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The Ethics of Confucius. First edition, first printing, presentation copy, with a decorative bookplate on the front cover verso recording the author's gift of this copy to the Yale University Library in 1906. This work is scarce today outside of institutional settings.The author (1870-1910) matriculated at Yale in 1901 and devoted himself to the analysis of Confucian ethics from a modern standpoint. His conclusions echo those of Chinese reformers, active at the turn of the century, who argued vociferously that Confucianism was hampering the country's development into a modern nation: "the ethics of Confucius is opposed to the spirit of progressive development of individuals and society, because it looks backward for the customs, maxims, laws, and opinions which form its standards of conduct. It is too much attached to the authorities of past traditions and customs" (p. 51).Provenance: traces of shelf label at the foot of the spine, deaccession ink stamp of Yale Divinity Library intruding on the presentation bookplate, and another shelf ticket at the foot of the front cover.

• Printing: first

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