ectedwhole.MoreoverwehavehatthepeopleofEuropeareacedtoceiveandformtheirjudgmentoftheliteratureofasolelyfromthosewritingswithwhichthenameoffuciusisassociated;but,infact,theliteraryactivityoftheesehadonlyjustbegunwiththelaboursoffucius,andhassiihrougheighteendynasties,includingmorethantwothousandyears.Atthetimeoffucius,theliteraryformofwritingwasstillveryimperfectlyuood.

    Hereletusremarkthat,iudyofaliterature,thereisoneimportantpointtobeatteo,butwhichhashithertobeenpletelylostsightofbyfnstudentsofese;heformoftheliterarywritings."Tobesure,"saidthepoetWordsworth,"itwasthematter,butthenyouknowthematteralwaysesoutofthemanner."Nowitistruethattheearlywritingswithwhichthenameoffuciusisassociateddonotpretendtoanydegreeofperfe,asfarastheliteraryformised:theyaresideredasclassicalorstandardworksnotsomuchfortheirclassicalelegayleorperfeofliteraryform,asforthevalueofthemattertheytaiherofSuTung-po,oftheSungdynasty,remarksthatsomethingapproagtotheformationofaprosestylemaybetrathedialoguesofMencius.helesseseliterarywritings,bothinproseary,havesincebeendevelopedintomanyformsandstyles.ThewritingsoftheWesternHans,forinstance,differfromtheessaysoftheSungperiod,muthesamewayastheproseofLordBaisdifferentfromtheproseofAddisoldsmith.Thewildexaggerationandharshdiofthepoetryofthesixdynastiesareasuhepurity,vigour,andbrilliancyoftheTasastheearlywreakandimmaturemannerofKeatsisuhestrong,clear,andcorrectsplendourofTennyson.

    Havingthus,aswehaveshown,equippedhimselfwiththeprimar