character-第33节
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income of ten or twelve pounds left by her grandmother; eked out
by her little earnings at dressmaking。 During the last two years
of her ministrations; the borough magistrates of Yarmouth; knowing
that her self…imposed labours saved them the expense of a
schoolmaster and chaplain (which they had become bound by law to
appoint); made a proposal to her of an annual salary of ?12 a
year; but they did it in so indelicate a manner as greatly to
wound her sensitive feelings。 She shrank from becoming the
salaried official of the corporation; and bartering for money
those serviced which had throughout been labours of love。 But the
Gaol Committee coarsely informed her; 〃that if they permitted her
to visit the prison she must submit to their terms; or be
excluded。〃 For two years; therefore; she received the salary of
?12 a yearthe acknowledgment of the Yarmouth corporation for
her services as gaol chaplain and schoolmistress! She was now;
however; becoming old and infirm; and the unhealthy atmosphere of
the gaol did much towards finally disabling her。 While she lay on
her deathbed; she resumed the exercise of a talent she had
occasionally practised before in her moments of leisurethe
composition of sacred poetry。 As works of art; they may not
excite admiration; yet never were verses written truer in spirit;
or fuller of Christian love。 But her own life was a nobler
poem than any she ever wrotefull of true courage; perseverance;
charity; and wisdom。 It was indeed a commentary upon
her own words:
〃The high desire that others may be blest
Savours of heaven。〃
NOTES
(1) James Russell Lowell。
(2) Yet Bacon himself had written; 〃I would rather believe all the
faiths in the Legend; and the Talmud; and the Alcoran; than that
this universal frame is without a mind。〃
(3) Aubrey; in his 'Natural History of Wiltshire;' alluding to Harvey;
says: 〃He told me himself that upon publishing that book he fell
in his practice extremely。〃
(4) Sir Thomas More's first wife; Jane Colt; was originally a young
country girl; whom he himself instructed in letters; and moulded
to his own tastes and manners。 She died young; leaving a son and
three daughters; of whom the noble Margaret Roper most resembled
More himself。 His second wife was Alice Middleton; a widow; some
seven years older than More; not beautifulfor he characterized
her as 〃NEC BELLA; NEC PUELLA〃but a shrewd worldly woman; not
by any means disposed to sacrifice comfort and good cheer for
considerations such as those which so powerfully influenced the
mind of her husband。
(5)Before being beheaded; Eliot said; 〃Death is but a little word;
but ''tis a great work to die。'〃 In his 'Prison Thoughts' before
his execution; he wrote: 〃He that fears not to die; fears
nothing。。。。 There is a time to live; and a time to die。 A good
death is far better and more eligible than an ill life。 A wise
man lives but so long as his life is worth more than his death。
The longer life is not always the better。〃
(6) Mr。 J。 S。 Mill; in his book 'On Liberty;' describes 〃the masses;〃
as 〃collective mediocrity。〃 〃The initiation of all wise or noble
things;〃 he says; 〃comes; and must come; from individuals
generally at first from some one individual。 The honour and glory
of the average man is that he is capable of following that
imitation; that he can respond internally to wise and noble
things; and be led to them with his eyes open。。。。 In this age;
the mere example of nonconformity; the mere refusal to bend the
knee to custom; is itself a service。 Precisely because the
tyranny of opinion is such as to make eccentricity a reproach; it
is desirable; in order to break through that tyranny; that people
should be eccentric。 Eccentricity has always abounded when and
where strength of character has abounded; and the amount of
eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the
amount of genius; mental vigour; and moral courage which it
contained。 That so few now dare to be eccentric; marks the chief
danger of the time。〃Pp。 120…1。
(7) Mr。 Arthur Helps; in one of his thoughtful books; published in
1845; made some observations on this point; which are not less
applicable now。 He there said: 〃it is a grievous thing to see
literature made a vehicle for encouraging the enmity of class to
class。 Yet this; unhappily; is not unfrequent now。 Some great
man summed up the nature of French novels by calling them the
Literature of Despair; the kind of writing that I deprecate may be
called the Literature of Envy。。。。 Such writers like to throw
their influence; as they might say; into the weaker scale。 But
that is not the proper way of looking at the matter。 I think; if
they saw the ungenerous nature of their proceedings; that alone
would stop them。 They should recollect that literature may fawn
upon the masses as well as the aristocracy; and in these days the
temptation is in the former direction。 But what is most grievous
in this kind of writing is the mischief it may do to the working…
people themselves。 If you have their true welfare at heart; you
will not only care for their being fed and clothed; but you will
be anxious not to encourage unreasonable expectations in them
not to make them ungrateful or greedy…minded。 Above all; you will
be solicitous to preserve some self…reliance in them。 You will be
careful not to let them think that their condition can be wholly
changed without exertion of their own。 You would not desire to
have it so changed。 Once elevate your ideal of what you wish to
happen amongst the labouring population; and you will not easily
admit anything in your writings that may injure their moral or
their mental character; even if you thought it might hasten some
physical benefit for them。 That is the way to make your genius
most serviceable to mankind。 Depend upon it; honest and bold
things require to be said to the lower as well as the higher
classes; and the former are in these times much less likely to
have; such things addressed to them。〃…Claims of Labour; pp。 253…4。
(8) 'Memoirs of Colonel Hutchinson' (Bohn's Ed。); p。 32。
(9) At a public meeting held at Worcester; in 1867; in recognition of
Sir J。 Pakington's services as Chairman of Quarter Sessions for a
period of twenty…four years; the following remarks; made by Sir
John on the occasion; are just and valuable as they are modest:…
〃I am indebted for whatever measure of success I have attained in
my public life; to a combination of moderate abilities; with
honesty of intention; firmness of purpose; and steadiness of
conduct。 If I were to offer advice to any young man anxious to
make himself useful in public life; I would sum up the results of
my experience in three short rulesrules so simple that any man
may understand them; and so easy that any man may act upon them。
My first rule would beleave it to others to judge of what
duties you are capable; and for what position you are fitted; but
never refuse to give your services in whatever capacity it may be
the opinion of others who are competent to judge that you may
benefit your neighbours or your country。 My second rule iswhen
you agree to undertake public duties; concentrate every energy and
faculty in your possession with the determination to discharge
those duties to the best of your ability。 Lastly; I would counsel
you that; in deciding on the line which you will take in public
affairs; you should be guided in your decision by that which;
after mature deliberation; you believe to be right; and not by
that which; in the passing hour; may happen to be fashionable
or popular。〃
(10) The following illustration of one of his minute acts of kindness
is given in his biography:… 〃He was one day taking a long country
walk near Freshford; when he met a little girl; about five years
old; sobbing over a broken bowl; she had dropped and broken it in
bringing it back from the field to which she had taken her
father's dinner in it; and she said she would be beaten on her
return home for having broken it; when; with a sudden gleam of
hope; she innocently looked up into his face; and said; 'But yee
can mend it; can't ee?'
〃My father explained that he could not mend the bowl; but the
trouble he could; by the gift of a sixpence to buy another。
However; on opening his purse it was empty of silver; and he had
to make amends by promising to meet his little friend in the same
spot at the same hour next day; and to bring the sixpence with
him; bidding her; meanwhile; tell her mother she had seen a
gentleman who would bring her the money for the bowl next day。
The child; entirely trusting him; went on her way comforted。 On
his return home he found an invitation awaiting him to dine in
Bath the following evening; to meet some one whom he specially
wished to see。 He hesitated for some little time; trying to
calcu