character-第8章

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a　place　to　fly　from；　rather　than　to　fly　to；　and　the　children

whose　misfortune　it　is　to　be　brought　up　there；　will　be　morally

dwarfed　and　deformedthe　cause　of　misery　to　themselves　as　well

as　to　others。



Napoleon　Buonaparte　was　accustomed　to　say　that　〃the　future　good　or

bad　conduct　of　a　child　depended　entirely　on　the　mother。〃　　He

himself　attributed　his　rise　in　life　in　a　great　measure　to　the

training　of　his　will；　his　energy；　and　his　self…control；　by　his

mother　at　home。　　〃Nobody　had　any　command　over　him；〃　says　one　of

his　biographers；　〃except　his　mother；　who　found　means；　by　a　mixture

of　tenderness；　severity；　and　justice；　to　make　him　love；　respect；

and　obey　her：　from　her　he　learnt　the　virtue　of　obedience。〃



A　curious　illustration　of　the　dependence　of　the　character　of

children　on　that　of　the　mother　incidentally　occurs　in　one　of　Mr。

Tufnell's　school　reports。　　The　truth；　he　observes；　is　so　well

established　that　it　has　even　been　made　subservient　to　mercantile

calculation。　　〃I　was　informed；〃　he　says；　〃in　a　large　factory；

where　many　children　were　employed；　that　the　managers　before　they

engaged　a　boy　always　inquired　into　the　mother's　character；　and　if

that　was　satisfactory　they　were　tolerably　certain　that　her

children　would　conduct　themselves　creditably。　　NO　ATTENTION　WAS

PAID　TO　THE　CHARACTER　OF　THE　FATHER。〃　（4）



It　has　also　been　observed　that　in　cases　where　the　father　has

turned　out　badlybecome　a　drunkard；　and　〃gone　to　the　dogs〃

provided　the　mother　is　prudent　and　sensible；　the　family　will　be

kept　together；　and　the　children　probably　make　their　way　honourably

in　life；　whereas　in　cases　of　the　opposite　sort；　where　the　mother

turns　out　badly；　no　matter　how　well…conducted　the　father　may　be；

the　instances　of　after…success　in　life　on　the　part　of　the　children

are　comparatively　rare。



The　greater　part　of　the　influence　exercised　by　women　on　the

formation　of　character　necessarily　remains　unknown。　　They

accomplish　their　best　work　in　the　quiet　seclusion　of　the　home　and

the　family；　by　sustained　effort　and　patient　perseverance　in　the

path　of　duty。　　Their　greatest　triumphs；　because　private　and

domestic；　are　rarely　recorded；　and　it　is　not　often；　even　in　the

biographies　of　distinguished　men；　that　we　hear　of　the　share　which

their　mothers　have　had　in　the　formation　of　their　character；　and　in

giving　them　a　bias　towards　goodness。　　Yet　are　they　not　on　that

account　without　their　reward。　　The　influence　they　have　exercised；

though　unrecorded；　lives　after　them；　and　goes　on　propagating

itself　in　consequences　for　ever。



We　do　not　often　hear　of　great　women；　as　we　do　of　great　men。　　It　is

of　good　women　that　we　mostly　hear；　and　it　is　probable　that　by

determining　the　character　of　men　and　women　for　good；　they　are

doing　even　greater　work　than　if　they　were　to　paint　great　pictures；

write　great　books；　or　compose　great　operas。　　〃It　is　quite　true；〃

said　Joseph　de　Maistre；　〃that　women　have　produced　no　CHEFS…

DOEUVRE。　They　have　written　no　'Iliad；'　nor　'Jerusalem　Delivered；'

nor　'Hamlet；'　nor　'Phaedre；'　nor　'Paradise　Lost；'　nor　'Tartuffe；'

