character-第3节

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intellectual；　but　the　most　virtuous；　not　the　most　powerful　and

influential；　but　the　most　truthful；　upright；　and　honest。



It　was　very　characteristic　of　the　late　Prince　Consorta　man

himself　of　the　purest　mind；　who　powerfully　impressed　and

influenced　others　by　the　sheer　force　of　his　own　benevolent　nature

when　drawing　up　the　conditions　of　the　annual　prize　to　be　given

by　Her　Majesty　at　Wellington　College；　to　determine　that　it　should

be　awarded；　not　to　the　cleverest　boy；　nor　to　the　most　bookish　boy；

nor　to　the　most　precise；　diligent；　and　prudent　boy；but　to　the

noblest　boy；　to　the　boy　who　should　show　the　most　promise　of

becoming　a　large…hearted；　high…motived　man。　（9）



Character　exhibits　itself　in　conduct；　guided　and　inspired　by

principle；　integrity；　and　practical　wisdom。　　In　its　highest　form；

it　is　the　individual　will　acting　energetically　under　the　influence

of　religion；　morality；　and　reason。　　It　chooses　its　way

considerately；　and　pursues　it　steadfastly；　esteeming　duty　above

reputation；　and　the　approval　of　conscience　more　than　the　world's

praise。　　While　respecting　the　personality　of　others；　it　preserves

its　own　individuality　and　independence；　and　has　the　courage　to　be

morally　honest；　though　it　may　be　unpopular；　trusting　tranquilly　to

time　and　experience　for　recognition。



Although　the　force　of　example　will　always　exercise　great　influence

upon　the　formation　of　character；　the　self…originating　and

sustaining　force　of　one's　own　spirit　must　be　the　mainstay。　　This

alone　can　hold　up　the　life；　and　give　individual　independence　and

energy。　　〃Unless　man　can　erect　himself　above　himself；〃　said

Daniel；　a　poet　of　the　Elizabethan　era；　〃how　poor　a　thing　is　man！〃

Without　a　certain　degree　of　practical　efficient　forcecompounded

of　will；　which　is　the　root；　and　wisdom；　which　is　the　stem　of

characterlife　will　be　indefinite　and　purposelesslike　a　body

of　stagnant　water；　instead　of　a　running　stream　doing　useful　work

and　keeping　the　machinery　of　a　district　in　motion。



When　the　elements　of　character　are　brought　into　action　by

determinate　will；　and；　influenced　by　high　purpose；　man　enters　upon

and　courageously　perseveres　in　the　path　of　duty；　at　whatever　cost

of　worldly　interest；　he　may　be　said　to　approach　the　summit　of　his

being。　　He　then　exhibits　character　in　its　most　intrepid　form；　and

embodies　the　highest　idea　of　manliness。　　The　acts　of　such　a　man

become　repeated　in　the　life　and　action　of　others。　　His　very　words

live　and　become　actions。　　Thus　every　word　of　Luther's　rang　through

Germany　like　a　trumpet。　　As　Richter　said　of　him；　〃His　words　were

half…battles。〃　　And　thus　Luther's　life　became　transfused　into　the

life　of　his　country；　and　still　lives　in　the　character　of　modern

Germany。



On　the　other　hand；　energy；　without　integrity　and　a　soul　of

goodness；　may　only　represent　the　embodied　principle　of　evil。　　It

is　observed　by　Novalis；　in　his　'Thoughts　on　Morals；'　that　the

ideal　of　moral　perfection　has　no　more　dangerous　rival　to　contend

with　than　the　ideal　of　the　highest　strength　and　the　most　energetic

life；　the　maximum　of　the　barbarianwhich　needs　only　a　due

admixture　of　pride；　ambition；　and　selfishness；　to　be　a　perfect

ideal　of　the　devil。　　Amongst　men　of　such　stamp　are　found　the

greatest　scourges　and　devastators　of　the　worldthose　elect

scoundrels　whom　Providence；　in　its　inscrutable　designs；　permits　to

fulfil　their　mission　of　destruction　upon　earth。　（10）



Very　different　is　the　man　of　energetic　character　inspired　by　a

noble　spirit；　whose　actions　are　governed　by　rectitude；　and　the　law

of　whose　life　is　duty。　　He　is　just　and　upright；in　his　business

dealings；　in　his　public　action；　and　in　his　family　lifejustice

being　as　essential　in　the　government　of　a　home　as　of　a　nation。　　He

will　be　honest　in　all　thingsin　his　words　and　in　his　work。　　He

will　be　generous　and　merciful　to　his　opponents；　as　well　as　to

those　who　are　weaker　than　himself。　　It　was　truly　said　of　Sheridan

who；　with　all　his　improvidence；　was　generous；　and　never　gave

painthat



　　　　　〃His　wit　in　the　combat；　as　gentle　as　bright；

　　　　　Never　carried　a　heart…stain　away　on　its　blade。〃



Such　also　was　the　character　of　Fox；　who　commanded　the　affection

and　service　of　others　by　his　uniform　heartiness　and　sympathy。　　He

was　a　man　who　could　always　be　most　easily　touched　on　the　side　of

his　honour。　　Thus；　the　story　is　told　of　a　tradesman　calling　upon

him　one　day　for　the　payment　of　a　promissory　note　which　he

