O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be
invisible, through you inaudible;
Literally, “without form or sound,” but it is said of course with
reference to the enemy. Chang Yü, whom I follow, draws no sharp
distinction between 微 and 神, but Tu Mu and others think that 微
indicates the secrecy to be observed on the defensive, and 神 the
rapidity to be displayed in attack. The _Yü Lan_ text differs
considerably from ours, reading: 微乎微乎故能隱於常形神乎神乎故能爲敵
司命.
and hence we can hold the enemy’s fate in our hands.
The _T‘ung Tien_ has 故能爲變化司命. Capt. Calthrop’s version of
this paragraph is so remarkable that I cannot refrain from quoting
it in full: “Now the secrets of the art of offence are not to be
easily apprehended, as a certain shape or noise can be understood,
of the senses; but when these secrets are once learnt, the enemy
is mastered.”