they　have　designed　no　Church　of　St。　Peter's；　composed　no

'Messiah；'　carved　no　'Apollo　Belvidere；'　painted　no　'Last

Judgment；'　they　have　invented　neither　algebra；　nor　telescopes；　nor

steam…engines；　but　they　have　done　something　far　greater　and　better

than　all　this；　for　it　is　at　their　knees　that　upright　and　virtuous

men　and　women　have　been　trainedthe　most　excellent　productions

in　the　world。〃



De　Maistre；　in　his　letters　and　writings；　speaks　of　his　own　mother

with　immense　love　and　reverence。　　Her　noble　character　made　all

other　women　venerable　in　his　eyes。　　He　described　her　as　his

〃sublime　mother〃〃an　angel　to　whom　God　had　lent　a　body　for　a

brief　season。〃　　To　her　he　attributed　the　bent　of　his　character；　and

all　his　bias　towards　good；　and　when　he　had　grown　to　mature　years；

while　acting　as　ambassador　at　the　Court　of　St。　Petersburg；　he

referred　to　her　noble　example　and　precepts　as　the　ruling

influence　in　his　life。



One　of　the　most　charming　features　in　the　character　of　Samuel

Johnson；　notwithstanding　his　rough　and　shaggy　exterior；　was　the

tenderness　with　which　he　invariably　spoke　of　his　mother　（5）a

woman　of　strong　understanding；　who　firmly　implanted　in　his　mind；

as　he　himself　acknowledges；　his　first　impressions　of　religion。　　He

was　accustomed；　even　in　the　time　of　his　greatest　difficulties；　to

contribute　largely；　out　of　his　slender　means；　to　her　comfort；　and

one　of　his　last　acts　of　filial　duty　was　to　write　'Rasselas'

for　the　purpose　of　paying　her　little　debts　and　defraying

her　funeral　charges。



George　Washington　was　only　eleven　years　of　agethe　eldest　of

five　childrenwhen　his　father　died；　leaving　his　mother　a　widow。

She　was　a　woman　of　rare　excellencefull　of　resources；　a　good

woman　of　business；　an　excellent　manager；　and　possessed　of　much

strength　of　character。　　She　had　her　children　to　educate　and　bring

up；　a　large　household　to　govern；　and　extensive　estates　to　manage；

all　of　which　she　accomplished　with　complete　success。　　Her　good

sense；　assiduity；　tenderness；　industry；　and　vigilance；　enabled　her

to　overcome　every　obstacle；　and　as　the　richest　reward　of　her

solicitude　and　toil；　she　had　the　happiness　to　see　all　her　children

come　forward　with　a　fair　promise　into　life；　filling　the　spheres

allotted　to　them　in　a　manner　equally　honourable　to　themselves；　and

to　the　parent　who　had　been　the　only　guide　of　their；　principles；

conduct；　and　habits。　（6）



The　biographer　of　Cromwell　says　little　about　the　Protector's

father；　but　dwells　upon　the　character　of　his　mother；　whom　he

describes　as　a　woman　of　rare　vigour　and　decision　of　purpose：　〃A

woman；〃　he　says；　〃possessed　of　the　glorious　faculty　of　self…help

when　other　assistance　failed　her；　ready　for　the　demands　of　fortune

in　its　extremest　adverse　turn；　of　spirit　and　energy　equal　to　her

mildness　and　patience；　who；　with　the　labour　of　her　own　hands；　gave

dowries　to　five　daughters　sufficient　to　marry　them　into　families

as　honourable　but　more　wealthy　than　their　own；　whose　single　pride

was　honesty；　and　whose　passion　was　love；　who　preserved　in　the

gorgeous　palace　at　Whitehall　the　simple　tastes　that　distinguished

her　in　the　old　brewery　at　Huntingdon；　and　whose　only　care；　amidst

all　her　splendour；　was　for　the　safety　of　her　son　in　his　dangerous

eminence。〃　（7）



We　have　spoken　of　the　mother　of　Napoleon　Buonaparte　as　a　woman　of

great　force　of　character。　　Not　less　so　was　the　mother　of　the　Duke

of　Wellington；　whom　her　son　strikingly　resembled　in　features；

person；　and　character；　while　his　father　was　principally

distinguished　as　a　musical　composer　and　performer。　（8）　But；

strange　to　say；　Wellington's　mother　mistook　him　for　a　dunce；　and；

for　some　reason　or　other；　he　was　not　such　a　favourite　as　her　other

children；　until　his　great　deeds　in　after…life　constrained　her　to

be　proud　of　him。



The　Napiers　were　blessed　in　both　parents；　but　especially　in　their

mother；　Lady　Sarah　Lennox；　who　early　sought　to　inspire　her　sons'

