character-第2章

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have；　instead　of　your　gold　and　silver　plate。　　You　have　silver

vessels；　but　earthenware　reasons；　principles；　appetites。　　My　mind

to　me　a　kingdom　is；　and　it　furnishes　me　with　abundant　and　happy

occupation　in　lieu　of　your　restless　idleness。　　All　your

possessions　seem　small　to　you；　mine　seem　great　to　me。　　Your　desire

is　insatiatemine　is　satisfied。〃　（5）



Talent　is　by　no　means　rare　in　the　world；　nor　is　even　genius。　　But

can　the　talent　be　trusted？can　the　genius？　　Not　unless　based　on

truthfulnesson　veracity。　　It　is　this　quality　more　than　any

other　that　commands　the　esteem　and　respect；　and　secures　the

confidence　of　others。　　Truthfulness　is　at　the　foundation　of　all

personal　excellence。　　It　exhibits　itself　in　conduct。　　It　is

rectitudetruth　in　action；　and　shines　through　every　word　and

deed。　　It　means　reliableness；　and　convinces　other　men　that　it　can

be　trusted。　　And　a　man　is　already　of　consequence　in　the　world　when

it　is　known　that　he　can　be　relied　on；that　when　he　says　he　knows

a　thing；　he　does　know　it；that　when　be　says　he　will　do　a　thing；

he　can　do；　and　does　it。　　Thus　reliableness　becomes　a　passport　to

the　general　esteem　and　confidence　of　mankind。



In　the　affairs　of　life　or　of　business；　it　is　not　intellect　that

tells　so　much　as　character；not　brains　so　much　as　heart；not

genius　so　much　as　self…control；　patience；　and　discipline；

regulated　by　judgment。　　Hence　there　is　no　better　provision　for　the

uses　of　either　private　or　public　life；　than　a　fair　share　of

ordinary　good　sense　guided　by　rectitude。　　Good　sense；　disciplined

by　experience　and　inspired　by　goodness；　issues　in　practical

wisdom。　　Indeed；　goodness　in　a　measure　implies　wisdomthe

highest　wisdomthe　union　of　the　worldly　with　the　spiritual。

〃The　correspondences　of　wisdom　and　goodness；〃　says　Sir　Henry

Taylor；　〃are　manifold；　and　that　they　will　accompany　each　other　is

to　be　inferred；　not　only　because　men's　wisdom　makes　them　good；　but

because　their　goodness　makes　them　wise。〃　（6）



It　is　because　of　this　controlling　power　of　character　in　life　that

we　often　see　men　exercise　an　amount　of　influence　apparently　out　of

all　proportion　to　their　intellectual　endowments。　　They　appear　to

act　by　means　of　some　latent　power；　some　reserved　force；　which　acts

secretly；　by　mere　presence。　　As　Burke　said　of　a　powerful　nobleman

of　the　last　century；　〃his　virtues　were　his　means。〃　　The　secret　is；

that　the　aims　of　such　men　are　felt　to　be　pure　and　noble；　and　they

act　upon　others　with　a　constraining　power。



Though　the　reputation　of　men　of　genuine　character　may　be　of　slow

growth；　their　true　qualities　cannot　be　wholly　concealed。　　They　may

be　misrepresented　by　some；　and　misunderstood　by　others；　misfortune

and　adversity　may；　for　a　time；　overtake　them　but；　with　patience

and　endurance；　they　will　eventually　inspire　the　respect　and

command　the　confidence　which　they　really　deserve。



It　has　been　said　of　Sheridan　that；　had　he　possessed　reliableness

of　character；　he　might　have　ruled　the　world；　whereas；　for　want　of

it；　his　splendid　gifts　were　comparatively　useless。　　He　dazzled　and

amused；　but　was　without　weight　or　influence　in　life　or　politics。

Even　the　poor　pantomimist　of　Drury　Lane　felt　himself　his　superior。

Thus；　when　Delpini　one　day　pressed　the　manager　for　arrears　of

salary；　Sheridan　sharply　reproved　him；　telling　him　he　had

forgotten　his　station。　　〃No；　indeed；　Monsieur　Sheridan；　I　have

not；〃　retorted　Delpini；　〃I　know　the　difference　between　us

perfectly　well。　　In　birth；　parentage；　and　education；　you　are

superior　to　me；　but　in　life；　character；　and　behaviour；　I　am

superior　to　you。〃



