which you have, you must likewise turn back to the radical coursefor its attainment. Now, if Your Majesty will institute a governmentwhose action shall all be benevolent, this will cause all the officersin the empire to wish to stand in Your Majestys court, and thefarmers all to wish to plough in Your Majestys fields, and themerchants, both traveling and stationary, all to wish to store theirgoods in Your Majestys market places, and traveling strangers allto wish to make their tours on Your Majestys roads, and allthroughout the empire who feel aggrieved by their rulers to wishto come and complain to Your Majesty. And when they are sobent, who will be able to keep them back?" The king said, "I amstupid, and not able to advance to this. I wish you, my Master, toassist.my intentions. Teach me clearly; although I am deficient inintelligence and vigor, I will essay and try to carry yourinstructions into effect." Mencius replied, "They are only men ofeducation, who, without a certain livelihood are able to maintain afixed heart. As to the people, if they have not a certain livelihood,it follows that they will not have a fixed heart. And if they have nota fixed heart, there is nothing which they will not do, in the wayof self-abandonment of moral deflection, of depravity, and of wildlicense. When they thus have been involved in crime, to followthem up and punish them, —— this is to entrap the people.
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