character-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Luther　also；　in　the　midst　of　a　multitude　of　other　employments；

worked　diligently　for　a　living；　earning　his　bread　by　gardening；

building；　turning；　and　even　clockmaking。　（9）



It　was　characteristic　of　Napoleon；　when　visiting　a　work　of

mechanical　excellence；　to　pay　great　respect　to　the　inventor；　and

on　taking　his　leave；　to　salute　him　with　a　low　bow。　　Once　at　St。

Helena；　when　walking　with　Mrs。　Balcombe；　some　servants　came　along

carrying　a　load。　　The　lady；　in　an　angry　tone；　ordered　them　out　of

the　way；　on　which　Napoleon　interposed；　saying；　〃Respect　the

burden；　madam。〃　　Even　the　drudgery　of　the　humblest　labourer

contributes　towards　the　general　wellbeing　of　society；　and　it　was　a

wise　saying　of　a　Chinese　Emperor；　that　〃if　there　was　a　man　who　did

not　work；　or　a　woman　that　was　idle；　somebody　must　suffer　cold　or

hunger　in　the　empire。〃



The　habit　of　constant　useful　occupation　is　as　essential　for　the

happiness　and　wellbeing　of　woman　as　of　man。　　Without　it；　women　are

apt　to　sink　into　a　state　of　listless　ENNUI　and　uselessness；

accompanied　by　sick　headache　and　attacks　of　〃nerves。〃　　Caroline

Perthes　carefully　warned　her　married　daughter　Louisa　to　beware　of

giving　way　to　such　listlessness。　　〃I　myself；〃　she　said；　〃when　the

children　are　gone　out　for　a　half…holiday；　sometimes　feel　as　stupid

and　dull　as　an　owl　by　daylight；　but　one　must　not　yield　to　this；

which　happens　more　or　less　to　all　young　wives。　　The　best　relief　is

WORK；　engaged　in　with　interest　and　diligence。　　Work；　then；

constantly　and　diligently；　at　something　or　other；　for　idleness　is

the　devil's　snare　for　small　and　great；　as　your　grandfather　says；

and　he　says　true。〃　（10）



Constant　useful　occupation　is　thus　wholesome；　not　only　for　the

body；　but　for　the　mind。　　While　the　slothful　man　drags　himself

indolently　through　life；　and　the　better　part　of　his　nature　sleeps

a　deep　sleep；　if　not　morally　and　spiritually　dead；　the　energetic

man　is　a　source　of　activity　and　enjoyment　to　all　who　come　within

reach　of　his　influence。　　Even　any　ordinary　drudgery　is　better　than

idleness。　　Fuller　says　of　Sir　Francis　Drake；　who　was　early　sent　to

sea；　and　kept　close　to　his　work　by　his　master；　that　such　〃pains

and　patience　in　his　youth　knit　the　joints　of　his　soul；　and　made

them　more　solid　and　compact。〃　　Schiller　used　to　say　that　he

considered　it　a　great　advantage　to　be　employed　in　the　discharge　of

some　daily　mechanical　dutysome　regular　routine　of　work；　that

rendered　steady　application　necessary。



Thousands　can　bear　testimony　to　the　truth　of　the　saying　of　Greuze；

the　French　painter；　that　workemployment；　useful　occupationis

one　of　the　great　secrets　of　happiness。　　Casaubon　was　once　induced

by　the　entreaties　of　his　friends　to　take　a　few　days　entire　rest；

but　he　returned　to　his　work　with　the　remark；　that　it　was　easier　to

bear　illness　doing　something；　than　doing　nothing。



When　Charles　Lamb　was　released　for　life　from　his　daily　drudgery　of

desk…work　at　the　India　Office；　he　felt　himself　the　happiest　of

men。　　〃I　would　not　go　back　to　my　prison；〃　he　said　to　a　friend；

〃ten　years　longer；　for　ten　thousand　pounds。〃　　He　also　wrote　in　the

same　ecstatic　mood　to　Bernard　Barton：　〃I　have　scarce　steadiness　of

head　to　compose　a　letter；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　free！　free　as　air！　　I

