　did　not　believe　in　it　at　all。
  ＇The　first＇　spoke　only　with　forethought　and　calculation；　as　though　honouring　their　words。　When　their　＇public＇　labours　were　achieved；　and　affairs　progressed　unimpeded；　the　people　all　said；　〃This　is　our　natural　and　spontaneous　condition。〃
  18
  When　the　Great　TAO　＇of　the　Five　Rulers　and　the　Three　Dynasties＇　fell　into　disuse；　Benevolence　and　Rectitude　appeared。
  *　This　refers　to　the　rise　of　ethical　science　under　the　Sages梐　substitute　for　the　silent　guidance　of　TAO。　under　which　the　golden　age　of　China　had　been　passed。
  Men　of　wisdom　and　kindness　came　forth；　and　then　hypocrisy　began　to　spread棧ood　men　were　counterfeited　by　the　base＇。　Discord　arose　in　families；　and　this　manifested　＇by　contrast＇　the　virtues　of　filial　piety　and　compassion。　The　State　was　thrown　into　anarchy；　and　this　led　to　the　appearance　of　faithful　Ministers。
  19
  When　Sages　are　rejected　as　rulers；　and　the　services　of　the　wise　are　discarded；　the　people's　wealth　will　increase　a　hundredfold；　＇for　their　hearts　will　all　be　set　on　covetousness＇。　When　benevolence　and　rectitude　＇in　government＇　are　abjured；　＇such　will　be　the　height　of　disorder　that＇　the　people　will　revert　to　their　natural　qualities　of　filial　piety　and　compassion　＇by　sheer　force　of　reaction＇。　When　ingenuities　of　luxury　and　eagerness　for　gain　are　renounced；　there　will　be　no　more　robbers棧or　there　will　be　no　accumulations　of　wealth　to　be　worth　stealing＇。　These　three　propositions　show　that　mere　externals　are　insufficient　for　good　government；　and　therefore　each　man　should　be　ordered　to　confine　himself　to　performing　his　own　special　work　in　life。
  *　It　is　evident；　from　the　forced　interpretation　of　the　above　sentences；　that　the　Commentator　has　expended　all　his　ingenuity　in　an　attempt　to　clear　Lao　Tsze　from　the　imputation　of　reviling　the　Sages　and　repudiating　ethical　morality。　How　far　he　has　succeeded；　those　who　are　familiar　with　the　Confucianist　expositors　are　able　to　judge　for　themselves。
  20
  By　looking　always　on　the　reality　of　things；　and　preserving　the　simple　truth；　＇the　people＇　will　become　less　selfish　and　have　fewer　desires；　and　by　pursuing　their　researches　＇into　the　Doctrine＇　to　the　utmost　limit；　they　may　avoid　sorrow。
  How　small　is　the　distance　dividing　a　prompt　affirmative　from　a　sycophantic　acquiescence；　＇yet＇　how　great　is　that　between　virtue　and　immorality！　I　cannot　but　fear　that　which　is　feared　by　others。＇Their　scholarship＇；　how　neglected　is　it！　It　is　still　night　with　them。
  The　world　is　joyful　and　merry　as　on　a　day　of　sacrifice；　or　as　those　who　mount　a　belvedere　in　spring…time。　I　alone　prefer　solitude　and　quiet；　and　seek　not　to　pry　into　futurity。　I　am　like　an　infant　ere　it　has　grown　to　be　a　child；　listlessly　I　roam　hither　and　thither；　as　though　I　had　no　home　to　go　to。　The　multitude　have　abundance　and　to　spare；　I　alone　am　like　one　who　has　relinquished　everything。　Have　I；　therefore；　the　heart　of　a　fool？　Confused　and　dim；　while　the　vulgar　are　＇apparently＇　enlightened；　I　alone　am　in　the　dark。　Tossed　to　and　fro；　like　the　sea；　roving　without　cessation。　The　multitude　have　whereupon　to　employ　their　energies；　I　alone　am　doltish　as　a　clown。＇But＇　I　alone　differ　from　all　others　in　that　I　reverence　my　Nursing　Mother。
  21
  The　appearance　of　Virtue　in　its　fullest　exuberance　is　no　more　than　the　result　of　compliance　with　the　TAO。　TAO；　considered　as　an　entity；　is　obscure　and　vague。　Vague　and　obscure！　yet　within　it　there　is　Form。　Obscure　and　vague！　yet　within　it　there　is　Substance。　Vacuous　and　unfathomable！　yet　within　it　there　is　Quintessential　Energy梐nd　this　is　supremely　real。　Within　it；　too；　there　is　Trustworthiness；　from　ancient　down　to　modern　times　its　name　has　never　been　lost；　by　it　I　can　include　in　the　range　of　my　observation　the　whole　of　animate　nature。　How　am　I　cognisant　of　the　acquiescence　of　animate　nature　＇in　TAO＇？桞y　TAO　itself。
  22
  ＇In　cultivating　TAO＇　there　are　first　the　sprouts；　then　perfection。　First；　there　is　perversion；　then　rectification。　First　there　is　hollowness　＇receptivity＇；　then　plenitude。　First　there　is　destruction　＇of　the　old＇；　then　renovation。　First　there　is　humility；　then　acquisition。　Self…sufficiency　is　followed　by　suspicion　＇on　the　part　of　others＇。　Therefore　the　Sage　preserves　unity　＇in　his　heart＇　and　becomes　a　pattern　to　the　whole　world。　He　does　not　say　himself　that　he　can　see；　and　therefore　he　is　perspicacious。　He　does　not　say　himself　that　he　is　right；　and　therefore　he　is　manifested　to　all。　He　does　pot　praise　himself；　and　therefore　his　merit　is　recognised。　He　is　not　self…conceited；　and　therefore　he　increases　＇in　knowledge＇。　And　as　he　never　strives　with　anybody；　so　the　world　does　not　strive　with　him。
