character-第34章

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Men　inspired　by　high　principles　are　often　required　to　sacrifice

all　that　they　esteem　and　love　rather　than　fail　in　their　duty。

The　old　English　idea　of　this　sublime　devotion　to　duty　was　expressed

by　the　loyalist　poet　to　his　sweetheart；　on　taking　up　arms　for

his　sovereign：…



　　　　　　　　　　〃I　could　love　thee；　dear；　so　much；

　　　　　　　　　　Loved　I　not　honour　more。'　（1）



And　Sertorius　has　said：　〃The　man　who　has　any　dignity　of　character；

should　conquer　with　honour；　and　not　use　any　base　means　even　to

save　his　life。〃　　So　St。　Paul；　inspired　by　duty　and　faith；　declared

himself　as　not　only　〃ready　to　be　bound；　but　to　die　at　Jerusalem。〃



When　the　Marquis　of　Pescara　was　entreated　by　the　princes　of　Italy

to　desert　the　Spanish　cause；　to　which　he　was　in　honour　bound；　his

noble　wife；　Vittoria　Colonna；　reminded　him　of　his　duty。　　She　wrote

to　him：　〃Remember　your　honour；　which　raises　you　above　fortune　and

above　kings；　by　that　alone；　and　not　by　the　splendour　of　titles；　is

glory　acquiredthat　glory　which　it　will　be　your　happiness　and

pride　to　transmit　unspotted　to　your　posterity。〃　　Such　was　the

dignified　view　which　she　took　of　her　husband's　honour；　and　when　he

fell　at　Pavia；　though　young　and　beautiful；　and　besought　by　many

admirers；　she　betook　herself　to　solitude；　that　she　might　lament

over　her　husband's　loss　and　celebrate　his　exploits。　（2）



To　live　really；　is　to　act　energetically。　　Life　is　a　battle　to　be

fought　valiantly。　　Inspired　by　high　and　honourable　resolve；　a　man

must　stand　to　his　post；　and　die　there；　if　need　be。　　Like　the　old

Danish　hero；　his　determination　should　be；　〃to　dare　nobly；　to　will

strongly；　and　never　to　falter　in　the　path　of　duty。〃　　The　power　of

will；　be　it　great　or　small；　which　God　has　given　us；　is　a　Divine

gift；　and　we　ought　neither　to　let　it　perish　for　want　of　using　on

the　one　hand；　nor　profane　it　by　employing　it　for　ignoble　purposes

on　the　other。　　Robertson；　of　Brighton；　has　truly　said；　that　man's

real　greatness　consists　not　in　seeking　his　own　pleasure；　or　fame；

or　advancement〃not　that　every　one　shall　save　his　own　life；　not

that　every　man　shall　seek　his　own　glorybut　that　every　man　shall

do　his　own　duty。〃



What　most　stands　in　the　way　of　the　performance　of　duty；　is

irresolution；　weakness　of　purpose；　and　indecision。　　On　the　one

side　are　conscience　and　the　knowledge　of　good　and　evil；　on　the

other　are　indolence；　selfishness；　love　of　pleasure；　or　passion。

The　weak　and　ill…disciplined　will　may　remain　suspended　for　a　time

between　these　influences；　but　at　length　the　balance　inclines　one

way　or　the　other；　according　as　the　will　is　called　into　action　or

otherwise。　　If　it　be　allowed　to　remain　passive；　the　lower

influence　of　selfishness　or　passion　will　prevail；　and　thus　manhood

suffers　abdication；　individuality　is　renounced；　character　is

degraded；　and　the　man　permits　himself　to　become　the　mere　passive

slave　of　his　senses。



Thus；　the　power　of　exercising　the　will　promptly；　in　obedience　to

