character-第2章

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the　Bible；　'Flavel；'　and　'Boston'books　which；　excepting　the

first；　probably　few　readers　have　ever　heard　of。　　This　good　man

might　have　sat　for　the　portrait　of　Wordsworth's　well…known

'Wanderer。'　　When　he　had　lived　his　modest　life　of　work　and　worship；

and　finally　went　to　his　rest；　he　left　behind　him　a　reputation　for

practical　wisdom；　for　genuine　goodness；　and　for　helpfulness　in

every　good　work；　which　greater　and　richer　men　might　have　envied。



When　Luther　died；　he　left　behind　him；　as　set　forth　in　his　will；

〃no　ready　money；　no　treasure　of　coin　of　any　description。〃　　He　was

so　poor　at　one　part　of　his　life；　that　he　was　under　the　necessity

of　earning　his　bread　by　turning；　gardening；　and　clockmaking。　　Yet；

at　the　very　time　when　he　was　thus　working　with　his　hands；　he　was

moulding　the　character　of　his　country；　and　he　was　morally

stronger；　and　vastly　more　honoured　and　followed；　than　all　the

princes　of　Germany。



Character　is　property。　　It　is　the　noblest　of　possessions。　　It　is

an　estate　in　the　general　goodwill　and　respect　of　men；　and　they　who

invest　in　itthough　they　may　not　become　rich　in　this　world's

goodswill　find　their　reward　in　esteem　and　reputation　fairly　and

honourably　won。　　And　it　is　right　that　in　life　good　qualities

should　tellthat　industry；　virtue；　and　goodness　should　rank　the

highestand　that　the　really　best　men　should　be　foremost。



Simple　honesty　of　purpose　in　a　man　goes　a　long　way　in　life；　if

founded　on　a　just　estimate　of　himself　and　a　steady　obedience　to

the　rule　he　knows　and　feels　to　be　right。　　It　holds　a　man　straight；

gives　him　strength　and　sustenance；　and　forms　a　mainspring　of

vigorous　action。　　'No　man；〃　once　said　Sir　Benjamin　Rudyard；　〃is

bound　to　be　rich　or　great；no；　nor　to　be　wise；　but　every　man　is

bound　to　be　honest。〃　（4）



But　the　purpose；　besides　being　honest；　must　be　inspired　by　sound

principles；　and　pursued　with　undeviating　adherence　to　truth；

integrity；　and　uprightness。　　Without　principles；　a　man　is　like　a

ship　without　rudder　or　compass；　left　to　drift　hither　and　thither

with　every　wind　that　blows。　　He　is　as　one　without　law；　or　rule；　or

order；　or　government。　　〃Moral　principles；〃　says　Hume；　〃are　social

and　universal。　　They　form；　in　a　manner；　the　PARTY　of　humankind

against　vice　and　disorder；　its　common　enemy。〃



Epictetus　once　received　a　visit　from　a　certain　magnificent　orator

going　to　Rome　on　a　lawsuit；　who　wished　to　learn　from　the　stoic

something　of　his　philosophy。　　Epictetus　received　his　visitor

coolly；　not　believing　in　his　sincerity。　　〃You　will　only　criticise

my　style；〃　said　he；　〃not　really　wishing　to　learn　principles。〃

〃Well；　but；〃　said　the　orator；　〃if　I　attend　to　that　sort　of　thing；

I　shall　be　a　mere　pauper；　like　you；　with　no　plate；　nor　equipage；

nor　land。〃〃I　don't　WANT　such　things；〃　replied　Epictetus；　〃and

besides；　you　are　poorer　than　I　am；　after　all。　　Patron　or　no

patron；　what　care　I？　　You　DO　care。　　I　am　richer　than　you。　　I　don't

care　what　Caesar　thinks　of　me。　　I　flatter　no　one。　　This　is　what　I

have；　instead　of　your　gold　and　silver　plate。　　You　have　silver

vessels；　but　earthenware　reasons；　principles；　appetites。　　My　mind

to　me　a　kingdom　is；　and　it　furnishes　me　with　abundant　and　happy

occupation　in　lieu　of　your　restless　idleness。　　All　your

possessions　seem　small　to　you；　mine　seem　great　to　me。　　Your　desire

is　insatiatemine　is　satisfied。〃　（5）



Talent　is　by　no　means　rare　in　the　world；　nor　is　even　genius。　　But

can　the　talent　be　trusted？can　the　genius？　　Not　unless　based　on

truthfulnesson　veracity。　　It　is　this　quality　more　than　any

other　that　commands　the　esteem　and　respect；　and　secures　the

confidence　of　others。　　Truthfulness　is　at　the　foundation　of　all

personal　excellence。　　It　exhibits　itself　in　conduct。　　It　is

rectitudetruth　in　action；　and　shines　through　every　word　and

deed。　　It　means　reliableness；　and　convinces　other　men　that　it　can

be　trusted。　　And　a　man　is　already　of　consequence　in　the　world　when

