character-第20节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



been　paid　for　it。　（6）



There　must　be　work　before　and　work　behind；　with　leisure　to　fall

back　upon；　but　the　leisure；　without　the　work；　can　no　more　be

enjoyed　than　a　surfeit。　　Life　must　needs　be　disgusting　alike　to

the　idle　rich　man　as　to　the　idle　poor　man；　who　has　no　work　to　do；

or；　having　work；　will　not　do　it。　　The　words　found　tattooed　on　the

right　arm　of　a　sentimental　beggar　of　forty；　undergoing　his　eighth

imprisonment　in　the　gaol　of　Bourges　in　France；　might　be　adopted　as

the　motto　of　all　idlers：　〃LE　PASSE　M'A　TROMPE；　LE　PRESENT　ME

TOURMENTE；　L'AVENIR　M'EPOUVANTE；〃（The　past　has　deceived　me；　the

present　torments　me；　the　future　terrifies　me）



The　duty　of　industry　applies　to　all　classes　and　conditions　of

society。　　All　have　their　work　to　do　in　the　irrespective　conditions

of　lifethe　rich　as　well　as　the　poor。　（7）　　The　gentleman　by

birth　and　education；　however　richly　he　may　be　endowed　with　worldly

possessions；　cannot　but　feel　that　he　is　in　duty　bound　to

contribute　his　quota　of　endeavour　towards　the　general　wellbeing　in

which　he　shares。　　He　cannot　be　satisfied　with　being　fed；　clad；　and

maintained　by　the　labour　of　others；　without　making　some　suitable

return　to　the　society　that　upholds　him。　　An　honest　highminded　man

would　revolt　at　the　idea　of　sitting　down　to　and　enjoying　a　feast；

and　then　going　away　without　paying　his　share　of　the　reckoning。　　To

be　idle　and　useless　is　neither　an　honour　nor　a　privilege；　and

though　persons　of　small　natures　may　be　content　merely　to　consume

FRUGES　CONSUMERE　NATImen　of　average　endowment；　of　manly

aspirations；　and　of　honest　purpose；　will　feel　such　a　condition　to

be　incompatible　with　real　honour　and　true　dignity。



〃I　don't　believe；〃　said　Lord　Stanley　（now　Earl　of　Derby）　at

Glasgow；　〃that　an　unemployed　man；　however　amiable　and　otherwise

respectable；　ever　was；　or　ever　can　be；　really　happy。　　As　work　is

our　life；　show　me　what　you　can　do；　and　I　will　show　you　what　you

are。　　I　have　spoken　of　love　of　one's　work　as　the　best　preventive

of　merely　low　and　vicious　tastes。　　I　will　go　further；　and　say　that

it　is　the　best　preservative　against　petty　anxieties；　and　the

annoyances　that　arise　out　of　indulged　self…love。　　Men　have　thought

before　now　that　they　could　take　refuge　from　trouble　and　vexation

by　sheltering　themselves　as　it　were　in　a　world　of　their　own。　　The

experiment　has；　often　been　tried；　and　always　with　one　result。　　You

cannot　escape　from　anxiety　and　labourit　is　the　destiny　of

humanity。。。。　　Those　who　shirk　from　facing　trouble；　find　that

trouble　comes　to　them。　　The　indolent　may　contrive　that　he　shall

have　less　than　his　share　of　the　world's　work　to　do；　but　Nature

proportioning　the　instinct　to　the　work；　contrives　that　the　little

shall　be　much　and　hard　to　him。　　The　man　who　has　only　himself　to

please　finds；　sooner　or　later；　and　probably　sooner　than　later；

that　he　has　got　a　very　hard　master；　and　the　excessive　weakness

which　shrinks　from　responsibility　has　its　own　punishment　too；　for

where　great　interests　are　excluded　little　matters　become　great；

and　the　same　wear　and　tear　of　mind　that　might　have　been　at　least

usefully　and　healthfully　expended　on　the　real　business　of　life　is

often　wasted　in　petty　and　imaginary　vexations；　such　as　breed　and

multiply　in　the　unoccupied　brain。〃　（8）



Even　on　the　lowest　groundthat　of　personal　enjoymentconstant

useful　occupation　is　necessary。　　He　who　labours　not；　cannot

enjoy　the　reward　of　labour。　　〃We　sleep　sound；〃　said　Sir　Walter

Scott；　〃and　our　waking　hours　are　happy；　when　they　are　employed；

and　a　little　sense　of　toil　is　necessary　to　the　enjoyment　of

leisure；　even　when　earned　by　study　and　sanctioned　by　the

discharge　of　duty。〃



It　is　true；　there　are　men　who　die　of　overwork；　but　many　more　die

of　selfishness；　indulgence；　and　idleness。　　Where　men　break　down　by

overwork；　it　is　most　commonly　from　want　of　duly　ordering　their

lives；　and　neglect　of　the　ordinary　conditions　of　physical　health。

Lord　Stanley　was　probably　right　when　he　said；　in　his　address　to

the　Glasgow　students　above　mentioned；　that　he　doubted　whether

〃hard　work；　steadily　and　regularly　carried　on；　ever　yet　hurt

anybody。〃



Then；　again；　length　of　YEARS　is　no　proper　test　of　length　of　LIFE。

A　man's　life　is　to　be　measured　by　what　he　does　in　it；　and　what　he

feels　in　it。　　The　more　useful　work　the　man　does；　and　the　more　he

thinks　and　feels；　the　more　he　really　lives。　　The　idle　useless　man；

no　matter　to　what　extent　his　life　may　be　prolonged；　merely

