character-第47章

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which；　remembered　and　cherished；　become　our　abiding　companions　and

comforters。　　〃They　are　never　alone；〃　said　Sir　Philip　Sidney；　〃that

are　accompanied　by　noble　thoughts。〃　　The　good　and　true　thought　may

in　time　of　temptation　be　as　an　angel　of　mercy　purifying　and

guarding　the　soul。　　It　also　enshrines　the　germs　of　action；　for

good　words　almost　invariably　inspire　to　good　works。



Thus　Sir　Henry　Lawrence　prized　above　all　other　compositions

Wordsworth's　'Character　of　the　Happy　Warrior；'　which　he

endeavoured　to　embody　in　his　own　life。　　It　was　ever　before　him　as

an　exemplar。　　He　thought　of　it　continually；　and　often　quoted　it　to

others。　　His　biographer　says：　〃He　tried　to　conform　his　own　life

and　to　assimilate　his　own　character　to　it；　and　he　succeeded；　as

all　men　succeed　who　are　truly　in　earnest。〃　（1）



Books　possess　an　essence　of　immortality。　　They　are　by　far　the　most

lasting　products　of　human　effort。　　Temples　crumble　into　ruin；

pictures　and　statues　decay；　but　books　survive。　　Time　is　of　no

account　with　great　thoughts；　which　are　as　fresh　to…day　as　when

they　first　passed　through　their　authors'　minds　ages　ago。　　What　was

then　said　and　thought　still　speaks　to　us　as　vividly　as　ever　from

the　printed　page。　　The　only　effect　of　time　has　been　to　sift　and

winnow　out　the　bad　products；　for　nothing　in　literature　can　long

survive　but　what　is　really　good。　（2）



Books　introduce　us　into　the　best　society；　they　bring　us　into　the

presence　of　the　greatest　minds　that　have　ever　lived。　　We　hear　what

they　said　and　did；　we　see　them　as　if　they　were　really　alive；　we

are　participators　in　their　thoughts；　we　sympathise　with　them；

enjoy　with　them；　grieve　with　them；　their　experience　becomes　ours；

and　we　feel　as　if　we　were　in　a　measure　actors　with　them　in　the

scenes　which　they　describe。



The　great　and　good　do　not　die；　even　in　this　world。　　Embalmed　in

books　their　spirits　walk　abroad。　　The　book　is　a　living　voice。　　It

is　an　intellect　to　which　one　still　listens。　　Hence　we　ever　remain

under　the　influence　of　the　great　men　of　old：



　　　　　　　　　〃The　dead　but　sceptred　sovrans；　who　still　rule

　　　　　　　　　　Our　spirits　from　their　urns。〃



The　imperial　intellects　of　the　world　are　as　much　alive　now　as　they

were　ages　ago。　　Homer　still　lives；　and　though　his　personal　history

is　hidden　in　the　mists　of　antiquity；　his　poems　are　as　fresh　to…day

as　if　they　had　been　newly　written。　　Plato　still　teaches　his

transcendent　philosophy；　Horace；　Virgil；　and　Dante　still　sing　as

when　they　lived；　Shakspeare　is　not　dead：　his　body　was　buried　in

1616；　but　his　mind　is　as　much　alive　in　England　now；　and　his

thought　as　far…reaching；　as　in　the　time　of　the　Tudors。



The　humblest　and　poorest　may　enter　the　society　of　these　great

spirits　without　being　thought　intrusive。　　All　who　can　read　have

got　the　ENTREE。　Would　you　laugh？Cervantes　or　Rabelais　will

laugh　with　you。　　Do　you　grieve？there　is　Thomas　a　Kempis　or

Jeremy　Taylor　to　grieve　with　and　console　you。　　Always　it　is　to

books；　and　the　spirits　of　great　men　embalmed　in　them；　that　we

turn；　for　entertainment；　for　instruction　and　solacein　joy　and

in　sorrow；　as　in　prosperity　and　in　adversity。



Man　himself　is；　of　all　things　in　the　world；　the　most　interesting

to　man。　　Whatever　relates　to　human　lifeits　experiences；　its

joys；　its　sufferings；　and　its　achievementshas　usually

attractions　for　him　beyond　all　else。　　Each　man　is　more　or　less

interested　in　all　other　men　as　his　fellow…creaturesas　members

of　the　great　family　of　humankind；　and　the　larger　a　man's　culture；

the　wider　is　the　range　of　his　sympathies　in　all　that　affects　the

welfare　of　his　race。