minds　with　elevating　thoughts；　admiration　of　noble　deeds；　and　a

chivalrous　spirit；　which　became　embodied　in　their　lives；　and

continued　to　sustain　them；　until　death；　in　the　path　of　duty

and　of　honour。



Among　statesmen；　lawyers；　and　divines；　we　find　marked　mention　made

of　the　mothers　of　Lord　Chancellors　Bacon；　Erskine；　and　Brougham

all　women　of　great　ability；　and；　in　the　case　of　the　first；　of

great　learning；　as　well　as　of　the　mothers　of　Canning；　Curran；　and

President　Adamsof　Herbert；　Paley；　and　Wesley。　　Lord　Brougham

speaks　in　terms　almost　approaching　reverence　of　his　grandmother；

the　sister　of　Professor　Robertson；　as　having　been　mainly

instrumental　in　instilling　into　his　mind　a　strong　desire　for

information；　and　the　first　principles　of　that　persevering　energy

in　the　pursuit　of　every　kind　of　knowledge　which　formed　his

prominent　characteristic　throughout　life。



Canning's　mother　was　an　Irishwoman　of　great　natural　ability；　for

whom　her　gifted　son　entertained　the　greatest　love　and　respect　to

the　close　of　his　career。　　She　was　a　woman　of　no　ordinary

intellectual　power。　　〃Indeed；〃　says　Canning's　biographer；　〃were　we

not　otherwise　assured　of　the　fact　from　direct　sources；　it　would　be

impossible　to　contemplate　his　profound　and　touching　devotion　to

her；　without　being　led　to　conclude　that　the　object　of　such

unchanging　attachment　must　have　been　possessed　of　rare　and

commanding　qualities。　　She　was　esteemed　by　the　circle　in　which　she

lived；　as　a　woman　of　great　mental　energy。　　Her　conversation　was

animated　and　vigorous；　and　marked　by　a　distinct　originality　of

manner　and　a　choice　of　topics　fresh　and　striking；　and　out　of　the

commonplace　routine。　　To　persons　who　were　but　slightly　acquainted

with　her；　the　energy　of　her　manner　had　even　something　of　the　air

of　eccentricity。〃　（9）



Curran　speaks　with　great　affection　of　his　mother；　as　a　woman　of

strong　original　understanding；　to　whose　wise　counsel；　consistent

piety；　and　lessons　of　honourable　ambition；　which　she　diligently

enforced　on　the　minds　of　her　children；　he　himself　principally

attributed　his　success　in　life。　　〃The　only　inheritance；〃　he　used

to　say；　〃that　I　could　boast　of　from　my　poor　father；　was　the　very

scanty　one　of　an　unattractive　face　and　person；　like　his　own；　and

if　the　world　has　ever　attributed　to　me　something　more　valuable

than　face　or　person；　or　than　earthly　wealth；　it　was　that　another

and　a　dearer　parent　gave　her　child　a　portion　from　the　treasure

of　her　mind。〃　（10）



When　ex…President　Adams　was　present　at　the　examination　of　a　girls'

school　at　Boston；　he　was　presented　by　the　pupils　with　an　address

which　deeply　affected　him；　and　in　acknowledging　it；　he　took　the

opportunity　of　referring　to　the　lasting　influence　which　womanly

training　and　association　had　exercised　upon　his　own　life　and

character。　　〃As　a　child；〃　he　said；　〃I　enjoyed　perhaps　the　greatest

of　blessings　that　can　be　bestowed　on　manthat　of　a　mother；　who

was　anxious　and　capable　to　form　the　characters　of　her　children

rightly。　　From　her　I　derived　whatever　instruction　（religious

especially；　and　moral）　has　pervaded　a　long　lifeI　will　not　say

perfectly；　or　as　it　ought　to　be；　but　I　will　say；　because　it　is

only　justice　to　the　memory　of　her　I　revere；　that；　in　the　course　of

that　life；　whatever　imperfection　there　has　been；　or　deviation　from

what　she　taught　me；　the　fault　is　mine；　and　not　hers。〃



The　Wesleys　were　peculiarly　linked　to　their　parents　by　natural

piety；　though　the　mother；　rather　than　the　father；　influenced　their

minds　and　developed　their　characters。　　The　father　was　a　man　of

strong　will；　but　occasionally　harsh　and　tyrannical　in　his　dealings

with　his　family；　（11）　while　the　mother；　with　much　strength　of

understanding　and　ardent　love　of　truth；　was　gentle；　persuasive；

affectionate；　and　simple。　　She　was　the　teacher　and　cheerful

companion　of　her　children；　who　gradually　became　moulded　by　her

example。　　It　was　t