character-第26章

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the　view　of　Sir　Richard　Steele；　that　women　should　be　characterised

by　a　〃tender　fear；〃　and　〃an　inferiority　which　makes　her　lovely；〃

we　would　have　women　educated　in　resolution　and　courage；　as　a　means

of　rendering　them　more　helpful；　more　self…reliant；　and　vastly　more

useful　and　happy。



There　is；　indeed；　nothing　attractive　in　timidity；　nothing　loveable

in　fear。　　All　weakness；　whether　of　mind　or　body；　is　equivalent　to

deformity；　and　the　reverse　of　interesting。　　Courage　is　graceful

and　dignified；　whilst　fear；　in　any　form；　is　mean　and　repulsive。

Yet　the　utmost　tenderness　and　gentleness　are　consistent　with

courage。　　Ary　Scheffer；　the　artist；　once　wrote　to　his　daughter：…

〃Dear　daughter；　strive　to　be　of　good　courage；　to　be　gentle…

hearted；　these　are　the　true　qualities　for　woman。　　'Troubles'

everybody　must　expect。　　There　is　but　one　way　of　looking　at　fate

whatever　that　be；　whether　blessings　or　afflictionsto　behave

with　dignity　under　both。　　We　must　not　lose　heart；　or　it　will　be

the　worse　both　for　ourselves　and　for　those　whom　we　love。

To　struggle；　and　again　and　again　to　renew　the　conflict

THIS　is　life's　inheritance。〃　（12）



In　sickness　and　sorrow；　none　are　braver　and　less　complaining

sufferers　than　women。　　Their　courage；　where　their　hearts　are

concerned；　is　indeed　proverbial：



　　　　　　〃Oh！　femmes　c'est　a　tort　qu'on　vous　nommes　timides；

　　　　　　A　la　voix　de　vos　coeurs　vous　etes　intrepides。〃



Experience　has　proved　that　women　can　be　as　enduring　as　men；　under

the　heaviest　trials　and　calamities；　but　too　little　pains　are　taken

to　teach　them　to　endure　petty　terrors　and　frivolous　vexations　with

fortitude。　　Such　little　miseries；　if　petted　and　indulged；　quickly

run　into　sickly　sensibility；　and　become　the　bane　of　their　life；

keeping　themselves　and　those　about　them　in　a　state　of　chronic

discomfort。



The　best　corrective　of　this　condition　of　mind　is　wholesome　moral

and　mental　discipline。　　Mental　strength　is　as　necessary　for　the

development　of　woman's　character　as　of　man's。　　It　gives　her

capacity　to　deal　with　the　affairs　of　life；　and　presence　of　mind；

which　enable　her　to　act　with　vigour　and　effect　in　moments　of

emergency。　　Character；　in　a　woman；　as　in　a　man；　will　always　be

found　the　best　safeguard　of　virtue；　the　best　nurse　of　religion；

the　best　corrective　of　Time。　　Personal　beauty　soon　passes；　but

beauty　of　mind　and　character　increases　in　attractiveness

the　older　it　grows。



Ben　Jonson　gives　a　striking　portraiture　of　a　noble　woman　in

these　lines：…



　　　　〃I　meant　she　should　be　courteous；　facile；　sweet；

　　　　　　Free　from　that　solemn　vice　of　greatness；　pride；

　　　　I　meant　each　softed　virtue　there　should　meet；

　　　　　　Fit　in　that　softer　bosom　to　abide。

　　　　Only　a　learned　and　a　manly　soul；

　　　　　　I　purposed　her；　that　should　with　even　powers；

　　　　The　rock；　the　spindle；　and　the　shears　control

　　　　　　Of　destiny；　and　spin　her　own　free　hours。'



