Page:Brinkley - China - Volume 3.djvu/96

encourage good faith and the people will never fail in honesty.

Those who have kingdoms should not be concerned that they are poor or have small possessions, but should be concerned that the people are not contented and that possessions are not equally distributed. For with equal distribution there will be no poverty; with mutual goodwill there will be no want; and with contentment among the people there can be no downfall and dissolution.

When there are order and justice in the government of a country, the supreme power will not be in the hands of the nobility or of a ruling class. When there are justice and order in the government of a country, the common people will not meddle with the government.

N. B. This is interpreted to mean that oligarchies and democratic forms of government are the outcome of a defective monarchy.

A ruler should never neglect his near relations. He should never give his great ministers cause to complain that their advice is not taken. Without some great reason he should never discard his old connections. He should never expect from a man that he will be able to do everything.

If you should discover enough evidence to convict a man, feel pity and be merciful to him; do not feel glad at your discovery.

In the conduct of government there are five good principles to be kept in mind and respected, and there are four bad principles to be avoided. The good principles are, first, to benefit the people without wasting the resources of the country; namely, to lead the people to undertake such profitable labour as will best benefit them without its being necessary to give them any assistance out of the public revenue; secondly, to