character-第35章

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slow　of　speech；　but　speaks　his　mind　openly　and　boldly　when

occasion　calls　for　it。　　He　is　apt　to　admire；　for　nothing　is　great

to　him。　　He　overlooks　injuries。　　He　is　not　given　to　talk　about

himself　or　about　others；　for　he　does　not　care　that　he　himself

should　be　praised；　or　that　other　people　should　be　blamed。　　He　does

not　cry　out　about　trifles；　and　craves　help　from　none。〃



On　the　other　hand；　mean　men　admire　meanly。　　They　have　neither

modesty；　generosity；　nor　magnanimity。　　They　are　ready　to　take

advantage　of　the　weakness　or　defencelessness　of　others；　especially

where　they　have　themselves　succeeded；　by　unscrupulous　methods；　in

climbing　to　positions　of　authority。　　Snobs　in　high　places　are

always　much　less　tolerable　than　snobs　of　low　degree；　because　they

have　more　frequent　opportunities　of　making　their　want　of　manliness

felt。　　They　assume　greater　airs；　and　are　pretentious　in　all　that

they　do；　and　the　higher　their　elevation；　the　more　conspicuous　is

the　incongruity　of　their　position。　　〃The　higher　the　monkey

climbs；〃　says　the　proverb；　〃the　more　he　shows　his　tail。〃



Much　depends　on　the　way　in　which　a　thing　is　done。　　An　act　which

might　be　taken　as　a　kindness　if　done　in　a　generous　spirit；　when

done　in　a　grudging　spirit；　may　be　felt　as　stingy；　if　not　harsh　and

even　cruel。　　When　Ben　Jonson　lay　sick　and　in　poverty；　the　king

sent　him　a　paltry　message；　accompanied　by　a　gratuity。　　The　sturdy

plainspoken　poet's　reply　was：　〃I　suppose　he　sends　me　this　because

I　live　in　an　alley；　tell　him　his　soul　lives　in　an　alley。〃



From　what　we　have　said；　it　will　be　obvious　that　to　be　of　an

enduring　and　courageous　spirit；　is　of　great　importance　in　the

formation　of　character。　　It　is　a　source　not　only　of　usefulness　in

life；　but　of　happiness。　　On　the　other　hand；　to　be　of　a　timid　and；

still　more；　of　a　cowardly　nature　is　one　of　the　greatest

misfortunes。　　A。　wise　man　was　accustomed　to　say　that　one　of　the

principal　objects　he　aimed　at　in　the　education　of　his　sons　and

daughters　was　to　train　them　in　the　habit　of　fearing　nothing　so

much　as　fear。　　And　the　habit　of　avoiding　fear　is；　doubtless；

capable　of　being　trained　like　any　other　habit；　such　as　the　habit

of　attention；　of　diligence；　of　study；　or　of　cheerfulness。



Much　of　the　fear　that　exists　is　the　offspring　of　imagination；

which　creates　the　images　of　evils　which　MAY　happen；　but　perhaps

rarely　do；　and　thus　many　persons　who　are　capable　of　summoning　up

courage　to　grapple　with　and　overcome　real　dangers；　are　paralysed

or　thrown　into　consternation　by　those　which　are　imaginary。　　Hence；

unless　the　imagination　be　held　under　strict　discipline；　we　are

prone　to　meet　evils　more　than　halfwayto　suffer　them　by

forestalment；　and　to　assume　the　burdens　which　we　ourselves　create。



Education　in　courage　is　not　usually　included　amongst　the　branches

of　female　training；　and　yet　it　is　really　of　greater　importance

than　either　music；　French；　or　the　use　of　the　globes。　　Contrary　to

the　view　of　Sir　Richard　Steele；　that　women　should　be　characterised

by　a　〃tender　fear；〃　and　〃an　inferiority　which　makes　her　lovely；〃

we　would　have　women　educated　in　resolution　and　courage；　as　a　means

of　rendering　them　more　helpful；　more　self…reliant；　and　vastly　more

useful　and　happy。



There　is；　indeed；　nothing　attractive　in　timidity；　nothing　loveable

in　fear。　　All　weakness；　whether　of　mind　or　body；　is　equivalent　to

deformity；　and　the　reverse　of　interesting。　　Courage　is　graceful

and　dignified；　whilst　fear；　in　any　form；　is　mean　and　repulsive。

Yet　the　utmost　tenderness　and　gentleness　are　consistent　with

courage。　　Ary　Scheffer；　the　artist；　once　wrote　to　his　daughter：…

〃Dear　daughter；　strive　to　be　of　good　courage；　to　be　gentle…

hearted；　these　are　the　true　qualities　for　woman。　　'Troubles'

