character-第36节

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many　respects　resembled。　　The　American；　like　the　Dutch　patriot；

stands　out　in　history　as　the　very　impersonation　of　dignity；

bravery；　purity；　and　personal　excellence。　　His　command　over　his

feelings；　even　in　moments　of　great　difficulty　and　danger；　was　such

as　to　convey　the　impression；　to　those　who　did　not　know　him

intimately；　that　he　was　a　man　of　inborn　calmness　and　almost

impassiveness　of　disposition。　　Yet　Washington　was　by　nature　ardent

and　impetuous；　his　mildness；　gentleness；　politeness；　and

consideration　for　others；　were　the　result　of　rigid　self…control

and　unwearied　self…discipline；　which　he　diligently　practised　even

from　his　boyhood。　　His　biographer　says　of　him；　that　〃his

temperament　was　ardent；　his　passions　strong；　and　amidst　the

multiplied　scenes　of　temptation　and　excitement　through　which　he

passed；　it　was　his　constant　effort；　and　ultimate　triumph；　to　check

the　one　and　subdue　the　other。〃　　And　again：　〃His　passions　were

strong；　and　sometimes　they　broke　out　with　vehemence；　but　he　had

the　power　of　checking　them　in　an　instant。　　Perhaps　self…control

was　the　most　remarkable　trait　of　his　character。　　It　was　in　part

the　effect　of　discipline；　yet　he　seems　by　nature　to　have　possessed

this　power　in　a　degree　which　has　been　denied　to　other　men。　（*5）



The　Duke　of　Wellington's　natural　temper；　like　that　of　Napoleon；

was　irritable　in　the　extreme；　and　it　was　only　by　watchful　self…

control　that　he　was　enabled　to　restrain　it。　　He　studied　calmness

and　coolness　in　the　midst　of　danger；　like　any　Indian　chief。　　At

Waterloo；　and　elsewhere；　he　gave　his　orders　in　the　most　critical

moments；　without　the　slightest　excitement；　and　in　a　tone　of　voice

almost　more　than　usually　subdued。　（6）



Wordsworth　the　poet　was；　in　his　childhood；　〃of　a　stiff；　moody；　and

violent　temper；〃　and　〃perverse　and　obstinate　in　defying

chastisement。〃　　When　experience　of　life　had　disciplined　his

temper；　he　learnt　to　exercise　greater　self…control；　but；　at　the

same　time；　the　qualities　which　distinguished　him　as　a　child　were

afterwards　useful　in　enabling　him　to　defy　the　criticism　of　his

enemies。　　Nothing　was　more　marked　than　Wordsworth's　self…respect

and　self…determination；　as　well　as　his　self…consciousness　of

power；　at　all　periods　of　his　history。



Henry　Martyn；　the　missionary；　was　another　instance　of　a　man　in

whom　strength　of　temper　was　only　so　much　pent…up；　unripe　energy。

As　a　boy　he　was　impatient；　petulant；　and　perverse；　but　by　constant

wrestling　against　his　tendency　to　wrongheadedness；　he　gradually

gained　the　requisite　strength；　so　as　to　entirely　overcome　it；　and

to　acquire　what　he　so　greatly　covetedthe　gift　of　patience。



A　man　may　be　feeble　in　organization；　but；　blessed　with　a　happy

temperament；　his　soul　may　be　great；　active；　noble；　and　sovereign。

Professor　Tyndall　has　given　us　a　fine　picture　of　the　character　of

Faraday；　and　of　his　self…denying　labours　in　the　cause　of　science

exhibiting　him　as　a　man　of　strong；　original；　and　even　fiery

nature；　and　yet　of　extreme　tenderness　and　sensibility。

〃Underneath　his　sweetness　and　gentleness；〃　he　says；　〃was　the　heat

of　a　volcano。　　He　was　a　man　of　excitable　and　fiery　nature；　but；

through　high　self…discipline；　he　had　converted　the　fire　into　a

central　glow　and　motive　power　of　life；　instead　of　permitting　it　to

waste　itself　in　useless　passion。〃



There　was　one　fine　feature　in　Faraday's　character　which　is　worthy

of　noticeone　closely　akin　to　self…control：　it　was　his　self…

denial。　　By　devoting　himself　to　analytical　chemistry；　he　might

have　speedily　realised　a　large　fortune；　but　he　nobly　resisted　the

temptation；　and　preferred　to　follow　the　path　of　pure　science。

〃Taking　the　duration　of　his　life　into　account；〃　says　Mr。　Tyndall；

〃this　son　of　a　blacksmith　and　apprentice　to　a　bookbinder　had　to

decide　between　a　fortune　of　？150；000　on　the　one　side；　and　his

undowered　science　on　the　other。　　He　chose　the　latter；　and

died　a　poor　man。　　But　his　was　the　glory　of　holding　aloft

among　the　nations　the　scientific　name　of　England　for　a

period　of　forty　years。〃　（7）



Take　a　like　instance　of　the　self…denial　of　a　Frenchman。　　The

historian　Anquetil　was　one　of　the　small　number　of　literary　men　in

France　who　refused　to　bow　to　the　Napoleonic　yoke。　　He　sank　into

great　poverty；　living　on　bread…and…milk；　and　limiting　his

expenditure　to　only　three　sous　a　day。　　〃I　have　still　two　sous　a

day　left；〃　said　he；　〃for　the　conqueror　of　Marengo　and　Austerlitz。〃

