'Negative V is an infant and is lucky,' which means that the shareholders are like infants who are guided on by their parents and teachers, without troubling themselves; so that they will gain profits without a slightest anxiety. Then, do not be disappointed by the present retardation, but preserve your share of stocks, and wait for the coming glory."

My guest, on hearing my advice, clapped his hands. and said:- "I am fully assured that the ‘Eki' is the words of the Almighty! The bank I referred to is the Fukushima Bank. One of the clerks once engaged in a speculation at Tokyō, and was defeated in it, the effect of which was felt by the account of the bank, and brought the bank to its extremity. I have found out a great comfort, on being told with the future scope of the bank."

WAR BETWEEN CHINA AND FRANCE.

In October of the 17th of Meiji, I made a lecture on the "Eki" at the meeting of "Shibun-Gakkwai," before the modern eminent scholars, Messrs. Shigeno, Fujino, Teshima, Shimada, Mishima, Matano, Chō, Naitō, Gamō, Kawata, Iwaya, Nagamatsu, Ijichi, Namma, Konakamura, and Okamatsu. The audiences seemed to have been much awakened. I was, however, afraid that some of them may believe that the "Eki" can be interpreted anyhow as we like; and therefore I spoke particulary on the importance of a skillful interpretation.

In order to make them see the useful applications of the "Eki" I offered to divine there one of the greatest questions at that time I took the war between China and France, and obtained the change of “Chun (it H)” into "Yeki (I)." I took China for the inner complement as she is a neighbour, and France the outer.

The "Negative VI" says, "Negative VI mounts a horse, but is unable to advance; and bloody tears are pouring down.” China of the lower complement of "Chun" is the eldest son of "Shin ()," and France of the upper is the middle son of “Kan (=).” The extent of China is evidently wider than that of France, and her land is more fertile. But China is "thunder" and occupies a "positive and unmiddling position": thus the government of the positive stations itself near the border of the country or at Peking, and sends out its soldiers of the negative to fight with the enemy. France is "Water": the government of the positive is at the middle of the country, and the subjects of the negative guard it; the position of the government is perfect.

Now, in this war, the Chinese try to advance, but they can not do so for fear of being drowned in the "water" of the upper complement. This follows from the Chinese's inexperiencedness in the art of navigation; so that their navy can not be enlarged. The meaning of the word "Chun" is here fulfilled. "Mounts a horse, but is unable to advance" means that the Island of Taiwang, beyond the water of the "Positive V," devastated by the French and in a state of utter confusion, China can not save, but is only being struck with horror. "Bloody tears are pouring down" means that the Chinese patriots are crying and weeping at the calamity of the country and pouring forth the bloody tears.

When the complements of the hexagram of "Chun" themselves and their order are inverted, we have the hexagram of " Mô ()"; in which France is the offensive and China defensive. The inner complement of "Mô" is the "water," and men can not be easy in water; thus France has sent out her navy for her own convenience, to gain a double profit, by changing the bias of her people through this war. But, China of the outer complement is the "mountain," and a mountain

can not easily be surmounted; thus, France can not easily invade her. The accident at Loosong is inorderly and the invasion into Kee-ling and Foong-too is immoral-these deeds are equivalent to the devouring of wolves. The French may not be unconscious of the censure of the world, but they have some more important causes, and are too busy to care for these less important small matters, and thus followed the example which savages might set out.

The "Lineation says "In opening Mô to light, it is advantageous to hold men liable to punishments, and to unfasten shackles. To rely entirely upon punishments is inauspicious," and the "Interpretation" is, "It is advantageous to hold men liable to punishments, because righteous laws are thus enforced." Now in this time of the advancing civilisation in Europe, China still clings to her old customs, and is not aware of the existence of the world of the nineteenth century. She is slow and weak, and can not stand in equal rank with the world. The Europeans are trying to make up treaties with this slow nation within the limits of an appointed interval of time. China, however, makes no reply, by vainly occupying time with her usual dilly-dallying. Hence the French invade her in the middle of the treaty negotiation; or " is opening Mô to light." The military system of China is still antiquated, and the endeavour is inadmissible, of China with her weak and irregular soldiers to match the strong and well-trained ones of France. The French consider the Chinese to be childish, and their present invasion can not be called a march, but more properly a chastisement; thus "it is advantageous to hold men liable to punishments."

Of course France may be wishing to invade the interior of China, but as she has an enmity against Germany, perhaps she can not move all her powers towards China, as long as Bismarck is still living. And then it

is evident that she can not obtain a glorious victory over
China. As the French are the "water" and the Chinese,
the "
mountain," in order to climb a mountain from
water, the footsteps must be very steady. "To rely en-
tirely on punishments is inauspicious" means that she
can not gain on land. The French navy will perhaps
resign itself, as we have the phrase, "to unfasten shack-
les," in which shackles refers to the manacle of
the harbour.

Again, the change in the "Negative I" of " Mô’ gives "Son()," which means "to lose." Then, the French endeavour will be a great loss to France. Her loss on herself can be borne, but the loss of confidence of the other nations can never be restored. She is losing money, losing men, losing morality, losing nationality, and ending in the loss intimated by the hexagram of "Son."

For China, the change in the "Negative VI" of "Chun" gives "Yeki ().' Then, the present disturbance will be the threshold of a future advantage, as "Yeki" means "to gain." China has been and is a country in which the taxation is light, and consequently everything incomplete; or in other words, she is selling an imperfect administration at a price of cheap taxation. The present calamity will, however, awaken her, and she will equalise her taxation, improve her regislation, and eagerly engage in the enforcement of her army and navy. This is the reason of her arriving at the hexagram of "Yeki" or "Gain."

TAKASHIMA'S MIS-INTERPRETATION.

As I am an earnest admirer of the principles of the "Eki,” many of my relatives are fond of it, and my younger brother Tokuemon too. A former clerk of mine

came to my brother's at Kobikichō, Tōkyō, one day, and asked him to divine the good or evil of his intended change of business, as he was going to do, being hard up by the commercial inactivity prevalent at that time. My brother took the "sticks" and obtained the "Negative VI" of "Chun().' He gave the following

interpretation:

"It says, 'Mounts a horse, but is unable to advance; and bloody tears are pouring down.' The hexagram of 'Chun' is the emblem of a great difficulty; not easy when staying, and drowning in the "water" when going. It is the emblem of having no other course to be taken, than to go astray on horseback and cry. You are now seeking a new occupation, but you can not go on well with the new one if any. Better sit down and wait for the coming of an available opportunity in future."

I happened just then to visit my brother, and on hearing him speak thus, I offered another interpretation of my own, which was as the following:

"The interpretation of the 'Eki' should be made to be consistent with the degree of civilsation of the country. It should not be regarded as a dead thing, by merely clinging to the general meaning of its 'Lineations. The present hexagram gives the emblem of being drowned in water, but we may still gain profits in it. We have diving-bells for working under the waters. If you will buy some diving-bells and engage in pearlfishery, you will undoubtedly profit yourself, as then the 'Negative VI' changes the hexagram into 'Yeki ,' which means 'gain.' Go then, and commence

this occupation without hesitation."

My words seemed to be very curious to my brother, and he seemed to be somewhat displeased; but he kept silent. The clerk was pleased and took our leave with smiles. He bought some diving-bells and began fishing. At first his emoluments were great, and I was proud to my brother