character-第33章
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thought will spring up like any other habit。〃
DEONTOLOGY； ii。 105…6。
（3） The following extract from a letter of M。 Boyd； Esq。； is given by
Earl Stanhope in his 'Miscellanies'：… 〃There was a circumstance
told me by the late Mr。 Christmas； who for many years held an
important official situation in the Bank of England。 He was； I
believe； in early life a clerk in the Treasury； or one of the
government offices； and for some time acted for Mr。 Pitt as his
confidential clerk； or temporary private secretary。 Christmas was
one of the most obliging men I ever knew； and； from the； position
he occupied； was constantly exposed to interruptions； yet I never
saw his temper in the least ruffled。 One day I found him more
than usually engaged； having a mass of accounts to prepare for one
of the law…courtsstill the same equanimity； and I could not
resist the opportunity of asking the old gentleman the secret。
'Well； Mr。 Boyd； you shall know it。 Mr。 Pitt gave it to me：
NOT TO LOSE MY TEMPER； IF POSSIBLE； AT ANY TIME； AND NEVER
DURING THE HOURS OF BUSINESS。 My labours here （Bank of England）
commence at nine and end at three； and； acting on the advice
of the illustrious statesman； I NEVER LOSE MY TEMPER DURING
THOSE HOURS。'〃
（4） 'Strafford Papers；' i。 87。
（5） Jared Sparks' 'Life of Washington；' pp。 7； 534。
（6） Brialmont's 'Life of Wellington。'
（7） Professor Tyndall； on 'Faraday as a Discoverer；' p。 156。
（8） 'Life of Perthes；' ii。 216。
（9） Lady Elizabeth Carew。
（10） Francis Horner； in one of his letters； says： 〃It is among the very
sincere and zealous friends of liberty that you will find the most
perfect specimens of wrongheadedness； men of a dissenting；
provincial cast of virtuewho （according to one of Sharpe's
favourite phrases） WILL drive a wedge the broad end foremost
utter strangers to all moderation in political business。〃
Francis Horner's LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE （1843）； ii。 133。
（11） Professor Tyndall on 'Faraday as a Discoverer；' pp。 40…1。
（12） Yet Burke himself； though capable of giving Barry such excellent
advice； was by no means immaculate as regarded his own temper。
When he lay ill at Beaconsfield； Fox； from whom he had become
separated by political differences arising out of the French
Revolution； went down to see his old friend。 But Burke would not
grant him an interview； he positively refused to see him。 On his
return to town； Fox told his friend Coke the result of his
journey； and when Coke lamented Burke's obstinacy； Fox only
replied； goodnaturedly： 〃Ah！ never mind； Tom； I always find every
Irishman has got a piece of potato in his head。〃 Yet Fox； with
his usual generosity； when he heard of Burke's impending death；
wrote a most kind and cordial letter to Mrs。 Burke； expressive of
his grief and sympathy； and when Burke was no more； Fox was the
first to propose that he should be interred with public honours in
Westminster Abbeywhich only Burke's own express wish； that he
should be buried at Beaconsfield； prevented being carried out。
（13） When Curran； the Irish barrister； visited Burns's cabin in 1810；
he found it converted into a public house； and the landlord who
showed it was drunk。 〃There；〃 said he； pointing to a corner on
one side of the fire； with a most MALAPROPOS laugh…〃there is the
very spot where Robert Burns was born。〃 〃The genius and the fate
of the man；〃 says Curran； 〃were already heavy on my heart； but the
drunken laugh of the landlord gave me such a view of the rock on
which he had foundered； that I could not stand it； but burst
into tears。〃
（14） The chaplain of Horsemongerlane Gaol； in his annual report to
the Surrey justices； thus states the result of his careful study of
the causes of dishonesty： 〃From my experience of predatory crime；
founded upon careful study of the character of a great variety of
prisoners； I conclude that habitual dishonesty is to be referred
neither to ignorance； nor to drunkenness； nor to poverty； nor to
overcrowding in towns； nor to temptation from surrounding wealth
nor； indeed； to any one of the many indirect causes to which it is
sometimes referredbut mainly TO A DISPOSITION TO ACQUIRE
PROPERTY WITH A LESS DEGREE OF LABOUR THAN ORDINARY INDUSTRY。〃
The italics are the author's。
（15） S。 C。 Hall's 'Memories。'
（16） Moore's 'Life of Byron；' 8vo。 Ed。； p。 182。
（17） Captain Basil Hall records the following conversation with Scott：…
〃It occurs to me；〃 I observed； 〃that people are apt to make too
much fuss about the loss of fortune； which is one of the smallest
of the great evils of life； and ought to be among the most
tolerable。〃〃Do you call it a small misfortune to be ruined in
money…matters？〃 he asked。 〃It is not so painful； at all events；
as the loss of friends。〃〃I grant that；〃 he said。 〃As the loss
of character？〃〃True again。〃 〃As the loss of health？〃〃Ay；
there you have me；〃 he muttered to himself； in a tone so
melancholy that I wished I had not spoken。 〃What is the loss of
fortune to the loss of peace of mind？〃 I continued。 〃In short；〃
said he； playfully； 〃you will make it out that there is no harm in
a man's being plunged over…head…and…ears in a debt he cannot
remove。〃 〃Much depends； I think； on how it was incurred； and what