Men's　interest　in　each　other　as　individuals　manifests　itself　in　a

thousand　waysin　the　portraits　which　they　paint；　in　the　busts

which　they　carve；　in　the　narratives　which　they　relate　of　each

other。　　〃Man；〃　says　Emerson；　〃can　paint；　or　make；　or　think；

nothing　but　Man。〃　　Most　of　all　is　this　interest　shown　in　the

fascination　which　personal　history　possesses　for　him。　　〃Man　s

sociality　of　nature；〃　says　Carlyle；　〃evinces　itself；　in　spite　of

all　that　can　be　said；　with　abundance　of　evidence；　by　this　one

fact；　were　there　no　other：　the　unspeakable　delight　he　takes

in　Biography。〃



Great；　indeed；　is　the　human　interest　felt　in　biography！　　What　are

all　the　novels　that　find　such　multitudes　of　readers；　but　so　many

fictitious　biographies？　　What　are　the　dramas　that　people　crowd　to

see；　but　so　much　acted　biography？　　Strange　that　the　highest　genius

should　be　employed　on　the　fictitious　biography；　and　so　much

commonplace　ability　on　the　real！



Yet　the　authentic　picture　of　any　human　being's　life　and　experience

ought　to　possess　an　interest　greatly　beyond　that　which　is

fictitious；　inasmuch　as　it　has　the　charm　of　reality。　　Every　person

may　learn　something　from　the　recorded　life　of　another；　and　even

comparatively　trivial　deeds　and　sayings　may　be　invested　with

interest；　as　being　the　outcome　of　the　lives　of　such　beings

as　we　ourselves　are。



The　records　of　the　lives　of　good　men　are　especially　useful。　　They

influence　our　hearts；　inspire　us　with　hope；　and　set　before　us

great　examples。　　And　when　men　have　done　their　duty　through　life　in

a　great　spirit；　their　influence　will　never　wholly　pass　away。　　〃The

good　life；〃　says　George　Herbert；　〃is　never　out　of　season。〃



Goethe　has　said　that　there　is　no　man　so　commonplace　that　a　wise

man　may　not　learn　something　from　him。　　Sir　Walter　Scott　could　not

travel　in　a　coach　without　gleaning　some　information　or　discovering

some　new　trait　of　character　in　his　companions。　（3）　　Dr。　Johnson

once　observed　that　there　was　not　a　person　in　the　streets　but　he

should　like　to　know　his　biographyhis　experiences　of　life；　his

trials；　his　difficulties；　his　successes；　and　his　failures。　　How

much　more　truly　might　this　be　said　of　the　men　who　have　made　their

mark　in　the　world's　history；　and　have　created　for　us　that　great

inheritance　of　civilization　of　which　we　are　the　possessors！

Whatever　relates　to　such　mento　their　habits；　their　manners；

their　modes　of　living；　their　personal　history；　their　conversation；

their　maxims；　their　virtues；　or　their　greatnessis　always　full

of　interest；　of　instruction；　of　encouragement；　and　of　example。



The　great　lesson　of　Biography　is　to　show　what　man　can　be　and　do　at

his　best。　　A　noble　life　put　fairly　on　record　acts　like　an

inspiration　to　others。　　It　exhibits　what　life　is　capable　of　being

made。　　It　refreshes　our　spirit；　encourages　our　hopes；　gives　us　new

strength　and　courage　and　faithfaith　in　others　as　well　as　in

ourselves。　　It　stimulates　our　aspirations；　rouses　us　to　action；

and　incites　us　to　become　co…partners　with　them　in　their　work。

To　live　with　such　men　in　their　biographies；　and　to　be　inspired

by　their　example；　is　to　live　with　the　best　of　men；　and　to　mix

in　the　best　of　company。



At　the　head　of　all　biographies　stands　the　Great　Biography；　the

Book　of　Books。　　And　what　is　the　Bible；　the　most　sacred　and

impressive　of　all　booksthe　educator　of　youth；　the　guide　of

manhood；　and　the　consoler　of　agebut　a　series　of　biographies　of

great　heroes　and　patriarchs；　prophets；　kings；　and　judges；

culminating　in　the　greatest　biography　of　all；　the　Life　embodied　in

the　New　Testament？　　How　much　have　the　great　examples　there　set

forth　done　for　mankind！　　How　many　have　drawn　from　them　their

