Tre Patwosorny or Hunan Nature Cuv Hsi—From the Chinese by J.
P.' Bruce, Probsthain's Oriental sories vol.\ X.
The Rev. J. Percy Bruce,.4., who received a Doctorate from London University for the translation of. this important work deserves well of those who desire to got at the back of the Chinese mind and are willing to give the necessary study. He here presents in English dress Books 42-48 of Chu Hsi's voluminous works in a portable volume of 444 pages. This Chinese Rabbi has much in common with the Western Socrates, both in manner and in matter. He was of the Conversational school of philosophy, and his books are made up by the reporting of dialogues after the fashion made famous by Plate. He was the presiding genius of a "seminar," where pupils brought for analysis and comparison the saying of the Masters, trusting to his decision in cases of difficulty or ambiguity.
China is to be congratulated on this tradition of the sages, and for the respect and study given to their collected wisdom during many gen-generations. "Learning without thought is labour lost," (p,262). Six hundred years ago the tradition was still flexible and freely handled, but Chu Hsi had 4 great share in fixing its final shape on the eve of the Manchu supremacy. "His writings have done more than almost any other to mould the thought of the Chinese race." (Preface p.XI). Stanislas lo Gall 8.J. in his Variété Sinologiques, has called him the "coryphee de PEcole moderne," and considers his influence stands next to that of Confucius himself.
As to his philosophic standpoint we are again reminded of Socrates in that he appears to make man the measure of all things. On page 146 we read "The further question was asked, "How may we know what are the feelings of Heaven ye and Earth?' Answer, "Man is. true and great, whence we may" know that the Feelings of Heaven: and Earth are true and great. Only they are absolute; there is never anything false or small im them." In thi "philosophy of human nature" are raised the same problems under other terms that have se long vexed Western thought—the emergence of self-consciousness, the intrusion of conscience,. {the rival claims of Monism and Dualism, the controversy between.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.