the　dictates　of　conscience；　and　thereby　resisting　the　impulses　of

the　lower　nature；　is　of　essential　importance　in　moral　discipline；

and　absolutely　necessary　for　the　development　of　character　in　its

best　forms。　　To　acquire　the　habit　of　well…doing；　to　resist　evil

propensities；　to　fight　against　sensual　desires；　to　overcome　inborn

selfishness；　may　require　a　long　and　persevering　discipline；　but

when　once　the　practice　of　duty　is　learnt；　it　becomes　consolidated

in　habit；　and　thence…forward　is　comparatively　easy。



The　valiant　good　man　is　he　who；　by　the　resolute　exercise　of　his

freewill；　has　so　disciplined　himself　as　to　have　acquired　the　habit

of　virtue；　as　the　bad　man　is　he　who；　by　allowing　his　freewill　to

remain　inactive；　and　giving　the　bridle　to　his　desires　and

passions；　has　acquired　the　habit　of　vice；　by　which　he　becomes；　at

last；　bound　as　by　chains　of　iron。



A　man　can　only　achieve　strength　of　purpose　by　the　action　of　his

own　freewill。　　If　he　is　to　stand　erect；　it　must　be　by　his　own

efforts；　for　he　cannot　be　kept　propped　up　by　the　help　of　others。

He　is　master　of　himself　and　of　his　actions。　　He　can　avoid

falsehood；　and　be　truthful；　he　can　shun　sensualism；　and　be

continent；　he　can　turn　aside　from　doing　a　cruel　thing；　and　be

benevolent　and　forgiving。　　All　these　lie　within　the　sphere　of

individual　efforts；　and　come　within　the　range　of　self…discipline。

And　it　depends　upon　men　themselves　whether　in　these　respects　they

will　be　free；　pure；　and　good　on　the　one　hand；　or　enslaved；　impure；

and　miserable　on　the　other。



Among　the　wise　sayings　of　Epictetus　we　find　the　following：　〃We　do

not　choose　our　own　parts　in　life；　and　have　nothing　to　do　with

those　parts：　our　simple　duty　is　confined　to　playing　them　well。

The　slave　may　be　as　free　as　the　consul；　and　freedom　is　the　chief

of　blessings；　it　dwarfs　all　others；　beside　it　all　others　are

insignificant；　with　it　all　others　are　needless；　without　it　no

others　are　possible。。。。　You　must　teach　men　that　happiness　is　not

where；　in　their　blindness　and　misery；　they　seek　it。　　It　is　not　in

strength；　for　Myro　and　Ofellius　were　not　happy；　not　in　wealth；　for

Croesus　was　not　happy；　not　in　power；　for　the　Consuls　were　not

happy；　not　in　all　these　together；　for　Nero　and　Sardanapulus　and

Agamemnon　sighed　and　wept　and　tore　their　hair；　and　were　the　slaves

of　circumstances　and　the　dupes　of　semblances。　　It　lies　in

yourselves；　in　true　freedom；　in　the　absence　or　conquest　of　every

ignoble　fear；　in　perfect　self…government；　and　in　a　power　of

contentment　and　peace；　and　the　even　flow　of　life　amid　poverty；

exile；　disease；　and　the　very　valley　of　the　shadow　of　death。〃　（3）



The　sense　of　duty　is　a　sustaining　power　even　to　a　courageous　man。

It　holds　him　upright；　and　makes　him　strong。　　It　was　a　noble　saying

of　Pompey；　when　his　friends　tried　to　dissuade　him　from　embarking

for　Rome　in　a　storm；　telling　him　that　he　did　so　at　the　great　peril

of　his　life：　〃It　is　necessary　for　me　to　go；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　not