everybody　must　expect。　　There　is　but　one　way　of　looking　at　fate

whatever　that　be；　whether　blessings　or　afflictionsto　behave

with　dignity　under　both。　　We　must　not　lose　heart；　or　it　will　be

the　worse　both　for　ourselves　and　for　those　whom　we　love。

To　struggle；　and　again　and　again　to　renew　the　conflict

THIS　is　life's　inheritance。〃　（12）



In　sickness　and　sorrow；　none　are　braver　and　less　complaining

sufferers　than　women。　　Their　courage；　where　their　hearts　are

concerned；　is　indeed　proverbial：



　　　　　　〃Oh！　femmes　c'est　a　tort　qu'on　vous　nommes　timides；

　　　　　　A　la　voix　de　vos　coeurs　vous　etes　intrepides。〃



Experience　has　proved　that　women　can　be　as　enduring　as　men；　under

the　heaviest　trials　and　calamities；　but　too　little　pains　are　taken

to　teach　them　to　endure　petty　terrors　and　frivolous　vexations　with

fortitude。　　Such　little　miseries；　if　petted　and　indulged；　quickly

run　into　sickly　sensibility；　and　become　the　bane　of　their　life；

keeping　themselves　and　those　about　them　in　a　state　of　chronic

discomfort。



The　best　corrective　of　this　condition　of　mind　is　wholesome　moral

and　mental　discipline。　　Mental　strength　is　as　necessary　for　the

development　of　woman's　character　as　of　man's。　　It　gives　her

capacity　to　deal　with　the　affairs　of　life；　and　presence　of　mind；

which　enable　her　to　act　with　vigour　and　effect　in　moments　of

emergency。　　Character；　in　a　woman；　as　in　a　man；　will　always　be

found　the　best　safeguard　of　virtue；　the　best　nurse　of　religion；

the　best　corrective　of　Time。　　Personal　beauty　soon　passes；　but

beauty　of　mind　and　character　increases　in　attractiveness

the　older　it　grows。



Ben　Jonson　gives　a　striking　portraiture　of　a　noble　woman　in

these　lines：…



　　　　〃I　meant　she　should　be　courteous；　facile；　sweet；

　　　　　　Free　from　that　solemn　vice　of　greatness；　pride；

　　　　I　meant　each　softed　virtue　there　should　meet；

　　　　　　Fit　in　that　softer　bosom　to　abide。

　　　　Only　a　learned　and　a　manly　soul；

　　　　　　I　purposed　her；　that　should　with　even　powers；

　　　　The　rock；　the　spindle；　and　the　shears　control

　　　　　　Of　destiny；　and　spin　her　own　free　hours。'



The　courage　of　woman　is　not　the　less　true　because　it　is　for　the

most　part　passive。　　It　is　not　encouraged　by　the　cheers　of　the

world；　for　it　is　mostly　exhibited　in　the　recesses　of　private　life。

Yet　there　are　cases　of　heroic　patience　and　endurance　on　the　part

of　women　which　occasionally　come　to　the　light　of　day。　　One　of　the

most　celebrated　instances　in　history　is　that　of　Gertrude　Von　der

Wart。　　Her　husband；　falsely　accused　of　being　an　accomplice　in　the

murder　of　the　Emperor　Albert；　was　condemned　to　the　most　frightful

of　all　punishmentsto　be　broken　alive　on　the　wheel。　　With　most

profound　conviction　of　her　husband's　innocence　the　faithful　woman

stood　by　his　side　to　the　last；　watching　over　him　during　two

days　and　nights；　braving　the　empress's　anger　and　the　inclemency

of　the　weather；　in　the　hope　of　contributing　to　soothe　his

dying　agonies。　（13）



But　women　have　not　only　distinguished　themselves　for　their　passive

courage：　impelled　by　affection；　or　the　sense　of　duty；　they　have

occasionally　become　heroic。　　When　the　band　of　conspirators；　who

sought　the　life　of　James　II。　of　Scotland；　burst　into　his　lodgings

at　Perth；　the　king　called　to　the　ladies；　who　were　in　the　chamber

outside　his　room；　to　keep　the　door　as　well　as　they　could；　and　give

him　time　to　escape。　　The　conspirators　had　previously　destroyed　the

locks　of　the　doors；　so　that　the　keys　could　not　be　turned；　and　when

they　reached　the　ladies'　apartment；　it　was　found　that　the　bar　also

had　been　removed。　　But；　on　hearing　them　approach；　the　brave

Catherine　Douglas；　with　the　hereditary　courage　of　her　family；

boldly　thrust　her　arm　across　the　door　instead　of　the　bar；　and　held

it　there　until；　her　arm　being　broken；　the　conspirators　burst　into

the　room　with　drawn　swords　and　daggers；　overthrowing　the　ladies；

who；　though　unarmed；　still　endeavoured　to　resist　them。



The　defence　of　Lathom　House　by　Charlotte　de　la　Tremouille；　the

worthy　descendant　of　William　of　Nassau　and　Admiral　Coligny；　was

another　striking　instance　of　heroic　bravery　on　the　part　of　a　noble

woman。　　When　summoned　by　the　Parliamentary　forces　to　surrender；

she　declared　that　sh