character-第20章

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his　contemporaries；　and　he　longed　to　distinguish　himself　in　the

service　of　his　country。　　When　the　Battle　of　Marathon　had　been

fought；　he　fell　into　a　state　of　melancholy；　and　when　asked　by　his

friends　as　to　the　cause；　he　replied　〃that　the　trophies　of

Miltiades　would　not　suffer　him　to　sleep。〃　　A　few　years　later；　we

find　him　at　the　head　of　the　Athenian　army；　defeating　the　Persian

fleet　of　Xerxes　in　the　battles　of　Artemisium　and　Salamis；his

country　gratefully　acknowledging　that　it　had　been　saved　through

his　wisdom　and　valour。



It　is　related　of　Thucydides　that；　when　a　boy；　he　burst　into　tears

on　hearing　Herodotus　read　his　History；　and　the　impression　made

upon　his　mind　was　such　as　to　determine　the　bent　of　his　own　genius。

And　Demosthenes　was　so　fired　on　one　occasion　by　the　eloquence　of

Callistratus；　that　the　ambition　was　roused　within　him　of　becoming

an　orator　himself。　　Yet　Demosthenes　was　physically　weak；　had　a

feeble　voice；　indistinct　articulation；　and　shortness　of　breath

defects　which　he　was　only　enabled　to　overcome　by　diligent　study

and　invincible　determination。　　But；　with　all　his　practice；　he

never　became　a　ready　speaker；　all　his　orations；　especially　the

most　famous　of　them；　exhibiting　indications　of　careful

elaboration；the　art　and　industry　of　the　orator　being　visible　in

almost　every　sentence。



Similar　illustrations　of　character　imitating　character；　and

moulding　itself　by　the　style　and　manner　and　genius　of　great　men；

are　to　be　found　pervading　all　history。　　Warriors；　statesmen；

orators；　patriots；　poets；　and　artistsall　have　been；　more　or

less　unconsciously；　nurtured　by　the　lives　and　actions　of　others

living　before　them　or　presented　for　their　imitation。



Great　men　have　evoked　the　admiration　of　kings；　popes；　and

emperors。　　Francis　de　Medicis　never　spoke　to　Michael　Angelo

without　uncovering；　and　Julius　III。　made　him　sit　by　his　side　while

a　dozen　cardinals　were　standing。　　Charles　V。　made　way　for　Titian；

and　one　day；　when　the　brush　dropped　from　the　painter's　hand；

Charles　stooped　and　picked　it　up；　saying；　〃You　deserve　to　be

served　by　an　emperor。〃　　Leo　X。　threatened　with　excommunication

whoever　should　print　and　sell　the　poems　of　Ariosto　without　the

author's　consent。　　The　same　pope　attended　the　deathbed　of　Raphael；

as　Francis　I。　did　that　of　Leonardo　da　Vinci。



Though　Haydn　once　archly　observed　that　he　was　loved　and　esteemed

by　everybody　except　professors　of　music；　yet　all　the　greatest

musicians　were　unusually　ready　to　recognise　each　other's

greatness。　　Haydn　himself　seems　to　have　been　entirely　free　from

petty　jealousy。　　His　admiration　of　the　famous　Porpora　was　such；

that　he　resolved　to　gain　admission　to　his　house；　and　serve　him　as

a　valet。　　Having　made　the　acquaintance　of　the　family　with　whom

Porpora　lived；　he　was　allowed　to　officiate　in　that　capacity。

Early　each　morning　he　took　care　to　brush　the　veteran's　coat；

polish　his　shoes；　and　put　his　rusty　wig　in　order。　　At　first

Porpora　growled　at　the　intruder；　but　his　asperity　soon　softened；

and　eventually　melted　into　affection。　　He　quickly　discovered　his

valet's　genius；　and；　by　his　instructions；　directed　it　into　the

line　in　which　Haydn　eventually　acquired　so　much　distinction。



Haydn　himself　was　enthusiastic　in　his　admiration　of　Handel。　　〃He

is　the　father　of　us　all；〃　he　said　on　one　occasion。　　Scarlatti

followed　Handel　in　admiration　all　over　Italy；　and；　when　his　name

was　mentioned；　be　crossed　himself　in　token　of　veneration。

Mozart's　recognition　of　the　great　composer　was　not　less　hearty。

〃When　he　chooses；〃　said　he；　〃Handel　strikes　like　the　thunderbolt。〃

Beethoven　hailed　him　as　〃The　monarch　of　the　musical　kingdom。〃

When　Beethoven　was　dying；　one　of　his　friends　sent　him　a　present　of

Handel's　works；　in　forty　volumes。　　They　were　brought　into　his

chamber；　and；　gazing　on　them　with　reanimated　eye；　be　exclaimed；

pointing　at　them　with　his　finger；　〃Therethere　is　the　truth！〃



Haydn　not　only　recognised　the　genius　of　the　great　men　who　had