  Can　that　saying　of　the　olden　times？First　the　sprouts；　then　perfection〃梑e　called　meaningless？　The　attainment　of　genuine　perfection　implies　a　reversion　＇to　the　original　nature　of　man＇。
  23
  Reticence　in　speech　leads　to　spontaneity。　A　boisterous　wind　does　not　continue　after　dawn；　a　deluge　of　rain　does　not　outlast　the　day。　Who　is　it　that　produces　these　two　phenomena？桯eaven　and　Earth。　Seeing；　then；　that　the　forces　of　nature　cannot　last　for　ever；　how　much　less　can　man？
  Wherefore　among　those　who　order　their　affairs　in　accordance　with　TAO；　those　who　understand　the　doctrine　are　identified　with　TAO；　those　who　are　possessed　of　virtue　are　identified　with　the　Virtue　＇or　attributes梠f　TAO＇；　while　those　who　lose　both　are　identified　with　their　loss棧o　that　they　do　not　recognise　it　as　being　loss＇。
  Those　who　become　thus　identified　with　TAO　are　also　received　joyfully　by　those　who　already　possess　the　TAO。　Those　who　become　identified　with　its　Virtue　are　also　received　joyfully　by　those　who　already　possess　the　Virtue。　The　loss　sustained　by　those　who　are　identified　with　the　loss　of　both　is　also　rejoiced　in　by　those　who　are　already　in　the　same　case。
  Where　there　is　insufficiency　of　faith　on　the　part　of　one；　there　will　result　an　entire　absence　of　faith　on　the　part　of　others。
  24
  A　man　who　raises　himself　on　tiptoe　cannot　remain　firm。　A　man　with　crooked　legs　cannot　walk　＇far＇。
  He　who　says　himself　that　he　can　see　is　not　enlightened。　He　who　says　himself　that　he　is　right　is　not　manifested　to　others。　He　who　praises　himself　has　no　merit。　He　who　is　self…conceited　will　not　increase　＇in　knowledge＇。
  Such　men　may　be　said　to　search　after　TAO　that　they　may　gorge　themselves　in　feeding；　and　act　the　parasite；　moreover；　they　are　universally　detested。　Therefore　those　who　are　possessed　of　TAO　do　not　act　thus。
  25
  There　was　Something　formed　from　chaos；　which　came　into　being　before　Heaven　and　Earth。　Silent　and　boundless　it　stands　alone；　and　never　changes。　It　pervades　every　place；　and　incurs　no　danger　＇of　being　impaired＇。　It　may　be　called　the　Mother　of　the　Universe。　I　know　not　its　name；　but　its　designation　is　TAO。　If　forced　to　call　it　something；　I　will　call　it　great。　Being　great；　it　moves　ever　onward；　and　thus　I　say　that　it　is　remote。　Being　remote；　I　say　that　it　returns。
  Therefore　TAO　is　great；　Heaven　is　great；　Earth　is　great；　and　the　King　also　is　great。　In　the　Universe　there　are　four　things　that　are　great；　and　the　King　is　one　of　them。　Man　regulates　himself　by　the　Earth；　Earth　regulates　itself　by　Heaven；　Heaven　regulates　itseIf　by　TAO；　and　TAO　regulates　itseIf　by　its　own　inherent　nature梠r；　spontaneously。
  26
  The　weighty　is　the　source　of　the　light；　stillness　dominates　disquietude。　Wherefore；　while　the　Sage　proceeds　the　whole　day　＇according　to　TAO＇；　he　never　departs　from　either　calmness　or　gravity。　Although　there　may　be　spectacles　of　worldly　glory　＇to　attract　him＇　he　sits　quietly　alone；　far　above　the　common　crowd。　How　is　that　a　Prince　of　Ten　Thousand　Studs　of　Horses　can　regard　his　own　person　as　of　less　importance　than　his　regal　dignity？
  This　lightness　＇on　the　part　of　the　Prince＇　loses　him　his　Ministers；　while　restlessness　＇on　the　part　of　the　Ministers＇　loses　them　their　Prince。
  *　The　phrase　###　might　well　be　rendered　〃is　the　ruin　of　their　Prince；〃　but　this　is　not　sanctioned　by　Lü　Ts？；　who　interprets　it　as　meaning　that　such　Ministers　will　be　dismissed。
  27
  The　conduct　of　the　virtuous　leaves　neither　trace　nor　clue。　The　words　of　the　virtuous　afford　no　ground　for　fault…finding。　The　projects　of　the　virtuous　require　no　intrigue。
  When　the　virtuous　are　obstructed　＇in　their　policy＇；　though　there　be　no　bolt　to　the　door　which　shuts　them　in；　it　yet　cannot　be　opened。　When　the　virtuous　enter　into　relations　with　others；　though　they　be　not　bound　by　the　ties　of　contract；　they　yet　may　not　release　themselves　＇from　their　obligations＇。
  Thus　the　Sage　ever　uses　his　goodness　in　saving　others；　and　therefore　there　are　none　w