Unlike　Sheridan；　Burke；　his　countryman；　was　a　great　man　of

character。　　He　was　thirty…five　before　be　gained　a　seat　in

Parliament；　yet　he　found　time　to　carve　his　name　deep　in　the

political　history　of　England。　　He　was　a　man　of　great　gifts；　and　of

transcendent　force　of　character。　　Yet　he　had　a　weakness；　which

proved　a　serious　defectit　was　his　want　of　temper；　his　genius

was　sacrificed　to　his　irritability。　　And　without　this　apparently

minor　gift　of　temper；　the　most　splendid　endowments　may　be

comparatively　valueless　to　their　possessor。



Character　is　formed　by　a　variety　of　minute　circumstances；　more　or

less　under　the　regulation　and　control　of　the　individual。　　Not　a

day　passes　without　its　discipline；　whether　for　good　or　for　evil。

There　is　no　act；　however　trivial；　but　has　its　train　of

consequences；　as　there　is　no　hair　so　small　but　casts　its　shadow。

It　was　a　wise　saying　of　Mrs。　Schimmelpenninck's　mother；　never　to

give　way　to　what　is　little；　or　by　that　little；　however　you　may

despise　it；　you　will　be　practically　governed。



Every　action；　every　thought；　every　feeling；　contributes　to　the

education　of　the　temper；　the　habits；　and　understanding；　and

exercises　an　inevitable　influence　upon　all　the　acts　of　our　future

life。　　Thus　character　is　undergoing　constant　change；　for　better　or

for　worseeither　being　elevated　on　the　one　hand；　or　degraded　on

the　other。　　〃There　is　no　fault　nor　folly　of　my　life；〃　says　Mr。

Ruskin；　〃that　does　not　rise　up　against　me；　and　take　away　my　joy；

and　shorten　my　power　of　possession；　of　sight；　of　understanding。

And　every　past　effort　of　my　life；　every　gleam　of　rightness　or　good

in　it；　is　with　me　now；　to　help　me　in　my　grasp　of　this　art　and　its

vision。〃　（7）



The　mechanical　law；　that　action　and　reaction　are　equal；　holds　true

also　in　morals。　　Good　deeds　act　and　react　on　the　doers　of　them；

and　so　do　evil。　　Not　only　so：　they　produce　like　effects；　by　the

influence　of　example；　on　those　who　are　the　subjects　of　them。　　But

man　is　not　the　creature；　so　much　as　he　is　the　creator；　of

circumstances：　（8）　and；　by　the　exercise　of　his　freewill；　he　can

direct　his　actions　so　that　they　shall　be　productive　of　good　rather

than　evil。　　〃Nothing　can　work　me　damage　but　myself；〃　said　St。

Bernard；　〃the　harm　that　I　sustain　I　carry　about　with　me；　and　I　am

never　a　real　sufferer　but　by　my　own　fault。〃



The　best　sort　of　character；　however；　cannot　be　formed　without

effort。　　There　needs　the　exercise　of　constant　self…watchfulness；

self…discipline；　and　self…control。　　There　may　be　much　faltering；

stumbling；　and　temporary　defeat；　difficulties　and　temptations

manifold　to　be　battled　with　and　overcome；　but　if　the　spirit　be

strong　and　the　heart　be　upright；　no　one　need　despair　of　ultimate

success。　　The　very　effort　to　advanceto　arrive　at　a　higher

standard　of　character　than　we　have　reachedis　inspiring　and

invigorating；　and　even　though　we　may　fall　short　of　it；　we　cannot

fail　to　be　improved　by　every；　honest　effort　made　in　an　upward

direction。



And　with　the　light　of　great　examples　to　guide　usrepresentatives

of　humanity　in　its　best　formsevery　one　is　not　only　justified；

but　bound　in　duty；　to　aim　at　reaching　the　highest　standard　of

character：　not　to　become　the　richest　in　means；　but　in　spirit；　not

the　greatest　in　worldly　position；　but　in　true　honour；　not　the　most

intellectual；　but　the　most　virtuous；　not　the　most　powerful　and

influential；　but　the　most　truthful；　upright；　and　honest。



It　was　very　characteristic　of　the　late　Prince　Consorta　man

himself　of　the　purest　mind；　who　powerfully　impressed　and

influenced　others　by　the　sheer　force　of　his　own　benevolent　nature

when　drawing　up　the　conditions　of　the　annual　prize　to　be　given