passed　away；　but　of　his　young　contemporaries；　Mozart　and

Beethoven。　　Small　men　may　be　envious　of　their　fellows；　but　really

great　men　seek　out　and　love　each　other。　　Of　Mozart；　Haydn　wrote　〃I

only　wish　I　could　impress　on　every　friend　of　music；　and　on　great

men　in　particular；　the　same　depth　of　musical　sympathy；　and

profound　appreciation　of　Mozart's　inimitable　music；　that　I　myself

feel　and　enjoy；　then　nations　would　vie　with　each　other　to　possess

such　a　jewel　within　their　frontiers。　　Prague　ought　not　only　to

strive　to　retain　this　precious　man；　but　also　to　remunerate　him；

for　without　this　the　history　of　a　great　genius　is　sad　indeed。。。。

It　enrages　me　to　think　that　the　unparalleled　Mozart　is　not　yet

engaged　by　some　imperial　or　royal　court。　　Forgive　my　excitement；

but　I　love　the　man　so　dearly！〃



Mozart　was　equally　generous　in　his　recognition　of　the　merits　of

Haydn。　　〃Sir；〃　said　he　to　a　critic；　speaking　of　the　latter；　〃if

you　and　I　were　both　melted　down　together；　we　should　not　furnish

materials　for　one　Haydn。〃　　And　when　Mozart　first　heard　Beethoven；

he　observed：　〃Listen　to　that　young　man；　be　assured　that　he　will

yet　make　a　great　name　in　the　world。〃



Buffon　set　Newton　above　all　other　philosophers；　and　admired　him　so

highly　that　he　had　always　his　portrait　before　him　while　he　sat　at

work。　　So　Schiller　looked　up　to　Shakspeare；　whom　he　studied

reverently　and　zealously　for　years；　until　he　became　capable　of

comprehending　nature　at　first…hand；　and　then　his　admiration　became

even　more　ardent　than　before。



Pitt　was　Canning's　master　and　hero；　whom　he　followed　and　admired

with　attachment　and　devotion。　　〃To　one　man；　while　he　lived；〃　said

Canning；　〃I　was　devoted　with　all　my　heart　and　all　my　soul。　　Since

the　death　of　Mr。　Pitt　I　acknowledge　no　leader；　my　political

allegiance　lies　buried　in　his　grave。〃　（11）



A　French　physiologist；　M。　Roux；　was　occupied　one　day　in　lecturing

to　his　pupils；　when　Sir　Charles　Bell；　whose　discoveries　were　even

better　known　and　more　highly　appreciated　abroad　than　at　home；

strolled　into　his　class…room。　　The　professor；　recognising　his

visitor；　at　once　stopped　his　exposition；　saying：　〃MESSIEURS；　C'EST

ASSEZ　POUR　AUJOURD'HUI；　VOUS　AVEZ　VU　SIR　CHARLES　BELL！〃



The　first　acquaintance　with　a　great　work　of　art　has　usually　proved

an　important　event　in　every　young　artist's　life。　　When　Correggio

first　gazed　on　Raphael's　'Saint　Cecilia；'　he　felt　within　himself

an　awakened　power；　and　exclaimed；　〃And　I　too　am　a　painter〃　So

Constable　used　to　look　back　on　his　first　sight　of　Claude's　picture

of　'Hagar；'　as　forming　an　epoch　in　his　career。　　Sir　George

Beaumont's　admiration　of　the　same　picture　was　such　that　he　always

took　it　with　him　in　his　carriage　when　he　travelled　from　home。



The　examples　set　by　the　great　and　good　do　not　die；　they　continue

to　live　and　speak　to　all　the　generations　that　succeed　them。　　It

was　very　impressively　observed　by　Mr。　Disraeli；　in　the　House　of

Commons；　shortly　after　the　death　of　Mr。　Cobden：〃There　is　this

consolation　remaining　to　us；　when　we　remember　our　unequalled　and

irreparable　losses；　that　those　great　men　are　not　altogether　lost

to　usthat　their　words　will　often　be　quoted　in　this　Housethat

their　examples　will　often　be　referred　to　and　appealed　to；　and　that

even　their　expressions　will　form　part　of　our　discussions　and

debates。　　There　are　now；　I　may　say；　some　members　of　Parliament

who；　though　they　may　not　be　present；　are　still　members　of　this

Housewho　are　independent　of　dissolutions；　of　the　caprices　of

constituencies；　and　even　of　the　course　of　time。　　I　think　that　Mr。

Cobden　was　one　of　those　men。〃



It　is　the　great　lesson　of　biography　to　teach　what　man　can　be　and

can　do　at　his　best。　　It　may　thus　give　each　man　renewed　strength

and　confidence。　　The　humblest；　in　sight　of　even　the　greatest；　may

admire；　and　hope；　and　take　courage。　　These　great　brothers　of　ours

in　blood　and　lineage；　who　live　a　universal　life；　still　speak　to　us

from　their　graves；　and　beckon　us　on　in　the　paths