(Translated from te Shunpau.)
Tile 4 but a Bred year, fow toyo how many tera!"
Reflecting on these lines, my thoughts wandered is deration of the vanity bora in this world the greater proportion meet with untimely or premature ends; but with the more fortunate, the utmost limit is still one hundred years, and to such exceptional cases of longevity will I address myself at present.
Here then have men 36,000 days, and assuming this time to be devoted with fair success to theattainment of happiness, there.
ill remains the reflection that. days and ights are passing away, that the final end is surely and steadily approaching. But, during these 36,000 days, how much grief, sorrow and distress, misery; sickness and pain form the common lot'of man? How mel-anchaly to witness the common desire for happiness thwarted by greed for empty gain, by struggles for illusory fame, rendering life but a continuance of turmoil and trouble? The result thus verily becomes one hundred years of struggling existence, checkered here and there by a few gleams of sunshine. The sum of pleasure how small! And yet in cases of premature death is iPeven still less, Life is but a dream, its joys are a delusion!
Tu ancient books we read, "In the pur-"suits. of life know when' and where to "stop." Why involve an entire life in the heartburnings and disappointments. inseparable from struggles after wealth and honor? Why deprive the mind of one quarter hour of repose? Why not: afford the body aday of restandquiet? Alas! man's wishes are insatiable, he reverts to dust, and then and there only are they quenched.
In former years, it is recorded that Kan Tai-shan located himself in a pavilion in the neighbourhood of the Pele-wang Hills; a visitor enquired of him how he could be contented in such a locality. Pele-wang replied: Because I am resolved not to be wnhappy. Herein have we the true philosophy of life—the key to which is contentment. A discontented mind, however surrounded by external advantages, however favored by worldly success, will still thirst after more. The contented man, although little favored by extraneous circumstances, is still cheerful and happy.
Liti remarks: "The poor man, if ho "would be happy, let him reflect and say,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.