efforts are made to redeem itat least； if the sufferer be a
rightminded man。〃 〃I hope it does；〃 he said； cheerfully and
firmly。FRAGMENTS OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS； 3rd series； pp。 308…9。
（18） 〃These battles；〃 he wrote in his Diary； 〃have been the death of
many a man； I think they will be mine。〃
（19） Scott's Diary； December 17th； 1827。
CHAPTER VII。DUTYTRUTHFULNESS。
〃I slept； and dreamt that life was Beauty；
I woke； and found that life was Duty。〃
〃Duty！ wondrous thought； that workest neither by fond insinuation；
flattery； nor by any threat； but merely by holding up thy naked
law in the soul； and so extorting for thyself always reverence； if
not always obedience； before whom all appetites are dumb； however
secretly they rebel〃KANT。
〃How happy is he born and taught；
That serveth not another's will！
Whose armour is his honest thought；
And simple truth his utmost skill！
〃Whose passions not his masters are；
Whose soul is still prepared for death；
Unti'd unto the world by care
Of public fame； or private breath。
〃This man is freed from servile bands；
Of hope to rise； or fear to fall：
Lord of himself； though not of land；
And having nothing； yet hath all。〃WOTTON。
〃His nay was nay without recall；
His yea was yea； and powerful all；
He gave his yea with careful heed；
His thoughts and words were well agreed；
His word； his bond and seal。〃
INSCRIPTION ON BARON STEIN'S TOMB。
DUTY is a thing that is due； and must be paid by every man who
would avoid present discredit and eventual moral insolvency。 It
is an obligationa debtwhich can only be discharged by
voluntary effort and resolute action in the affairs of life。
Duty embraces man's whole existence。 It begins in the home； where
there is the duty which children owe to their parents on the one
hand； and the duty which parents owe to their children on the
other。 There are； in like manner； the respective duties of
husbands and wives； of masters and servants； while outside the
home there are the duties which men and women owe to each other as
friends and neighbours； as employers and employed； as governors
and governed。
〃Render； therefore；〃 says St。 Paul； 〃to all their dues： tribute to
whom tribute is due； custom to whom custom； fear to whom fear；
honour to whom honour。 Owe no man anything； but to love one
another； for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law；〃
Thus duty rounds the whole of life； from our entrance into it
until our exit from itduty to superiors； duty to inferiors； and
duty to equalsduty to man； and duty to God。 Wherever there is
power to use or to direct； there is duty。 For we are but as
stewards； appointed to employ the means entrusted to us for our
own and for others' good。
The abiding sense of duty is the very crown of character。 It is
the upholding law of man in his highest attitudes。 Without it；
the individual totters and falls before the first puff of
adversity or temptation； whereas； inspired by it； the weakest
becomes strong and full of courage。 〃Duty；〃 says Mrs。 Jameson；
〃is the cement which binds the whole moral edifice together；
without which； all power； goodness； intellect； truth； happiness；
love itself； can have no permanence； but all the fabric of
existence crumbles away from under us； and leaves us at last
sitting in the midst of a ruin； astonished at our own desolation。〃
Duty is based upon a sense of justicejustice inspired by love；
which is the most perfect form of goodness。 Duty is not a
sentiment； but a principle pervading the life： and it exhibits
itself in conduct and in acts； which are mainly determined by
man's conscience and freewill。
The voice of conscience speaks in duty done； and without its
regulating and controlling influence； the brightest and greatest
intellect may be merely as a light that leads astray。 Conscience
sets a man upon his feet； while his will holds him upright。
Conscience is the moral governor of the heartthe governor of
right action； of right thought； of right faith； of right life
and only through its dominating influence can the noble and
upright character be fully developed。
The conscience； however； may speak never so loudly； but without
energetic will it may speak in vain。 The will is free to choose
between the right course and the wrong one； but the choice is
nothing unless followed by immediate and decisive action。 If the
sense of duty be strong； and the course of action clear； the
courageous will； upheld by the conscience； enables a man to
proceed on his course bravely； and to accomplish his purposes in
the face of all opposition and difficulty。 And should failure be
the issue； there will remain at least this satisfaction； that it
has been in the cause of duty。
〃Be and continue poor； young man；〃 said Heinzelmann；〃 while others
around you grow rich by fraud and disloyalty； be without place or
power while others beg their way upwards； bear the pain of
disappointed hopes； while others gain the accomplishment of theirs
by flattery； forego the gracious pressure of the hand； for which
others cringe and crawl。 Wrap yourself in your own virtue； and
seek a friend and your daily bread。 If you have in your own cause
grown gray with unbleached honour； bless God and die！〃
Men inspired by high principles are often required to sacrifice
all that they esteem and love r
