In the wonderfully moving sequel to The Once and Future King, The Book of Merlyn, near the end, Merlyn quotes Confucius:
"In order to propagate virtue in the world, one must first rule
one's country.
In order to rule one's country, one must first rule one's family.
In order to rule one's family, one must first regulate one's
body by moral training.
In order to regulate one's body, one must first regulate one's
mind.
In order to regulate one's mind, one must first be sincere in
one's intentions.
In order to be sincere in one's intentions, one must first
increase one's knowledge."
