Chapter 51 To all brothers, we must be determined to make great progress

【original】 The four elder brothers have not received any letters since the letter was sent in July. Sending a letter in the countryside is a hundred times more difficult than sending a letter in the provincial capital, so I don't look forward to it.However, the ninth younger brother wrote in the past that he intends to study with Liu Xiaxian's companion. This is very good. Xiaxian has read Zhuzi's books recently and has seen a lot. I don't know what he can say.If you are polite in your words and demeanor, and your dignity is acceptable, then you will think that you are a teacher, how can you be a friend?However, to live with them, it is better to be able to benefit from them, and not to be envious of false fame; if people can make up their own minds, then they are sages and sages, so what can't be done?Why use people?I want benevolence, and Siren is the best.If I want to be Confucius and Mencius, I will work hard day and night, but Confucius and Mencius are learning, who can control me?If you don't make up your own mind, even if you live with Yao, Shun, Yutang day in and day out, you will be with each other, and I will be myself, so why should it be with me?

Last year Wen Fu wanted to study in the provincial capital. I thought that if he was away from the cramped place of his family and lived with all the winners in the provincial capital, his progress would be limitless. But in the past two years, he has not read many books. As for poetry and prose, he has absolutely no The lack of progress cannot be attributed to local promotion. Last year, I chose Ding Jun Xuzhong as my teacher. Seeing that Ding Jun was too far away to follow, Yu Yizhong had no other teacher to follow.This year, my younger brother chose Luo Luoshan to change the text, but there was no news after that, so it can't be blamed on unscrupulous friends.The sun and the moon are passing away, and in a few years, it will be thirty, so I have to take advantage of the time before thirty to make great progress.

I am deeply ashamed of being taught by my father but not able to teach my younger brother to become famous; there are many people who benefit from my friendship with others, but only my younger brothers cannot benefit from it, and this is also what I deeply hate!I am sending a letter to Xiaxian today, and my brothers can copy and play with the draft of the letter carefully. The power of learning and thinking in the past few years is a little big.The sixth younger brother asked Yu to send back the transcripts of the poems he had written. Yu hadn't saved any manuscripts in previous years. Those who have recently deposited manuscripts are only more than a hundred poems, so I really don't have time to copy them.Guofan grass. (September 19th, Daoguang 24th year)

【Note】 ①Resist: resist, prevent. 【Translation】 The four brothers: Since sending the letter in July, I have not received any letters from my brothers.Sending a letter in the countryside is a hundred times more difficult than sending a letter in the provincial capital, so I don't bother.However, Jiudi said in his last letter that he intends to study with Liu Xiaxian as a companion, which is a very good idea.Xiaxian has recently read the book "Zhu Zi", and has seen a lot, but I don't know what his conversation, appearance, scale and atmosphere are like?If words and actions are polite.Prestige can be an example, so it is also okay to learn from him, so why is it limited to friends?But to live with him, one must really benefit from it, and don't envy other people's fame in vain.If a person can make up his mind by himself, then what can't be done by a sage and a hero?Why must we rely on others?I think benevolence, benevolence will be achieved.

If I want to be Confucius and Mencius, then I will work hard day and night. Only Confucius and Mencius can learn, so who can resist it?If you don’t make up your mind, even though Nadiu lived with Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang every day, he is him and I am me, so what does it have to do with me?Last year Wen Fu wanted to study in the provincial capital, and I thought that leaving the cramped world of his family and getting along with those in Shengcheng who were stronger than him would make boundless progress.In the past two years, I have read a lot of books, but as for poetry and prose, I have never improved, so I can't blame the cramped heaven and earth.

Last year I chose Ding Jun Xuzhong for him, but because Ding Jun was far away, I didn't follow, so I didn't have any other teachers to follow.This year my younger brother chose Luo Luoshan to revise the text, but there has been no news since then, and it cannot be attributed to the lack of good teachers and helpful friends.Time flies by; in a few years, it will be thirty, and I have to take advantage of the thirty-year-old to make great progress. I was educated by my father, but I couldn't teach my younger brother to be famous. I am deeply ashamed.When others make friends with me, most of them benefit from me, but only a few younger brothers cannot benefit from it. This is what I deeply hate.I am sending a letter from Xiaxian today. Brothers can copy it down and play with it carefully. This is a masterpiece I have studied and thought over the past few years, and the scale is generally available.

The sixth brother asked me to send back the transcripts of the poems I wrote. I didn't save them in previous years. I really don't have time to copy it, so I'll pay back the full copy next year.Guofan grass. (September 19th, Daoguang 24th year)