will　live　another　fifty　years。。。。　　Would　I　could　sell　you　some　of

my　leisure！　　Positively　the　best　thing　a　man　can　do　isNothing；

and　next　to　that；　perhaps；　Good　Works。〃　　Two　yearstwo　long　and

tedious　years　passed；　and　Charles　Lamb's　feelings　had　undergone　an

entire　change。　　He　now　discovered　that　official；　even　humdrum　work

〃the　appointed　round；　the　daily　task〃had　been　good　for　him；

though　he　knew　it　not。　　Time　had　formerly　been　his　friend；　it　had

now　become　his　enemy。　　To　Bernard　Barton　he　again　wrote：　〃I　assure

you；　NO　work　is　worse　than　overwork；　the　mind　preys　on　itself

the　most　unwholesome　of　food。　　I　have　ceased　to　care　for　almost

anything。。。。　　Never　did　the　waters　of　heaven　pour　down　upon　a

forlorner　head。　　What　I　can　do；　and　overdo；　is　to　walk。　　I　am　a

sanguinary　murderer　of　time。　　But　the　oracle　is　silent。〃



No　man　could　be　more　sensible　of　the　practical　importance　of

industry　than　Sir　Walter　Scott；　who　was　himself　one　of　the　most

laborious　and　indefatigable　of　men。　　Indeed；　Lockhart　says　of　him

that；　taking　all　ages　and　countries　together；　the　rare　example　of

indefatigable　energy；　in　union　with　serene　self…possession　of　mind

and　manner；　such　as　Scott's；　must　be　sought　for　in　the　roll　of

great　sovereigns　or　great　captains；　rather　than　in　that　of

literary　genius。　　Scott　himself　was　most　anxious　to　impress　upon

the　minds　of　his　own　children　the　importance　of　industry　as　a

means　of　usefulness　and　happiness　in　the　world。　　To　his　son

Charles；　when　at　school；　he　wrote：…　〃I　cannot　too　much　impress

upon　your　mind　that　LABOUR　is　the　condition　which　God　has　imposed

on　us　in　every　station　of　life；　there　is　nothing　worth　having　that

can　be　had　without　it；　from　the　bread　which　the　peasant　wins　with

the　sweat　of　his　brow；　to　the　sports　by　which　the　rich　man　must

get　rid　of　his　ENNUI。。。。　　As　for　knowledge；　it　can　no　more　be

planted　in　the　human　mind　without　labour　than　a　field　of　wheat　can

be　produced　without　the　previous　use　of　the　plough。　　There　is；

indeed；　this　great　difference；　that　chance　or　circumstances　may　so

cause　it　that　another　shall　reap　what　the　farmer　sows；　but　no　man

can　be　deprived；　whether　by　accident　or　misfortune；　of　the　fruits

of　his　own　studies；　and　the　liberal　and　extended　acquisitions　of

knowledge　which　he　makes　are　all　for　his　own　use。　　Labour；

therefore；　my　dear　boy；　and　improve　the　time。　　In　youth　our　steps

are　light；　and　our　minds　are　ductile；　and　knowledge　is　easily　laid

up；　but　if　we　neglect　our　spring；　our　summers　will　be　useless　and

contemptible；　our　harvest　will　be　chaff；　and　the　winter　of　our　old

age　unrespected　and　desolate。〃　（11）



Southey　was　as　laborious　a　worker　as　Scott。　　Indeed；　work　might

almost　be　said　to　form　part　of　his　religion。　　He　was　only　nineteen

when　he　wrote　these　words：…　〃Nineteen　years！　certainly　a　fourth

part　of　my　life；　perhaps　how　great　a　part！　and　yet　I　have　been　of

no　service　to　society。　　The　clown　who　scares　crows　for　twopence　a

day　is　a　more　useful　man；　he　preserves　the　bread　which　I　eat　in

idleness。〃　　And　yet　Southey　had　not　been　idle　as　a　boyon　the

contrary；　he　had　been　a　most　diligent　student。　　He　had　not　only

read　largely　in　English　literature；　but　was　well　acquainted；

through　translations；　with　Tasso；　Ariosto；　Homer；　and　Ovid。　　He

felt；　however；　as　if　his　life　had　been　purposeless；　and　he

determined　to　do　something。　　He　began；　and　from　that　time　forward

he　pursued　an　unremitting　career　of　literary　labour　down　to　the

close　of　his　life〃daily　progressing　in　learning；〃　to　use　his

own　words〃not　so　learned　as　he　is　poor；　not　so　poor　as　proud；

not　so　proud　as　happy。〃



The　maxims　of　men　often　reveal　their　character。　（12）　　That　of　Sir

Walter　Scott　was；　〃Never　to　be　doing　nothing。〃　　Robertson　the

historian；　as　early　as　his　fifteenth　year；　adopted　the　maxim　of

