Iime of autumn floods, a hureams poured into the river. It swelled in its turbid course, so that it was impossible to tell a cow from a horse on the opposite banks or on the islets. Then the Spirit of the River laughed for joy that all the beauty of the earth was gathered to himself. Dowream he journeyed east, until he reached the North Sea. There, lookiwards and seeing no limit to its wide expanse, his tenance began to ge. And as he gazed over the o, he sighed and said to North-Sea Jo, "A vulgar proverb says that he who has heard a great many truths thinks no one equal to himself. And such a one am I. Formerly when I heard people detrag from the learning of fucius or uing the heroism of Po Yi, I did not believe it. But now that I have looked upon your inexhaustibility -- alas for me ! had I not reached your abode, I should have been for ever a laughing stock to those of great enlighte!"
To this North-Sea Jo (the Spirit of the O) replied, "You ot speak of o to a well-frog, which is limited by his abode. You ot speak of ice to a summer i, which is limited by his short life. You ot speak of Tao to a pedagogue, who is limited in his knowledge. But now that you have emerged from your narrow sphere and have seen the great o, you know your own insignifice, and I speak to you of great principles.
"There is no body of water beh the opy of heaven which is greater than the o. All streams pour into it without cease, yet it does not overflow. It is being tinually drained off at the Tail-Gate {65} yet it is never empty. Spring and autumn bring no ge; floods and droughts are equally unknown. And thus it is immeasurably superior to mere rivers and streams. Yet I have never veo boast on this at. For I t myself, among the things that take shape from the universe and receive life from the yin and yang, but as a pebble or a small tree on a vast mountain. Only too scious of my own insignifice, how I presume to boast of my greatness?
"Are not the Four Seas to the universe but like ant-holes in a marsh? Is not the Middle Kingdom to the surrounding o like a tare-seed in a granary? Of all the myriad created things, man is but one. And of all those who inhabit the Nine tis, live on the fruit of the earth, and move about in cart and boat, an individual man is but one. Is not he, as pared with all creation, but as the tip of a hair upon a horses body?
"The succession of the Five Rulers {66}, the tentions of the Three Kings, the s of the kied, the labors of the administrators, are but this and nothing more. Po Yi refused the throne for fame. gni (fucius) discoursed to get a reputation for learning. This over-estimation of self on their part -- was it not very much like your own previous self-estimation in refereo water?"
"Very well," replied the Spirit of the River, "am I then tard the universe as great and the tip of a hair as small?"
"Not at all," said the Spirit of the O. "Dimensions are limitless; time is endless. ditions are not stant; terms are not final. Thus, the wise man looks into space, and does nard the small as too little, nor the great as too much; for he knows that there is no limit to dimensions. He looks bato the past, and does not grieve over what is far off, nor rejoice over what is near; for he knows that time is without end. He iigates fullness and decay, and therefore does not rejoice if he succeeds, nor lament if he fails; for he knows that ditions are not stant. He who clearly apprehends the scheme