〃But　if　you　fall　sick；〃　said　a　friend　to　him；　〃you　will　need　the

help　of　a　pension。　　Why　not　do　as　others　do？　　Pay　court　to　the

Emperoryou　have　need　of　him　to　live。〃　　〃I　do　not　need　him　to

die；〃　was　the　historian's　reply。　　But　Anquetil　did　not　die　of

poverty；　he　lived　to　the　age　of　ninety…four；　saying　to　a　friend；

on　the　eve　of　his　death；　〃Come；　see　a　man　who　dies　still　full　of

life！〃



Sir　James　Outram　exhibited　the　same　characteristic　of　noble　self…

denial；　though　in　an　altogether　different　sphere　of　life。　　Like

the　great　King　Arthur；　he　was　emphatically　a　man　who　〃forbore　his

own　advantage。〃　　He　was　characterised　throughout　his　whole　career

by　his　noble　unselfishness。　　Though　he　might　personally　disapprove

of　the　policy　he　was　occasionally　ordered　to　carry　out；　he　never

once　faltered　in　the　path　of　duty。　　Thus　he　did　not　approve　of　the

policy　of　invading　Scinde；　yet　his　services　throughout　the

campaign　were　acknowledged　by　General　Sir　C。　Napier　to　have　been

of　the　most　brilliant　character。　　But　when　the　war　was　over；　and

the　rich　spoils　of　Scinde　lay　at　the　conqueror's　feet；　Outram

said：　〃I　disapprove　of　the　policy　of　this　warI　will　accept　no

share　of　the　prize…money！〃



Not　less　marked　was　his　generous　self…denial　when　despatched　with

a　strong　force　to　aid　Havelock　in　fighting　his　way　to　Lucknow。　　As

superior　officer；　he　was　entitled　to　take　upon　himself　the　chief

command；　but；　recognising　what　Havelock　had　already　done；　with

rare　disinterestedness；　he　left　to　his　junior　officer　the　glory　of

completing　the　campaign；　offering　to　serve　under　him　as　a

volunteer。　　〃With　such　reputation；〃　said　Lord　Clyde；　〃as　Major…

General　Outram　has　won　for　himself；　he　can　afford　to　share　glory

and　honour　with　others。　　But　that　does　not　lessen　the　value　of　the

sacrifice　he　has　made　with　such　disinterested　generosity。〃



If　a　man　would　get　through　life　honourably　and　peaceably；　he　must

necessarily　learn　to　practise　self…denial　in　small　things　as　well

as　great。　　Men　have　to　bear　as　well　as　forbear。　　The　temper　has　to

be　held　in　subjection　to　the　judgment；　and　the　little　demons　of

ill…humour；　petulance；　and　sarcasm；　kept　resolutely　at　a　distance。

If　once　they　find　an　entrance　to　the　mind；　they　are　very　apt

to　return；　and　to　establish　for　themselves　a　permanent

occupation　there。



It　is　necessary　to　one's　personal　happiness；　to　exercise　control

over　one's　words　as　well　as　acts：　for　there　are　words　that　strike

even　harder　than　blows；　and　men　may　〃speak　daggers；〃　though　they

use　none。　　〃UN　COUP　DE　LANGUE；〃　says　the　French　proverb；　〃EST　PIRE

QU'UN　COUP　DE　LANCE。〃　　The　stinging　repartee　that　rises　to　the

lips；　and　which；　if　uttered；　might　cover　an　adversary　with

confusion；　how　difficult　it　sometimes　is　to　resist　saying　it！

〃Heaven　keep　us；〃　says　Miss　Bremer　in　her　'Home；'　〃from　the

destroying　power　of　words！　　There　are　words　which　sever　hearts

more　than　sharp　swords　do；　there　are　words　the　point　of　which

sting　the　heart　through　the　course　of　a　whole　life。〃



Thus　character　exhibits　itself　in　self…control　of　speech　as　much

as　in　anything　else。　　The　wise　and　forbearant　man　will　restrain

his　desire　to　say　a　smart　or　severe　thing　at　the　expense　of

another's　feelings；　while　the　fool　blurts　out　what　he　thinks；　and

will　sacrifice　his　friend　rather　than　his　joke。　　〃The　mouth　of　a

wise　man；〃　said　Solomon；　〃is　in　his　heart；　the　heart　of　a　fool　is

in　his　mouth。〃



There　are；　however；　men　who　are　no　fools；　that　are　headlong　in

their　language　as　in　their　acts；　because　of　their　want　of

forbearance　and　self…restraining　patience。　　The　impulsive　genius；

gifted　with　quick　thought　and　incisive　speechperhaps　carried

away　by　the　cheers　of　the　momentlets　fly　a　sarcastic　sentence

which　may　return　upon　him　to　his　own　infinite　damage。　　Even

statesmen　might　be　named；　who　have　failed　through　their　inability

to　resist　the　temptation　of　saying　clever　and　spiteful　things　at

their　adversary's　expense。　　〃The　turn　of　a　sentence；〃　says

Bentham；　〃has　decided　the　fate　of　many　a　friendship；　and；　for

aught　that　we　know；　the　fate　of　many　a　kingdom。〃　　So；　when　one　is

tempted　to　write　a　clever　but　harsh　thing；　though　it　may　be

difficult　to　restrain　it；　it　is　always　better　to　leave　it　in　the

inkstand。　　〃A　goose's　quill；〃　says　the　Spanish　proverb；　〃often

hurts　more　than　a　lion's　claw。〃



Carlyle　says；　when　speaking　of　Oliver　Cromwell；　〃He　that　cannot

withal　keep　his　mind　to　himself；　cannot　practise　any　considerable

thing　whatsoever。〃　　It　was　said　of　William　the