Chapter 52 To all my brothers, you must have perseverance in reading

【original】 The four brothers: I sent a letter the month before last, and I think I have received it.Yu Meng's ancestral bequest ①, his grandfather taught him a lesson, fortunately he got a family name, he has nothing to worry about inwardly, he has nothing to worry about in his affairs, and he lacks everything.Those who look forward to it will be able to get all the younger brothers to stand strong and work together, so why worry about the name not being visible, and why worry about the bad luck of the family.If you want to set up a separate curriculum and talk more about rules, so that your younger brothers will follow them, you are afraid that your younger brothers will become bored after seeing them; if you want to keep silent, it is not the way for elder brothers to supervise and blame.In the past years, I often taught my brothers lessons, but recently I only taught you the word Youheng.Those who look forward to my younger brothers, but tell me your younger brothers' monthly homework, and I will be very relieved!

But every time my younger brothers write letters, they never write down their careers, but talk about family affairs and other things in Beijing. At this time, my family is in Chongqing, and I am taking care of foreign affairs, so my younger brothers don't care.If you write a letter in the future, tell me how many poems, essays, and books you read every month, and tell me in detail how many poems, essays, and books you read every month. , then I am filled with joy!The younger brothers may be able to be middlemen in academic subjects, or they may be able to be middlemen in learning. Their parents' orders and sons are the same, and my permission and joy are the same.Shen Fu took the name of the department a little later, so he said that he was helpless.For example, Xiaxian's status today is higher than that of ordinary scholars.If the knowledge gets better and the status gets higher, then it is not enough to raise a scholar in a leisurely way.

The way of learning is infinite, but persistence is always the main thing. In the past, brother was extremely impermanent, but in recent years it is slightly better, but he is still not proficient.Since the beginning of July, there has been no day without a break. Every day, I copy a hundred characters of calligraphy and copy a hundred characters of books. I don’t care if I read at least 20 pages.Since July, I have read 100 volumes of "Complete Works of Wang Jinggong ③", 40 volumes of "Anthology of Gui Zhenchuan ④", 20 volumes of "Complete Book of Songs", and 100 volumes of "Book of the Later Han Dynasty", all of which have been circled and critiqued with ink pens.Although I am very busy, I still need to do today's homework. Don't delay yesterday, but make up for it today, and don't think that there is something tomorrow, but do it today.If all the younger brothers can persist in this way, even though the fourth younger brother has middle-level talents, he should still achieve something, how about the sixth and ninth younger brothers with top-notch talents?

I don't know if the place to study next year has been decided?Whether at home or outside, there is nothing wrong with it. It is said that it is not easy to study hard at home, which happens to those who shrug off responsibility.I am fighting in Beijing, and the daily affairs are tedious, but they can still be uninterrupted. What's more, the family can't match the tediousness here? Since October, Shutang Junxian has composed a composition every ten days and read fifteen pages every day, which is also very persistent.The younger brothers tried to circle the "Zhu Zi Compendium" with pens, and decided to be persistent, but within a few months, the circle was finished.If you look at the commentary ⑤, every time it is over within a few months, don't interrupt the reading because of family affairs, and don't interrupt the reading class because the exam is approaching.You can watch it when you go to the store on the day of walking, and you can watch it when you come out on the day of the exam.Brother looks forward day and night, only this has the word "Heng" to tell all brothers, I hope all brothers will always pay attention to it.Brother Guofan hand grass. (November 21st in the 24th year of Daoguang)

【Note】 ①Legacy: the grace left by the ancestors. ②Chongqing: In the old days, grandparents and parents were considered alive. ③ Wang Jinggong: Song Dynasty politician Wang Anshi. ④ Gui Zhenchuan: Ming Dynasty scholar Gui Youguang. ⑤ Notes: Notes and proofs made by later generations on the classics of previous generations. 【Translation】 The four brothers: I think I have received the letter I sent the month before.Thanks to the legacy of my ancestors and the lessons of my grandfather, I was lucky enough to get the name of the department.No internal worries, but a proud affair, nothing is missing. What I hope is that the younger brothers will all be self-reliant and work together. I am afraid that the reputation will not be prominent and the family fortune will not prosper. I want to set up another family. In the course, talk more about the rules and regulations, so that the younger brothers will follow them, but I am afraid that the younger brothers will be bored by seeing them; if I want to keep silent, I am afraid that I will lose the morality of my elder brother's supervision.So in the past, the homework of the younger brothers was always limited, but recently only the word "heng" is emphasized. What I hope the younger brothers are to tell me clearly about the monthly homework, then I will have comfort in my heart.

But every time the younger brothers write letters, they never write clearly about their studies, they just like to talk about family affairs and things in the capital.At this time, the family is in a celebration atmosphere, and things outside are taken care of.The younger brothers can ignore everything, as long as they tell me in detail how many poems, essays, and books they write every month, I will be so happy.Brothers can either become people with academic names or people with knowledge, but the children of parents are all the same. This is the first thing I am happy about.Be cautious, don't say you can't do it too late by the name of the subject.Ru Xiaxian, today's status is higher than the average scholar.If you improve your knowledge and have a higher status, then there is no need to talk about the general promotion of Jinshi.

There is no end to knowledge, and it is always based on persistence.My elder brother didn't have perseverance in previous years, but he has gotten better in recent years, but he is not yet proficient.Since the beginning of July, there has not been a single day of interruption.Every day, I copy a hundred words of calligraphy, copy a hundred words of books, and read at least twenty pages, no matter how many.Since July, I have read 100 volumes of "Anthology of Wang Jinggong", 40 volumes of "Anthology of Gui Zhenchuan", 20 volumes of "Complete Book of Songs", and 100 volumes of "Book of the Later Han Dynasty", all of which are annotated with ink pens.Even if you are very busy, you still have to finish your homework for the day. Don't make up for it today because you were delayed yesterday, and don't do it in advance today because you have something to do tomorrow.

If the younger brothers can be persistent like this, even though the fourth younger brother is of average appearance, he should still achieve something, let alone the sixth and ninth younger brothers are of the highest appearance. Have you decided where you will study next year?Whether at home or outside, it doesn't matter.Saying that it is not easy to study hard at home is a coincidence to shrug off responsibility.Now that I am in the capital, there are so many things to do every day that I can go on without interruption, let alone at home? Since October, Shutang and Yunxian have composed an essay every ten days and read fifteen pages a day, which is also very persistent.The younger brothers tried to take a good look at "Zhu Zi Compendium", persisted, and finished reading it in a few months.If you read the annotations, read them every few months, and don't emphasize family matters, and read books intermittently.Also don't emphasize that the exam is approaching, and read books intermittently.You can watch it when you are walking or when you go to the store.Exam day.Appearances can also be seen.The elder brother is looking forward to it day and night, and he only tells the younger brothers the word "youheng", and hopes that the younger brothers will always pay attention.Brother Guofan hand grass. (February 21st, 24th year of Daoguang)