character-第13章

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Union　indestructible。〃　（3）　　And　thus　it　was　that　Dr。　Arnold

trained　a　host　of　manly　and　noble　characters；　who　spread　the

influence　of　his　example　in　all　parts　of　the　world。



So　also　was　it　said　of　Dugald　Stewart；　that　he　breathed　the　love

of　virtue　into　whole　generations　of　pupils。　　〃To　me；〃　says　the

late　Lord　Cockburn；　〃his　lectures　were　like　the　opening　of　the

heavens。　　I　felt　that　I　had　a　soul。　　His　noble　views；　unfolded　in

glorious　sentences；　elevated　me　into　a　higher　world。。。　　They

changed　my　whole　nature。〃　（4）



Character　tells　in　all　conditions　of　life。　　The　man　of　good

character　in　a　workshop　will　give　the　tone　to　his　fellows；　and

elevate　their　entire　aspirations。　　Thus　Franklin；　while　a　workman

in　London；　is　said　to　have　reformed　the　manners　of　an　entire

workshop。　　So　the　man　of　bad　character　and　debased　energy　will

unconsciously　lower　and　degrade　his　fellows。　　Captain　John　Brown

the　〃marching…on　Brown〃once　said　to　Emerson；　that　〃for　a

settler　in　a　new　country；　one　good　believing　man　is　worth　a

hundred；　nay；　worth　a　thousand　men　without　character。〃　　His

example　is　so　contagious；　that　all　other　men　are　directly　and

beneficially　influenced　by　him；　and　he　insensibly　elevates　and

lifts　them　up　to　his　own　standard　of　energetic　activity。



Communication　with　the　good　is　invariably　productive　of　good。　　The

good　character　is　diffusive　in　his　influence。　　〃I　was　common　clay

till　roses　were　planted　in　me；〃　says　some　aromatic　earth　in　the

Eastern　fable。　　Like　begets　like；　and　good　makes　good。　　〃It　is

astonishing；〃　says　Canon　Moseley；　〃how　much　good　goodness　makes。

Nothing　that　is　good　is　alone；　nor　anything　bad；　it　makes　others

good　or　others　badand　that　other；　and　so　on：　like　a　stone

thrown　into　a　pond；　which　makes　circles　that　make　other　wider

ones；　and　then　others；　till　the　last　reaches　the　shore。。。。　Almost

all　the　good　that　is　in　the　world　has；　I　suppose；　thus　come　down

to　us　traditionally　from　remote　times；　and　often　unknown　centres

of　good。〃　（5）　　So　Mr。　Ruskin　says；　〃That　which　is　born　of　evil

begets　evil；　and　that　which　is　born　of　valour　and　honour；　teaches

valour　and　honour。〃



Hence　it　is　that　the　life　of　every　man　is　a　daily　inculcation　of

good　or　bad　example　to　others。　　The　life　of　a　good　man　is　at　the

same　time　the　most　eloquent　lesson　of　virtue　and　the　most　severe

reproof　of　vice。　　Dr。　Hooker　described　the　life　of　a　pious

clergyman　of　his　acquaintance　as　〃visible　rhetoric；〃　convincing

even　the　most　godless　of　the　beauty　of　goodness。　　And　so　the　good

George　Herbert　said；　on　entering　upon　the　duties　of　his　parish：

〃Above　all；　I　will　be　sure　to　live　well；　because　the　virtuous　life

of　a　clergyman　is　the　most　powerful　eloquence；　to　persuade　all　who

see　it　to　reverence　and　love；　andat　least　to　desire　to　live

like　him。　　And　this　I　will　do；〃　he　added；　〃because　I　know　we　live

in　an　age　that　hath　more　need　of　good　examples　than　precepts。〃　　It

was　a　fine　saying　of　the　same　good　priest；　when　reproached　with

doing　an　act　of　kindness　to　a　poor　man；　considered　beneath　the

dignity　of　his　office；that　the　thought　of　such　actions　〃would

prove　music　to　him　at　midnight。〃　（6）　　Izaak　Walton　speaks　of　a

letter　written　by　George　Herbert　to　Bishop　Andrewes；　about　a　holy

life；　which　the　latter　〃put　into　his　bosom；〃　and　after　showing　it

to　his　scholars；　〃did　always　return　it　to　the　place　where　he　first

lodged　it；　and　continued　it　so；　near　his　heart；　till　the　last　day

of　his　life。〃



Great　is　the　power　of　goodness　to　charm　and　to　command。　　The　man

inspired　by　it　is　the　true　king　of　men；　drawing　all　hearts　after