truest　strength；　their　highest　wisdom；　their　best　nurture　and

admonition！　　Truly　does　a　great　Roman　Catholic　writer　describe　the

Bible　as　a　book　whose　words　〃live　in　the　ear　like　a　music　that　can

never　be　forgottenlike　the　sound　of　church　bells　which　the

convert　hardly　knows　how　he　can　forego。　　Its　felicities　often　seem

to　be　almost　things　rather　than　mere　words。　　It　is　part　of　the

national　mind；　and　the　anchor　of　national　seriousness。　　The　memory

of　the　dead　passes　into　it；　The　potent　traditions　of　childhood　are

stereotyped　in　its　verses。　　The　power　of　all　the　griefs　and　trials

of　man　is　hidden　beneath　its　words。　　It　is　the　representative　of

his　best　moments；　and　all　that　has　been　about　him　of　soft；　and

gentle；　and　pure；　and　penitent；　and　good；　speaks　to　him　for　ever

out　of　his　English　Bible。　　It　is　his　sacred　thing；　which　doubt

has　never　dimmed　and　controversy　never　soiled。　　In　the　length

and　breadth　of　the　land　there　is　not　a　Protestant　with　one

spark　of　religiousness　about　him　whose　spiritual　biography

is　not　in　his　Saxon　Bible。〃　（4）



It　would；　indeed；　be　difficult　to　overestimate　the　influence　which

the　lives　of　the　great　and　good　have　exercised　upon　the　elevation

of　human　character。　　〃The　best　biography；〃　says　Isaac　Disraeli；

〃is　a　reunion　with　human　existence　in　its　most　excellent　state。〃

Indeed；　it　is　impossible　for　one　to　read　the　lives　of　good　men；

much　less　inspired　men；　without　being　unconsciously　lighted　and

lifted　up　in　them；　and　growing　insensibly　nearer　to　what　they

thought　and　did。　　And　even　the　lives　of　humbler　persons；　of　men　of

faithful　and　honest　spirit；　who　have　done　their　duty　in　life　well；

are　not　without　an　elevating　influence　upon　the　character　of　those

who　come　after　them。



History　itself　is　best　studied　in　biography。　　Indeed；　history　is

biographycollective　humanity　as　influenced　and　governed　by

individual　men。　　〃What　is　all　history；〃　says　Emerson；　〃but　the

work　of　ideas；　a　record　of　the　incomparable　energy　which　his

infinite　aspirations　infuse　into　man？〃　　In　its　pages　it　is　always

persons　we　see　more　than　principles。　　Historical　events　are

interesting　to　us　mainly　in　connection　with　the　feelings；　the

sufferings；　and　interests　of　those　by　whom　they　are　accomplished。

In　history　we　are　surrounded　by　men　long　dead；　but　whose　speech

and　whose　deeds　survive。　　We　almost　catch　the　sound　of　their

voices；　and　what　they　did　constitutes　the　interest　of　history。　　We

never　feel　personally　interested　in　masses　of　men；　but　we　feel　and

sympathise　with　the　individual　actors；　whose　biographies　afford

the　finest　and　most　real　touches　in　all　great　historical　dramas。



Among　the　great　writers　of　the　past；　probably　the　two　that　have

been　most　influential　in　forming　the　characters　of　great　men　of

action　and　great　men　of　thought；　have　been　Plutarch　and　Montaigne

the　one　by　presenting　heroic　models　for　imitation；　the　other　by

probing　questions　of　constant　recurrence　in　which　the　human　mind

in　all　ages　has　taken　the　deepest　interest。　And　the　works　of　both

are　for　the　most　part　cast　in　a　biographic　form；　their　most

striking　illustrations　consisting　in　the　exhibitions　of　character

and　experience　which　they　contain。



Plutarch's　'Lives；'　though　written　nearly　eighteen　hundred　years

ago；　like　Homer's　'Iliad；'　still　holds　its　ground　as　the　greatest

work　of　its　kind。　　It　was　the　favourite　book　of　Montaigne；　and　to

Englishmen　it　possesses　the　special　interest　of　having　been

Shakspeare's　principal　authority　in　his　great　classical　dramas。

Montaigne　pronounced　Plutarch　to　be　〃the　greatest　master　in

that　kind　of　writing〃the　biographic；　and