鐔津文集 11.43

11.43

潛子昔在潯陽。公濟丱年方師吾友周叔智。務學而沈詳。言不妄發。與諸生絕不類。潛子常謂叔智曰。潯陽江山氣象清淑。宜鍾於其人。在此諸生周氏之子。疑其得之矣。余觀其學有所成。及潛子去潯陽十有餘年。果聞公濟以進士陞第。其後又聞以賢監司李公之舉。得宰建德。不一載而道路傳為賢令。去秋以事來杭。乃權錢唐遂得往還山中。見其治民。少以吏術而多用仁義。視事敬而勤行已端而廉。與人交久而益敬。未逾月而杭人翕然稱之。潛子竊喜。幸吾前言之驗矣。然稱之叔智有道之士也。平生最好以仁義進人而激勵其風俗。悵其早亡不見公濟今所樹立。雖然公濟來資自得。豈謂不肖假其賢師善導之所助耶。會潛子始以傳道為志。所蘊未伸。公濟不平。力為吾振之。其誠且勤。雖古之慷慨之士。不過是也。將別蒙意甚感之。乃為詩以贈其行。詩曰。

Formerly, when Qianzi was in Xunyang, Gongji was a boy with his hair in tufts who was studying under my friend Zhou Shuzhi. He applied himself to study, was calm and meticulous, and never spoke rashly, being completely different from the other students. Qianzi often said to Shuzhi: 'The rivers and mountains of Xunyang have a pure and lovely atmosphere, which ought to be concentrated in its people; among these students, the son of the Zhou family is probably the one who has received it.' I observed that his learning bore fruit. More than ten years after Qianzi departed Xunyang, I indeed heard that Gongji had passed the jinshi examination. Afterwards, I also heard that through the recommendation of the worthy Intendant Li, he obtained the post of magistrate of Jiande. Within a single year, the roads spread word of his reputation as a worthy magistrate. Last autumn, he came to Hangzhou on business and temporarily took charge of Qiantang, so we were able to visit each other in the mountains. I observed that in governing the people, he used little of the clerk's craft and much of humaneness and righteousness; he approached his duties with reverence and diligence, and conducted himself with uprightness and integrity. The longer his acquaintance with people, the more respectful he became. Before a month had passed, the people of Hangzhou unanimously praised him. Qianzi secretly rejoiced, grateful that my earlier words were confirmed. Yet Shuzhi, who was praised, was a gentleman who possessed the Way; in his lifetime, he took the greatest delight in advancing others through humaneness and righteousness and stimulating customs. I am grieved that he died early and could not see what Gongji has established today. Even so, Gongji's natural gifts were attained of himself—how could it be said that one who was unworthy was aided by borrowing the good guidance of his worthy teacher? It happened that when Qianzi first set his aspiration on transmitting the Way, what was harbored within was not yet fulfilled; Gongji felt the injustice of this and vigorously worked to promote me. His sincerity and diligence were such that even the high-spirited gentlemen of antiquity could not surpass him. Being about to part, I am deeply moved by his intention, and thus compose a poem to present to him on his journey. The poem goes: