character-第12章
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companion of her children; who gradually became moulded by her
example。 It was through the bias given by her to her sons' minds
in religious matters that they acquired the tendency which; even
in early years; drew to them the name of Methodists。 In a letter
to her son; Samuel Wesley; when a scholar at Westminster in 1709;
she said: 〃I would advise you as much as possible to throw your
business into a certain METHOD; by which means you will learn to
improve every precious moment; and find an unspeakable facility in
the performance of your respective duties。〃 This 〃method〃 she went
on to describe; exhorting her son 〃in all things to act upon
principle;〃 and the society which the brothers John and Charles
afterwards founded at Oxford is supposed to have been in a great
measure the result of her exhortations。
In the case of poets; literary men; and artists; the influence of
the mother's feeling and taste has doubtless had great effect in
directing the genius of their sons; and we find this especially
illustrated in the lives of Gray; Thomson; Scott; Southey; Bulwer;
Schiller; and Goethe。 Gray inherited; almost complete; his kind
and loving nature from his mother; while his father was harsh and
unamiable。 Gray was; in fact; a feminine manshy; reserved; and
wanting in energy;but thoroughly irreproachable in life and
character。 The poet's mother maintained the family; after her
unworthy husband had deserted her; and; at her death; Gray placed
on her grave; in Stoke Pogis; an epitaph describing her as 〃the
careful tender mother of many children; one of whom alone had the
misfortune to survive her。〃 The poet himself was; at his own
desire; interred beside her worshipped grave。
Goethe; like Schiller; owed the bias of his mind and character to
his mother; who was a woman of extraordinary gifts。 She was full
of joyous flowing mother…wit; and possessed in a high degree the
art of stimulating young and active minds; instructing them in the
science of life out of the treasures of her abundant experience。 (12)
After a lengthened interview with her; an enthusiastic traveller
said; 〃Now do I understand how Goethe has become the man he is。〃
Goethe himself affectionately cherished her memory。 〃She was
worthy of life!〃 he once said of her; and when he visited
Frankfort; he sought out every individual who had been kind to his
mother; and thanked them all。
It was Ary Scheffer's motherwhose beautiful features the
painter so loved to reproduce in his pictures of Beatrice; St。
Monica; and others of his worksthat encouraged his study of
art; and by great self…denial provided him with the means of
pursuing it。 While living at Dordrecht; in Holland; she first
sent him to Lille to study; and afterwards to Paris; and her
letters to him; while absent; were always full of sound motherly
advice; and affectionate womanly sympathy。 〃If you could but see
me;〃 she wrote on one occasion; 〃kissing your picture; then; after
a while; taking it up again; and; with a tear in my eye; calling
you 'my beloved son;' you would comprehend what it costs me to use
sometimes the stern language of authority; and to occasion to you
moments of pain。 * * * Work diligentlybe; above all; modest
and humble; and when you find yourself excelling others; then
compare what you have done with Nature itself; or with the 'ideal'
of your own mind; and you will be secured; by the contrast which
will be apparent; against the effects of pride and presumption。〃
Long years after; when Ary Scheffer was himself a grandfather; he
remembered with affection the advice of his mother; and repeated
it to his children。 And thus the vital power of good example
lives on from generation to generation; keeping the world ever
fresh and young。 Writing to his daughter; Madame Marjolin; in
1846; his departed mother's advice recurred to him; and he said:
〃The word MUSTfix it well in your memory; dear child; your
grandmother seldom had it out of hers。 The truth is; that through
our lives nothing brings any good fruit except what is earned by
either the work of the hands; or by the exertion of one's self…
denial。 Sacrifices must; in short; be ever going on if we would
obtain any comfort or happiness。 Now that I am no longer young; I
declare that few passages in my life afford me so much
satisfaction as those in which I made sacrifices; or denied myself
enjoyments。 'Das Entsagen' (the forbidden) is the motto of the
wise man。 Self…denial is the quality of which Jesus Christ
set us the example。〃 (13)
The French historian Michelet makes the following touching
reference to his mother in the Preface to one of his most popular
books; the subject of much embittered controversy at the time at
which it appeared:… 〃Whilst writing all this; I have had in my
mind a woman; whose strong and serious mind would not have failed
to support me in these contentions。 I lost her thirty years ago
(I was a child then)nevertheless; ever living in my memory; she
follows me from age to age。
〃She suffered with me in my poverty; and was not allowed to share
my better fortune。 When young; I made her sad; and now I cannot
console her。 I know not even where her bones are: I was too poor
then to buy earth to bury her!〃
〃And yet I owe her much。 I feel deeply that I am the son of
woman。 Every instant; in my ideas and words (not to mention
my features and gestures); I find again my mother in myself。
It is my mother's blood which gives me the sympathy I feel
for bygone ages; and the tender remembrance of all those
who are now no more。〃
〃What return then could I; who am myself advancing towards
old age; make her for the many things I owe her? One; for
which she would have thanked methis protest in favour
of women and mothers。〃 (14)
But while a mother may greatly influence the poetic or artistic
mind of her son for good; she may also influence it for evil。
Thus the characteristics of Lord Byronthe waywardness of his
impulses; his defiance of restraint; the bitterness of his hate;
and the precipitancy of his resentmentswere traceable in no
small degree to the adverse influences exercised upon his mind
from his birth by his capricious; violent; and headstrong mother。
She even taunted her son with his personal deformity; and it was
no unfrequent occurrence; in the violent quarrels which occurred
between them; for her to take up the poker or tongs; and hurl them
after him as he fled from her presence。 (15) It was this unnatural
treatment that gave a morbid turn to Byron's after…life; and;
careworn; unhappy; great; and yet weak as he was; he carried about
with him the mother's poison which he had sucked in his infancy。
Hence he exclaims; in his 'Childe Harold':…
〃Yet must I think less wildly:… I have thought
Too long and darkly; till my brain became;
In its own eddy boiling and o'erwrought;
A whirling gulf of phantasy and flame:
And thus; UNTAUGHT IN YOUTH MY HEART TO TAME;
MY SPRINGS OF LIFE WERE POISONED。〃
In like manner; though in a different way; the character of Mrs。
Foote; the actor's mother; was curiously repeated in the life of
her joyous; jovial…hearted son。 Though she had been heiress to a
large fortune; she soon spent it all; and was at length imprisoned
for debt。 In this condition she wrote to Sam; who had been
allowing her a hundred a year out of the proceeds of his acting:…
〃Dear Sam; I am in prison for debt; come and assist your loving
mother; E。 Foote。〃 To which her son characteristically replied
〃Dear mother; so am I; which prevents his duty being paid to his
loving mother by her affectionate son; Sam Foote。〃
A foolish mother may also spoil a gifted son; by imbuing his mind
with unsound sentiments。 Thus Lamartine's mother is said to have
trained him in altogether erroneous ideas of life; in the school
of Rousseau and Bernardin de St。…Pierre; by which his
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