character-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

the　other。　　〃There　is　no　fault　nor　folly　of　my　life；〃　says　Mr。

Ruskin；　〃that　does　not　rise　up　against　me；　and　take　away　my　joy；

and　shorten　my　power　of　possession；　of　sight；　of　understanding。

And　every　past　effort　of　my　life；　every　gleam　of　rightness　or　good

in　it；　is　with　me　now；　to　help　me　in　my　grasp　of　this　art　and　its

vision。〃　（7）



The　mechanical　law；　that　action　and　reaction　are　equal；　holds　true

also　in　morals。　　Good　deeds　act　and　react　on　the　doers　of　them；

and　so　do　evil。　　Not　only　so：　they　produce　like　effects；　by　the

influence　of　example；　on　those　who　are　the　subjects　of　them。　　But

man　is　not　the　creature；　so　much　as　he　is　the　creator；　of

circumstances：　（8）　and；　by　the　exercise　of　his　freewill；　he　can

direct　his　actions　so　that　they　shall　be　productive　of　good　rather

than　evil。　　〃Nothing　can　work　me　damage　but　myself；〃　said　St。

Bernard；　〃the　harm　that　I　sustain　I　carry　about　with　me；　and　I　am

never　a　real　sufferer　but　by　my　own　fault。〃



The　best　sort　of　character；　however；　cannot　be　formed　without

effort。　　There　needs　the　exercise　of　constant　self…watchfulness；

self…discipline；　and　self…control。　　There　may　be　much　faltering；

stumbling；　and　temporary　defeat；　difficulties　and　temptations

manifold　to　be　battled　with　and　overcome；　but　if　the　spirit　be

strong　and　the　heart　be　upright；　no　one　need　despair　of　ultimate

success。　　The　very　effort　to　advanceto　arrive　at　a　higher

standard　of　character　than　we　have　reachedis　inspiring　and

invigorating；　and　even　though　we　may　fall　short　of　it；　we　cannot

fail　to　be　improved　by　every；　honest　effort　made　in　an　upward

direction。



And　with　the　light　of　great　examples　to　guide　usrepresentatives

of　humanity　in　its　best　formsevery　one　is　not　only　justified；

but　bound　in　duty；　to　aim　at　reaching　the　highest　standard　of

character：　not　to　become　the　richest　in　means；　but　in　spirit；　not

the　greatest　in　worldly　position；　but　in　true　honour；　not　the　most

intellectual；　but　the　most　virtuous；　not　the　most　powerful　and

influential；　but　the　most　truthful；　upright；　and　honest。



It　was　very　characteristic　of　the　late　Prince　Consorta　man

himself　of　the　purest　mind；　who　powerfully　impressed　and

influenced　others　by　the　sheer　force　of　his　own　benevolent　nature

when　drawing　up　the　conditions　of　the　annual　prize　to　be　given

by　Her　Majesty　at　Wellington　College；　to　determine　that　it　should

be　awarded；　not　to　the　cleverest　boy；　nor　to　the　most　bookish　boy；

nor　to　the　most　precise；　diligent；　and　prudent　boy；but　to　the

noblest　boy；　to　the　boy　who　should　show　the　most　promise　of

becoming　a　large…hearted；　high…motived　man。　（9）



Character　exhibits　itself　in　conduct；　guided　and　inspired　by

principle；　integrity；　and　practical　wisdom。　　In　its　highest　form；

it　is　the　individual　will　acting　energetically　under　the　influence

of　religion；　morality；　and　reason。　　It　chooses　its　way

considerately；　and　pursues　it　steadfastly；　esteeming　duty　above

reputation；　and　the　approval　of　conscience　more　than　the　world's

praise。　　While　respecting　the　personality　of　others；　it　preserves

its　own　individuality　and　independence；　and　has　the　courage　to　be

morally　honest；　though　it　may　be　unpopular；　trusting　tranquilly　to

time　and　experience　for　recognition。



Although　the　force　of　example　will　always　exercise　great　influence

upon　the　formation　of　character；　the　self…originating　and

sustaining　force　of　one's　own　spirit　must　be　the　mainstay。　　This

alone　can　hold　up　the　life；　and　give　individual　independence　and

energy。　　〃Unless　man　can　erect　himself　above　himself；〃　said

Daniel；　a　poet　of　the　Elizabethan　era；　〃how　poor　a　thing　is　man！〃

Without　a　certain　degree　of　practical　efficient　forcecompounded

of　will；　which　is　the　root；　and　wisdom；　which　is　the　stem　of

characterlife　will　be　indefinite　and　purposelesslike　a　body

of　stagnant　water；　instead　of　a　running　stream　doing　useful　work

and　keeping　the　machinery　of　a　district　in　motion。