it　is　known　that　he　can　be　relied　on；that　when　he　says　he　knows

a　thing；　he　does　know　it；that　when　be　says　he　will　do　a　thing；

he　can　do；　and　does　it。　　Thus　reliableness　becomes　a　passport　to

the　general　esteem　and　confidence　of　mankind。



In　the　affairs　of　life　or　of　business；　it　is　not　intellect　that

tells　so　much　as　character；not　brains　so　much　as　heart；not

genius　so　much　as　self…control；　patience；　and　discipline；

regulated　by　judgment。　　Hence　there　is　no　better　provision　for　the

uses　of　either　private　or　public　life；　than　a　fair　share　of

ordinary　good　sense　guided　by　rectitude。　　Good　sense；　disciplined

by　experience　and　inspired　by　goodness；　issues　in　practical

wisdom。　　Indeed；　goodness　in　a　measure　implies　wisdomthe

highest　wisdomthe　union　of　the　worldly　with　the　spiritual。

〃The　correspondences　of　wisdom　and　goodness；〃　says　Sir　Henry

Taylor；　〃are　manifold；　and　that　they　will　accompany　each　other　is

to　be　inferred；　not　only　because　men's　wisdom　makes　them　good；　but

because　their　goodness　makes　them　wise。〃　（6）



It　is　because　of　this　controlling　power　of　character　in　life　that

we　often　see　men　exercise　an　amount　of　influence　apparently　out　of

all　proportion　to　their　intellectual　endowments。　　They　appear　to

act　by　means　of　some　latent　power；　some　reserved　force；　which　acts

secretly；　by　mere　presence。　　As　Burke　said　of　a　powerful　nobleman

of　the　last　century；　〃his　virtues　were　his　means。〃　　The　secret　is；

that　the　aims　of　such　men　are　felt　to　be　pure　and　noble；　and　they

act　upon　others　with　a　constraining　power。



Though　the　reputation　of　men　of　genuine　character　may　be　of　slow

growth；　their　true　qualities　cannot　be　wholly　concealed。　　They　may

be　misrepresented　by　some；　and　misunderstood　by　others；　misfortune

and　adversity　may；　for　a　time；　overtake　them　but；　with　patience

and　endurance；　they　will　eventually　inspire　the　respect　and

command　the　confidence　which　they　really　deserve。



It　has　been　said　of　Sheridan　that；　had　he　possessed　reliableness

of　character；　he　might　have　ruled　the　world；　whereas；　for　want　of

it；　his　splendid　gifts　were　comparatively　useless。　　He　dazzled　and

amused；　but　was　without　weight　or　influence　in　life　or　politics。

Even　the　poor　pantomimist　of　Drury　Lane　felt　himself　his　superior。

Thus；　when　Delpini　one　day　pressed　the　manager　for　arrears　of

salary；　Sheridan　sharply　reproved　him；　telling　him　he　had

forgotten　his　station。　　〃No；　indeed；　Monsieur　Sheridan；　I　have

not；〃　retorted　Delpini；　〃I　know　the　difference　between　us

perfectly　well。　　In　birth；　parentage；　and　education；　you　are

superior　to　me；　but　in　life；　character；　and　behaviour；　I　am

superior　to　you。〃



Unlike　Sheridan；　Burke；　his　countryman；　was　a　great　man　of

character。　　He　was　thirty…five　before　be　gained　a　seat　in

Parliament；　yet　he　found　time　to　carve　his　name　deep　in　the

political　history　of　England。　　He　was　a　man　of　great　gifts；　and　of

transcendent　force　of　character。　　Yet　he　had　a　weakness；　which

proved　a　serious　defectit　was　his　want　of　temper；　his　genius

was　sacrificed　to　his　irritability。　　And　without　this　apparently

minor　gift　of　temper；　the　most　splendid　endowments　may　be

comparatively　valueless　to　their　possessor。



Character　is　formed　by　a　variety　of　minute　circumstances；　more　or

less　under　the　regulation　and　control　of　the　individual。　　Not　a

day　passes　without　its　discipline；　whether　for　good　or　for　evil。

There　is　no　act；　however　trivial；　but　has　its　train　of

consequences；　as　there　is　no　hair　so　small　but　casts　its　shadow。

It　was　a　wise　saying　of　Mrs。　Schimmelpenninck's　mother；　never　to

give　way　to　what　is　little；　or　by　that　little；　however　you　may

despise　it；　you　will　be　practically　governed。



Every　action；　every　thought；　every　feeling；　contributes　to　the

education　of　the　temper；　the　habits；　and　understanding；　and

exercises　an　inevitable　influence　upon　all　the　acts　of　our　future

life。　　Thus　character　is　undergoing　constant　change；　for　better　or

for　worseeither　being　elevated　on　the　one　hand；　or　degraded　on

the　other。　　〃There　is