him。　　When　General　Nicholson　lay　wounded　on　his　deathbed　before

Delhi；　he　dictated　this　last　message　to　his　equally　noble　and

gallant　friend；　Sir　Herbert　Edwardes：…　〃Tell　him；〃　said　he；　〃I

should　have　been　a　better　man　if　I　had　continued　to　live　with　him；

and　our　heavy　public　duties　had　not　prevented　my　seeing　more　of

him　privately。　　I　was　always　the　better　for　a　residence　with　him

and　his　wife；　however　short。　　Give　my　love　to　them　both！〃



There　are　men　in　whose　presence　we　feel　as　if　we　breathed　a

spiritual　ozone；　refreshing　and　invigorating；　like　inhaling

mountain　air；　or　enjoying　a　bath　of　sunshine。　　The　power　of　Sir

Thomas　More's　gentle　nature　was　so　great　that　it　subdued　the　bad

at　the　same　time　that　it　inspired　the　good。　　Lord　Brooke　said　of

his　deceased　friend；　Sir　Philip　Sidney；　that　〃his　wit　and

understanding　beat　upon　his　heart；　to　make　himself　and　others；　not

in　word　or　opinion；　but　in　life　and　action；　good　and　great。〃



The　very　sight　of　a　great　and　good　man　is　often　an　inspiration　to

the　young；　who　cannot　help　admiring　and　loving　the　gentle；　the

brave；　the　truthful；　the　magnanimous！　　Cbateaubriand　saw

Washington　only　once；　but　it　inspired　him　for　life。　　After

describing　the　interview；　he　says：　〃Washington　sank　into　the　tomb

before　any　little　celebrity　had　attached　to　my　name。　　I　passed

before　him　as　the　most　unknown　of　beings。　　He　was　in　all　his　glory

I　in　the　depth　of　my　obscurity。　　My　name　probably　dwelt　not　a

whole　day　in　his　memory。　　Happy；　however；　was　I　that　his　looks

were　cast　upon　me。　　I　have　felt　warmed　for　it　all　the　rest　of　my

life。　　There　is　a　virtue　even　in　the　looks　of　a　great　man。〃



When　Niebuhr　died；　his　friend；　Frederick　Perthes；　said　of　him：

〃What　a　contemporary！　The　terror　of　all　bad　and　base　men；　the　stay

of　all　the　sterling　and　honest；　the　friend　and　helper　of　youth。〃

Perthes　said　on　another　occasion：　〃It　does　a　wrestling　man　good　to

be　constantly　surrounded　by　tried　wrestlers；　evil　thoughts　are　put

to　flight　when　the　eye　falls　on　the　portrait　of　one　in　whose


living　presence　one　would　have　blushed　to　own　them。〃　　A　Catholic

money…lender；　when　about　to　cheat；　was　wont　to　draw　a　veil　over

the　picture　of　his　favourite　saint。　　So　Hazlitt　has　said　of　the

portrait　of　a　beautiful　female；　that　it　seemed　as　if　an　unhandsome

action　would　be　impossible　in　its　presence。　　〃It　does　one　good　to

look　upon　his　manly　honest　face；〃　said　a　poor　German　woman；

pointing　to　a　portrait　of　the　great　Reformer　hung　upon　the　wall　of

her　humble　dwelling。



Even　the　portrait　of　a　noble　or　a　good　man；　hung　up　in　a　room；　is

companionship　after　a　sort。　　It　gives　us　a　closer　personal

interest　in　him。　　Looking　at　the　features；　we　feel　as　if　we　knew

him　better；　and　were　more　nearly　related　to　him。　　It　is　a　link

that　connects　us　with　a　higher　and　better　nature　than　our　own。

And　though　we　may　be　far　from　reaching　the　standard　of　our　hero；

we　are；　to　a　certain　extent；　sustained　and　fortified　by　his

depicted　presence　constantly　before　us。



Fox　was　proud　to　acknowledge　how　much　he　owed　to　the　example　and

conversation　of　Burke。　　On　one　occasion　he　said　of　him；　that　〃if

he　was　to　put　all　the　political　information　he　had　gained　from

books；　all　that　he　had　learned　from　science；　or　that　the　knowledge

of　the　world　and　its　affairs　taught　him；　into　one　scale；　and　the

improvement　he　had　derived　from　Mr。　Burke's　conversation　and

instruction　into　the　other；　the　latter　would　preponderate。〃



Professor　Tyndall　speaks　of　Faraday's　friendship　as　〃energy　and

inspiration。〃　　After　spending　an　evening　with　him　he　wrote：　〃His

work　excites　admiration；　but　contact　with　him　warms　and　elevates