The　courage　of　woman　is　not　the　less　true　because　it　is　for　the

most　part　passive。　　It　is　not　encouraged　by　the　cheers　of　the

world；　for　it　is　mostly　exhibited　in　the　recesses　of　private　life。

Yet　there　are　cases　of　heroic　patience　and　endurance　on　the　part

of　women　which　occasionally　come　to　the　light　of　day。　　One　of　the

most　celebrated　instances　in　history　is　that　of　Gertrude　Von　der

Wart。　　Her　husband；　falsely　accused　of　being　an　accomplice　in　the

murder　of　the　Emperor　Albert；　was　condemned　to　the　most　frightful

of　all　punishmentsto　be　broken　alive　on　the　wheel。　　With　most

profound　conviction　of　her　husband's　innocence　the　faithful　woman

stood　by　his　side　to　the　last；　watching　over　him　during　two

days　and　nights；　braving　the　empress's　anger　and　the　inclemency

of　the　weather；　in　the　hope　of　contributing　to　soothe　his

dying　agonies。　（13）



But　women　have　not　only　distinguished　themselves　for　their　passive

courage：　impelled　by　affection；　or　the　sense　of　duty；　they　have

occasionally　become　heroic。　　When　the　band　of　conspirators；　who

sought　the　life　of　James　II。　of　Scotland；　burst　into　his　lodgings

at　Perth；　the　king　called　to　the　ladies；　who　were　in　the　chamber

outside　his　room；　to　keep　the　door　as　well　as　they　could；　and　give

him　time　to　escape。　　The　conspirators　had　previously　destroyed　the

locks　of　the　doors；　so　that　the　keys　could　not　be　turned；　and　when

they　reached　the　ladies'　apartment；　it　was　found　that　the　bar　also

had　been　removed。　　But；　on　hearing　them　approach；　the　brave

Catherine　Douglas；　with　the　hereditary　courage　of　her　family；

boldly　thrust　her　arm　across　the　door　instead　of　the　bar；　and　held

it　there　until；　her　arm　being　broken；　the　conspirators　burst　into

the　room　with　drawn　swords　and　daggers；　overthrowing　the　ladies；

who；　though　unarmed；　still　endeavoured　to　resist　them。



The　defence　of　Lathom　House　by　Charlotte　de　la　Tremouille；　the

worthy　descendant　of　William　of　Nassau　and　Admiral　Coligny；　was

another　striking　instance　of　heroic　bravery　on　the　part　of　a　noble

woman。　　When　summoned　by　the　Parliamentary　forces　to　surrender；

she　declared　that　she　had　been　entrusted　by　her　husband　with　the

defence　of　the　house；　and　that　she　could　not　give　it　up　without

her　dear　lord's　orders；　but　trusted　in　God　for　protection　and

deliverance。　　In　her　arrangements　for　the　defence；　she　is

described　as　having　〃left　nothing　with　her　eye　to　be　excused

afterwards　by　fortune　or　negligence；　and　added　to　her　former

patience　a　most　resolved　fortitude。〃　　The　brave　lady　held　her

house　and　home　good　against　the　enemy　for　a　whole　yearduring

three　months　of　which　the　place　was　strictly　besieged　and

bombardeduntil　at　length　the　siege　was　raised；　after　a　most

gallant　defence；　by　the　advance　of　the　Royalist　army。



Nor　can　we　forget　the　courage　of　Lady　Franklin；　who　persevered　to

the　last；　when　the　hopes　of　all　others　had　died　out；　in

prosecuting　the　search　after　the　Franklin　Expedition。　　On　the

occasion　of　the　Royal　Geographical　Society　determining　to　award

the　Founder's　Medal　to　Lady　Franklin；　Sir　Roderick　Murchison

observed；　that　in　the　course　of　a　long　friendship　with　her；　he　had

abundant　opportunities　of　observing　and　testing　the　sterling

qualities　of　a　woman　who　had　proved　herself　worthy　of　the

admiration　of　mankind。　　〃Nothing　daunted　by　failure　after　failure；

through　twelve　long　years　of　hope　deferred；　she　had　persevered；

with　a　singleness　of　purpose　and　a　sincere　devotion　which　were

truly　unparalleled。　　And　now　that　her　one　last　expedition　of　the

FOX；　under　the　gallant　M'Clintock；　had　realised　the　two　great

factsthat　her　husband　had　traversed　wide　seas　unknown　to　former

navigators；　and　died　in　discovering　a　north…west　passagethen；

surely；　the　adjudication　of　the　medal　would　be　hailed　by　the

nation　as　one　of　the　many　recompences　to　which　the　widow　of　the

illustrious　Franklin　was　so　eminently　entitled。〃



But　that　devotion　to　duty　which　marks　the　heroic　character　has

more　often　been　exhibited　by　women　in　deeds　of　charity　and　mercy。