presented。　　Fox　was　engaged　at　the　time　in　counting　out　gold。　　The

tradesman　asked　to　be　paid　from　the　money　before　him。　　〃No；〃　said

Fox；　〃I　owe　this　money　to　Sheridan；　it　is　a　debt　of　honour；　if　any

accident　happened　to　me；　he　would　have　nothing　to　show。〃　　〃Then；〃

said　the　tradesman；　〃I　change　MY　debt　into　one　of　honour；〃　and　he

tore　up　the　note。　　Fox　was　conquered　by　the　act：　he　thanked　the

man　for　his　confidence；　and　paid　him；　saying；　〃Then　Sheridan　must

wait；　yours　is　the　debt　of　older　standing。〃



The　man　of　character　is　conscientious。　　He　puts　his　conscience

into　his　work；　into　his　words；　into　his　every　action。　　When

Cromwell　asked　the　Parliament　for　soldiers　in　lieu　of　the　decayed

serving…men　and　tapsters　who　filled　the　Commonwealth's　army；　he

required　that　they　should　be　men　〃who　made　some　conscience　of　what

they　did；〃　and　such　were　the　men　of　which　his　celebrated　regiment

of　〃Ironsides〃　was　composed。



The　man　of　character　is　also　reverential。　　The　possession　of　this

quality　marks　the　noblest；　and　highest　type　of　manhood　and

womanhood：　reverence　for　things　consecrated　by　the　homage　of

generationsfor　high　objects；　pure　thoughts；　and　noble　aims

for　the　great　men　of　former　times；　and　the　highminded　workers

amongst　our　contemporaries。　　Reverence　is　alike　indispensable　to

the　happiness　of　individuals；　of　families；　and　of　nations。

Without　it　there　can　be　no　trust；　no　faith；　no　confidence；　either

in　man　or　Godneither　social　peace　nor　social　progress。　　For

reverence　is　but　another　word　for　religion；　which　binds　men　to

each　other；　and　all　to　God。



〃The　man　of　noble　spirit；〃　says　Sir　Thomas　Overbury；　〃converts　all

occurrences　into　experience；　between　which　experience　and　his

reason　there　is　marriage；　and　the　issue　are　his　actions。　　He　moves

by　affection；　not　for　affection；　he　loves　glory；　scorns　shame；　and

governeth　and　obeyeth　with　one　countenance；　for　it　comes　from　one

consideration。　　Knowing　reason　to　be　no　idle　gift　of　nature；　he　is

the　steersman　of　his　own　destiny。　　Truth　is　his　goddess；　and　he

takes　pains　to　get　her；　not　to　look　like　her。　　Unto　the　society　of

men　he　is　a　sun；　whose　clearness　directs　their　steps　in　a　regular

motion。　　He　is　the　wise　man's　friend；　the　example　of　the

indifferent；　the　medicine　of　the　vicious。　　Thus　time　goeth　not

from　him；　but　with　him；　and　he　feels　age　more　by　the　strength　of

his　soul　than　by　the　weakness　of　his　body。　　Thus　feels　he　no　pain；

but　esteems　all　such　things　as　friends；　that　desire　to　file　off

his　fetters；　and　help　him　out　of　prison。〃　（11）



Energy　of　willself…originating　forceis　the　soul　of　every

great　character。　　Where　it　is；　there　is　life；　where　it　is　not；

there　is　faintness；　helplessness；　and　despondency。　　〃The　strong

man　and　the　waterfall；〃　says　the　proverb；　〃channel　their　own

path。〃　　The　energetic　leader　of　noble　spirit　not　only　wins　a　way

for　himself；　but　carries　others　with　him。　　His　every　act　has　a

personal　significance；　indicating　vigour；　independence；　and　self…

reliance；　and　unconsciously　commands　respect；　admiration；　and

homage。　　Such　intrepidity　of　character　characterised　Luther；

Cromwell；　Washington；　Pitt；　Wellington；　and　all　great　leaders

of　men。



〃I　am　convinced；〃　said　Mr。　Gladstone；　in　describing　the　qualities

of　the　late　Lord　Palmerston　in　the　House　of　Commons；　shortly　after

his　death〃I　am　convinced　that　it　was　the　force　of　will；　a　sense

of　duty；　and　a　determination　not　to　give　in；　that　enabled　him　to

make　himself　a　model　for　all　of　us　who　yet　remain　and　follow　him；

with　feeble　and　unequal　steps；　in　the　discharge　of　our　duties；　it

was　that　force　of　will　that　in　point　of　fact　did　not　so　much

struggle　against　the　infirmities　of　old　age；　but　actually　repelled

them　and　kept　them　at　a　distance。　　And　one　other　quality　there　is；

at　least；　that　may　be　noticed　without　the　smallest　risk　of

stirring　in　any　breast　a　painful　emotion。　　It　is　this；　that　Lord

Palmerston　had　a　nature　incapable　of　enduring　anger　or　any

sentiment　of　wrath。　　This　freedom　from　wrathful　sentiment　was　not

the　result　of　painful　effort；　but　the　spontaneous　fruit　of　the

mind。　　It　was　a　noble　gift　of　his　original　naturea　gift　which

beyond　all　others　it　was　delightful　to　observe；　delightful　also　to

remember　in　connection　with　him　who　has　left　us；　and　with　whom　we

have　no　longer　to　do；　except　in　endeavouring　to　profit　by　his

example　wherever　it　can　lead　us　in　the　path　of　duty　and　of　right；

and　of　bestowing　on　him　those　tributes　of　admiration　and　affection

which　he　deser