the　heart。　　Here；　surely；　is　a　strong　man。　　I　love　strength；　but

let　me　not　forget　the　example　of　its　union　with　modesty；

tenderness；　and　sweetness；　in　the　character　of　Faraday。〃



Even　the　gentlest　natures　are　powerful　to　influence　the　character

of　others　for　good。　　Thus　Wordsworth　seems　to　have　been　especially

impressed　by　the　character　of　his　sister　Dorothy；　who　exercised

upon　his　mind　and　heart　a　lasting　influence。　　He　describes　her　as

the　blessing　of　his　boyhood　as　well　as　of　his　manhood。　　Though　two

years　younger　than　himself；　her　tenderness　and　sweetness

contributed　greatly　to　mould　his　nature；　and　open　his　mind　to　the

influences　of　poetry：



　　　　　　　　〃She　gave　me　eyes；　she　gave　me　ears；

　　　　　　　　　And　humble　cares；　and　delicate　fears；

　　　　　　　　　A　heart；　the　fountain　of　sweet　tears；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　love　and　thought　and　joy。〃



Thus　the　gentlest　natures　are　enabled；　by　the　power　of　affection

and　intelligence；　to　mould　the　characters　of　men　destined　to

influence　and　elevate　their　race　through　all　time。



Sir　William　Napier　attributed　the　early　direction　of　his

character；　first　to　the　impress　made　upon　it　by　his　mother；　when　a

boy；　and　afterwards　to　the　noble　example　of　his　commander；　Sir

John　Moore；　when　a　man。　　Moore　early　detected　the　qualities　of　the

young　officer；　and　he　was　one　of　those　to　whom　the　General

addressed　the　encouragement；　〃Well　done；　my　majors！〃　at　Corunna。

Writing　home　to　his　mother；　and　describing　the　little　court　by

which　Moore　was　surrounded；　he　wrote；　〃Where　shall　we　find　such　a

king？〃　　It　was　to　his　personal　affection　for　his　chief　that　the

world　is　mainly　indebted　to　Sir　William　Napier　for　his　great　book；

'The　History　of　the　Peninsular　War。'　But　he　was　stimulated　to

write　the　book　by　the　advice　of　another　friend；　the　late　Lord

Langdale；　while　one　day　walking　with　him　across　the　fields　on

which　Belgravia　is　now　built。　　〃It　was　Lord　Langdale；〃　he　says；

〃who　first　kindled　the　fire　within　me。〃　　And　of　Sir　William　Napier

himself；　his　biographer　truly　says；　that　〃no　thinking　person　could

ever　come　in　contact　with　him　without　being　strongly　impressed

with　the　genius　of　the　man。



The　career　of　the　late　Dr。　Marshall　Hall　was　a　lifelong

illustration　of　the　influence　of　character　in　forming　character。

Many　eminent　men　still　living　trace　their　success　in　life　to　his

suggestions　and　assistance；　without　which　several　valuable　lines

of　study　and　investigation　might　not　have　been　entered　on；　at

least　at　so　early　a　period。　　He　would　say　to　young　men　about　him；

〃Take　up　a　subject　and　pursue　it　well；　and　you　cannot　fail　to

succeed。〃　　And　often　he　would　throw　out　a　new　idea　to　a　young

friend；　saying；　〃I　make　you　a　present　of　it；　there　is　fortune　in

it；　if　you　pursue　it　with　energy。〃



Energy　of　character　has　always　a　power　to　evoke　energy　in　others。

It　acts　through　sympathy；　one　of　the　most　influential　of　human

agencies。　　The　zealous　energetic　man　unconsciously　carries　others

along　with　him。　　His　example　is　contagious；　and　compels　imitation。

He　exercises　a　sort　of　electric　power；　which　sends　a　thrill

through　every　fibreflows　into　the　nature　of　those　about　him；

and　makes　them　give　out　sparks　of　fire。



Dr。　Arnold's　biographer；　speaking　of　the　power　of　this　kind

exercised　by　him　over　young　men；　says：　〃It　was　not　so　much　an

enthusiastic　admiration　for　true　genius；　or　learning；　or

eloquence；　which　stirred　within　them；　it　was　a　sympathetic　thrill；

caught　from　a　spirit　that　was　earnestly　at　work　in　the　world

whose　work　was　healthy；　sustained；　and　constantly　carried　forward

in　the　fear　of　Goda　work　that　was　founded　on　a　deep　sense　of

i