The　greater　part　of　these　are　never　known；　for　they　are　done　in

private；　out　of　the　public　sight；　and　for　the　mere　love　of　doing

good。　　Where　fame　has　come　to　them；　because　of　the　success　which

has　attended　their　labours　in　a　more　general　sphere；　it　has　come

unsought　and　unexpected；　and　is　often　felt　as　a　burden。　　Who　has

not　heard　of　Mrs。　Fry　and　Miss　Carpenter　as　prison　visitors　and

reformers；　of　Mrs。　Chisholm　and　Miss　Rye　as　promoters　of

emigration；　and　of　Miss　Nightingale　and　Miss　Garrett　as　apostles

of　hospital　nursing？



That　these　women　should　have　emerged　from　the　sphere　of　private

and　domestic　life　to　become　leaders　in　philanthropy；　indicates　no

small；　degree　of　moral　courage　on　their　part；　for　to　women；　above

all　others；　quiet　and　ease　and　retirement　are　most　natural　and

welcome。　　Very　few　women　step　beyond　the　boundaries　of　home　in

search　of　a　larger　field　of　usefulness。　　But　when　they　have

desired　one；　they　have　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　it。　　The　ways

in　which　men　and　women　can　help　their　neighbours　are　innumerable。

It　needs　but　the　willing　heart　and　ready　hand。　　Most　of　the

philanthropic　workers　we　have　named；　however；　have　scarcely　been

influenced　by　choice。　　The　duty　lay　in　their　wayit　seemed

to　be　the　nearest　to　themand　they　set　about　doing　it

without　desire　for　fame；　or　any　other　reward　but　the　approval

of　their　own　conscience。



Among　prison…visitors；　the　name　of　Sarah　Martin　is　much　less　known

than　that　of　Mrs。　Fry；　although　she　preceded　her　in　the　work。　　How

she　was　led　to　undertake　it；　furnishes　at　the　same　time

an　illustration　of　womanly　trueheartedness　and　earnest

womanly　courage。



Sarah　Martin　was　the　daughter　of　poor　parents；　and　was　left　an

orphan　at　an　early　age。　　She　was　brought　up　by　her　grandmother；　at

Caistor；　near　Yarmouth；　and　earned　her　living　by　going　out　to

families　as　assistant…dressmaker；　at　a　shilling　a　day。　　In　1819；　a

woman　was　tried　and　sentenced　to　imprisonment　in　Yarmouth　Gaol；

for　cruelly　beating　and　illusing　her　child；　and　her　crime　became

the　talk　of　the　town。　　The　young　dressmaker　was　much　impressed　by

the　report　of　the　trial；　and　the　desire　entered　her　mind　of

visiting　the　woman　in　gaol；　and　trying　to　reclaim　her。　　She　had

often　before；　on　passing　the　walls　of　the　borough　gaol；　felt

impelled　to　seek　admission；　with　the　object　of　visiting　the

inmates；　reading　the　Scriptures　to　them；　and　endeavouring　to　lead

them　back　to　the　society　whose　laws　they　had　violated。



At　length　she　could　not　resist　her　impulse　to　visit　the　mother。

She　entered　the　gaol…porch；　lifted　the　knocker；　and　asked　the

gaoler　for　admission。　　For　some　reason　or　other　she　was　refused；

but　she　returned；　repeated　her　request；　and　this　time　she　was

admitted。　　The　culprit　mother　shortly　stood　before　her。　　When

Sarah　Martin　told　the　motive　of　her　visit；　the　criminal　burst　into

tears；　and　thanked　her。　　Those　tears　and　thanks　shaped　the　whole

course　of　Sarah　Martin's　after…life；　and　the　poor　seamstress；

while　maintaining　herself　by　her　needle；　continued　to　spend　her

leisure　hours　in　visiting　the　prisoners；　and　endeavouring　to

alleviate　their　condition。　　She　constituted　herself　their　chaplain

and　schoolmistress；　for　at　that　time　they　had　neither；　she　read　to

them　from　the　Scriptures；　and　taught　them　to　read　and　write。　　She

gave　up　an　entire　day　in　the　week　for　this　purpose；　besides

Sundays；　as　well　as　other　intervals　of　spare　time；　〃feeling；〃　she

says；　〃that　the　blessing　of　God　was　upon　her。〃　　She　taught　the

women　to　knit；　to　sew；　and　to　cut　out；　the　sale　of　the　articles

enabling　her　to　buy　other　materials；　and　to　continue　the

industrial　education　thus　begun。　　She　also　taught　the　men　to

make　straw　hats；　men's　and　boys'　caps；　gray　cotton　shirts；

and　even　patchworkanything　to　keep　them　out　of　idleness；

and　from　preying　on　their　own　thoughts。　　Out　of　the　earnings

of　the　prisoners　in　this　way；　she　formed　a　fund；　which　she

applied　to　furnishing　them　with　work　on　thei