vegetates。



The　early　teachers　of　Christianity　ennobled　the　lot　of　toil　by

their　example。　　〃He　that　will　not　work；〃　said　Saint　Paul；　〃neither

shall　he　eat；〃　and　he　glorified　himself　in　that　he　had　laboured

with　his　hands；　and　had　not　been　chargeable　to　any　man。　　When　St。

Boniface　landed　in　Britain；　he　came　with　a　gospel　in　one　hand　and

a　carpenter's　rule　in　the　other；　and　from　England　he　afterwards

passed　over　into　Germany；　carrying　thither　the　art　of　building。

Luther　also；　in　the　midst　of　a　multitude　of　other　employments；

worked　diligently　for　a　living；　earning　his　bread　by　gardening；

building；　turning；　and　even　clockmaking。　（9）



It　was　characteristic　of　Napoleon；　when　visiting　a　work　of

mechanical　excellence；　to　pay　great　respect　to　the　inventor；　and

on　taking　his　leave；　to　salute　him　with　a　low　bow。　　Once　at　St。

Helena；　when　walking　with　Mrs。　Balcombe；　some　servants　came　along

carrying　a　load。　　The　lady；　in　an　angry　tone；　ordered　them　out　of

the　way；　on　which　Napoleon　interposed；　saying；　〃Respect　the

burden；　madam。〃　　Even　the　drudgery　of　the　humblest　labourer

contributes　towards　the　general　wellbeing　of　society；　and　it　was　a

wise　saying　of　a　Chinese　Emperor；　that　〃if　there　was　a　man　who　did

not　work；　or　a　woman　that　was　idle；　somebody　must　suffer　cold　or

hunger　in　the　empire。〃



The　habit　of　constant　useful　occupation　is　as　essential　for　the

happiness　and　wellbeing　of　woman　as　of　man。　　Without　it；　women　are

apt　to　sink　into　a　state　of　listless　ENNUI　and　uselessness；

accompanied　by　sick　headache　and　attacks　of　〃nerves。〃　　Caroline

Perthes　carefully　warned　her　married　daughter　Louisa　to　beware　of

giving　way　to　such　listlessness。　　〃I　myself；〃　she　said；　〃when　the

children　are　gone　out　for　a　half…holiday；　sometimes　feel　as　stupid

and　dull　as　an　owl　by　daylight；　but　one　must　not　yield　to　this；

which　happens　more　or　less　to　all　young　wives。　　The　best　relief　is

WORK；　engaged　in　with　interest　and　diligence。　　Work；　then；

constantly　and　diligently；　at　something　or　other；　for　idleness　is

the　devil's　snare　for　small　and　great；　as　your　grandfather　says；

and　he　says　true。〃　（10）



Constant　useful　occupation　is　thus　wholesome；　not　only　for　the

body；　but　for　the　mind。　　While　the　slothful　man　drags　himself

indolently　through　life；　and　the　better　part　of　his　nature　sleeps

a　deep　sleep；　if　not　morally　and　spiritually　dead；　the　energetic

man　is　a　source　of　activity　and　enjoyment　to　all　who　come　within

reach　of　his　influence。　　Even　any　ordinary　drudgery　is　better　than

idleness。　　Fuller　says　of　Sir　Francis　Drake；　who　was　early　sent　to

sea；　and　kept　close　to　his　work　by　his　master；　that　such　〃pains

and　patience　in　his　youth　knit　the　joints　of　his　soul；　and　made

them　more　solid　and　compact。〃　　Schiller　used　to　say　that　he

considered　it　a　great　advantage　to　be　employed　in　the　discharge　of

some　daily　mechanical　dutysome　regular　routine　of　work；　that

rendered　steady　application　necessary。



Thousands　can　bear　testimony　to　the　truth　of　the　saying　of　Greuze；

the　French　painter；　that　workemployment；　useful　occupationis

one　of　the　great　secrets　of　happiness。　　Casaubon　was　once　induced

by　the　entreaties　of　his　friends　to　take　a　few　days　entire　rest；

but　he　returned　to　his　work　with　the　remark；　that　it　was　easier　to

bear　illness　doing　something；　than　doing　nothing。



When　Charles　Lamb　was　released　for　life　from　his　daily　drudgery　of

desk…work　at　the　India　Office；　he　felt　himself　the　happiest　of

men。　　〃I　would　not　go　back　to　my　prison；〃　he　said　to　a　friend；

〃ten　years　longer；　for　ten　thousand　pounds。〃　　He　also　wrote　in　the

same　ecstatic　mood　to　Bernard　Barton：　〃I　have　scarce　steadiness　of

head　to　compose　a　letter；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　free！　free　as　air！　　I

will　live　another　fifty　years。。。。　　Would　I　could　sell　you　some　of

my　leisure！　　Positively　the　best　thing　a　man　can　do　isNothing；

and　next　to　that；　perhaps；　Good　Works。〃　　Two　yearstwo　long　and

tedious　years　passed；　and　Charles　Lamb's　feelings　had　undergone　an

entire　change。　　He　now　discovered　that　official；　even　humdrum　work

〃the　appointed　round；　the　daily　task〃had　been　good　for　him；

though　he　knew　it　not。　　Time　had　formerly　been　his　friend；　it　had

now　become　his　enemy。　　To　Bernard　Barton　he　again　wrote：　〃I　assure

you；　NO　work　is　worse　than　overwork；　the　mind　preys　on　itself

the　most　unwholesome　of　food。　　I　have　ceased　to　care　for　almost

anything。。。。　　Never　did　the　waters　of　heaven　pour　down　upon　a

forlorner　head。　　What　I　can　do；　and　overdo；　is　to　walk。