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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

s

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