When　the　elements　of　character　are　brought　into　action　by

determinate　will；　and；　influenced　by　high　purpose；　man　enters　upon

and　courageously　perseveres　in　the　path　of　duty；　at　whatever　cost

of　worldly　interest；　he　may　be　said　to　approach　the　summit　of　his

being。　　He　then　exhibits　character　in　its　most　intrepid　form；　and

embodies　the　highest　idea　of　manliness。　　The　acts　of　such　a　man

become　repeated　in　the　life　and　action　of　others。　　His　very　words

live　and　become　actions。　　Thus　every　word　of　Luther's　rang　through

Germany　like　a　trumpet。　　As　Richter　said　of　him；　〃His　words　were

half…battles。〃　　And　thus　Luther's　life　became　transfused　into　the

life　of　his　country；　and　still　lives　in　the　character　of　modern

Germany。



On　the　other　hand；　energy；　without　integrity　and　a　soul　of

goodness；　may　only　represent　the　embodied　principle　of　evil。　　It

is　observed　by　Novalis；　in　his　'Thoughts　on　Morals；'　that　the

ideal　of　moral　perfection　has　no　more　dangerous　rival　to　contend

with　than　the　ideal　of　the　highest　strength　and　the　most　energetic

life；　the　maximum　of　the　barbarianwhich　needs　only　a　due

admixture　of　pride；　ambition；　and　selfishness；　to　be　a　perfect

ideal　of　the　devil。　　Amongst　men　of　such　stamp　are　found　the

greatest　scourges　and　devastators　of　the　worldthose　elect

scoundrels　whom　Providence；　in　its　inscrutable　designs；　permits　to

fulfil　their　mission　of　destruction　upon　earth。　（10）



Very　different　is　the　man　of　energetic　character　inspired　by　a

noble　spirit；　whose　actions　are　governed　by　rectitude；　and　the　law

of　whose　life　is　duty。　　He　is　just　and　upright；in　his　business

dealings；　in　his　public　action；　and　in　his　family　lifejustice

being　as　essential　in　the　government　of　a　home　as　of　a　nation。　　He

will　be　honest　in　all　thingsin　his　words　and　in　his　work。　　He

will　be　generous　and　merciful　to　his　opponents；　as　well　as　to

those　who　are　weaker　than　himself。　　It　was　truly　said　of　Sheridan

who；　with　all　his　improvidence；　was　generous；　and　never　gave

painthat



　　　　　〃His　wit　in　the　combat；　as　gentle　as　bright；

　　　　　Never　carried　a　heart…stain　away　on　its　blade。〃



Such　also　was　the　character　of　Fox；　who　commanded　the　affection

and　service　of　others　by　his　uniform　heartiness　and　sympathy。　　He

was　a　man　who　could　always　be　most　easily　touched　on　the　side　of

his　honour。　　Thus；　the　story　is　told　of　a　tradesman　calling　upon

him　one　day　for　the　payment　of　a　promissory　note　which　he

presented。　　Fox　was　engaged　at　the　time　in　counting　out　gold。　　The

tradesman　asked　to　be　paid　from　the　money　before　him。　　〃No；〃　said

Fox；　〃I　owe　this　money　to　Sheridan；　it　is　a　debt　of　honour；　if　any

accident　happened　to　me；　he　would　have　nothing　to　show。〃　　〃Then；〃

said　the　tradesman；　〃I　change　MY　debt　into　one　of　honour；〃　and　he

tore　up　the　note。　　Fox　was　conquered　by　the　act：　he　thanked　the

man　for　his　confidence；　and　paid　him；　saying；　〃Then　Sheridan　must

wait；　yours　is　the　debt　of　older　standing。〃



The　man　of　character　is　conscientious。　　He　puts　his　conscience

into　his　work；　into　his　words；　into　his　every　action。　　When

Cromwell　asked　the　Parliament　for　soldiers　in　lieu　of　the　decayed

serving…men　and　tapsters　who　filled　the　Commonwealth's　army；　he

required　that　they　should　be　men　〃who　made　some　conscience　of　what

they　did；〃　and　such　were　the　men　of　which　his　celebrated　regiment

of　〃Ironsides〃　was　composed。



The　man　of　character　is　also　reverential。　　The　possession　of　this

quality　marks　the　noblest；　and　highest　type　of　manhood　and

womanhood：　reverence　for　things　consecrated　by　the　homage　of

generationsfor　high　objects；　pure　thoughts；　and　noble　aims

for　the　great　men　of　former　times；　and　the　highminded　workers

amongst　our　contemporaries。　　Reverence　is　alike　indispensable　to

the　happiness　of　individuals；　of　families；　and　of　nations。

Without　it　there　can　be　no　trust；　no　faith；　no　confidence；　either

in　man　or　Godneither　social　peace　nor　social　progress。　　For

reverence　is　but　another