〃VITA　SINE　LITERIS　MORS　EST〃　（Life　without　learning　is　death）。

Voltaire's　motto　was；　〃TOUJOURS　AU　TRAVAIL〃　（Always　at　work）。　　The

favourite　maxim　of　Lacepede；　the　naturalist；　was；　〃VIVRE　C'EST

VEILLER〃　（To　live　is　to　observe）：　it　was　also　the　maxim　of　Pliny。

When　Bossuet　was　at　college；　he　was　so　distinguished　by　his　ardour

in　study；　that　his　fellow　students；　playing　upon　his　name；

designated　him　as　〃BOS…SUETUS　ARATRO〃　（The　ox　used　to　the　plough）。

The　name　of　VITA…LIS　（Life　a　struggle）；　which　the　Swedish　poet

Sjoberg　assumed；　as　Frederik　von　Hardenberg　assumed　that　of　NOVA…

LIS；　described　the　aspirations　and　the　labours　of　both　these

men　of　genius。



We　have　spoken　of　work　as　a　discipline：　it　is　also　an　educator　of

character。　　Even　work　that　produces　no　results；　because　it　IS

work；　is　better　than　torpor；inasmuch　as　it　educates　faculty；

and　is　thus　preparatory　to　successful　work。　　The　habit　of　working

teaches　method。　　It　compels　economy　of　time；　and　the　disposition

of　it　with　judicious　forethought。　　And　when　the　art　of　packing

life　with　useful　occupations　is　once　acquired　by　practice；　every

minute　will　be　turned　to　account；　and　leisure；　when　it　comes；　will

be　enjoyed　with　all　the　greater　zest。



Coleridge　has　truly　observed；　that　〃if　the　idle　are　described　as

killing　time；　the　methodical　man　may　be　justly　said　to　call　it

into　life　and　moral　being；　while　he　makes　it　the　distinct　object

not　only　of　the　consciousness；　but　of　the　conscience。　　He

organizes　the　hours　and　gives　them　a　soul；　and　by　that；　the　very

essence　of　which　is　to　fleet　and　to　have　been；　he　communicates　an

imperishable　and　spiritual　nature。　　Of　the　good　and　faithful

servant；　whose　energies　thus　directed　are　thus　methodized；　it　is

less　truly　affirmed　that　he　lives　in　time　than　that　time　lives　in

him。　　His　days　and　months　and　years；　as　the　stops　and　punctual

marks　in　the　record　of　duties　performed；　will　survive　the　wreck　of

worlds；　and　remain　extant　when　time　itself　shall　be　no　more。〃　（13）



It　is　because　application　to　business　teaches　method　most

effectually；　that　it　is　so　useful　as　an　educator　of　character。

The　highest　working　qualities　are　best　trained　by　active　and

sympathetic　contact　with　others　in　the　affairs　of　daily　life。　　It

does　not　matter　whether　the　business　relate　to　the　management　of　a

household　or　of　a　nation。　　Indeed；　as　we　have　endeavoured　to　show

in　a　preceding　chapter；　the　able　housewife　must　necessarily　be　an

efficient　woman　of　business。　　She　must　regulate　and　control　the

details　of　her　home；　keep　her　expenditure　within　her　means；

arrange　everything　according　to　plan　and　system；　and　wisely　manage

and　govern　those　subject　to　her　rule。　　Efficient　domestic

management　implies　industry；　application；　method；　moral

discipline；　forethought；　prudence；　practical　ability；　insight　into

character；　and　power　of　organizationall　of　which　are　required

in　the　efficient　management　of　business　of　whatever　sort。



Business　qualities　have；　indeed；　a　very　large　field　of　action。

They　mean　aptitude　for　affairs；　competency　to　deal　successfully

with　the　practical　work　of　lifewhether　the　spur　of　action　lie

in　domestic　management；　in　the　conduct　of　a　profession；　in　trade

or　commerce；　in　social　organization；　or　in　political　government。

And　the　training　which　gives　efficiency　in　dealing　with　these

various　affairs　is　of　all　others　the　most　useful　in　practical

life。　（14）　　Moreover；　it　is　the　best　discipline　of　character；　for

it　involves　the　exercise　of　diligence；　attention；　self…denial；

judgment；　tact；　knowledge　of　and　sympathy　with　others。



Such　a　discipline　is　far　more　productive　of　happiness5　as　well　as

useful　efficiency　in　life；　than　any　amount　of　literary　culture　or

meditative　seclusion；　for　in　the　long　run　it　will　usually　be　found

that　practical　ability　carries　it　over　intellect；　and　temper　and