necessary　for　me　to　live。〃　　What　it　was　right　that　he　should　do；

he　would　do；　in　the　face　of　danger　and　in　defiance　of　storms。



As　might　be　expected　of　the　great　Washington；　the　chief　motive

power　in　his　life　was　the　spirit　of　duty。　　It　was　the　regal　and

commanding　element　in　his　character　which　gave　it　unity；

compactness；　and　vigour。　　When　he　clearly　saw　his　duty　before　him；

he　did　it　at　all　hazards；　and　with　inflexible　integrity。　　He　did

not　do　it　for　effect；　nor　did　he　think　of　glory；　or　of　fame　and

its　rewards；　but　of　the　right　thing　to　be　done；　and　the　best

way　of　doing　it。



Yet　Washington　had　a　most　modest　opinion　of　himself；　and　when

offered　the　chief　command　of　the　American　patriot　army；　he

hesitated　to　accept　it　until　it　was　pressed　upon　him。　　When

acknowledging　in　Congress　the　honour　which　had　been　done　him　in

selecting　him　to　so　important　a　trust；　on　the　execution　of　which

the　future　of　his　country　in　a　great　measure　depended；　Washington

said：　〃I　beg　it　may　be　remembered；　lest　some　unlucky　event　should

happen　unfavourable　to　my　reputation；　that　I　this　day　declare；

with　the　utmost　sincerity；　I　do　not　think　myself　equal　to　the

command　I　am　honoured　with。〃



And　in　his　letter　to　his　wife；　communicating　to　her　his

appointment　as　Commander…in…Chief；　he　said：　〃I　have　used　every

endeavour　in　my　power　to　avoid　it；　not　only　from　my　unwillingness

to　part　with　you　and　the　family；　but　from　a　consciousness　of　its

being　a　trust　too　great　for　my　capacity；　and　that　I　should　enjoy

more　real　happiness　in　one　month　with　you　at　home；　than　I　have　the

most　distant　prospect　of　finding　abroad；　if　my　stay　were　to　be

seven　times　seven　years。　　But；　as　it　has　been　a　kind　of　destiny

that　has　thrown　me　upon　this　service；　I　shall　hope　that　my

undertaking　it　is　designed　for　some　good　purpose。　　It　was　utterly

out　of　my　power　to　refuse　the　appointment；　without　exposing　my

character　to　such　censures　as　would　have　reflected　dishonour　upon

myself；　and　given　pain　to　my　friends。　　This；　I　am　sure；　could　not；

and　ought　not；　to　be　pleasing　to　you；　and　must　have　lessened　me

considerably　in　my　own　esteem。〃　（4）



Washington　pursued　his　upright　course　through　life；　first　as

Commander…in…Chief；　and　afterwards　as　President；　never　faltering

in　the　path　of　duty。　　He　had　no　regard　for　popularity；　but　held　to

his　purpose；　through　good　and　through　evil　report；　often　at　the

risk　of　his　power　and　influence。　　Thus；　on　one　occasion；　when　the

ratification　of　a　treaty；　arranged　by　Mr。　Jay　with　Great　Britain；

was　in　question；　Washington　was　urged　to　reject　it。　　But　his

honour；　and　the　honour　of　his　country；　was　committed；　and　he

refused　to　do　so。　　A　great　outcry　was　raised　against　the　treaty；

and　for　a　time　Washington　was　so　unpopular　that　he　is　said　to　have

been　actually　stoned　by　the　mob。　　But　he；　nevertheless；　held　it　to

be　his　duty　to　ratify　the　treaty；　and　it　was　carried　out；　in

despite　of　petitions　and　remonstrances　from　all　quarters。　　〃While

I　feel；〃　he　said；　in　answer　to　the　remonstrants；　〃the　most　lively

gratitude　for　the　many　instances　of　approbation　from　my　country；

I　can　no　otherwise　deserve　it　than　by　obeying　the　dictates

of　my　conscience。〃

Wellington's　watchword；　like　Washington's；　was　duty；　and　no　man

could　be　more　loyal　to　it　than　he　was。　（5）　　〃There　is　little　or

nothing；〃　he　once　said；　〃in　this　life　worth　living　for；　but　we　can

all　of　us　go　straight　forward　and　do　our　duty。〃　　None　recognised

more　cheerfully　than　he　did　the　duty　of　obedience　and　willing

service；　for　unless　men　can　serve　faithfully；　they　will　not　rule

others　wisely。　　There　is　no　motto　that　becomes　the　wise　man

better　than　ICH　DIEN；　〃I　serve；〃　and　〃They　also　serve　who　only

stand　and　wait。〃



When　the　mortification　of　an　officer；　because　of　his　being

appointed　to　a　command　inferior　to　what　he　considered　to　be　his

merits；　was　communicated　to　the　Duke；　he　said：　〃In　the　course　of

my　military　career；　I　have　gone　from　the　command　of　a　brigade　to

that　of　my　regiment；　and　from　the　command　of　an　army　to　that　of　a

brigade　or　a　division；　as　I　was　ordered；　and　without　any　feeling

of　mortification。〃



Whilst　commanding　the　allied　army　in　Portugal；　the　conduct　of　the

native　population　did　not　seem　to　Wellington　to　be　either　becoming

or　dutiful。　　〃We　have　enthusiasm　in　plenty；〃　he　said；　〃and　plenty

of　cries　of　'VIVA！'　We　have　illuminations；　patriotic　songs；　and

FETES　everywhere。　　But　what　we　want　is；　that　each　in　his　own

station　should　do　his　duty　faithfully；　and　pay　implicit　obedience

to　legal　authority。〃



This　abiding　ideal　of　duty　seemed　to　be　the　governing　principle　of

Wellington's　character。　　It　was　always　uppermost　in　his　mind；　and

directed　all　the　public　actions　of　his　life。　　Nor　did　it　fail　to

communicate　itself　to　those　under　him；　who　served　him　in　the　like

spirit。　　When　he　rode　into　one　of　his　infantry　squares　at

Waterloo；　as　its　diminished　numbers　closed　up　to　receive　a　charge

of　French　cavalry；　he　said　to　the　men；