by　Her　Majesty　at　Wellington　College；　to　determine　that　it　should

be　awarded；　not　to　the　cleverest　boy；　nor　to　the　most　bookish　boy；

nor　to　the　most　precise；　diligent；　and　prudent　boy；but　to　the

noblest　boy；　to　the　boy　who　should　show　the　most　promise　of

becoming　a　large…hearted；　high…motived　man。　（9）



Character　exhibits　itself　in　conduct；　guided　and　inspired　by

principle；　integrity；　and　practical　wisdom。　　In　its　highest　form；

it　is　the　individual　will　acting　energetically　under　the　influence

of　religion；　morality；　and　reason。　　It　chooses　its　way

considerately；　and　pursues　it　steadfastly；　esteeming　duty　above

reputation；　and　the　approval　of　conscience　more　than　the　world's

praise。　　While　respecting　the　personality　of　others；　it　preserves

its　own　individuality　and　independence；　and　has　the　courage　to　be

morally　honest；　though　it　may　be　unpopular；　trusting　tranquilly　to

time　and　experience　for　recognition。



Although　the　force　of　example　will　always　exercise　great　influence

upon　the　formation　of　character；　the　self…originating　and

sustaining　force　of　one's　own　spirit　must　be　the　mainstay。　　This

alone　can　hold　up　the　life；　and　give　individual　independence　and

energy。　　〃Unless　man　can　erect　himself　above　himself；〃　said

Daniel；　a　poet　of　the　Elizabethan　era；　〃how　poor　a　thing　is　man！〃

Without　a　certain　degree　of　practical　efficient　forcecompounded

of　will；　which　is　the　root；　and　wisdom；　which　is　the　stem　of

characterlife　will　be　indefinite　and　purposelesslike　a　body

of　stagnant　water；　instead　of　a　running　stream　doing　useful　work

and　keeping　the　machinery　of　a　district　in　motion。



When　the　elements　of　character　are　brought　into　action　by

determinate　will；　and；　influenced　by　high　purpose；　man　enters　upon

and　courageously　perseveres　in　the　path　of　duty；　at　whatever　cost

of　worldly　interest；　he　may　be　said　to　approach　the　summit　of　his

being。　　He　then　exhibits　character　in　its　most　intrepid　form；　and

embodies　the　highest　idea　of　manliness。　　The　acts　of　such　a　man

become　repeated　in　the　life　and　action　of　others。　　His　very　words

live　and　become　actions。　　Thus　every　word　of　Luther's　rang　through

Germany　like　a　trumpet。　　As　Richter　said　of　him；　〃His　words　were

half…battles。〃　　And　thus　Luther's　life　became　transfused　into　the

life　of　his　country；　and　still　lives　in　the　character　of　modern

Germany。



On　the　other　hand；　energy；　without　integrity　and　a　soul　of

goodness；　may　only　represent　the　embodied　principle　of　evil。　　It

is　observed　by　Novalis；　in　his　'Thoughts　on　Morals；'　that　the

ideal　of　moral　perfection　has　no　more　dangerous　rival　to　contend

with　than　the　ideal　of　the　highest　strength　and　the　most　energetic

life；　the　maximum　of　the　barbarianwhich　needs　only　a　due

admixture　of　pride；　ambition；　and　selfishness；　to　be　a　perfect

ideal　of　the　devil。　　Amongst　men　of　such　stamp　are　found　the

greatest　scourges　and　devastators　of　the　worldthose　elect

scoundrels　whom　Providence；　in　its　inscrutable　designs；　permits　to

fulfil　their　mission　of　destruction　upon　earth。　（10）



Very　different　is　the　man　of　energetic　character　inspired　by　a

noble　spirit；　whose　actions　are　governed　by　rectitude；　and　the　law

of　whose　life　is　duty。　　He　is　just　and　upright；in　his　business

dealings；　in　his　public　action；　and　in　his　family　lifejustice

being　as　essential　in　the　government　of　a　home　as　of　a　nation。　　He

will　be　honest　in　all　thingsin　his　words　and　in　his　work。　　He

will　be　generous　and　merciful　to　his　opponents；　as　well　as　to

those　who　are　weaker　than　himself。　　It　was　truly　said　of　Sheridan

who；　with　all　his　improvidence；　was　generous；　and　never　gave

painthat



　　　　　〃His　wit　in　t